---
title: "Law & Order"
year: 1990
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/law-and-order"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_reviews: 2
published: "2026-09-17T20:15:07.302672+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-17T20:15:25.483071+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Law & Order (1990)

Created by Dick Wolf · MPA TV-14 · Crime, Drama

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics: 2 of 6 reviews so far

*In a sentence:* Half an hour of shoe leather, half an hour of objections, and a chord that sounds like a cell door

> Dick Wolf’s procedural has run the same hour since 1990: detectives first, prosecutors second, verdict before the credits. It is plainly made, well acted and entirely sure the system works, and after a few episodes that certainty is the thing you are watching.

## Synopsis

New York, 1990. A patient dies in a hospital and the death does not look right. Detectives Max Greevey (George Dzundza) and Mike Logan (Chris Noth) work the case from the body to the arrest, questioning doctors who close ranks and administrators who would rather nobody asked. Halfway through the hour they hand the file across town to the district attorney’s office, and the second half belongs to the prosecutors, who must turn what the detectives found into something a jury will accept. That is the shape of every episode that follows: a crime, a partnership, a courtroom, a verdict. Over the years the detectives change, Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino) among them, but the two halves stay fixed.

## Review

Dick Wolf’s idea, first broadcast on 13 September 1990, was to take two kinds of television programme that already existed and bolt them together. The first half hour is a police show: a body, two detectives, a list of people who did not do it and one who probably did. The second is a courtroom show: the same case, handed to the district attorney’s office, argued before a judge and settled before the credits. Nothing carries over but the crime. It is a good idea, plainly executed, and it has outlasted almost everything it started alongside because Wolf and his writers never got bored of it. It is worth your evening if crime is your genre, and it will not surprise you.

The rule holds for the actors. Nobody is indispensable. George Dzundza’s Max Greevey, in the first season, is a tired, decent man who eats badly and does the job; Chris Noth’s Mike Logan beside him is younger, angrier and better dressed. Paul Sorvino’s Phil Cerreta asks his questions more slowly and gets more out of them. Benjamin Bratt’s Rey Curtis is the straight arrow, Jesse L. Martin’s Ed Green the one who enjoys the chase, Dennis Farina’s Joe Fontana the one who stopped explaining himself years ago. Each is good and each is replaceable, and the series is honest about that. A partner leaves and someone else is at the desk the following week.

It is shot the same way from the start. Ernest R. Dickerson and Constantine Makris, two of the many names on the camera credits, put the detectives on real pavements in flat grey daylight, the camera at shoulder height and slightly unsteady, so a doorway interview looks overheard. The courtrooms are wood and fluorescent tube and nobody has tried to make them handsome. Between scenes a black card with white type says where we are and when, and Mike Post’s music strikes its two notes, a sound like a cell door shutting down the hall. It is the most famous thing the series owns, and it works because it is never varied.

Here is what we felt, going back to the early seasons. The first thing was comfort, and we are not embarrassed by it: the hour has a shape, the shape is kept, and there is real pleasure in watching skilled people go through a routine they respect. The second thing came about four episodes in. We noticed we had decided the man in the dock was guilty before his lawyer stood up, because the camera had told us so and the prosecutor was the one we had been following since the half hour. We did not like catching ourselves at it. The series never asks whether we should.

That is its limit, and the writers, René Balcer and Michael S. Chernuchin among the many on the credits, mostly accept it. Defence lawyers are written as obstacles rather than people. Doubts about the system are raised in the dialogue and settled by the plot, week after week, and when an episode borrows a case from the newspapers, which it does often, the borrowing is the point and the argument comes second. The revival that began on 24 February 2022 keeps the shape and thins the writing. Hugh Dancy’s Nolan Price and Odelya Halevi’s Samantha Maroun are capable; Mehcad Brooks’s Jalen Shaw and Reid Scott’s Vincent Riley do what is asked; Tony Goldwyn’s Nicholas Baxter runs the office with an authority the scripts do not always earn. Anthony Anderson’s Kevin Bernard is the warmest presence in those seasons and is given the least to do.

