I’m 55 years old and I’ve been watching Law & Order since the very beginning. I’m not new to the Wolf universe — I’m seasoned. Law & Order, SVU, Criminal Intent, even the FBI series — I’ve seen them all. Repeatedly. Willingly. Happily.
I even wear my Dick Wolf cap when I’m writing my own mystery novel. Reruns of Law & Order play in the background while I edit articles for Audacity Magazine. That’s how much your shows are woven into my life.
So, Dick, let me say this with all the respect, admiration, and firm New York energy I can muster:
👉 It’s time to cast physically disabled people.
You’ve built one of the longest-running, most respected TV franchises in history. You’ve told thousands of stories. But you’re still missing one: physically disabled people living and working in everyday roles.
🧑‍🦽 We’re Not Hard to Cast
We don’t need a dramatic arc or an “inspiration” storyline. We just need the chance to exist on screen.
What about a wheelchair-using receptionist at the precinct?
A paralegal with a visible disability?
A juror with crutches?
A forensic specialist with a spinal condition?
A defense attorney using a mobility scooter?
You cast teachers, detectives, villains, janitors, nurses, victims, and everyone in between. You can absolutely cast disabled people in those same roles.
And guess what? We won’t slow production.
We won’t break realism.
We’ll enhance it — because we’re already part of the real world.
🎥 Meanwhile, in Manhattan…
Now here’s the funny part: my sister lives in Manhattan.
Every time Law & Order is filming nearby, she sends me videos like she’s got backstage access to the Wolf universe. She’ll text me, “Look! They blocked off the street for SVU!” or “I think I just saw Mariska walk by!”
And do you think she stops and says, “Hey, my sister’s a writer and a wheelchair user who’s been watching these shows forever — you should put her in the background”?
Nope.
She keeps walking and sends me the footage like it’s a consolation prize.
Meanwhile, I’m sitting there thinking, Really? I could’ve been rolling past the courthouse while Benson and Stabler walk-and-talk. I mean, how perfect would that be?
đź“ş Lead Again, Dick
You’ve been a pioneer in so many ways.
You created strong female leads before it was standard.
You built diverse casts before it became a buzzword.
You captured the grit and complexity of New York City like no one else.
Now it’s time to do it again.
Physically disabled people are ready to show up in the world you created.
Some of us are trained actors.
Some of us would love to be background extras.
Some of us — ahem — are writers who’ve been loyal fans for decades and would gladly be “passerby #4” on a Brooklyn sidewalk.
You don’t have to overhaul your universe.
You just have to open the door.
đź’Ą Come On, Dick. You Can Do It.
Hire a disabled extra.
Cast a recurring disabled character.
Let a paratransit van roll into a scene.
Put a wheelchair user behind a desk at a precinct.
Let someone with scoliosis or a limb difference testify in court.
Be the leader you already are.
We’ve been watching for years.
We know your rhythm.
We speak fluent dun dun.
Now let us be part of the scene.
And hey — if you’re filming in Manhattan again, tell my sister to stop recording and start advocating.
I’ve got the cap.
I’ve got the experience.
I’ve got the love.
All I need now is the cameo. Dun dun!
Okay my audacious readers, help me get Dick’s attention! Share this article with others. Or better yet, comment to show you think people with physical disabilities can be in every episode of every show that Dick Wolf has created.
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