The upcoming Law & Order crossover sees ADA Price (Hugh Dancy) and ADA Carisi (Peter Scanavino) teaming up. When we asked Dancy what he could tease about the episodes, though, his answer wasn’t about what happens in front of the judge and jury. “You won’t be surprised to hear that [the crossover] brings the crew of Law & Order and SVU together,” he told us. However, “perhaps more unexpected would be the fact that the case happens to delve back into the past in quite a personal way, both for Benson and for Brady. So, the benefit of that is that it brings Mariska [Hargitay] and Maura [Tierney] together on screen as a duo. And they’re really, I think, kind of spectacular together.”
That personal connection can help explain the tension we see in the promo (below). Basically, without giving anything away, Price might have to make an argument of “my process might be different than yours in this” at a key point during the investigation. Even so, Price isn’t working against the squads’ leaders. “We’ve all got the same endgame in mind.”
What else should you know before watching Law & Order Season 24 Episode 19 and Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 19? “What I hope for people watching is…that seeing [the episodes] blended together, in a way, will be a refreshing change.” After all, the storytelling “obviously takes on a different shape” due to that blending, which is so seamless “because we’re all in the same world…[and] even in the SVU episode,” some of the storyline winds up “taking place in [Price’s] office.” But “the only difference” for the actors “is that suddenly…we’re getting to play with different people, right? I mean, I very happily work with, with Tony and Odelya, and occasionally Reid and Mehcad and so on…those are my everyday folk. So, when suddenly, Peter and Mariska [are there], that’s like, ‘okay, fun, you know, new kids in the playground.'”
So, make sure to tune in for the Law & Order crossover. Because “if you’re a fan of Law & Order, you’re going to get your kicks. And if you’re a fan of SVU, you’re going to get your kicks as well. It’s just like the meal is going to be served in a different way…Speaking as a viewer, I find that really enjoyable.”
MORE: We interviewed Odelya Halevi for her take on Law & Order Season 24 Episode 12. Also, Donna Lynne Champlin spoke with us about her guest appearance on Law & Order: SVU Season 26 Episode 14.
Watch the Law & Order crossover promo here
Check back here for more with Hugh Dancy after the Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU crossover. “Play with Fire Part 1” begins on Thursday, April 17, at 8/7c on NBC. (Part 2 airs at 9/8c.)