List of Law & Order episodes
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama series that premiered on NBC on September 13, 1990. Set in New York City, where episodes were also filmed, the series ran for twenty seasons before it was cancelled on May 14, 2010, and aired its final episode ten days later on May 24. After its cancellation, AMC Network considered reviving Law & Order for a twenty-first season; however, in July 2010, Dick Wolf indicated that attempts had failed and he declared that the series had now "moved to the history books". The series was ultimately revived for a 21st season in February 2022. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a twenty-second season.
As of May 18, 2023, a total of 488 original episodes and one TV film of Law & Order have aired.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank |
Avg. rating/ Avg. viewers |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||
| 1 | 22 | September 13, 1990 | June 9, 1991 | #46 | 12.1 | |
| 2 | 22 | September 17, 1991 | May 12, 1992 | #46 | 12.3 | |
| 3 | 22 | September 23, 1992 | May 19, 1993 | #56 | 10.2 | |
| 4 | 22 | September 15, 1993 | May 25, 1994 | #38 | 11.9 | |
| 5 | 23 | September 21, 1994 | May 24, 1995 | #27 | 11.6 | |
| 6 | 23 | September 20, 1995 | May 22, 1996 | #24 | 10.9 | |
| 7 | 23 | September 18, 1996 | May 21, 1997 | #27 | 10.5 | |
| 8 | 24 | September 24, 1997 | May 20, 1998 | #24 | 14.1 | |
| 9 | 24 + Film | September 23, 1998 | May 26, 1999 | #20 | 13.8 | |
| 10 | 23 | September 22, 1999 | May 24, 2000 | #13 | 16.3 | |
| 11 | 24 | October 18, 2000 | May 23, 2001 | #11 | 17.7 | |
| 12 | 24 | September 26, 2001 | May 22, 2002 | #7 | 18.7 | |
| 13 | 24 | October 2, 2002 | May 21, 2003 | #10 | 17.3 | |
| 14 | 24 | September 24, 2003 | May 19, 2004 | #14 | 15.9 | |
| 15 | 24 | September 22, 2004 | May 18, 2005 | #25 | 13.0 | |
| 16 | 22 | September 21, 2005 | May 17, 2006 | #35 | 11.2 | |
| 17 | 22 | September 22, 2006 | May 18, 2007 | #54 | 9.4 | |
| 18 | 18 | January 2, 2008 | May 21, 2008 | #38 | 9.7 | |
| 19 | 22 | November 5, 2008 | June 3, 2009 | #62 | 8.2 | |
| 20 | 23 | September 25, 2009 | May 24, 2010 | #60 | 7.2 | |
| 21 | 10 | February 24, 2022 | May 19, 2022 | #39 | 5.9 | |
| 22 | 22 | September 22, 2022 | May 18, 2023 | TBA | TBA | |
| 23 | TBA | January 18, 2024 | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
- In households; seasons 1–7
- In millions; seasons 8–20
Episodes
Season 1 (1990–91)
- The sixth episode "Everybody's Favorite Bagman" was the original pilot made by CBS in 1988. NBC decided to air "Prescription for Death" as the first episode of the series in 1990, before airing the original pilot later in the season.
- It marks the only release of George Dzundza who left the cast at the end of the first season. He was replaced by Paul Sorvino.
- S. Epatha Merkerson guest-stars as Denise Winters in the episode "Mushrooms". She then joins the main cast as Anita Van Buren three seasons later.
- 13 episodes (excluding the CBS pilot) were filmed from the spring to the summer of 1990 before being broadcast. 13 episodes were already in can when the show premiered on NBC.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Prescription for Death" | John P. Whitesell II |
S : David Black; S/T : Ed Zuckerman |
September 13, 1990 | 66209 | 14.0 |
| 2 | 2 | "Subterranean Homeboy Blues" | E. W. Swackhamer | Robert Palm | September 20, 1990 | 66205 | 15.5 |
| 3 | 3 | "The Reaper's Helper" | Vern Gillum |
T : David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : Thomas Francis McElroy |
October 4, 1990 | 66215 | 14.6 |
| 4 | 4 | "Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die" | Charles Correll |
S : Dick Wolf; T : Robert Stuart Nathan |
October 11, 1990 | 66210 | 16.8 |
| 5 | 5 | "Happily Ever After" | Vern Gillum |
S : Dick Wolf; T : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : David Black |
October 23, 1990 | 66216 | 19.4 |
| 6 | 6 | "Everybody's Favorite Bagman" | John Patterson | Dick Wolf | October 30, 1990 | 83543 | 18.2 |
| 7 | 7 | "By Hooker, By Crook" | Martin Davidson | David Black | November 13, 1990 | 66203 | 17.7 |
| 8 | 8 | "Poison Ivy" | E. W. Swackhamer |
S : Jack Richardson; S/T : Jacob Brackman |
November 20, 1990 | 66211 | 15.0 |
| 9 | 9 | "Indifference" | James Quinn | Robert Palm | November 27, 1990 | 66207 | 17.6 |
| 10 | 10 | "Prisoner of Love" | Michael Fresco |
S : David Black; S/T : Robert Stuart Nathan |
December 4, 1990 | 66208 | 16.8 |
| 11 | 11 | "Out of the Half-Light" | E. W. Swackhamer | Michael Duggan | December 11, 1990 | 66202 | 19.8 |
| 12 | 12 | "Life Choice" | Aaron Lipstadt |
S : Dick Wolf; T : David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan |
January 8, 1991 | 66213 | 19.2 |
| 13 | 13 | "A Death in the Family" | Gwen Arner |
T : David Black; S/T : Joe Viola |
January 15, 1991 | 66204 | 17.8 |
| 14 | 14 | "The Violence of Summer" | Don Scardino | Michael Duggan | February 5, 1991 | 66219 | 16.2 |
| 15 | 15 | "The Torrents of Greed" | E. W. Swackhamer |
S : Michael Duggan; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
February 12, 1991 | 66222 | 16.6 |
| 16 | 16 | "The Torrents of Greed (Part II)" | E. W. Swackhamer |
S : Michael Duggan; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
February 19, 1991 | 66225 | 13.6 |
| 17 | 17 | "Mushrooms" | Daniel Sackheim | Robert Palm | February 26, 1991 | 66218 | 15.6 |
| 18 | 18 | "The Secret Sharers" | E. W. Swackhamer | Robert Stuart Nathan | March 12, 1991 | 66221 | 13.2 |
| 19 | 19 | "The Serpent's Tooth" | Don Scardino |
S : I.C. Rapoport & Joshua Stern; T : René Balcer & Robert Stuart Nathan |
March 19, 1991 | 66224 | 19.3 |
| 20 | 20 | "The Troubles" | John P. Whitesell II |
S : Dick Wolf; S/T : Robert Palm |
March 26, 1991 | 66214 | 17.4 |
| 21 | 21 | "Sonata for Solo Organ" | Fred Gerber |
S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : Joe Morgenstern |
April 2, 1991 | 66226 | 18.0 |
| 22 | 22 | "The Blue Wall" | Vern Gillum |
S : Dick Wolf; S/T : Robert Stuart Nathan |
June 9, 1991 | 66220 | 12.2 |
Season 2 (1991–92)
- Paul Sorvino joined the cast as Phil Cerreta.
- The episode "The Wages of Love" guest-starred Jerry Orbach as a defense attorney. He became Mike Logan's new partner the next season as wisecracking detective Lennie Briscoe.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Confession" | Fred Gerber | Michael Duggan & Robert Palm | September 17, 1991 | 67416 | 16.4 |
| 24 | 2 | "The Wages of Love" | Ed Sherin |
S : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman |
September 24, 1991 | 67405 | 16.6 |
| 25 | 3 | "Aria" | Don Scardino |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; T : Christine Roum |
October 1, 1991 | 67411 | 18.9 |
| 26 | 4 | "Asylum" | Kristoffer Siegel-Tabori |
S : Robert Palm; T : Kathy McCormick |
October 8, 1991 | 67409 | 20.8 |
| 27 | 5 | "God Bless the Child" | E.W. Swackhamer | David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan | October 22, 1991 | 67404 | 15.1 |
| 28 | 6 | "Misconception" | Daniel Sackheim |
S : Michael Duggan; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
October 29, 1991 | 67410 | 18.5 |
| 29 | 7 | "In Memory Of" | Ed Sherin |
S : Siobhan Byrne; T : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : David Black |
November 5, 1991 | 67413 | 18.1 |
| 30 | 8 | "Out of Control" | John Whitesell |
S : David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan; T : Jack Richardson |
November 12, 1991 | 67403 | 19.3 |
| 31 | 9 | "Renunciation" | Gwen Arner | Michael S. Chernuchin & Joe Morgenstern | November 19, 1991 | 67414 | 16.0 |
| 32 | 10 | "Heaven" | Ed Sherin |
T : Nancy Ann Miller; S/T : Robert Palm |
November 26, 1991 | 67415 | 19.1 |
| 33 | 11 | "His Hour Upon the Stage" | Steve Cohen | Robert Nathan & Giles Blunt | December 10, 1991 | 67407 | 18.3 |
| 34 | 12 | "Star Struck" | Ed Sherin |
S : David Black & Alan Gelb; T : Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth |
January 7, 1992 | 67406 | 21.3 |
| 35 | 13 | "Severance" | Jim Frawley |
S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : William N. Fordes |
January 14, 1992 | 67418 | 17.4 |
| 36 | 14 | "Blood Is Thicker" | Peter Levin |
S : Robert Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman |
February 4, 1992 | 67422 | 17.6 |
| 37 | 15 | "Trust" | Daniel Sackheim |
S : Michael Duggan; S/T : René Balcer |
February 11, 1992 | 67417 | 17.6 |
| 38 | 16 | "Vengeance" | Daniel Sackheim |
S : Peter S. Greenberg; T : René Balcer; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
February 18, 1992 | 67420 | 19.2 |
| 39 | 17 | "Sisters of Mercy" | Fred Gerber |
S : Robert Palm; S/T : René Balcer |
March 3, 1992 | 67423 | 16.4 |
| 40 | 18 | "Cradle to Grave" | James Frawley | Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth | March 31, 1992 | 67424 | 18.1 |
| 41 | 19 | "The Fertile Fields" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | April 7, 1992 | 67425 | 17.5 |
| 42 | 20 | "Intolerance" | Steven Robman | Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth | April 14, 1992 | 67426 | 14.9 |
| 43 | 21 | "Silence" | Ed Sherin |
S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : René Balcer |
April 28, 1992 | 67427 | 11.1 |
| 44 | 22 | "The Working Stiff" | Daniel Sackheim |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Robert Palm |
May 12, 1992 | 67428 | 12.1 |
Season 3 (1992–93)
- Paul Sorvino (Phil Cerreta) left the cast after the episode "Point of View". He was replaced by Jerry Orbach (Lennie Briscoe) who came in during that episode.
