Law & Order may have only recently launched its latest spin-off series, but the franchise is showing no signs of slowing down!
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Hot on the heels of Law & Order: Organized Crime, it's been announced that another spin-off show from NBC titled Law & Order: For the Defense, is in the works.
According to the official statement from the network, the new series will "put the lawyers under the microscope, along with the criminal justice system with every week delivering the promise of a contemporary morality tale".
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After the exciting news was shared on Twitter, many fans flocked to share their thoughts - and it seems that they all want to see one character in particular return to lead the new series.
"If there is going to be a Law & Order series centered around lawyers, I expect nay, require it to star Rafael Barba," one person tweeted, referring to the former Assistant District Attorney played by Raúl Esparza.
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Another echoed this, writing: "Law & Order: for the Defense? Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a spin-off about Rafael Barba," while a third added: "Can we just call it Law & Order: Rafael Barba, For the Defense?"
A fourth simply said: "I don't want it unless Rafael Barba is part of it."
© NBCRafael Barba actor Raúl Esparza has made a handful of guest appearances since officially exiting the series in 2018
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While no casting has been confirmed yet, given the 50-year-old actor's enduring popularity with fans, it's possible that creator Dick Wolf is already thinking along the same lines. Law & Order: Organized Crime saw one of the franchise's biggest stars Christopher Meloni make his return after more than ten years away.
Famed stage and screen actor Raúl made his debut as ADA Rafael in 2012 and quickly became a favourite among fans for his tireless pursuit of justice, sharp wit and even sharper suits.
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His character was promoted to a series regular for the 15th season but exited the show during season 19. He has since appeared a handful of times as a guest star, with the most recent cameo being in the season 22 episode "Sightless in a Savage Land".
Away from Law & Order, the actor is well known for his many theatre roles; he starred in the original Broadway production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and has been nominated for a Tony in all the categories for which an actor is eligible. His television credits include Hannibal, Pushing Daisies and BoJack Horseman.
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