Introduction

"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."

Law & Order was the creation of Dick Wolf, an advertising and public relations man who became a television writer, and executive producer. Prior to Law & Order, Wolf was an executive producer on one season of Miami Vice, the mega hit of the '80s.

The various Law & Order shows (Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, and Trial by Jury) are less spin-offs as they are co-branded franchises. So many other police shows run into problems when someone at the network says, "Can't they investigate something other than a murder?" Well, of course they can't. Not unless they get transfered, or some unlikely plot twist results in homicide detectives investigating other crimes. Thus the other Law & Order shows, using detectives assigned to other bureaus.

Wolf is quoted as saying, "I learned branding from Procter & Gamble. There are seven Crests: they're different tastes, but the reason they can do seven is because people know, 'oh, it's Crest. I can buy it'."

The first Law & Order premiered in 1990, and has been going strong ever since. The only other network show on the air that long is The Simpsons. And while the latest Law & Order franchise, Trial by Jury, wasn't a ratings success, we can probably expect to see the overall brand be a part of the primetime TV landscape for a number of years to come. The brand will then live on in reruns forever.

My dream: A Law & Order movie with multiple subplots that bring together the casts of all of the franchise shows. Will it come true?

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Law & Order

Law & Order premiered September 13, 1990. The format, refreshingly unique at the time, was actually derived from a '60s police drama called Arrest & Trial. The stories were "ripped from the headlines" of the New York Post. Unfortunately, Law and Order rated poorly at 77th place in the Neilsens. Fortunately NBC decided to stick with the show.

By the end of the fifth season, no original cast members remained. Much like it's ABC rival, NYPD Blue, Law & Order periodically rejuvinates itself with new cast members, and doesn't miss a beat. But the drama on Law & Order is much lower-keyed.

The Law & Order format is quite tight. A murder happens before the opening credits. The detectives are always at the crime scene immediately after the opening credits, and the "Law" part of the show begins. Nearly always they will go down the wrong path, often arresting the wrong suspect before the end of the first half hour. The second half hour is the "Order", and centers around the DA's office. While preparing the case, if the wrong suspect was arrested, the police will be brought back, and the right suspect will be arrested. The trials are often unpredictable except that there will always be at least one ruling that frustrates the ADA. While the defendent is usually found guilty, that isn't always a given. After the verdict, some of the characters will get together, and mull over what happened.

Law & Order DVD Collections

	Law & Order: Season One (1990-91) Devoted fans and those who came late to the series can catch it from the beginning with this six-disc set that contains all 22 episodes from the inaugural season.The first half of each episode, the "Law", is personified in the first season by partners Greevey (George Dzundza) and Mike Logan (Christopher Noth). The second half chronicles the ensuing trials, as prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) and Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) under the supervision of Steven Hill's Adam Schiff. Episodes include "By Hooker, By Crook" about a socialite-run call-girl ring, and "Indifference," which recalls the tragic Lisa Steinberg child abuse case. Others deal with such hot-button issues as abortion ("Life Choice") and AIDS ("The Reaper's Helper"). Guest stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Spencer, Cynthia Nixon, and Dominic Chianese.
	Law & Order: Season 2 (1991-92) All 22 gripping, ripped-from-the-headlines episodes of its second year are contained in this must-have DVD collection. Paul Sorvino, Michael Moriarty, Chris Noth, Richard Brooks, Dann Florek and Steven Hill are the relentless investigators and prosecutors who tackle the intriguing criminal cases that come before them; guest stars appearing in this compelling second season include Jerry Orbach (before he became a series regular!), Maura Tierney ("ER"), Allison Janney ("The West Wing"), William H. Macy ("Seabiscuit"), Kelli Williams ("The Practice"), and Nancy Marchand ("The Sopranos"). Law & Order: The Second Year will keep you enthralled with its celebrated ensemble cast and "absorbing, sharply-written episodes" (TV Guide).
	Law & Order: Season 3 (1992-93) Law & Order's third year marked a transitional one for the now top-rated drama. In 1992, Jerry Orbach joined the cast as Det. Lenny Briscoe, and would turn out to be one of its most enduring characters. After Sgt. Phil Ceretta (Paul Sorvino) is shot by a gun dealer in episode eight ("Prince of Darkness"), Briscoe teams up with Det. Mike Logan (Chris Noth) in the next ("Point of View"). It wasn't meant to be a permanent change (Ceretta was injured, not killed), but the two would continue to beat the streets until Logan's departure in 1995. Orbach would remain part of the Law & Order cast through 2003, when he moved to Trial by Jury until his death in 2004. The line-up was otherwise the same: Capt. Donald Craven (Dann Florek), ADA Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks), ADA Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty), and DA Adam Schiff (Steven Hill). However it would be Florek's last season on the show, replaced by Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) when NBC requested that there be more female characters on the show. (Florek would go on to star in Special Victims Unit.) The third season would also be Brooks' last, replaced by ADA Claire Kinkaid (Jill Hennessy) in the fourth season. During Law & Order's third season, a number of soon-to-be-famous TV actors would put in appearances. They include Lauren Ambrose, Claire Danes, Felicity Huffman, Edie Falco, Vincent Pastore, Adam Arkin, Michael Badalucco, Camryn Manheim, Ron Rifkin, and Julianna Margulies. Wow!
	Law & Order: Season 4 (1993-94) The fourth year of Law & Order brought about some major changes to the series, with the departures of Captain Cragen and Paul Robinette from the series, replaced with Lt. Anita Van Buren and Claire Kincaid, bringing the first lead female characters into the series. The season finale also led to the departure of Michael Moriarty from the series as Assistant District Attorney Ben Stone. The following year, his character was replaced with Sam Waterston as Jack McCoy, who has been on the show ever since.
	Law & Order: Season 14 (2003-04) Note that Season 14 was released on DVD before Seasons 4-13, which are still aired in heavy rotation on TBS. The fourteenth season of Law & Order is the final for the late Jerry Orbach. The DVD set was released prior to his death. All 24 episodes are included on this 3-disc set. In Season 14, Det. Lennie Briscoe (Orbach) and his partner Det. Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin) are still under the direction of Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson). The DA is Arthur Branch, played by former Senator Fred Dalton Thompson (R-Tenn). The chief prosecuter is Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston), and he's assisted by ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm). In Season 14, some of the episodes tinker with the formula, with the "Law" or the "Order" part taking more than half the episode. There was more insight into the characters than in previous seasons as well. While these changes may have been needed to rejuvinate the series, it was sometimes at the expense of the proven ways. When viewed along side the other seasons, Season 14 does seem different. Whether that's good or bad depends upon your investment in the show: Is it the forumula that's important, or is it the characters that make it work? In Season 14, it's your call.