- Carolyn McCormick joined the cast as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet
- Dann Florek (Don Cragen) and Richard Brooks (Paul Robinette) left the cast after the episode "Benevolence;" they both returned in guest roles. Florek was replaced by S. Epatha Merkerson (Anita Van Buren), and Brooks was replaced by Jill Hennessy (Claire Kincaid).
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1 | "Skin Deep" | Daniel Sackheim | Robert Nathan & Gordon Rayfield | September 23, 1992 | 68009 | 14.9 |
| 46 | 2 | "Conspiracy" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | September 30, 1992 | 68006 | 12.8 |
| 47 | 3 | "Forgiveness" | Bill D'Elia |
S : Robert Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman |
October 7, 1992 | 68005 | 17.2 |
| 48 | 4 | "The Corporate Veil" | Don Scardino | Michael S. Chernuchin & Joe Morgenstern | October 14, 1992 | 68007 | 14.8 |
| 49 | 5 | "Wedded Bliss" | Vern Gillum | Robert Nathan & Edward Pomerantz | October 21, 1992 | 68004 | 14.8 |
| 50 | 6 | "Helpless" | James Frawley | Michael S. Chernuchin & Christine Roum | November 4, 1992 | 68011 | 17.5 |
| 51 | 7 | "Self-Defense" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer & Hall Powell | November 11, 1992 | 68008 | 14.9 |
| 52 | 8 | "Prince of Darkness" | Gilbert Shilton | Robert Nathan & William N. Fordes | November 18, 1992 | 68003 | 14.6 |
| 53 | 9 | "Point of View" | Gilbert Moses | Walon Green & René Balcer | November 25, 1992 | 68012 | 16.4 |
| 54 | 10 | "Consultation" | James Hayman | Matt Kiene & Joseph Reinkemeyer | December 9, 1992 | 68014 | 13.4 |
| 55 | 11 | "Extended Family" | Charles Correll |
T : Robert Nathan; S/T : Wendell Rawls |
January 6, 1993 | 68015 | 16.1 |
| 56 | 12 | "Right to Counsel" | James Frawley | Michael S. Chernuchin & Barry M. Schkolnick | January 13, 1993 | 68019 | 15.1 |
| 57 | 13 | "Night and Fog" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | February 3, 1993 | 68018 | 14.6 |
| 58 | 14 | "Promises to Keep" | Ed Sherin |
S : William N. Fordes & Douglas Stark; T : Robert Nathan & Joshua Stern |
February 10, 1993 | 68022 | 11.4 |
| 59 | 15 | "Mother Love" | Daniel Sackheim |
S : Walon Green; S/T : Robert Nathan |
February 24, 1993 | 68024 | 14.6 |
| 60 | 16 | "Jurisdiction" | Bruce Seth Green | Walon Green & René Balcer | March 3, 1993 | 68017 | N/A |
| 61 | 17 | "Conduct Unbecoming" | Arthur W. Forney |
S : Walon Green & Peter S. Greenberg; T : Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer |
March 10, 1993 | 68023 | 13.5 |
| 62 | 18 | "Animal Instinct" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & Sibyl Gardner | March 17, 1993 | 68021 | 12.7 |
| 63 | 19 | "Virus" | Steven Robman | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | April 21, 1993 | 68010 | 11.9 |
| 64 | 20 | "Securitate" | James Hayman | Matt Kiene & Joe Reinkemeyer | May 5, 1993 | 68026 | 10.8 |
| 65 | 21 | "Manhood" | Ed Sherin |
S : Walon Green; S/T : Robert Nathan |
May 12, 1993 | 68025 | 13.7 |
| 66 | 22 | "Benevolence" | Ed Sherin |
T : René Balcer; S/T : Douglas Palau |
May 19, 1993 | 68028 | 15.4 |
Season 4 (1993–94)
- S. Epatha Merkerson (Anita Van Buren) and Jill Hennessy (Claire Kincaid) joined the cast.
- Carolyn McCormick (Elizabeth Olivet) and Michael Moriarty (Benjamin Stone) left the cast at the end of the season. Moriarty was replaced by Sam Waterston (Jack McCoy) in season 5.
- This season the opening sequence changed to a shorter version with more bass which applies to the rest of the season.
- Beginning with this season, Florek directed several episodes before joining the cast of its 1999 spin-off, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 1 | "Sweeps" | James Frawley | Craig McNeer & Robert Nathan | September 15, 1993 | 69009 | 13.6 |
| 68 | 2 | "Volunteers" | James Quinn | René Balcer | September 29, 1993 | 69017 | 13.7 |
| 69 | 3 | "Discord" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin | October 6, 1993 | 69012 | 15.3 |
| 70 | 4 | "Profile" | E.W. Swackhamer |
T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Gordon Rayfield |
October 13, 1993 | 69010 | 16.0 |
| 71 | 5 | "Black Tie" | Arthur W. Forney | Walon Green & Michael S. Chernuchin | October 20, 1993 | 69004 | 16.3 |
| 72 | 6 | "Pride and Joy" | Gilbert Shilton | Edward Pomerantz & Robert Nathan | October 27, 1993 | 69006 | 16.2 |
| 73 | 7 | "Apocrypha" | Gabrielle Beaumont | Michael S. Chernuchin | November 3, 1993 | 69013 | 14.9 |
| 74 | 8 | "American Dream" | Constantine Makris | Sibyl Gardner | November 9, 1993 | 69018 | 14.4 |
| 75 | 9 | "Born Bad" | Fred Gerber | Michael S. Chernuchin & Sally Nemeth | November 16, 1993 | 69021 | 15.6 |
| 76 | 10 | "The Pursuit of Happiness" | Dann Florek | Morgan Gendel & Robert Nathan | December 1, 1993 | 69005 | 17.0 |
| 77 | 11 | "Golden Years" | Helaine Head |
T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Doug Palau |
January 5, 1994 | 69008 | 15.2 |
| 78 | 12 | "Snatched" | Constantine Makris | Walon Green & René Balcer | January 12, 1994 | 69024 | 15.3 |
| 79 | 13 | "Breeder" | Arthur W. Forney | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | January 19, 1994 | 69023 | 19.3 |
| 80 | 14 | "Censure" | Ed Sherin | William N. Fordes | February 2, 1994 | 69026 | 19.0 |
| 81 | 15 | "Kids" | Don Scardino | Michael Harbert & Robert Nathan | February 9, 1994 | 69028 | 16.3 |
| 82 | 16 | "Big Bang" | Dann Florek | Ed Zuckerman | March 2, 1994 | 69027 | 15.7 |
| 83 | 17 | "Mayhem" | James Quinn |
S : Walon Green; T : René Balcer; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
March 9, 1994 | 69029 | 16.6 |
| 84 | 18 | "Wager" | Ed Sherin |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; T : Kevin Arkadie; S/T : Harvey Solomon |
March 30, 1994 | 69002 | 16.3 |
| 85 | 19 | "Sanctuary" | Arthur W. Forney | Michael S. Chernuchin & William N. Fordes | April 13, 1994 | 69030 | 17.1 |
| 86 | 20 | "Nurture" | Jace Alexander | Paris Qualles & Ed Zuckerman | May 4, 1994 | 69011 | 15.3 |
| 87 | 21 | "Doubles" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | May 18, 1994 | 69001 | 15.7 |
| 88 | 22 | "Old Friends" | James Quinn |
S : Robert Nathan; S/T : Joshua Stern |
May 25, 1994 | 69031 | 15.3 |
Season 5 (1994–95)
- Sam Waterston (Jack McCoy) joined the cast. Dann Florek reprises his role as Donald Cragen in the episode "Bad Faith".
- This is the first season to feature 23 episodes.
- This was Chris Noth’s final season as a member of the regular cast, as Mike Logan; later, he reprised this role in the TV movie Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998), and on the series' second spin-off, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, from 2005 to 2008. (In season 6, Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis) figured similarly in the cast.)
