‘I’m Glad They Trusted Us’: NBC’s Found Star Talks Taking Over Law And Order: Organized Crime’s Time Slot To Air After SVU

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On Thursdays, NBC once ruled the primetime with three hours of action from the Law & Order franchise, but that’s no longer the case in the 2025 TV schedule. With Christopher Meloni’s Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 shifting to streaming for Peacock subscribers, the 10 p.m. ET time slot following Mariska Hargitay’s Law & Order: SVU became vacant. Now, the second season of Found airs after SVU, and actor Arlen Escarpeta discusses his journey joining one of NBC’s top television nights.

At SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, I had a chat with the actor portraying agoraphobic tech genius Zeke. The cast of Found, along with the series’ successful creator Nkechi Okoro Carroll, were all present. During our conversation, I inquired about the shift from airing on Tuesday nights during Season 1 to Thursday nights in Season 2. Escarpeta explained what it felt like to receive confidence from NBC to follow their top-rated scripted show, excluding the One Chicago trilogy.

Given my fondness for television, especially NBC, and understanding the significance of their programming, it was an extraordinarily special moment. I feel privileged and proud to have been granted that time slot. I eagerly anticipate future seasons, continuing to bring joy and evoke emotions among viewers.

In contrast to the ratings of “Found” that took over the time slot previously occupied by “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” which were lower than Christopher Meloni’s procedural during the 2023-2024 TV season, a highly valuable vacancy on the network for the 2024-2025 TV season was arguably the Thursday night slot following two “Law & Order” shows. Unless NBC decided to extend Wednesdays with an additional hour to accommodate another show alongside the top-rated “One Chicago,” there was no other way!

The second installment of “Found” is gaining momentum in the fresh year, leaving fans curious about the future of the team and its leader, who now finds himself in custody. Although it doesn’t share the same universe as the other two Thursday night shows on NBC, it’s managing to keep up. Despite not officially being renewed for a third season, the cast expressed their eagerness to continue the story once Season 2 concludes. The show hasn’t quite entered the “Law & Order” realm yet, but it’s certainly making its mark.

Although we have a few more episodes before Season 2 concludes, the one airing on February 13 promises to be quite significant. Titled “Missing While Misidentified,” this episode will see a dramatic clash between past and present events. It delves into the backstory of how Sir’s captivity began in Gabi’s basement, which was hinted at months ago. Here’s a sneak peek at the trailer:

Shanola Hampton personally shared with me that Episode 12 was her most enjoyable episode to film out of all the series, and it heavily features her acting alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Sir. Don’t forget to tune in on Thursday, February 13 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC after SVU.

If you’re eagerly anticipating the release date for “Law & Order: Organized Crime” on Peacock, I completely understand your eagerness as we all share this excitement! The show’s first season as a streaming original is tentatively set to air in 2025, but no further details have been officially disclosed yet. On the bright side, you can catch Season 1 and all episodes of Season 2 on the platform right now!

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2025-02-08 06:07