February 22nd will be the end of an era in the Law & Order universe, as that will be the final episode of Sam Waterston‘s long and beloved tenure with the franchise. Waterston’s District Attorney Jack McCoy has been a staple of the series since joining the show in 1994 and has appeared in over 400 episodes during his time in the role. His final episode will air next week, and NBC has released a new trailer for the episode paying tribute to Waterston’s work on the series. The show won’t be the same without Jack McCoy, but at least we get to see him in action one more time. You can watch the new trailer below.
NBC posted the trailer on Twitter, adding the caption, “Let’s give a fond farewell to the legendary Jack McCoy. Watch Sam Waterston’s final #LawAndOrder Thursday February 22 8/7c on @nbc and streaming on @peacock.”
Let’s give a fond farewell to the legendary Jack McCoy. Watch Sam Waterston’s final #LawAndOrder Thursday February 22 8/7c on @nbc and streaming on @peacock. pic.twitter.com/kr0tTlNbag
— LAW & ORDER (@lawandordertv) February 16, 2024
As you can see in the trailer, it’s a bit of a full-circle moment for Jack in the episode. For the first time since the series returned, Jack will be trying the case himself instead of guiding his team through it. The trailer shows several famous moments from his past cases during the show, and returning to do that one more time seems like a perfectly fitting way to end his run on the series.
McCoy has been a foundational part of the flagship Law & Order, even as a number of actors stepped into and out of roles around him. The series initially ended its run in 2010, but was then revived in 2022.
Waterston returned for revival, though this time he had a team of his own, which included Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) and Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi). Tony Goldwyn will be stepping in as the new district attorney, though it’s not known how or when exactly that will happen.
When Waterston returned for the show’s revival, calling the experience “unbelievable” and like stepping back in time. “It was totally surreal. Unbelievable,” Waterston told Variety regarding stepping back onto the new sound stage. “It’s a step back in time. They built the sets in every detail down to the books on the shelves to the linoleum on the floor. You know perfectly well that it wasn’t all being done for you, but you can’t escape the feeling that you’re being given this opportunity to step back in time in your own life.”
Law & Order stars Sam Waterston, Hugh Dancy, Camryn Manheim, Odelya Halevi, Mehcad Brooks and Reid Scott. Dick Wolf is the creator and executive producer. Rick Eid, Pamela Wechsler, Alex Hall, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.
What’s your favorite Jack McCoy moment in the series? Let us know in the comments, and as always you can talk all things Law & Order with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!