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | 1 | "Second Opinion" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & Jeremy R. Littman | September 21, 1994 | 69408 | 18.3 |
| 90 | 2 | "Coma" | Jace Alexander | Ed Zuckerman | September 28, 1994 | 69406 | 19.5 |
| 91 | 3 | "Blue Bamboo" | Don Scardino |
S : Hall Powell; T : Morgan Gendel; S/T : René Balcer |
October 5, 1994 | 69402 | 15.5 |
| 92 | 4 | "Family Values" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer & William N. Fordes | October 12, 1994 | 69401 | 17.7 |
| 93 | 5 | "White Rabbit" | Steven Robman | Ed Zuckerman & Morgan Gendel | October 19, 1994 | 69411 | 18.2 |
| 94 | 6 | "Competence" | Fred Gerber | Michael S. Chernuchin & Mark B. Perry | November 2, 1994 | 69409 | 17.9 |
| 95 | 7 | "Precious" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer & I.C. Rapoport | November 9, 1994 | 69410 | 17.5 |
| 96 | 8 | "Virtue" | Martha Mitchell | Mark B. Perry & Jeremy R. Littman | November 23, 1994 | 69412 | 18.7 |
| 97 | 9 | "Scoundrels" | Marc Laub | Ed Zuckerman & Charles C. Mann | November 30, 1994 | 69415 | 18.3 |
| 98 | 10 | "House Counsel" | James Quinn | Michael S. Chernuchin & Barry M. Schkolnick | January 4, 1995 | 69413 | 16.4 |
| 99 | 11 | "Guardian" | Christopher Misiano |
S : Brad Markowitz; T : William N. Fordes; S/T : René Balcer |
January 11, 1995 | 69404 | 16.6 |
| 100 | 12 | "Progeny" | Don Scardino |
S : Mark B. Perry; T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Morgan Gendel |
January 25, 1995 | 69416 | 16.4 |
| 101 | 13 | "Rage" | Arthur W. Forney | Michael S. Chernuchin | February 1, 1995 | 69414 | 17.1 |
| 102 | 14 | "Performance" | Martha Mitchell |
S : René Balcer; T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Jeremy R. Littman |
February 8, 1995 | 69419 | 16.2 |
| 103 | 15 | "Seed" | Don Scardino | Michael S. Chernuchin & Janis Diamond | February 15, 1995 | 69420 | 16.8 |
| 104 | 16 | "Wannabe" | Lewis H. Gould | René Balcer & I.C. Rapoport | March 15, 1995 | 69417 | 16.0 |
| 105 | 17 | "Act of God" | Constantine Makris | Ed Zuckerman & Walter Dallenbach | March 22, 1995 | 69422 | 16.0 |
| 106 | 18 | "Privileged" | Vincent Misiano | Jeremy R. Littman & Suzanne O'Malley | April 5, 1995 | 69418 | 14.6 |
| 107 | 19 | "Cruel and Unusual" | Matthew Penn | René Balcer & Michael S. Chernuchin | April 19, 1995 | 69423 | 15.5 |
| 108 | 20 | "Bad Faith" | Dann Florek | René Balcer | April 26, 1995 | 69426 | 13.4 |
| 109 | 21 | "Purple Heart" | Arthur W. Forney | Morgan Gendel & William N. Fordes | May 3, 1995 | 69421 | 14.1 |
| 110 | 22 | "Switch" | Christopher Misiano | Jeremy R. Littman & Sibyl Gardner | May 17, 1995 | 69425 | 14.1 |
| 111 | 23 | "Pride" | Ed Sherin | Ed Zuckerman & Gene Ritchings | May 24, 1995 | 69427 | 13.4 |
Season 6 (1995–96)
- Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis) joined the cast; Richard Brooks reprises his role as former ADA Paul Robinette; and Jill Hennessy (Claire Kincaid) left the cast at the end of the season.
- The season finale episode "Aftershock" was the first and only episode of the entire Law & Order series not to feature a case and instead focus on the characters' private lives.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 112 | 1 | "Bitter Fruit" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer & Jeremy R. Littman | September 20, 1995 | K0105 | 17.3 |
| 113 | 2 | "Rebels" | Ed Sherin |
T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Suzanne O'Malley |
September 27, 1995 | K0106 | 13.7 |
| 114 | 3 | "Savages" | Jace Alexander | Morgan Gendal & Barry M. Schkolnick & Michael S. Chernuchin | October 18, 1995 | K0103 | 14.7 |
| 115 | 4 | "Jeopardy" | Christopher Misiano | René Balcer & Jeremy R. Littman | November 1, 1995 | K0107 | 15.0 |
| 116 | 5 | "Hot Pursuit" | Lewis H. Gould | Ed Zuckerman & Morgan Gendel | November 8, 1995 | K0110 | 17.1 |
| 117 | 6 | "Paranoia" | Fred Gerber | Michael S. Chernuchin | November 15, 1995 | K0104 | 16.7 |
| 118 | 7 | "Humiliation" | Matthew Penn | Michael S. Chernuchin & Barry M. Schkolnick | November 22, 1995 | K0111 | 19.2 |
| 119 | 8 | "Angel" | Arthur W. Forney | Michael S. Chernuchin & Janis Diamond | November 29, 1995 | K0114 | 17.0 |
| 120 | 9 | "Blood Libel" | Constantine Makris |
S : René Balcer; S/T : I.C. Rapoport |
January 3, 1996 | K0109 | 18.7 |
| 121 | 10 | "Remand" | Jace Alexander | René Balcer & Elaine Loeser | January 10, 1996 | K0113 | 15.6 |
| 122 | 11 | "Corpus Delicti" | Christopher Misiano | Ed Zuckerman & Barry M. Schkolnick | January 17, 1996 | K0115 | 17.4 |
| 123 | 12 | "Trophy" | Martha Mitchell |
S : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Jeremy R. Littman |
January 31, 1996 | K0114 | 17.3 |
| 124 | 13 | "Charm City" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & Jorge Zamacona | February 7, 1996 | K0116 | 19.4 |
| 125 | 14 | "Custody" | Constantine Makris |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Morgan Gendel |
February 21, 1996 | K0117 | 14.7 |
| 126 | 15 | "Encore" | Matthew Penn | Ed Zuckerman & Jeremy R. Littman | February 28, 1996 | K0120 | 15.1 |
| 127 | 16 | "Savior" | David Platt | Michael S. Chernuchin & Barry M. Schkolnick | March 13, 1996 | K0121 | 15.9 |
| 128 | 17 | "Deceit" | Vincent Misiano | René Balcer & Eddie Feldmann | March 27, 1996 | K0118 | 15.3 |
| 129 | 18 | "Atonement" | Martha Mitchell |
S : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Morgan Gendel |
April 10, 1996 | K0123 | 16.2 |
| 130 | 19 | "Slave" | Jace Alexander | René Balcer & Elaine Loeser | April 21, 1996 | K0122 | 12.7 |
| 131 | 20 | "Girlfriends" | Christopher Misiano |
S : Jeremy R. Littman; T : Suzanne O'Malley; S/T : Ed Zuckerman |
May 1, 1996 | K0124 | 13.6 |
| 132 | 21 | "Pro Se" | Lewis H. Gould | René Balcer & I.C. Rapoport | May 8, 1996 | K0119 | 14.6 |
| 133 | 22 | "Homesick" | Matthew Penn |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; T : Elaine Loeser; S/T : Barry M. Schkolnick |
May 15, 1996 | K0126 | 17.3 |
| 134 | 23 | "Aftershock" | Martha Mitchell |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : Janis Diamond |
May 22, 1996 | K0125 | 15.0 |
Season 7 (1996–97)
- Carey Lowell joined the cast as Jamie Ross, replacing Jill Hennessy (Claire Kincaid) from the previous season.
- The three-part episode "D-Girl", "Turnaround," and "Showtime" guest-starred Scott Cohen, who went on to become DA Investigator Det. Chris Ravell in the spinoff Trial by Jury.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 135 | 1 | "Causa Mortis" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer | September 18, 1996 | K1106 | 15.7 |
| 136 | 2 | "I.D." | Constantine Makris | Ed Zuckerman | September 25, 1996 | K1107 | 16.5 |
| 137 | 3 | "Good Girl" | Jace Alexander | Jeremy R. Littman | October 2, 1996 | K1103 | 14.5 |
| 138 | 4 | "Survivor" | Vincent Misiano | Barry M. Schkolnick | October 23, 1996 | K1104 | 15.5 |
| 139 | 5 | "Corruption" | Matthew Penn |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Gardner Stern |
October 30, 1996 | K1101 | 16.2 |
| 140 | 6 | "Double Blind" | Christopher Misiano | Jeremy R. Littman & William N. Fordes | November 6, 1996 | K1105 | 15.22 |
| 141 | 7 | "Deadbeat" | Constantine Makris | Ed Zuckerman & I.C. Rapoport | November 13, 1996 | K1108 | 14.9 |
| 142 | 8 | "Family Business" | Lewis H. Gould | Gardner Stern & Barry M. Schkolnick | November 20, 1996 | K1111 | 14.0 |
| 143 | 9 | "Entrapment" | Matthew Penn | René Balcer & Richard Sweren | January 8, 1997 | K1109 | 13.23 |
| 144 | 10 | "Legacy" | Brian Mertes | Ed Zuckerman & Jeremy R. Littman | January 15, 1997 | K1113 | 15.06 |
| 145 | 11 | "Menace" | Constantine Makris |
S : Barry M. Schkolnick; S/T : I.C. Rapoport |
February 5, 1997 | K1114 | 14.97 |
| 146 | 12 | "Barter" | Dan Karlok | René Balcer & Eddie Feldmann | February 12, 1997 | K1110 | 14.80 |
| 147 | 13 | "Matrimony" | Lewis H. Gould | Ed Zuckerman & Richard Sweren | February 19, 1997 | K1115 | 13.14 |
| 148 | 14 | "Working Mom" | Jace Alexander | Jeremy R. Littman & I.C. Rapoport | February 26, 1997 | K1118 | 15.02 |
| 149 | 15 | "D-Girl" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman & Gardner Stern | March 13, 1997 | K1119 | 19.76 |
| 150 | 16 | "Turnaround" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman & Gardner Stern | March 20, 1997 | K1120 | 18.08 |
| 151 | 17 | "Showtime" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman & Gardner Stern | March 27, 1997 | K1121 | 17.07 |
| 152 | 18 | "Mad Dog" | Christopher Misiano | René Balcer | April 2, 1997 | K1116 | 14.88 |
| 153 | 19 | "Double Down" | Arthur W. Forney |
S : Richard Sweren; T : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : Shimon Wincelberg |
April 16, 1997 | K1122 | 14.62 |
| 154 | 20 | "We Like Mike" | David Platt | Gardner Stern & I.C. Rapoport | April 30, 1997 | K1125 | 13.37 |
| 155 | 21 | "Passion" | Constantine Makris |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Barry M. Schkolnick |
May 7, 1997 | K1124 | 13.06 |
| 156 | 22 | "Past Imperfect" | Christopher Misiano | Janis Diamond | May 14, 1997 | K1112 | 13.42 |
| 157 | 23 | "Terminal" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman | May 21, 1997 | K1102 | 14.88 |
Season 8 (1997–98)
- This was the first of five different seasons in the series that had an unchanged cast from the previous season.