Law & Order Books

	Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion (paperback) Whether you tune in each week to see veteran Detective Lennie Briscoe analyze clues with wild-card partner Ed Green in the fist half of the show, or to see Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy invoke justice in the courtroom in the second half, you cannot help but get involved with the most human characters on television. With these powerful characters and socially relevant stories ripped from today's headlines, it is difficult to tell whether you are watching the evening news or one of the most intense dramas ever seen on television. Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion was written with the cooperation of the show's creator and executive producer, Dick Wolf, and features interviews with the stars, producers, and writers. It is the first-ever guide to this popular, Emmy award-winning police drama. You'll get the inside scoop on the past and current stars of the show, including Paul Sorvino, Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, Christopher Noth, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Carey Lowell, Angie Harmon, and Michael Moriarty, find out who was fired, who left willingly, and who remains; the show's continued problems with censorship issues and advertiser fallout; the behind-the-scenes anecdotes about cast regulars, including the fights-both verbal and physical-that have peppered the production; how Wolf was forced to increase the estrogen and decrease the testosterone on the show; the detailed history behind the creation and development of the show, and season-by-season critiques of each episode through the entire 1999 season.
	Law & Order : Crime Scenes (coffee table book) NBC's Emmy award-winning hit series Law & Order is television's longest-running drama. Like the series, Law & Order: Crime Scenes walks a thin line between reality and fantasy, presenting gritty crime scene photographs. Producer Dick Wolf discusses how he came up with the idea for the crime drama and describes each of the years' main characters, accompanied by pictures. Aficionados will particularly delight in Wolf's revelations about the characters' personal lives. A postmortem commentary by photographer Jessica Burstein features thumbnails of the pictures, noting which episode each is from, with anecdotal information, and a brief synopsis of the crime scene.

Law & Order Computer Games for Windows

	Law & Order: Justice is Served Sure, tennis is big business, but we bet you never saw a match like this. Your game begins when 20-year-old tennis star Elena Kusarova shows up dead on the locker room floor the week before the start of the U.S. Open. Work along with detectives Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green to piece together the clues and make an arrest. Once you have a suspect in custody, you'll build your case with Assistant District Attorney Serena Southerlyn and try to convince the jury to return a guilty verdict. With a more user-friendly interface, increased interactivity, twice as many puzzles, and more characters and locations, you'll really feel like you're part of the "Law & Order" team.
	Law & Order: Dead on the Money Law & Order: Dead on the Money is an exciting 3-D game based on an original, complex murder case created by a Law & Order TV writer. You'll step into the dramatic world of criminal investigation when you're called to a crime scene in Manhattan's Central Park. You and your partner, Detective Lennie Briscoe (actual voice of Jerry Orbach), will work to uncover the identity of the victim, gather evidence, track down witnesses, and identify viable suspects. Once you've got enough evidence to make an arrest, your supervisor, Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (actual voice of S. Epatha Merkerson), will sign off on your warrant. Once you have the killer in custody, the focus shifts to the criminal courts. You'll work with Assistant District Attorney Serena Southerlyn (actual voice of Elisabeth Rohm) to build a compelling case that will convince the jury to return a guilty verdict and convict the defendant.
	Law & Order: Double or Nothing Partner with Detective Lennie Briscoe (actual voice of Jerry Orbach) to investigate the death of an esteemed scientist found shot in midtown Manhattan. Interview witnesses, interrogate suspects, gather evidence, and order lab tests as you unravel entangled love affairs, financial misdeeds and secret identities. Arrest the murder suspect and test your prosecution powers as you build a case with Assistant D.A. Serena Southerlyn (Voice of Elisabeth Rohm). It's up to you to bring a killer to justice.

