Law & Order: SVU season 22: Should new spin-off feature Barba?

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In the event that you did not here yesterday, there is an upcoming Law & Order: SVU off-shoot coming to NBC entitled For the Defense. While there isn’t much in the way of cast confirmation as of yet, that isn’t going to stop us from thinking about the future.

Could this be a future that includes former ADA Rafael Barba? We certainly would hope so! Raul Esparza was recently featured back on SVU as the character, who has since made the jump over to being a part of the defense. This would make him the perfect person to lead a new version of the franchise, and there are also compelling reasons for NBC to want him.

Take, for example, the idea of getting a devoted viewership from the start. Esparza has a huge fanbase, and that would enable the show to have intrigue from the get-go. You can then cast a lot of other capable performers around him and craft a story that would bring in young and new viewers alike. While this show would be able to get some of the Law & Order core audience, we do think the premise should work to attract some newcomers. There are so many shows out there already that revolve around arresting and/or prosecuting suspected criminals. However, there are very few showing the other side of things. Details are still early on For the Defense, but we’d love the show to focus on what happens when someone is wrongfully accused, or even what happens when a defense attorney has to represent someone they know to be guilty.

Barba seems like the perfect vessel to tackle so many of these themes — he’s intelligent, shrewd, and also a capable leader. Knowing how the other side thinks within the DA’s office is also a huge plus. Imagine some of the crossover potential that would also present here!

For now, we don’t expect Law & Order: For the Defense to be on the air until the 2021-22 season at the earliest.

Do you think that Barba should be a part of the new Law & Order: For the Defense?

Be sure to let us know right now in the attached comments! After doing that, remember to come back around for other updates. (Photo: NBC.)

This article was written by Jess Carter.

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