- This is the first season to feature 24 episodes.
- This is the final season to feature Carey Lowell in the main cast as Jamie Ross. She made a guest appearance in an episode in the next two seasons, as well as becoming a judge on the series' third spin-off, Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 | 1 | "Thrill" | Martha Mitchell | René Balcer | September 24, 1997 | K2508 | 17.58 |
| 159 | 2 | "Denial" | Christopher Misiano |
S : René Balcer; S/T : David Shore |
October 8, 1997 | K2504 | 14.28 |
| 160 | 3 | "Navy Blues" | Jace Alexander |
S : Dick Wolf; S/T : Kathy McCormick |
October 15, 1997 | K2510 | 11.79 |
| 161 | 4 | "Harvest" | Matthew Penn |
S : René Balcer; S/T : I.C. Rapoport |
October 29, 1997 | K2506 | 14.18 |
| 162 | 5 | "Nullification" | Constantine Makris | David Black | November 5, 1997 | K2507 | 12.98 |
| 163 | 6 | "Baby, It's You" | Ed Sherin | Jorge Zamacona | November 12, 1997 | K2511 | 16.01 |
| 164 | 7 | "Blood" | Jace Alexander |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Craig Tepper |
November 19, 1997 | K2502 | 15.13 |
| 165 | 8 | "Shadow" | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren | November 26, 1997 | K2505 | 14.81 |
| 166 | 9 | "Burned" | Constantine Makris | Siobhan Byrne | December 10, 1997 | K2501 | 14.24 |
| 167 | 10 | "Ritual" | Brian Mertes | Kathy McCormick & Richard Sweren | December 17, 1997 | K2516 | 13.88 |
| 168 | 11 | "Under the Influence" | Adam Davidson | René Balcer | January 7, 1998 | K2517 | 16.98 |
| 169 | 12 | "Expert" | Lewis H. Gould | David Shore & I.C. Rapoport | January 21, 1998 | K2518 | 13.55 |
| 170 | 13 | "Castoff" | Gloria Muzio | David Black & Harold Schechter | January 28, 1998 | K2512 | 15.59 |
| 171 | 14 | "Grief" | Christopher Misiano | Suzanne Oshry | February 4, 1998 | K2514 | 14.56 |
| 172 | 15 | "Faccia a Faccia" | Martha Mitchell | René Balcer & Eddie Feldmann | February 25, 1998 | K2519 | 13.78 |
| 173 | 16 | "Divorce" | Constantine Makris | Barry M. Schkolnick | March 4, 1998 | K2520 | 14.71 |
| 174 | 17 | "Carrier" | J. Ranelli | David Black | April 1, 1998 | K2525 | 12.73 |
| 175 | 18 | "Stalker" | Richard Dobbs | Kathy McCormick | April 15, 1998 | K2523 | 16.38 |
| 176 | 19 | "Disappeared" | David Platt | Richard Sweren & William N. Fordes | April 22, 1998 | K2528 | 14.20 |
| 177 | 20 | "Burden" | Constantine Makris | David Shore & I.C. Rapoport | April 24, 1998 | K2526 | 11.34 |
| 178 | 21 | "Bad Girl" | Jace Alexander | René Balcer & Richard Sweren | April 29, 1998 | K2524 | 14.26 |
| 179 | 22 | "Damaged" | Constantine Makris | Janis Diamond | May 6, 1998 | K2522 | 14.27 |
| 180 | 23 | "Tabloid" | Brian Mertes |
S : Alec Baldwin; S/T : David Black |
May 13, 1998 | K2515 | 13.28 |
| 181 | 24 | "Monster" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer & Richard Sweren | May 20, 1998 | K2527 | 14.80 |
Season 9 (1998–99)
- Angie Harmon joins the cast as Abbie Carmichael in this season. Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis) leaves the cast after this season but returns in the twentieth-season episode "Fed".
- Exiled: A Law & Order Movie was broadcast during this season.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 182 | 1 | "Cherished" | Ed Sherin |
S : Carl Nelson & Scott Tobin; S/T : Kathy McCormick |
September 23, 1998 | E0203 | 15.56 |
| 183 | 2 | "DWB" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer | October 7, 1998 | E0205 | 13.01 |
| 184 | 3 | "Bait" | Lewis H. Gould |
S : I.C. Rapoport; S/T : David Shore |
October 14, 1998 | E0204 | 11.84 |
| 185 | 4 | "Flight" | David Platt | Richard Sweren & William N. Fordes | October 21, 1998 | E0209 | 12.22 |
| 186 | 5 | "Agony" | Constantine Makris | Kathy McCormick | November 4, 1998 | E0216 | 15.62 |
| N–A | N–A | "Exiled: A Law & Order Movie" | Jean de Segonzac |
S : Chris Noth; S/T : Charles Kipps |
November 8, 1998 | N/A | 17.86 |
| 187 | 6 | "Scrambled" | Martha Mitchell |
S : Judith Hooper & Dick Teresi; T : Ed Zuckerman |
November 11, 1998 | E0208 | 13.78 |
| 188 | 7 | "Venom" | Jace Alexander |
S : David Shore; S/T : I.C. Rapoport |
November 18, 1998 | E0206 | 15.91 |
| 189 | 8 | "Punk" | Matthew Penn |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Matt Witten |
November 25, 1998 | E0215 | 13.43 |
| 190 | 9 | "True North" | Arthur W. Forney | Ed Zuckerman | December 9, 1998 | E0207 | 13.49 |
| 191 | 10 | "Hate" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer | January 6, 1999 | E0214 | 16.38 |
| 192 | 11 | "Ramparts" | Matthew Penn | Kathy McCormick & Lynne Litt | January 13, 1999 | E0211 | 16.62 |
| 193 | 12 | "Haven" | David Platt | David Shore & I.C. Rapoport | February 10, 1999 | E0219 | 13.55 |
| 194 | 13 | "Hunters" | Richard Dobbs |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Gerry Conway |
February 10, 1999 | E0218 | 15.29 |
| 195 | 14 | "Sideshow" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer | February 17, 1999 | E0210 | 15.63 |
| 196 | 15 | "Disciple" | Martha Mitchell |
S : Kathy McCormick; T : Richard Sweren; S/T : Lynne Litt |
February 24, 1999 | E0220 | 13.55 |
| 197 | 16 | "Harm" | Richard Dobbs | René Balcer & Eddie Feldmann | March 3, 1999 | E0213 | 12.93 |
| 198 | 17 | "Shield" | Stephen Wertimer |
T : René Balcer; S/T : David Shore & I.C. Rapoport |
March 24, 1999 | E0202 | 15.24 |
| 199 | 18 | "Juvenile" | Lewis H. Gould | Richard Sweren & Lynne Litt | April 14, 1999 | E0223 | 14.87 |
| 200 | 19 | "Tabula Rasa" | Richard Dobbs | Kathy McCormick & William N. Fordes | April 21, 1999 | E0222 | 16.45 |
| 201 | 20 | "Empire" | Matthew Penn |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Robert Palm |
May 5, 1999 | E0217 | 18.40 |
| 202 | 21 | "Ambitious" | Christopher Misiano |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Barry M. Schkolnick |
May 12, 1999 | E0221 | 15.06 |
| 203 | 22 | "Admissions" | Jace Alexander |
S : William N. Fordes; T : Kathy McCormick; S/T : Lynne E. Litt |
May 19, 1999 | E0224 | 14.96 |
| 204 | 23 | "Refuge (Part I)" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer | May 26, 1999 | E0212 | 16.31 |
| 205 | 24 | "Refuge (Part II)" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer | May 26, 1999 | E0225 | 19.29 |
Season 10 (1999–2000)
- Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis) left the cast at the end of the ninth season, and was replaced by Jesse L. Martin (Ed Green) this season. Steven Hill (Adam Schiff) left the cast at the end of the season; he was the last first-season cast member to leave the series.
