"Law and Order: SVU" season 17 episode 9 aired last Nov. 18 and saw the sudden return of Lewis Hoda (Tom Sizemore). However, NBC has not yet given an official release date or synopsis for episode 10, although there are speculations now that the second half of the season will premiere as early as January.

According to a report from Cartermatt, the season is most likely set to return in January with episode 10, which is going to continue the story involving Hoda and the team's ongoing fight against him. The report also points out that the show should continue with its strong story and characters, a big step up from previous seasons.

This claim is further implied by actress Mariska Hargitay's post via Twitter. Harigtay posted right after episode 9 aired on Nov. 18, further implying that it was indeed the mid-season finale. In her post the actress thanked fans of the show and added the hashtag stating the show would be back in January, although she did not cite a specific date.

Given that NBC has not yet announced a change in schedule, it is safe to say that "Law and Order: SVU" will maintain its Wednesday schedule. If the series is only taking a short Christmas hiatus, it is likely the series will resume with episode 10 come Jan. 13 or 20.

At this point, there are no indications on what the next episode will be about as no title or synopsis has yet been released to the public. Given how the previous episode ended, however, with BD Wong stepping back in to reprise his role as Dr. George Huang, the next episode may most likely resolve the ongoing case against Lewis Hoda.

Cartermatt also points out that the series is still doing well in an age where most viewers rely on their DVR. Its live audience rating is reportedly doing better in comparison to season 16 and could be taken as an indication the series will push forward with another season in 2016.