Nominated for 52 Emmys since its 1990 premiere, including 11 for Outstanding Drama Series, Law & Order is one of the most popular television shows in modern day history. With an additional 4 Golden Globe nominations for Best TV Series (Drama), Law & Order is more than a TV show, it’s a lucrative franchise for host network NBC, spawning popular spin-offs Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001), and (the now cancelled) Law & Order: Trial By Jury (2005). Filmed on location in New York City, the show is the brainchild of creator Dick Wolf, a longtime writer for successful TV series such as Hill Street Blues and Miami Vice. With sixteen successful seasons already on the books, and more on the way, Law & Order remains one of the best drama series available on any network
Law & Order centers around the New York City criminal justice system, where “the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups – the police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders”. The first half of each one-hour episode is dedicated to the initial revelation of a crime and the police investigation that subsequently takes place. This usually involves interviewing witnesses, following leads, testing evidence, and/or hammering out a confession. Once sufficient evidence has been gathered to charge a suspect, the remainder of the show revolves around the district attorney’s office and their attempts to prosecute the offenders. Oftentimes, the audience will be witness to unexpected plot twists, unorthodox media-driven cases, or last minute, Perry Mason-like confessions or brokered deals. Given its long TV run, the cast of Law & Order has frequently changed over the years – with only a handful of characters experiencing lengthy runs, characters such as Det. Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson), and EADA John “Jack” McCoy (Sam Waterston)
The Law & Order DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere “Prescription for Death” in which a young woman turns up dead following a late-night visit to the emergency room. When her father claims negligence on behalf of the hospital, his accusations lead to an in-depth investigation that prompts detectives to believe that the attending physician was drunk at the time of treatment Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Poison Ivy” in which the police shooting (and subsequent cover-up) of a black honors student amplifies the city’s racial tensions, and “The Serpent’s Tooth” in which two brothers become the prime suspects in the murder of their wealthy parents
Below is a list of episodes included on the Law & Order (Season 1) DVD:
Episode 1 (Prescription for Death) Air Date: 09-13-1990
Episode 2 (Subterranean Homeboy Blues) Air Date: 09-20-1990
Episode 3 (The Reaper’s Helper) Air Date: 10-04-1990
Episode 4 (Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die) 아오하 Air Date: 10-11-1990
Episode 5 (Happily Ever After) Air Date: 10-23-1990
Episode 6 (Everybody’s Favorite Bagman) Air Date: 10-30-1990
Episode 7 (By Hooker, By Crook) Air Date: 11-13-1990
Episode 8 (Poison Ivy) Air Date: 11-20-1990
Episode 9 (Indifference) Air Date: 11-27-1990
Episode 10 (Prisoner of Love) Air Date: 12-04-1990
Episode 11 (Out of the Half-Light) Air Date: 12-11-1990
Episode 12 (Life Choice) Air Date: 01-08-1991
Episode 13 (A Death in the Family) Air Date: 01-15-1991
Episode 14 (The Violence of Summer) Air Date: 02-05-1991
Episode 15 (The Torrents of Greed: Part 1) Air Date: 02-12-1991
Episode 16 (The Torrents of Greed: Part 2) Air Date: 02-19-1991
Episode 17 (Mushrooms) Air Date: 02-26-1991
Episode 18 (The Secret Sharers) Air Date: 03-12-1991
Episode 19 (The Serpent’s Tooth) Air Date: 03-19-1991
Episode 20 (The Troubles) Air Date: 03-26-1991
Episode 21 (Sonata for a Solo Organ) Air Date: 04-02-1991
Episode 22 (The Blue Wall) Air Date: 06-09-1991