- This was also the season that aired with the creation of the series’ first spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 206 | 1 | "Gunshow" | Ed Sherin | René Balcer | September 22, 1999 | E1106 | 18.63 |
| 207 | 2 | "Killerz" | Constantine Makris | Richard Sweren | September 29, 1999 | E1103 | 18.66 |
| 208 | 3 | "DNR" | David Platt |
S : William N. Fordes; T : Kathy McCormick |
October 6, 1999 | E1109 | 17.90 |
| 209 | 4 | "Merger" | Stephen Wertimer | Lynn Mamet | October 13, 1999 | E1101 | 16.84 |
| 210 | 5 | "Justice" | Matthew Penn |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Gerry Conway |
November 10, 1999 | E1104 | 17.70 |
| 211 | 6 | "Marathon" | Jace Alexander | Richard Sweren & Matt Witten | November 17, 1999 | E1105 | 17.69 |
| 212 | 7 | "Patsy" | David Platt | René Balcer & Lynne E. Litt | November 24, 1999 | E1102 | 17.64 |
| 213 | 8 | "Blood Money" | Matthew Penn | Barry Schindel | December 1, 1999 | E1111 | 15.24 |
| 214 | 9 | "Sundown" | Jace Alexander |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Krista Vernoff |
December 15, 1999 | E1107 | 19.29 |
| 215 | 10 | "Loco Parentis" | Constantine Makris | Richard Sweren & Matt Witten | January 5, 2000 | E1115 | 18.28 |
| 216 | 11 | "Collision" | David Platt |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Gerry Conway |
January 26, 2000 | E1116 | 18.13 |
| 217 | 12 | "Mother's Milk" | Richard Dobbs | Lynn Mamet & Barry Schindel | February 9, 2000 | E1110 | 18.38 |
| 218 | 13 | "Panic" | Constantine Makris |
S : Kathy McCormick & Matt Witten; T : William N. Fordes & Lynn Mamet |
February 16, 2000 | E1117 | 17.92 |
| 219 | 14 | "Entitled" | Ed Sherin |
S : Dick Wolf, René Balcer & Robert Palm; T : Richard Sweren |
February 18, 2000 | E1112 | 18.92 |
| 220 | 15 | "Fools for Love" | Christopher Misiano | Kathy McCormick & Lynne E. Litt | February 23, 2000 | E1113 | 15.11 |
| 221 | 16 | "Trade This" | Jace Alexander |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Barry Schindel |
March 1, 2000 | E1118 | 18.32 |
| 222 | 17 | "Black, White and Blue" | Constantine Makris |
S : Richard Sweren; T : Matt Witten; S/T : Lynne E. Litt |
March 22, 2000 | E1120 | 18.67 |
| 223 | 18 | "Mega" | David Platt | Lynn Mamet | April 5, 2000 | E1121 | 17.99 |
| 224 | 19 | "Surrender Dorothy" | Martha Mitchell | Barry Schindel & Matt Witten | April 26, 2000 | E1125 | 18.46 |
| 225 | 20 | "Untitled" | Jace Alexander |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Barry M. Schkolnick |
May 3, 2000 | E1124 | 16.42 |
| 226 | 21 | "Narcosis" | Constantine Makris | Kathy McCormick & Lynne E. Litt | May 10, 2000 | E1123 | 18.64 |
| 227 | 22 | "High & Low" | Richard Dobbs |
S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Gerry Conway |
May 17, 2000 | E1122 | 17.49 |
| 228 | 23 | "Stiff" | Jace Alexander |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Hall Powell |
May 24, 2000 | E1119 | 15.12 |
| 229 | 24 | "Vaya Con Dios" | Christopher Misiano | René Balcer & Richard Sweren | May 24, 2000 | E1108 | 19.48 |
Season 11 (2000–01)
- Dianne Wiest joins the cast as Nora Lewin in this season and Angie Harmon (Abbie Carmichael) leaves the series at the end of this season. Former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani guest stars in the season opener, introducing Nora Lewin as Interim District Attorney.
- This is the first season not to premiere in September.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230 | 1 | "Endurance" | Constantine Makris | Matt Witten | October 18, 2000 | E1304 | 17.77 |
| 231 | 2 | "Turnstile Justice" | Richard Dobbs | Barry Schindel | October 25, 2000 | E1303 | 16.67 |
| 232 | 3 | "Dissonance" | Lewis H. Gould | Wendy Battles | November 1, 2000 | E1307 | 17.60 |
| 233 | 4 | "Standoff" | Jace Alexander | P.K. Todd | November 8, 2000 | E1308 | 19.03 |
| 234 | 5 | "Return" | Stephen Wertimer | Aaron Zelman | November 15, 2000 | E1309 | 18.69 |
| 235 | 6 | "Burn Baby Burn" | David Platt | Richard Sweren | November 22, 2000 | E1306 | 18.29 |
| 236 | 7 | "Amends" | Matthew Penn | William N. Fordes | November 29, 2000 | E1302 | 19.41 |
| 237 | 8 | "Thin Ice" | Jace Alexander |
S : Bernard Goldberg; T : Barry Schindel & Matt Witten |
December 20, 2000 | E1310 | 18.22 |
| 238 | 9 | "Hubris" | Constantine Makris | Kathy McCormick & Wendy Battles | January 10, 2001 | E1311 | 20.34 |
| 239 | 10 | "Whose Monkey Is It Anyway?" | Vincent Misiano | William M. Finkelstein | January 17, 2001 | E1318 | 18.19 |
| 240 | 11 | "Sunday in the Park with Jorge" | James Quinn | William M. Finkelstein | January 24, 2001 | E1301 | 18.54 |
| 241 | 12 | "Teenage Wasteland" | Constantine Makris | Barry Schindel & Aaron Zelman | February 7, 2001 | E1315 | 19.31 |
| 242 | 13 | "Phobia" | David Platt | Kathy McCormick & Lynn Mamet & Wendy Battles | February 14, 2001 | E1313 | 20.07 |
| 243 | 14 | "A Losing Season" | Jace Alexander | Barry Schindel & Wendy Battles | February 21, 2001 | E1322 | 18.25 |
| 244 | 15 | "Swept Away" | James Quinn | William M. Finkelstein | February 28, 2001 | E1319 | 18.88 |
| 245 | 16 | "Bronx Cheer" | Richard Dobbs |
S : Wendy Battles; S/T : Richard Sweren |
March 14, 2001 | E1316 | 18.70 |
| 246 | 17 | "Ego" | James Quinn | William N. Fordes & Wendy Battles | March 21, 2001 | E1324 | 18.14 |
| 247 | 18 | "White Lie" | Don Scardino | Richard Sweren & Aaron Zelman | April 4, 2001 | E1312 | 17.96 |
| 248 | 19 | "Whiplash" | Richard Dobbs | Matt Witten & Aaron Zelman | April 18, 2001 | E1323 | 16.28 |
| 249 | 20 | "All My Children" | David Platt | Barry Schindel & Noah Baylin | May 2, 2001 | E1326 | 19.67 |
| 250 | 21 | "Brother's Keeper" | Constantine Makris | René Balcer & Joe Gannon | May 9, 2001 | E1325 | 18.82 |
| 251 | 22 | "School Daze" | Richard Dobbs |
S : Dick Wolf; T : Barry Schindel & Eric Overmyer |
May 16, 2001 | E1329 | 21.55 |
| 252 | 23 | "Judge Dread" | David Platt | Richard Sweren & Aaron Zelman | May 23, 2001 | E1327 | 16.96 |
| 253 | 24 | "Deep Vote" | Jace Alexander | William N. Fordes & Matt Witten | May 23, 2001 | E1331 | 20.03 |
Season 12 (2001–02)
- Elisabeth Röhm joined the cast as Serena Southerlyn (character named after Dick Wolf’s daughter). Dianne Wiest (Nora Lewin) left the cast at the end of the season.
- In the aftermath of 9/11, the main title voiceover by Steven Zirnkilton was changed for the first few episodes to include the following dedication: "On September 11, 2001, New York City was ruthlessly and criminally attacked. While no tribute can ever heal the pain of that day, the producers of Law & Order dedicate this season to the victims & their families and to the firefighters & police officers who remind us with their lives & courage what it truly means to be an American".