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	Law & Order Board Game Law & Order one of the most popular and critically acclaimed series in television history is now a game you can play at home! Players become detectives and compete to solve realistic cases as they travel around the board. Interview witnesses, interrogat

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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was the second L&O franchise to join the NBC line-up. It premeired in 1999. At one point the network wanted to name the show "Sex Crimes", but creator Dick Wolf wanted something less lurid, and wanted to take advantage of Law & Order as a brand name.

While SVU follows the Law & Order basic concept of "law" (the police investigating the crime), and "order" (the DA prosecuting), SVU doesn't follow the half-and-half format of the original show. The ADA assigned to the unit is more involved in the investigation, often advising the unit on their constitutionally mandated limits. The detectives are more involved in the prosecution, often as victim advocates and support.

SVU also breaks from the original Law & Order in that we learn more about the character's background, and how spending their days investigating heinous sex crimes affects the rest of their life. This is especially true for Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) who's marriage suffered more and more as time went on.

In what has to be the most ironic and inventive casting ever, Ice-T, a rapper previously (in)famous for his song "Cop Killer", plays Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola. He's partnered with the ever cynical Detective John Munch played by Richard Belzer, reprising his role from Homicide: Life on The Street. (He's moved from Baltimore to New York.) These two are the last personalities you'd think of when staffing a unit that deals with victims of sex crimes, but their no-nonsense, we're-not-going-to-lie-to-you approach is often just what many victims with trust issues appreciate.

Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is Elliot Stabler's partner. Dann Florek reprises his leadership role cut short after the third season of the original Law & Order as Captain Donald Cragen, and B.D. Wong plays Dr. George Huang, an FBI profiler who often helps the unit focus on the right suspect. (In a departure from the original Law & Order, rarely is the wrong suspect arrested.)

Stephanie March played ADA Alexandra Cabot in the first few seasons, and was replaced by Diane Neal as ADA Casey Novak. Dean Winters was a fifth detective on the squad for season one, and Michelle Hurd played Detective Monique Jefferies, who was replaced by Ice-T after season one.

Law & Order: SVU DVD Collections

	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season One This six-DVD boxed set includes all 22 episodes of the first compelling season. Dick Wolf penned series premier "Payback," which sets the scene, but not the tone. It's a lively, if uneasy mix between horror (rape) and comedy (risque banter). As the show progressed, humor would be written out. Mostly, "Payback" introduces us to the unit, centering around partners Olivia Benton (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). For two people with so little in common, they make a terrific team -- arguably one of TV's best. Stabler is married with four children; Benton is single and her closest relationship is with her mother (Elizabeth Ashley). While Stabler can get a little rough with suspects, Benton tends to over-empathize with the victims. They report to the no-nonsense Captain Cragen (Law & Order vet Dann Florek). SVU's first season proved that network TV could explore sex crimes without being salacious or exploitative. "Uncivilized," for instance, concerns a child murder that is automatically pinned on a local sex offender, when the actual perpetrator isn't quite so obvious. "Disrobed," in which Brian Cassidy (Winters) leaves the department and Benson (with whom he had a brief affair) shoots a suspect is another standout in a strong year.
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season Two This three disc set includes the entire second season plus extras. Season Two brings us Ice-T as the newest member of the squad, Odafin (Fin) Tutuola. He joins the squad in a very awkward moment, meeting Det. Monique Jefferies (played by Michelle Hurd), the detective who didn't know she was being replaced. Also, while Season One focused almost entirely on the police side of Law & Order, Season Two brings us ADA Alex Cabot (Stephanie March) as a major character. We still don't see as much courtroom drama, or even DA office politics as the original Law & Order, but Season Two finally takes Law & Order: SVU beyond being just another police drama. Order before Christmas 2005, and four exclusive clips from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 2 will be placed in your Amazon.com "Digital Locker" for your immediate viewing pleasure. The clips include: "Where Did He Get That Gun From?", "The Key to the Mysterious Security Box", "Do You and Kathy Fight a Lot?", and "Diplomatic Harassment."
	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season Five All 25 episodes of the fifth season are included in this 4-disc set. Stephanie March, Michelle Hurd and Dean Winters are out, and Diane Neal and Ice-T are in. This is actually the first season for ADA Casey Novak (Neal). There is, however, a featurette on the SVU alumni.