Against the genre, this is the programme that decided a crime show did not need a hero, only a procedure. Later series set in the same city would give their police doubt, private lives and defeats. *Law & Order* gave them a case, a partner and a verdict, and in the early years, when the scripts were tight and the actors were allowed silences, that was plenty.

Watch the first ten seasons with a drink and skip around; nothing is lost by missing an episode. If you want to know what the people on screen go home to, this is not the show. If you want to know whether the man did it, you will be told by the end of the hour.

*Fi1m score 72, published 17 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

With only 2 reviews in so far, there is not much of a consensus to report. The Hollywood Reporter, looking at the series premiere, finds the idea of splitting each hour between the police and the prosecutors a novel one but says it works only fitfully, even with a solid cast of familiar names. The Ringer, writing much later, is warmer, praising the reliable crime-to-conviction structure as a comfort and noting that the programme’s faith in the justice system is both its strength and a reflection of the culture that made it. Both agree the format is the point; they part on whether it earns its keep.

### Reviews we read (2)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (50/100, inferred): The review of the series premiere finds the cop-and-lawyer hybrid concept novel but concludes it works only fitfully, despite solid name actors. It highlights the specific episode plot involving a suspicious hospital death leading to courtroom proceedings. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/law-order-first-episode-thrs-818046/)
- **The Ringer**, Jane Coaston (70/100, inferred): The series is praised for its reliable, comforting structure that delivers consistent procedural storytelling from crime to conviction. The critic highlights its conservative valorization of the justice system as both a strength and a reflection of broader cultural attitudes. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2017/09/25/tv/law-and-order-menendez-brothers-legal-system)