- This voiceover was also heard at the beginning of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, whose series premiere was suitably altered to reflect the events; the latter became L&O’s second spin-off.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 254 | 1 | "Who Let the Dogs Out?" | Don Scardino | Kathy McCormick & Douglas Stark | September 26, 2001 | E2208 | 20.68 |
| 255 | 2 | "Armed Forces" | Martha Mitchell | Richard Sweren & Sean Jablonski | October 3, 2001 | E2210 | 22.55 |
| 256 | 3 | "For Love or Money" | Constantine Makris | Wendy Battles & Sean Jablonski | October 10, 2001 | E2207 | 22.07 |
| 257 | 4 | "Soldier of Fortune" | Richard Dobbs | Barry Schindel | October 24, 2001 | E2206 | 21.39 |
| 258 | 5 | "Possession" | James Quinn | Robert Palm | October 31, 2001 | E2202 | 18.07 |
| 259 | 6 | "Formerly Famous" | Richard Dobbs | Wendy Battles & Marc Guggenheim | November 7, 2001 | E2201 | 18.96 |
| 260 | 7 | "Myth of Fingerprints" | David Platt |
S : Eric Overmyer; T : Terri Kopp & Aaron Zelman |
November 14, 2001 | E2209 | 20.42 |
| 261 | 8 | "The Fire This Time" | David Platt | David Black | November 21, 2001 | E2205 | 17.77 |
| 262 | 9 | "3 Dawg Night" | Stephen Wertimer |
S : Aaron Zelman; S/T : Richard Sweren |
November 28, 2001 | E2203 | 20.22 |
| 263 | 10 | "Prejudice" | Ed Sherin | Jill Goldsmith | December 12, 2001 | E2213 | 19.39 |
| 264 | 11 | "The Collar" | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren | January 9, 2002 | E2214 | 19.95 |
| 265 | 12 | "Undercovered" | Jace Alexander | Wendy Battles & Noah Baylin | January 16, 2002 | E2220 | 21.17 |
| 266 | 13 | "DR 1-102" | Richard Dobbs | Marc Guggenheim & Aaron Zelman | January 30, 2002 | E2216 | 20.56 |
| 267 | 14 | "Missing" | David Platt |
S : Barry Schindel; T : Eric Overmyer & Matt Witten |
February 6, 2002 | E2212 | 18.95 |
| 268 | 15 | "Access Nation" | Constantine Makris | Sean Jablonski & Terri Kopp | February 27, 2002 | E2215 | 17.90 |
| 269 | 16 | "Born Again" | Jace Alexander |
S : William N. Fordes; T : Jill Goldsmith & Matt Witten |
March 6, 2002 | E2204 | 20.09 |
| 270 | 17 | "Girl Most Likely" | Steve Shill | Lynn Mamet | March 27, 2002 | E2227 | 19.25 |
| 271 | 18 | "Equal Rights" | James Quinn | Terri Kopp | April 3, 2002 | E2221 | 18.93 |
| 272 | 19 | "Slaughter" | Constantine Makris | Rob Wright | April 10, 2002 | E2218 | 19.54 |
| 273 | 20 | "Dazzled" | Lewis H. Gould | Eric Overmyer & Matt Witten | April 24, 2002 | E2224 | 19.15 |
| 274 | 21 | "Foul Play" | Richard Dobbs | Richard Sweren & Stuart Feldman | May 1, 2002 | E2222 | 19.30 |
| 275 | 22 | "Attorney Client" | Matthew Penn | Jill Goldsmith | May 8, 2002 | E2225 | 19.77 |
| 276 | 23 | "Oxymoron" | Constantine Makris | Michael Harbert | May 15, 2002 | E2217 | 18.30 |
| 277 | 24 | "Patriot" | David Platt | William N. Fordes & Sean Jablonski | May 22, 2002 | E2226 | 19.51 |
Season 13 (2002–03)
- Dianne Wiest (Nora Lewin) was replaced by Fred Dalton Thompson (Arthur Branch) this season.
- This is the second season not to premiere in September.
- "Absentia" was the first episode in the series to have more than 1 director listed.
- With the October 9, 2002 telecast of its 279th episode, "Shangri-La," Law & Order surpassed the original Hawaii Five-O as TV's longest-running crime drama in prime-time, breaking a record that stood for 22 years.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 278 | 1 | "American Jihad" | Constantine Makris | Aaron Zelman & Marc Guggenheim | October 2, 2002 | E3304 | 19.13 |
| 279 | 2 | "Shangri-La" | Constantine Makris | Michael S. Chernuchin | October 9, 2002 | E3301 | 20.25 |
| 280 | 3 | "True Crime" | Martha Mitchell | Wendy Battles & Noah Baylin | October 16, 2002 | E3305 | 19.29 |
| 281 | 4 | "Tragedy on Rye" | David Platt | William N. Fordes | October 30, 2002 | E3303 | 20.16 |
| 282 | 5 | "The Ring" | Richard Dobbs | Michael S. Chernuchin | November 6, 2002 | E3309 | 18.44 |
| 283 | 6 | "Hitman" | Richard Dobbs | Eric Overmyer | November 13, 2002 | E3302 | 19.02 |
| 284 | 7 | "Open Season" | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren | November 20, 2002 | E3306 | 17.98 |
| 285 | 8 | "Asterisk" | Steve Shill | Terri Kopp | November 27, 2002 | E3308 | 15.84 |
| 286 | 9 | "The Wheel" | Richard Dobbs | Jill Goldsmith | December 11, 2002 | E3307 | 19.62 |
| 287 | 10 | "Mother's Day" | Jace Alexander | Janis Diamond | January 8, 2003 | E3311 | 19.55 |
| 288 | 11 | "Chosen" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin | January 15, 2003 | E3310 | 19.03 |
| 289 | 12 | "Under God" | Gloria Muzio | Marc Guggenheim & Noah Baylin | February 5, 2003 | E3313 | 18.33 |
| 290 | 13 | "Absentia" | Martha Mitchell & Darnell Martin | Eric Overmyer | February 12, 2003 | E3314 | 18.38 |
| 291 | 14 | "Star Crossed" | David Platt | Richard Sweren | February 19, 2003 | E3315 | 19.81 |
| 292 | 15 | "Bitch" | Constantine Makris | Michael S. Chernuchin & Roz Weinman | February 26, 2003 | E3320 | 15.63 |
| 293 | 16 | "Suicide Box" | Matthew Penn | Aaron Zelman | March 26, 2003 | E3312 | 16.48 |
| 294 | 17 | "Genius" | Jace Alexander | William N. Fordes | April 2, 2003 | E3318 | 15.47 |
| 295 | 18 | "Maritime" | Gloria Muzio | Wendy Battles | April 17, 2003 | E3319 | 15.48 |
| 296 | 19 | "Seer" | James Quinn | Jill Goldsmith | April 23, 2003 | E3316 | 18.09 |
| 297 | 20 | "Kid Pro Quo" | David Platt | Eric Overmyer & Roz Weinman | April 30, 2003 | E3325 | 18.09 |
| 298 | 21 | "House Calls" | Jace Alexander | Janis Diamond | May 7, 2003 | E3323 | 17.46 |
| 299 | 22 | "Sheltered" | Richard Dobbs | Terri Kopp | May 14, 2003 | E3324 | 18.33 |
| 300 | 23 | "Couples" | David Platt | Lorenzo Carcaterra | May 21, 2003 | E3317 | 16.01 |
| 301 | 24 | "Smoke" | Constantine Makris |
S : Dick Wolf; T : Michael S. Chernuchin |
May 21, 2003 | E3322 | 19.02 |
Season 14 (2003–04)
- This is the second of five seasons in the series that had an unchanged cast from the previous season.
- Jerry Orbach (Lennie Briscoe) left the cast at the end of the season. The character Lennie Briscoe retired from the 27th Precinct and was transferred to the series' third spin-off, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, which premiered with L&O next season.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 302 | 1 | "Bodies" | Constantine Makris |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : William N. Fordes |
September 24, 2003 | E4302 | 20.86 |
| 303 | 2 | "Bounty" | Matthew Penn | Michael S. Chernuchin | October 1, 2003 | E4304 | 17.50 |
| 304 | 3 | "Patient Zero" | David Platt | Wendy Battles | October 8, 2003 | E4301 | 16.47 |
| 305 | 4 | "Shrunk" | Jace Alexander | Richard Sweren | October 22, 2003 | E4305 | 16.60 |
| 306 | 5 | "Blaze" | Gloria Muzio | Marc Guggenheim & Aaron Zelman & Michael S. Chernuchin | October 29, 2003 | E4309 | 16.17 |
| 307 | 6 | "Identity" | Jace Alexander | Janis Diamond | November 5, 2003 | E4311 | 16.38 |
| 308 | 7 | "Floater" | Richard Dobbs | Eric Overmyer | November 12, 2003 | E4307 | 18.93 |
| 309 | 8 | "Embedded" | Ed Sherin | Craig Turk | November 19, 2003 | E4303 | 17.53 |
| 310 | 9 | "Compassion" | Constantine Makris | Roz Weinman | November 26, 2003 | E4308 | 14.74 |
| 311 | 10 | "Ill-Conceived" | David Platt | Aaron Zelman & Noah Baylin & Michael S. Chernuchin | December 3, 2003 | E4306 | 16.61 |
| 312 | 11 | "Darwinian" | Jace Alexander | Marc Guggenheim | January 7, 2004 | E4313 | 17.99 |
| 313 | 12 | "Payback" | Constantine Makris | Lorenzo Carcaterra | January 14, 2004 | E4310 | 17.23 |
| 314 | 13 | "Married with Children" | Richard Dobbs | Wendy Battles & William N. Fordes | February 4, 2004 | E4315 | 17.33 |
| 315 | 14 | "City Hall" | Gloria Muzio | Richard Sweren & Marc Guggenheim | February 11, 2004 | E4318 | 16.96 |
| 316 | 15 | "Veteran's Day" | David Platt | Noah Baylin | February 18, 2004 | E4314 | 18.04 |
| 317 | 16 | "Can I Get a Witness?" | Don Scardino | Aaron Zelman | February 25, 2004 | E4320 | 16.73 |
| 318 | 17 | "Hands Free" | Gloria Muzio | Janis Diamond | March 3, 2004 | E4316 | 14.61 |
| 319 | 18 | "Evil Breeds" | Constantine Makris |
S : Barry Schindel; S/T : Noah Baylin |
March 24, 2004 | E4326 | 15.05 |
| 320 | 19 | "Nowhere Man" | Martha Mitchell | William N. Fordes | March 31, 2004 | E4324 | 17.86 |
| 321 | 20 | "Everybody Loves Raimondo's" | Richard Dobbs |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Lorenzo Carcaterra |
April 14, 2004 | E4327 | 16.16 |
| 322 | 21 | "Vendetta" | David Platt |
S : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : David Nahmod |
April 21, 2004 | E4317 | 17.21 |
| 323 | 22 | "Gaijin" | Jace Alexander | Wendy Battles | April 28, 2004 | E4325 | 17.19 |
| 324 | 23 | "Caviar Emptor" | Richard Dobbs | Roz Weinman | May 12, 2004 | E4321 | 15.86 |
| 325 | 24 | "C.O.D." | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren & Marc Guggenheim | May 19, 2004 | E4319 | 19.46 |
Season 15 (2004–05)
- Dennis Farina joined the cast as Joe Fontana this season.