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Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Criminal Intent was the third in the series of Law & Order franchises, and premiered in 2000. Dick Wolf has claimed that Arthur Conan Doyle inspired him to create Criminal Intent, which is far more cerebral than the other Law & Order shows.

While the other Law & Order shows have dominant characters, they are largely ensamble pieces. While CI has a capable ensamble, there's no denying that this Law & Order show has a star: Detective Robert "Bobby" Goren, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. Goren is a cool headed detective with a perchant for details. He's Rainman combined with Adrian Monk, but with enough social skills and control to blend into the normal people around him.

Goren is partnered with Alexandra "Alex" Eames, played by Kathryn Erbe, who clearly understands her role as Watson to Goren's Holmes. ADA Carter, played by Courtney B Vance, guides the pair, who'll often do anything to trip-up their suspect. We don't always even see the trial, unless Goren needs to hear some testimony to find the last piece of the puzzle that'll cinch the victory for the prosecution.

Working for the Major Case Squad, the detectives investigate many different kinds of cases, with the only thing they have in common being their importance, and their difficulty. Few television detectives have the patience to slowly peal away at the onion the way Goren does. There is, however, a hint that he is pained by so many details around him that most of us shrug-off. That pain keeps the plot on a razor's edge, and sometimes errupts in the exposition of Goren's bottled-up temper.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent DVD Collections

	Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Season One Criminal Intent could hardly be mistaken for a comedy, but it can be lighter on its feet than Law & Order and Special Victims Unit -- even if the crimes are just as grim. The fun comes from watching Goren and Eames do whatever it takes to catch the perps. As long as it's legal -- they'll do it. Highlights of the first season include "Jones" with Griffin Dunne as a philandering lawyer, "Badge" with Viola Davis as a corrupt ex-cop, and "Phantom" with Michael Emerson as a desperate family man. The last is based on the same real-life case that inspired the critically acclaimed French film Time Out. Other cases, also often suggested by actual events, concern burglary, forgery, and money laundering -- although murder is always mixed up in there somewhere. Featuring guest appearance from Law & Order detectives Green (Jesse L. Martin) and Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) in "Poison" and Lieutenant Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) in "Badge."
	Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Season Three The season 3 DVD was released before season 2. This was to coincide with Law & Order season 14, and Special Victims Unit season 5, both the same year as Criminal Intent Season 3. It's unknown if season 2 of Criminal Intent (or seasons 4-13 of Law & Order, and seasons 2-4 of SVU) will be released later or not. In Criminal Intent season 3, actress Kathryn Erbe who plays Alex Earnes on the show was pregnant, so in some episodes Goren's partner is Samantha Buck playing Detective Bishop (who's first name was never used.) This 3-disc DVD set includes all 23 episodes from season 3, as well as a featurette, "Who is Robert Goren".

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Law & Order: Trial by Jury

While Criminal Intent mostly ignored the "Order" part of the Law & Order formula (Law=police investigation, Order=prosecution by the DA), Trial by Jury tips the other way, and picks-up on the cases as they're being handed-off to the DA's office. There was even one case that developed on Law & Order (the shooting of a witness and Detective Green on their way to a trial), that provided the case for Trial by Jury.

Trial by Jury, the fourth franchise of the Law & Order brand, premiered in fall 2004, and didn't even last a full season. Jerry Orbach, who left Law & Order at the end of the 2003-04 season, was to reprise Detective Lenny Brisco as secondary character on TBJ, assisting the DA's office in their pre-trial discovery investigations. However, Orbach died before the season was even half done. Despite his episodes being aired posthumously, ratings were low. Problems replacing Orbach led to awkward story lines to explain his absense. Toss in a poor Friday night time-slot, and only half-hearted promotion by the network, and this franchise was doomed.

In Trial by Jury, Bebe Neuwirth was the lead ADA Tracey Kibre, assisted by ADA Kelly Gaffney played by Amy Carlson. Kibre's reputation was that of someone who didn't loose -- although she did just that sometimes! Fred Dalton Thompson (former Senator from Tennessee) added to his Law & Order duties by playing Kibre's boss on this series as well. (The DA rarely appears on SVU or CI.)

The season has not yet been released on DVD, nor is there any other promotional merchandise still available. If you have any Trial by Jury merchandise, it may become a collector's item!