‘Law & Order’ Fifth Episode ‘Rage Bait’ Release Date, Time, Where to Watch and Preview
The fifth episode of ‘Law & Order’ arrives on NBC on Thursday, November 5, with a case titled ‘Rage Bait’. The episode is slated for 10 p.m. Eastern and 9 p.m. Central on NBC. The details are settled even though the story itself is only lightly described so far.
The long running procedural created by Dick Wolf is a crime drama and police procedural built around New York City detectives and prosecutors. The new season opened on Thursday, October 8, and ‘Law & Order’ has kept to a weekly rhythm since. Here is what viewers need to know before the next case begins.
‘Law & Order’ Release Date for the Fifth Episode
TV Guide lists ‘Rage Bait’ for Thursday, November 5, which matches the schedule published by other outlets tracking the series. That date is also confirmed in the episode information posted by All Things Law and Order.
The run up to it follows a steady weekly pattern. The third episode, ‘Bad News’, premiered on October 22, and the fourth, ‘Property’, followed on October 29. The fifth installment continues that Thursday sequence without a break.
The season itself was secured well ahead of time. The renewal was confirmed on May 8, and the previous season ran from late September through mid May.
Air Time on NBC Thursday Night
The series airs on NBC at 10 p.m. Eastern and 9 p.m. Central, a slot it has held since the premiere on October 8. The fifth episode keeps to that same schedule.
The Thursday lineup looks different from before. NBC announced that ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ now airs ahead of ‘Law & Order’, which gives Olivia Benson’s squad the lead position on the night. Viewers who want the flagship series should tune in for the later hour.
The move comes after a solid showing for the original drama. Among NBC’s scripted shows, it ranked eighth in the key demo among adults 18 to 49 and fifth in total viewers during its previous season. Reports at the time also noted that the show was sitting on the ratings bubble, partly because filming in New York City is expensive.
Where to Watch the New Episode
In the United States, the episode airs live on NBC, so broadcast viewers see the case before any streaming window opens. That makes the Thursday night broadcast the earliest option.
Those who prefer to stream have a clear route. New episodes are available on Peacock the following day. That gives anyone who misses the broadcast an easy way to catch up.
Viewers outside the United States have options as well. In Canada the series airs on Citytv on Thursdays at 10 p.m., while in Australia it is expected to stream on BINGE after its debut on NBC.
Preview of ‘Rage Bait’ and the Cast
The case begins with a high profile death. A college basketball star is shot dead after winning the championship game, and the detectives Walker and Calvino uncover a trail of online vitriol that leads far beyond the internet. The title points directly at that digital hostility.
The legal side looks just as difficult. Price and Maroun face an uphill battle when the defendant claims self defense. The episode was written by Scott Gold and Ajani Jackson, with the director still to be announced.
The ensemble is in a transitional stretch. The main cast includes James Badge Dale, David Ajala, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi and Tony Goldwyn. Dale made his debut as Senior Detective Rob Calvino in the second episode, which also featured the exit of Reid Scott. Tierney plays Lieutenant Jessica Brady.
Rick Eid returns as showrunner, and each episode is split between the police investigation of a homicide and the prosecution that follows. With a championship night turning into a case about online hatred and a claim of self defense, do you think Price and Maroun can overcome that defense in ‘Rage Bait’?
