NBC has pulled the episode of Law & Order: SVU, scheduled to air this Thursday, Jan. 15, with Timothy Busfield as guest star. It will be replaced by the episode of the venerable crime drama that had been slated for the following Thursday, Jan. 22.
The decision comes days after an arrest warrant was issued Friday for the actor-director-producer who was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse. They stem from allegations of inappropriate behavior toward child stars on the New Mexico set of the Fox/Warner Bros. TV drama series The Cleaning Lady, on which the Thirtysomething alum served as director and executive producer.
If found guilty, Busfield could face a minimum of three years behind bars.
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The matter first came to authorities’ attention in late 2024 when a doctor from University of New Mexico Hospital contacted the Albuquerque Police Department in regards to a “sexual abuse investigation.”
Warner Bros TV had conducted its own probe into allegations against him after SAG-AFTRA received an anonymous complaint in early 2025 of an incident on The Cleaning Lady set from December 2024.
In a statement to Deadline on Friday when the arrest warrant was issued, the Channing Dungey-led WBTV said: “The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
Sex crimes are at the heart of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Busfield plays a judge in the pulled episode, titled Corrosive, which deals with abuse. It focuses on a troubling case involving a respected judge’s life being threatened. The SVU team is called to investigate, leading them down a complex path that connects to an anonymous video posted to their tip line. As the plot unfolds, the episode tackles heavy themes of trauma and recovery, showcasing Rollins’ efforts to support a victim facing their past abuse.
Dominic Patten contributed to this report.