- Elisabeth Röhm (Serena Southerlyn) left the cast midway through the season; in the episode "Ain't No Love" she was replaced by Annie Parisse as Alexandra Borgia in the episode "Fluency".
- Michael Imperioli temporarily replaced Jesse L. Martin (Ed Green) in the last four episodes as Nick Falco while Martin was filming Rent.
- The series' third spin-off was created, Law & Order: Trial by Jury this season. It featured Jerry Orbach reprising his role as Lennie Briscoe, before his death in 2004.
- This was the final season to have 24 episodes.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 326 | 1 | "Paradigm" | Matthew Penn |
S : Dick Wolf; T : Richard Sweren |
September 22, 2004 | 15001 | 18.86 |
| 327 | 2 | "The Dead Wives Club" | David Platt | Nick Santora | September 22, 2004 | 15007 | 15.39 |
| 328 | 3 | "The Brotherhood" | Jean de Segonzac |
S : Wendy Battles; S/T : Alfredo Barrios, Jr. |
September 29, 2004 | 15004 | 12.94 |
| 329 | 4 | "Coming Down Hard" | Richard Dobbs | Davey Holmes | October 6, 2004 | 15008 | 12.51 |
| 330 | 5 | "Gunplay" | Constantine Makris | William N. Fordes & Lois Johnson | October 20, 2004 | 15006 | 13.07 |
| 331 | 6 | "Cut" | Richard Dobbs | Wendy Battles | October 27, 2004 | 15002 | 13.23 |
| 332 | 7 | "Gov Love" | Michael Pressman | Richard Sweren & Ross Berger | November 10, 2004 | 15013 | 15.15 |
| 333 | 8 | "Cry Wolf" | Don Scardino | Nick Santora & Lorenzo Carcaterra | November 17, 2004 | 15012 | 13.80 |
| 334 | 9 | "All in the Family" | Jace Alexander | William N. Fordes | November 24, 2004 | 15003 | 12.62 |
| 335 | 10 | "Enemy" | Richard Dobbs | Alfredo Barrios, Jr. | December 1, 2004 | 15014 | 14.71 |
| 336 | 11 | "Fixed" | Ed Sherin | Roz Weinman & Eric Overmyer | December 8, 2004 | 15011 | 15.69 |
| 337 | 12 | "Mammon" | Jace Alexander | William N. Fordes & Douglas Stark | January 5, 2005 | 15016 | 14.28 |
| 338 | 13 | "Ain't No Love" | Paris Barclay | Richard Sweren & Lois Johnson | January 12, 2005 | 15015 | 14.69 |
| 339 | 14 | "Fluency" | Matthew Penn | Nick Santora | January 19, 2005 | 15018 | 15.12 |
| 340 | 15 | "Obsession" | Constantine Makris | Wendy Battles & Alfredo Barrios, Jr. | February 9, 2005 | 15019 | 13.16 |
| 341 | 16 | "The Sixth Man" | David Platt |
S : Richard Sweren; S/T : Lois Johnson |
February 16, 2005 | 15021 | 13.74 |
| 342 | 17 | "License to Kill" | Constantine Makris | Richard Sweren & Stuart Feldman | February 23, 2005 | 15022 | 14.54 |
| 343 | 18 | "Dining Out" | Jean de Segonzac | Davey Holmes | March 2, 2005 | 15017 | 14.66 |
| 344 | 19 | "Sects" | Richard Dobbs | Frank Pugliese | March 30, 2005 | 15024 | 13.49 |
| 345 | 20 | "Tombstone" | Eric Stoltz | Rick Eid | April 13, 2005 | 15025 | 16.85 |
| 346 | 21 | "Publish and Perish" | Constantine Makris | Tom Szentgyorgi | April 20, 2005 | 15028 | 14.33 |
| 347 | 22 | "Sport of Kings" | Michael Pressman |
S : Nick Santora; S/T : Richard Sweren & Wendy Battles |
May 4, 2005 | 15023 | 11.70 |
| 348 | 23 | "In God We Trust" | David Platt | Richard Sweren | May 11, 2005 | 15026 | 12.22 |
| 349 | 24 | "Locomotion" | Matthew Penn |
S : Roz Weinman; T : Eric Overmyer |
May 18, 2005 | 15029 | 12.41 |
Season 16 (2005–06)
- This is the third season that had an unchanged cast in between seasons, as every principal cast member who finished season 15 returned.
- This is Annie Parisse's first full season in the role of ADA Alexandra Borgia. She joined the cast in the 14th episode of the previous season. In the season finale episode 'Invaders', ADA Alexandra Borgia is brutally murdered. Annie Parisse wanted out of her contract, so she quit the show.
- Parisse and Dennis Farina (Joe Fontana) leave the cast after the season finale.
- Michael Imperioli (Nick Falco) reprises his role in the episode "Hindsight".
- Law & Order: Trial by Jury was canceled by the end of the 2005–06 season, only lasting one season. The real-life death of Jerry Orbach had done irreparable damage to the series.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 350 | 1 | "Red Ball" | Matthew Penn | David Wilcox | September 21, 2005 | 16001 | 13.04 |
| 351 | 2 | "Flaw" | Jean de Segonzac | Chris Levinson | September 28, 2005 | 16002 | 15.06 |
| 352 | 3 | "Ghosts" | Constantine Makris | Rick Eid | October 5, 2005 | 16003 | 12.60 |
| 353 | 4 | "Age of Innocence" | David Platt | Davey Holmes | October 12, 2005 | 16005 | 10.92 |
| 354 | 5 | "Lifeline" | Rosemary Rodriguez | Greg Plageman | October 19, 2005 | 16006 | 12.33 |
| 355 | 6 | "Birthright" | Constantine Makris | David Slack | November 2, 2005 | 16007 | 12.57 |
| 356 | 7 | "House of Cards" | Michael Pressman | Wendy Battles | November 9, 2005 | 16008 | 10.86 |
| 357 | 8 | "New York Minute" | Don Scardino | Nicholas Wootton | November 16, 2005 | 16009 | 11.44 |
| 358 | 9 | "Criminal Law" | Ed Sherin | David Wilcox | November 23, 2005 | 16010 | 11.93 |
| 359 | 10 | "Acid" | Michael Pressman | Richard Sweren | November 30, 2005 | 16011 | 12.87 |
| 360 | 11 | "Bible Story" | Rick Wallace | Richard Sweren | December 7, 2005 | 16004 | 12.13 |
| 361 | 12 | "Family Friend" | Jean de Segonzac | Philippe Browning | January 11, 2006 | 16012 | 12.83 |
| 362 | 13 | "Heart of Darkness" | Richard Dobbs | Carter Harris | January 18, 2006 | 16013 | 12.38 |
| 363 | 14 | "Magnet" | Adam Bernstein | David Black | February 8, 2006 | 16014 | 14.53 |
| 364 | 15 | "Choice of Evils" | Michael Pressman | David Wilcox | March 1, 2006 | 16016 | 12.39 |
| 365 | 16 | "Cost of Capital" | Michael Watkins |
S : Rick Eid; T : Tom Smuts |
March 8, 2006 | 16015 | 11.79 |
| 366 | 17 | "America, Inc." | Jean de Segonzac | Richard Sweren | March 22, 2006 | 16017 | 9.00 |
| 367 | 18 | "Thinking Makes It So" | Tony Goldwyn | Michael S. Chernuchin | March 29, 2006 | 16019 | 9.35 |
| 368 | 19 | "Positive" | Richard Dobbs | Sonny Postiglione | April 5, 2006 | 16020 | 10.84 |
| 369 | 20 | "Kingmaker" | Don Scardino | David Slack | May 3, 2006 | 16018 | 10.66 |
| 370 | 21 | "Hindsight" | Jean de Segonzac | Chris Levinson | May 10, 2006 | 16021 | 12.68 |
| 371 | 22 | "Invaders" | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren & David Wilcox | May 17, 2006 | 16022 | 13.59 |
Season 17 (2006–07)
- Alana de la Garza (Connie Rubirosa) and Milena Govich (Nina Cassady) joined the cast.
