Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Law & Order Season 25, Episode 1.When Law & Order returned for Season 21 back in 2022, over a decade after going off the air, the big question was how the series would move forward in a changing TV landscape. Network procedurals were on the decline, while audiences flocked to shorter, more contained, character-driven dramas on cable and streaming. But under showrunner Rick Eid, the revival has pulled off something remarkable: keeping the iconic case-of-the-week and courtroom structure intact while weaving in more personal, character-driven arcs. The result has been a show that feels both true to its roots and surprisingly relevant.

Season 24 ended with one of its most emotional cliffhangers yet. Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi) watched Carter Mills, the man she knew killed her sister, walk free after the DA’s office failed to secure a conviction for another crime. In the closing moments, Mills was gunned down on the street, and Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy), already doubting Sam, confronted her about whether she pulled the trigger. It was a raw, unforgettable scene, but what followed in the Season 25 premiere, “Street Justice,” delivered the real make-or-break moment. And it’s that moment that proves Law & Order is still iconic and is evolving in all the right ways.

Nolan and Sam’s Relationship is Tested in “Street Justice”

“Street Justice” picks up right where the Season 24 finale left off, which is unusual for Law & Order, a show that usually resets each week with a fresh case. Instead, the murder of Carter Mills becomes the case, and all eyes are on Sam to see if she was the one who pulled the trigger. Some early evidence points her way, but the investigation eventually reveals Carter’s ex-girlfriend as the real culprit. It’s not shocking that Sam is ultimately cleared, but what stood out to me was how the episode leaned into the raw, very human emotions at play, showing the toll Carter’s crimes have taken on Sam, and how much strain this puts on her relationship with Nolan.

One of the episode’s most powerful moments comes when Sam admits to Nolan that she did take her gun out with the intent to kill Carter. But in the end, she stopped herself, tossed it into the river, and refused to cross a line she knew she could never come back from. Halevi delivers the confession with heartbreaking honesty, while Dancy’s performance shows how conflicted Nolan is. He knows she has every reason to be angry, and she even throws some of the blame back at him for Mills going free. But it’s what happens next that really defines their partnership.

In a moment of grief, Carter’s ex-girlfriend Julia confides in Sam, admitting that she lied in court. She hadn’t just run into Carter by chance that night; she had waited for him with the intent of killing him. The revelation makes her self-defense plea worthless and threatens to blow up the case entirely. And because Nolan overhears the exchange, he’s left wondering if Sam will come clean or keep the truth buried to finally seek the justice she desired.

Sam and Nolan’s Dynamic is One of the Strongest Elements of ‘Law & Order’

Ultimately, Sam does come clean to Nolan, telling him exactly what Julia confessed. But instead of using it to tear the case apart, she makes a different kind of argument: that they should still offer the plea deal for manslaughter. Her reasoning is simply that “winning” at all costs isn’t the same thing as justice. Julia may have lied on the stand, but her fear, her trauma, and her desperation were real. Destroying her in court would only shine a light on the failure that started with Carter walking free.

What makes the scene so striking is Nolan’s response. In earlier seasons, he might have shut Sam down, clinging to the letter of the law. But here, he doesn’t dismiss her feelings and actually listens to her reasoning. Then, surprisingly, he agrees and thanks her for being so honest with him. It’s a huge moment that I think, in many ways, saved their professional partnership and their friendship. If she had lied, it would’ve been very difficult for him to have continued working with her because that really would signal that all trust was lost. It signals to them both that their partnership is stronger than they might have realized.

And that’s what makes Sam and Nolan’s dynamic one of the best things to come out of this new era of the show. Odelya Halevi and Hugh Dancy have a chemistry that feels genuine and believable, grounding their debates and different perspectives in real mutual respect. Whether this trust makes them a stronger team or sets them up for even bigger conflicts, it’s clear the writers are leaning more into the human side of their job. By embracing that vulnerability instead of easy answers, Law & Order proves once again why it’s more than just another procedural. It’s a series that still has found a way to evolve, delivering make-or-break moments that resonate all these years later.

Season 25 of Law & Order airs Thursday on NBC and is available the next day on Peacock.

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