Law & Order's Tendency To Recycle Actors Doesn't Sit Right With Fans

 

Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson looking at a computer
 
 Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" saga has expanded rapidly in the years since the original series hit the airwaves. Title after title has made it to the small screen and thrived, with fan favorite "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" running for hundreds of episodes. In that time, a near-countless number of characters have joined the franchise either in a cameo capacity or as main players. Some of these folks have even been played by the same actor — a trend that has brought on a mixed response from the "Law & Order" fan community.

In the "Law & Order: SVU" subreddit, user u/Tyedye1997 kicked off a conversation about the show's recycling of actors. While some in the thread voiced their irritation over this trend, many — the original poster included — shared that they find it fun. "I enjoy the familar faces. It's pretty amusing that they do this. Sometimes I watch episodes like "where have I seen them before?" commented u/StillBigLex. Other commenters chimed in with examples of "Law & Order" actors who have pulled double duty, resulting in quite an extensive list.

Of course, this reuse isn't exclusive to the world of "Law & Order." Another television franchise with Dick Wolf's name attached to it has done this, too.