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:

In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.

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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

The last of the original cast members was Chris Noth (Mike Logan). Although often touted as an original cast member, Steven Hill (Adam Schiff) joined the show after the first episode.

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Goofs

In more than one episode, characters refer to the District Attorneys of various New Jersey counties. New Jersey has County Prosecutors, not District Attorneys. However, this error is very common.

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Quotes

[looking at a murder victim]
Det. Ed Green: Bare foot, cross painted on her chest. Looks like we're dealing with some religious nut.

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Crazy Credits

Some (but not all) episodes show a disclaimer emphasizing the fictional nature of the story just prior to the closing credits. This is particularly important on those episodes that were inspired by well-known real- life legal cases.

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Connections

Referenced in My Soul to Take (2010)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Still compelling after all these years

I only started watching L&O a few years ago, and am hooked on the brilliant writing, acting, and direction that have made this show so popular for so long. Jerry Orbach is great as Lennie, and I was stunned to learn that he also played the voice of Lumiere, the French candlestick in Beauty and the Beast! His sarcastic one-liners never fail to get me laughing, and he and his new partner, Jesse L. Martin as Ed Green, have a good rapport and are believable as partners. On the "Order" side, Sam Waterston, Dianne Wiest, and Elisabeth Rohm are equally compelling. New cast member Rohm has gotten better as she's gone along; she had big shoes to fill as Angie Harmon's replacement. Because the stories are all driven by the plots, and not the characters' personal lives, it makes the constant cast turnover more believable. It's a testament to Dick Wolf and co. that such a smart, sharp show has stayed on the edge after almost 12 years! My only beef is I'm tired of hearing "Ripped from the headlines" in every promo. That, though, is a minor quibble. Wednesday nights wouldn't be the same without it!