Law & Order
- Awards And Honors:
- Emmy Award (1997)
Law & Order, longest-running law-enforcement series in American television. The show aired on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network from 1990 to 2010 and enjoyed strong ratings throughout its run. It won the 1997 Emmy Award for best drama series.
The hour-long Law & Order was set in New York City, where it was also shot, and approached its crime and law-enforcement narratives in a novel way, depicting the case at the centre of each episode from two perspectives, that of the police and that of prosecutors. The first half of each episode typically followed the regular cast of police officers as they investigated a crime, with their efforts resulting in the arrest of a suspect. In the second half of the episode, the plot and perspective shifted to the Manhattan district attorney’s office as the prosecutors prepared their case and went to trial. Most of the show’s cases were inspired by actual crimes or trials “ripped from headlines,” but the events in the show were purely fictional. Law & Order’s split structure relied on high-stakes and complex cases that posed myriad problems for both the investigators and the prosecutors.
During the series’ long run, there were many cast changes. Major characters included Detective Lennie Briscoe (played by Jerry Orbach, 1992–2004), District Attorney Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston, 1994–2010), Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth, 1990–95), Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy, 1993–96), Detective Reynaldo Curtis (Benjamin Bratt, 1995–99), District Attorney Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson, 2002–07), and Lieut. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson, 1993–2010). The series regularly featured high-profile guest stars, such as Julia Roberts and Samuel L. Jackson. To add realism, the show also included New York City politicians, such as Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, playing themselves.
Law & Order became a network franchise and engendered several spin-offs, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999– ), starring Mariska Hargitay, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–11), starring Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005–06), Conviction (2006), Law & Order: Los Angeles (2010–11), and Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021– ) are other series in the Law & Order franchise.
In 2010 NBC canceled Law & Order, and the last episode aired on May 24. The show tied Gunsmoke as the longest-running prime-time drama in the United States; both were on the air for 20 years.