## Details

- **Created by:** Dick Wolf
- **Creator:** Dick Wolf
- **Director:** Constantine Makris, Edwin Sherin, Jace Alexander, David Platt, Richard Dobbs, Matthew Penn, Martha Mitchell, Alex Hall, Jean de Segonzac, Don Scardino, Michael Pressman, Christopher Misiano, James Quinn, Lewis Gould, Arthur W. Forney, Fred Berner, E.W. Swackhamer, Alex Chapple, Daniel Sackheim, Jim McKay, Fred Gerber, David Grossman, Milena Govich, Gloria Muzio, Michael Smith, Darnell Martin, James Frawley, Vincent Misiano, Michael W. Watkins, Carlos Bernard, Nestor Carbonell, Stephen Wertimer, Eriq La Salle, Vern Gillum, René Balcer, John Whitesell, David Shore, Marisol Adler, Dick Wolf, Steven Robman, Marc Levin, Norberto Barba, Mario Van Peebles, Brian Mertes, Dann Florek, Roger Young, Gwen Arner, James Hayman, Steve Shill, William Klayer, Michael Dinner, Bethany Rooney, Rachel Leiterman, Yangzom Brauen, John Behring, Charles Correll, Gilbert M. Shilton, Rose Troche, Tim Hunter, Joy T. Lane, Rosemary Rodriguez, Michael Fresco, John Patterson, Eric Stoltz, Bill D'Elia, Martin Davidson, Dean White, Tony Goldwyn, Sarah Boyd, Karen Gaviola, Peter Stebbings, Ernest Dickerson, Gabrielle Beaumont, Alan Taylor, Rick Eid, Kristoffer Tabori, John David Coles, Laura Belsey, Leslie Hope, Carl Weathers, Gilbert Moses, Joan Stein Schimke, Helaine Head, J. Ranelli, Sam Weisman, Marc Laub, Peter Levin, Timothy Busfield, Paris Barclay, Dan Karlok, Steve Cohen, Christopher Zalla, Heather Cappiello, Elisabeth Röhm, Rick Wallace, Allen Coulter, Sharon Lewis, Adam Bernstein, Joshua Marston, Adam Davidson, Oscar Rene Lozoya II, Aaron Lipstadt, Bruce Seth Green, Carlo Bernard
- **Writer:** Richard Sweren, René Balcer, Ed Zuckerman, Michael S. Chernuchin, Rick Eid, William N. Fordes, Pamela J. Wechsler, Art Alamo, Wendy Battles, Robert Stuart Nathan, Jennifer Vanderbes, Scott Gold, Aaron Zelman, Jeremy R. Littman, David Wilcox, Kathy McCormick, David Slack, Barry M. Schkolnick, I.C. Rapoport, Dick Wolf, Matt Witten, Marc Guggenheim, David Black, Barry Schindel, Matthew McGough, Janis Diamond, Luke Schelhaas, Christopher Ambrose, Keith Eisner, Eric Overmyer, Gina Gionfriddo, Stephanie Sengupta, Noah Baylin, Ajani Jackson, Julie Martin, Morgan Gendel, Lynne E. Litt, Robert Palm, Gardner Stern, Lynn Mamet, Walon Green, Will Lapp, Jill Goldsmith, Roz Weinman, Terri Kopp, Nicholas Wootton, Eddie Feldmann, Sean Jablonski, Davey Holmes, Jolie Huang, Michael Duggan, David Shore, Gia Gordon, Lorenzo Carcaterra, Sally Nemeth, Nick Santora, Sonny Postiglione, Sibyl Gardner, William M. Finkelstein, Chris Levinson, Alfredo Barrios Jr., Joe Morgenstern, Elle Johnson, Douglas Stark, Mark B. Perry, Elaine Loeser, Matt Kiene, Jorge Zamacona, Jonathan Collier, Michael Harbert, Stuart Feldman, Joe Reinkemeyer, Ted Malawer, Edward Pomerantz, Marley Schneier, Hall Powell, Suzanne O'Malley, Gordon Rayfield, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, Christine Roum, Joe Gannon, Ross Berger, Peter Blauner, Harold Schechter, Craig McNeer, Gwen Sigan, P.K. Todd, Frank Pugliese, Paris Qualles, Greg Plageman, Tom Szentgyorgyi, J. Ranelli, Craig Turk, Rob Wright, Charles C. Mann, Suzanne Oshry, Gene Ritchings, Walter Dallenbach, Philippe Browning, Tori Novie, Carter Harris, William Lapp, Giles Blunt
- **Story:** René Balcer, William N. Fordes, Richard Sweren, Michael S. Chernuchin, Dick Wolf, Ed Zuckerman, Robert Stuart Nathan, I.C. Rapoport, David Black, Robert Palm, Michael Duggan, Rick Eid, Pamela J. Wechsler, Barry M. Schkolnick, Kathy McCormick, Keith Eisner, David Shore, Gerry Conway, Walon Green, Jeremy R. Littman, Morgan Gendel, Ajani Jackson, Wendy Battles, Lynne E. Litt, Matt Witten, Barry Schindel, Gia Gordon, Hall Powell, Doug Palau, Joshua Stern, Peter S. Greenberg, Aaron Zelman, Noah Baylin, David Wilcox, Alfredo Barrios Jr., Jolie Huang, Art Alamo, Matthew McGough, Janis Diamond, Eric Overmyer, Gina Gionfriddo, Gardner Stern, Will Lapp, Roz Weinman, Lorenzo Carcaterra, Suzanne O'Malley, Nick Santora, Joe Morgenstern, Elle Johnson, Douglas Stark, Mark B. Perry, Gordon Rayfield, Krista Vernoff, Jacob Brackman, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, Joe Viola, Shimon Wincelberg, Harvey Solomon, Craig Tepper, Wendell Rawls, David Nahmod, Jack Richardson, Thomas Francis McElroy, Bernard Goldberg, Dick Teresi, Judith Hooper, Alan Gelb, Alec Baldwin, Brad Markowitz, Shiya Ribowsky, Jonathan Rintels, Carl Nelson, Scott Tobin
