Law & Order (Franchise) Law and Order

bout the original television series. For its spin-offs, see Law & Order (franchise).
For other uses,

see Law and Order.
Law & Order
The series title card.
The font, Friz Quadrata, is used in
the identifying sign of One Police Plaza,
headquarters of the NYPD.
Genre
Police procedural
Legal drama
Created by Dick Wolf
Starring
George Dzundza
Chris Noth
Dann Florek
Michael Moriarty
Richard Brooks
Steven Hill
Paul Sorvino
Carolyn McCormick
Jerry Orbach
S. Epatha Merkerson
Jill Hennessy
Sam Waterston
Benjamin Bratt
Carey Lowell
Angie Harmon
Jesse L. Martin
Dianne Wiest
Elisabeth Rhm
Fred Dalton Thompson
Dennis Farina
Annie Parisse
Michael Imperioli
Milena Govich
Alana de la Garza
Jeremy Sisto
Linus Roache
Anthony Anderson
Theme music composer Mike Post

Opening theme Theme of Law & Order
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 20
No. of episodes 456 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)
Dick Wolf
Joseph Stern
Location(s) New York City, New York
Running time 4048 minutes
Production company(s)
Wolf Films
Universal Television (1990
98, 200204)
Studios USA (19982002)
NBC Universal Television
Studio (200407)
Universal Media Studios
(200710)
Distributor NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Release
Original network NBC

Picture format
480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Original release September 13, 1990 May 24, 2010
Chronology
Related shows Law & Order franchise
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick
Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It originally aired on NBC and, in syndication, on various
cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final
season on May 24, 2010. At the time of its cancellation, Law & Order was the longest-running crime
drama on American primetime television. Its record of 20 seasons is a tie with Gunsmoke (1955
1975) for the longest-running live-action scripted American prime-time series with ongoing
characters. Although it has fewer episodes than Gunsmoke, Law & Order ranks as the longest-
running hour-long primetime TV series. Gunsmoke, for its first six seasons, was originally a half-hour
program.
Set and filmed in New York City, the series follows a two-part approach: the first half-hour is the
investigation of a crime (usually murder) and apprehension of a suspect by New York City Police
Department detectives; the second half is the prosecution of the defendant by the Manhattan District
Attorney's Office. Plots are often based on real cases that recently made headlines, although the
motivation for the crime and the perpetrator may be different.
The show has been noted for its revolving cast over the years. Among the longest-running main cast
members were Steven Hill as District Attorney Adam Schiff (seasons 110), Jerry Orbach as
Detective Lennie Briscoe (seasons 314), S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van
Buren (seasons 420), Sam Waterston as Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack
McCoy (seasons 520; later District Attorney) and Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green (seasons
1018).
The success of the series has led to the creation of additional shows, making Law & Order a
franchise, with also a television film, several video games, and international adaptations of the
series. It has won and has been nominated for numerous awards over the years, including a number
of Emmy Awards. On May 14, 2010, NBC announced that it had canceled Law & Order and would
air the final episode on May 24, 2010.[1][2][3][4] Immediately following the show's cancellation, Wolf
stated that he was attempting to find a new home for the series and would also consider a "last
resort" plan to conclude the show with a two-hour TV film to air on NBC. [5] In July 2010, however, he
indicated that those attempts had failed and declared that the series had now "moved to the history
books".[6]
However, in February 2015, rumors started that NBC was planning to bring the series back for 10
episodes.[7] In May 2015, former star Sam Waterston (EADA/DA Jack McCoy) announced to The
Hollywood Reporter that he supports and would join a revival of Law & Order, saying: "You're darn
right. Sure, I'd love it. Got to break the record."[8] Creator Dick Wolf has expressed wanting to use
a L&O revival to do a 'ripped from the headlines' story-line surrounding the murder trial of Robert
Durst, Wolf said "[Of all my past projects] I'd bring back Law & Order. Everybody who knows me
knows it's something I want to do," he continued, "my only regret looking backward is all the great
stories that we haven't been able to do for the past five years."[9] At the 2015 Television Critics
Association summer press tour, Wolf noted everyone wants a revival, "It is a question of... most of t

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bout the original television series. For its spin-offs, see Law & Order (franchise).

For other uses,

Law & Order

The series title card.

The font, Friz Quadrata, is used in

the identifying sign of One Police Plaza,

headquarters of the NYPD.

Created by Dick Wolf

Fred Dalton Thompson

Theme music composer Mike Post

Country of origin United States

Original language(s) English

No. of episodes 456 (list of episodes)

Location(s) New York City, New York

Running time 4048 minutes

Universal Television (1990

Studios USA (19982002)

NBC Universal Television

Universal Media Studios

Distributor NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Original network NBC

Original release September 13, 1990 May 24, 2010

Related shows Law & Order franchise

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