Law & Order (1990–2010)

The show follows a crime, usually adapted from current headlines, from two separate vantage points. The first half of the show concentrates on the investigation of the crime by the police, the second half follows the prosecution of the crime in court.

Creator:

Dick Wolf

Stars:

S. Epatha Merkerson, Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin

Nominated for 6 Golden Globes. Another 43 wins & 157 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Lt. Anita Van Buren (391 episodes, 1991-2010)
Sam Waterston	...	Jack McCoy (368 episodes, 1994-2010)
Jerry Orbach	...	Detective Lennie Briscoe (274 episodes, 1991-2004)
Steven Hill	...	D.A. Adam Schiff (229 episodes, 1990-2000)
Jesse L. Martin	...	Detective Ed Green (198 episodes, 1999-2008)

Storyline

The show follows a crime, ususally adapted from current headlines, from two separate vantage points. The first half of the show concentrates on the investigation of the crime by the police, the second half follows the prosecution of the crime in court.

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Plot Keywords:

police | evidence | investigation | detective | district attorney | 

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Taglines:

Meet the Detectives and Prosecutors with a duty to bring Law & Order to New York City.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

Bravo [ca] Five [uk]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Law & Order Prime

Filming Locations:

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Studios USA Television, NBC Universal Television, Universal Network Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min 45 min (456 Episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Moriarty resigned at the end of the fourth season after a long, vocal battle of words with Attorney General Janet Reno, who was making efforts to censor television violence. He felt that NBC was trying to silence him when two talk show appearances on the network were pulled at the last moment and his role was reduced considerably in the fourth season episode "Mayhem." Dick Wolf claims this was entirely coincidental. Moriarty claims he was forced into a situation where he had to resign. His character, EADA Ben Stone, also resigned on the show. After quitting the series, Moriarty moved to Canada, where he considered forming a political party.

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Goofs

In a few Law & Order episodes Detective Briscoe will approach a drug dealer whom he will know has information valuable to the case, but the dealer will usually play dumb so Briscoe and his partner will frisks the dealer and find drugs, the cuffs come out and the dealer will spill his guts. This action is called the squeeze and the way it's done is illegal. The proper procedure is that after finding the drugs the Police are meant to arrest the dealer and bring him to the D.A's office for a plea-for-information deal. As only the D.A's have the authority to put the squeeze on as they will need proof of evidence in case the dealers testimony is needed in a court of Law.

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Quotes

Adam Schiff: People see the devil as an allegory.
ADA Jack McCoy: I'm not so sure I do.
Abbie Carmichael: Horns and a pitchfork, Jack?

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Crazy Credits

At the start of the season one episode "Torrents of Greed, Part 2" the customary "In the criminal justice system..." opening monologue and screen title were replaced with a monologue and screen title about manipulation of the legal system.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #18.5 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"I'm Not Driving Anymore"
(Instrumental)
Written and Performed by Rob Dougan
(UK Version)

User Reviews

The Good Guys Win Too Much!!!!

This is a television show which has a lot going for it, the format is pretty cut and dry... These emotionless figureheads, who work for the law, have to divide their time between plea bargaining, and becoming nauseated, yet detached, from the situations that they must cope with!! .. What is so realistic about this show is their astute depiction of due process!! The monotony involving the burden of proof becomes relegated to cumbersome nuisances which many city workers and appointed officials must expedite, in order to maintain peace and tranquility, or, as the show is entitled, law and order!!!! It is only for the television audience's benefit that the district attorneys in this show deviate from the norm, and demonstrate even a modicum of vigilante fervor!! The deals that the state makes with the defendants wind up being an in veritable jackpot of justice for the city of New York!! This is because the T.V. viewer has an insatiable craving to witness something which is remotely similar to a happy ending!! I give this series credit for being realistic in it's accurate portrayal of the arraignments, the trials, and the deliberation processes which inevitably adhere to an acceptable limit of legal authenticity!! Hence, the show later proceeds to indulge the prosecution with an eleemosynary generosity for purposes of conveying some sort of socially responsible message to the viewer!! While the scenario becomes a situation of "The good guys winning too much" these victories by the prosecution are candidly conditional, and therefore, very relevant in their overall premise!! You (The viewer) can thoroughly conceptualize how deliberations through the judicial system operate in New York City by watching "Law & Order" .... That is something you can count on!!! ABSOLUTELY!! No question about it!! This is one of the essential purposes of "Law & Order"

"Law & Order" has lasted for seventeen seasons, and is still one of the best television shows on the small screen!!! I think the dialog is extremely gripping, and the lethal oblivion to moral imperatives have left a crystal clear indication of how accommodating justice requires many dubious and distasteful compromises!! The district attorney must acquiesce to deals with a very sordid and nefarious cross section of felonious criminals in order to stay within the guidelines of statutory budget appropriations!!! Sometimes, the most apocalyptic and pitiful situations are what determine the outcome of a case!! The cacophony of hateful emotional hang-ups almost serve as a precarious form of vindication for the purveyors of the various and heinously orchestrated crimes that this series continuously manufactures !! Regardless of what happens, officials of the law have to bite the bullet, hold their noses, and look the other way!! Primarily, this is the obligatory scourge that the public officials on this show must capitulate to!! Such a plight correlates to actual dilemmas that our nation's public officials must struggle with!! One of the most prolific statements uttered on "Law & Order" was (I am paraphrasing) "The wealthy do not have an extreme overabundance of justice, the goal of due process is to simply raise the level of justice for the common man" I wholeheartedly agree with that statement!! It is a fact that in so many instances, with so many trials, plausibility for manifesting reasonable doubt has become intensely convoluted, and thus, has become an egregious bastardization of the American legal system!! Whether we like to admit it or not, television is an informative element of social exposure for the average American. "Law & Order" is a program which delves into prosecution proceedings at a rudimentary level of societal poignancy!! In it's own right, it ("Law & Order") throughout it's entire run, has auspiciously changed much of the formulae of television programming by elevating it to a relatively significant degree of egalitarian accuracy!! Most shows do not possess the fortitude to be that influential, not by any stretch of the imagination whatsoever!! The ensuing spin-offs of "Law & Order" have been very excellent as well!!

I like the series "Law & Order" ... In particular, I like some of the cast members like Chris Noth, Dennis Farina, and Chris Meloni!! Both Sam Waterson and Michael Moriarity have been excellent on this show too!! The directing, producing and particularly, the writing, have been sensational on "Law & Order" I believe this is one of the top 50 shows ever to hit the airwaves....A definite trophy in the small screen drama showcase!!!