- **Teleplay:** Robert Stuart Nathan, Ed Zuckerman, René Balcer, Michael S. Chernuchin, Rick Eid, Richard Sweren, William N. Fordes, Pamela J. Wechsler, David Black, I.C. Rapoport, Kathy McCormick, Keith Eisner, Barry M. Schkolnick, Matt Witten, Morgan Gendel, Robert Palm, Gerry Conway, Lynne E. Litt, Barry Schindel, David Shore, Jeremy R. Littman, Ajani Jackson, Matthew McGough, Eric Overmyer, Suzanne O'Malley, Doug Palau, Joshua Stern, Aaron Zelman, Noah Baylin, Wendy Battles, David Wilcox, Alfredo Barrios Jr., Tom Smuts, Art Alamo, Scott Gold, Janis Diamond, Luke Schelhaas, Gardner Stern, Lynn Mamet, Jill Goldsmith, Terri Kopp, Lorenzo Carcaterra, Sally Nemeth, Hall Powell, Joe Morgenstern, Elle Johnson, Gordon Rayfield, Elaine Loeser, Krista Vernoff, Jacob Brackman, Joe Viola, Shimon Wincelberg, Harvey Solomon, Craig Tepper, Wendell Rawls, Christine Roum, David Nahmod, Jack Richardson, Thomas Francis McElroy, Kevin Arkadie, Nancy Miller
- **Cinematography:** Constantine Makris, William Klayer, John Beymer, Jon Delgado, David S. Tuttman, Christopher Misiano, Craig DiBona, Richard Dobbs, Manuel Billeter, Ernest Dickerson, Michael F. Barrow, John Thomas, Peter Reniers, Geoffrey Erb, Alec Hirschfeld
- **Editor:** Michael Schweitzer, Chris Brookshire, Neil Felder, David Post, Monty DeGraff, Jim Stewart, Toni Morgan, Michael Kewley, Billy Fox, Adam Wolfe, David Siegel, Mark Newman, Leon Ortiz-Gil, John A. Keris, Drake Silliman, Randy Jon Morgan, Kevin Krasny, Laurie Grotstein, Micky Blythe, Kurt Courtland, Michael D. Ornstein, Philip Carr Neel, Janice Hampton, Leslie Gaulin, Scott Vickrey, Arthur W. Forney, Devon Greene, Edward R. Abroms, Eric Sears, Douglas Ibold, Paul O'Bryan, John Refoua
- **Music:** Mike Post
- **Producer:** Lewis Gould, Jeffrey L. Hayes, Kati Johnston
- **Cast:** Dennis Farina as Joe Fontana; Reid Scott as Vincent Riley; Anthony Anderson as Kevin Bernard; George Dzundza as Max Greevey; Tony Goldwyn as Nicholas Baxter; Hugh Dancy as Nolan Price; Paul Sorvino as Phil Cerreta; Odelya Halevi as Samantha Maroun
- **Certificate (MPA):** TV-14
- **Release (the US):** 13 September 1990
- **Genres:** Crime, Drama
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzN8cPlcMTU

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming
- Peacock: streaming, hd
- Hulu: streaming, hd
- The Roku Channel: free, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: buy, sd
- Apple TV: buy, hd

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Homicide: Life on the Street* (1993), Fi1m 89: Baltimore detectives with the same shoe leather and none of the certainty. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/homicide-life-on-the-street.md)
- *Prime Suspect* (1991): Helen Mirren’s Jane Tennison, one long case at a time, and the station against her.
- *Engrenages* (2005), Fi1m 86: Paris police, prosecutors and judges sharing an hour, and nobody’s hands clean. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/spiral.md)
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), Fi1m 86: The precinct show that taught television to shoot on the move and overlap the talk. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Law & Order: UK* (2009): The same scripts, rewigged for the Old Bailey; oddly instructive about both systems.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/law-and-order