- Fred Dalton Thompson (Arthur Branch) and Milena Govich left the cast after the season finale. Thompson left the show to focus on his upcoming 2008 presidential bid. In the coming season, Waterson's character (McCoy) succeeded Branch to become District Attorney. Govich was replaced by Jeremy Sisto (who guest stars as a defense lawyer in the episode "The Family Hour") who joined the cast as Cyrus Lupo in the next season.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 372 | 1 | "Fame" | Jean de Segonzac | Nicholas Wootton | September 22, 2006 | 17001 | 11.07 |
| 373 | 2 | "Avatar" | Vincent Misiano | David Slack | September 29, 2006 | 17002 | 10.03 |
| 374 | 3 | "Home Sweet" | Richard Dobbs | Michael S. Chernuchin | October 6, 2006 | 17003 | 9.64 |
| 375 | 4 | "Fear America" | Constantine Makris | Sonny Postiglione & Robert Nathan | October 13, 2006 | 17004 | 9.43 |
| 376 | 5 | "Public Service Homicide" | Constantine Makris | Chris Levinson | October 20, 2006 | 17005 | 10.20 |
| 377 | 6 | "Profiteer" | Arthur W. Forney | David Wilcox | October 27, 2006 | 17007 | 9.02 |
| 378 | 7 | "In Vino Veritas" | Tim Hunter | David Wilcox | November 3, 2006 | 17006 | 10.87 |
| 379 | 8 | "Release" | Michael Pressman | Rick Eid & Nicholas Wootton | November 10, 2006 | 17008 | 9.57 |
| 380 | 9 | "Deadlock" | Alex Chapple | David Slack | November 17, 2006 | 17009 | 9.94 |
| 381 | 10 | "Corner Office" | Joan Stein Schimke | Rick Eid & Richard Sweren | December 8, 2006 | 17010 | 10.23 |
| 382 | 11 | "Remains of the Day" | Constantine Makris |
S : Shiya Ribowsky; S/T : David Wilcox |
January 5, 2007 | 17011 | 9.77 |
| 383 | 12 | "Charity Case" | Michael Pressman | Nicholas Wootton | January 12, 2007 | 17012 | 9.02 |
| 384 | 13 | "Talking Points" | Matthew Penn | Michael S. Chernuchin | February 2, 2007 | 17013 | 9.53 |
| 385 | 14 | "Church" | Constantine Makris | Rick Eid | February 9, 2007 | 17014 | 9.63 |
| 386 | 15 | "Melting Pot" | Jean de Segonzac | Richard Sweren | February 16, 2007 | 17015 | 9.01 |
| 387 | 16 | "Murder Book" | Constantine Makris | David Wilcox | February 23, 2007 | 17016 | 8.67 |
| 388 | 17 | "Good Faith" | Sam Weisman | David Slack | March 30, 2007 | 17017 | 7.47 |
| 389 | 18 | "Bling" | Karen Gaviola | Matthew McGough | April 6, 2007 | 17018 | 8.22 |
| 390 | 19 | "Fallout" | Constantine Makris | Sonny Postiglione | April 27, 2007 | 17019 | 7.52 |
| 391 | 20 | "Captive" | Michael Watkins | Richard Sweren | May 4, 2007 | 17020 | 8.88 |
| 392 | 21 | "Over Here" | Constantine Makris | William N. Fordes | May 11, 2007 | 17021 | 8.30 |
| 393 | 22 | "The Family Hour" | Matthew Penn | Richard Sweren & David Slack | May 18, 2007 | 17022 | 9.23 |
Season 18 (2008)
- Jeremy Sisto (Cyrus Lupo) and Linus Roache (Michael Cutter) joined the cast.
- Jesse L. Martin (Ed Green) left the cast and was replaced by Anthony Anderson (Kevin Bernard) in the episode "Burn Card".
- This is the first season to feature 18 episodes
- This was also the shortest season in the initial run of the show and the first to air mid season until the show's revival with Season 21.
- Production of the eighteenth season was interrupted by the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike when executive producer René Balcer and the rest of the writing staff participated in the work stoppage, making this season the first to start in January and also caused its original twenty-two episode order to be reduced to eighteen.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 394 | 1 | "Called Home" | Allen Coulter | René Balcer | January 2, 2008 | 18001 | 13.46 |
| 395 | 2 | "Darkness" | Michael Dinner | William N. Fordes & David Slack | January 2, 2008 | 18006 | 13.46 |
| 396 | 3 | "Misbegotten" | Michael Watkins | David Wilcox & Stephanie Sengupta | January 9, 2008 | 18002 | 11.02 |
| 397 | 4 | "Bottomless" | Alex Chapple | Ed Zuckerman | January 16, 2008 | 18004 | 11.59 |
| 398 | 5 | "Driven" | Alan Taylor | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | January 23, 2008 | 18009 | 10.35 |
| 399 | 6 | "Political Animal" | Jean de Segonzac | Ed Zuckerman & David Slack | January 30, 2008 | 18011 | 11.10 |
| 400 | 7 | "Quit Claim" | Jim McKay | William N. Fordes & David Wilcox | February 6, 2008 | 18010 | 10.06 |
| 401 | 8 | "Illegal" | Constantine Makris | William N. Fordes & David Slack | February 13, 2008 | 18003 | 10.23 |
| 402 | 9 | "Executioner" | Constantine Makris | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | February 20, 2008 | 18012 | 10.86 |
| 403 | 10 | "Tango" | Dean White | Stephanie Sengupta | February 27, 2008 | 18013 | 11.42 |
| 404 | 11 | "Betrayal" | Marc Levin | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | March 5, 2008 | 18005 | 9.63 |
| 405 | 12 | "Submission" | Constantine Makris | Ed Zuckerman | March 12, 2008 | 18007 | 11.85 |
| 406 | 13 | "Angelgrove" | Darnell Martin | David Wilcox & Stephanie Sengupta | March 19, 2008 | 18008 | 10.49 |
| 407 | 14 | "Burn Card" | Mario Van Peebles | Ed Zuckerman & David Wilcox | April 23, 2008 | 18014 | 12.75 |
| 408 | 15 | "Bogeyman" | Tim Hunter |
S : Gina Gionfriddo; S/T : Richard Sweren |
April 30, 2008 | 18015 | 9.65 |
| 409 | 16 | "Strike" | Marisol Torres | William N. Fordes & David Slack | May 7, 2008 | 18016 | 8.85 |
| 410 | 17 | "Personae Non Gratae" | John Coles | Stephanie Sengupta & Matthew McGough | May 14, 2008 | 18017 | 8.46 |
| 411 | 18 | "Excalibur" | Jim McKay | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman | May 21, 2008 | 18018 | 8.57 |
Season 19 (2008–09)
- This was the fourth season that had an unchanged cast from the end of the previous season, and it was the first season to start in November.
- During this season, Law & Order: UK made its debut in the United Kingdom on ITV1.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 412 | 1 | "Rumble" | Constantine Makris | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | November 5, 2008 | 19003 | 7.94 |
| 413 | 2 | "Challenged" | Fred Berner | René Balcer & Ed Zuckerman | November 12, 2008 | 19001 | 7.93 |
| 414 | 3 | "Lost Boys" | Christopher Zalla | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | November 19, 2008 | 19004 | 7.62 |
| 415 | 4 | "Falling" | Michael Watkins | Stephanie Sengupta & Keith Eisner | November 26, 2008 | 19005 | 6.33 |
| 416 | 5 | "Knock Off" | Constantine Makris |
S : Jonathan Rintels; T : William N. Fordes & Matthew McGough |
December 3, 2008 | 19006 | 11.31 |
| 417 | 6 | "Sweetie" | Mario Van Peebles | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | December 10, 2008 | 19007 | 7.51 |
| 418 | 7 | "Zero" | Marisol Torres | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | December 17, 2008 | 19002 | 7.02 |
| 419 | 8 | "Chattel" | Jim McKay | William N. Fordes & Matthew McGough | January 7, 2009 | 19009 | 10.26 |
| 420 | 9 | "By Perjury" | Darnell Martin | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | January 14, 2009 | 19010 | 8.26 |
| 421 | 10 | "Pledge" | Alex Chapple | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | January 21, 2009 | 19008 | 8.27 |
| 422 | 11 | "Lucky Stiff" | Marc Levin | Ed Zuckerman & Matthew McGough | January 28, 2009 | 19012 | 8.96 |
| 423 | 12 | "Illegitimate" | Josh Marston | Stephanie Sengupta & Keith Eisner | February 4, 2009 | 19011 | 8.64 |
| 424 | 13 | "Crimebusters" | Alex Chapple | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | February 11, 2009 | 19013 | 7.44 |
| 425 | 14 | "Rapture" | Fred Berner | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | February 18, 2009 | 19014 | 7.23 |
| 426 | 15 | "Bailout" | Jean de Segonzac | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | March 11, 2009 | 19015 | 7.64 |
| 427 | 16 | "Take-Out" | Jim McKay | William N. Fordes & Keith Eisner | March 18, 2009 | 19016 | 7.14 |
| 428 | 17 | "Anchors Away" | Alex Chapple | Ed Zuckerman & Matthew McGough | March 25, 2009 | 19017 | 7.33 |
| 429 | 18 | "Promote This!" | Michael Watkins | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | April 29, 2009 | 19019 | 7.83 |
| 430 | 19 | "All New" | Roger Young | William N. Fordes & Keith Eisner | May 6, 2009 | 19020 | 8.14 |
| 431 | 20 | "Exchange" | Ernest Dickerson | Stephanie Sengupta | May 13, 2009 | 19018 | 7.90 |
| 432 | 21 | "Skate or Die" | Norberto Barba | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | May 20, 2009 | 19021 | 6.67 |
| 433 | 22 | "The Drowned and the Saved" | Fred Berner | Richard Sweren & Gina Gionfriddo | June 3, 2009 | 19022 | 8.87 |
Season 20 (2009–2010)
- This was the fifth (and final) season in which the series had an unchanged cast from the previous season.
- Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis) reprised his role in the episode "Fed".
- Prior to the show's cancellation, S. Epatha Merkerson (Anita Van Buren) announced she was leaving the cast in the season finale after playing her character for sixteen years, the 20th season being her 17th season.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 434 | 1 | "Memo from the Dark Side" | Fred Berner | René Balcer & Keith Eisner | September 25, 2009 | 20001 | 6.25 |
| 435 | 2 | "Just a Girl in the World" | M.T. Adler | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | October 2, 2009 | 20002 | 6.79 |
| 436 | 3 | "Great Satan" | Michael Dinner | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | October 9, 2009 | 20003 | 7.22 |
| 437 | 4 | "Reality Bites" | Constantine Makris | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | October 16, 2009 | 20004 | 7.73 |
| 438 | 5 | "Dignity" | Jim McKay | Richard Sweren & Julie Martin | October 23, 2009 | 20005 | 7.24 |
| 439 | 6 | "Human Flesh Search Engine" | Darnell Martin | Ed Zuckerman & Matthew McGough | October 30, 2009 | 20006 | 7.07 |
| 440 | 7 | "Boy Gone Astray" | Rose Troche |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Keith Eisner |
November 6, 2009 | 20007 | 7.98 |
| 441 | 8 | "Doped" | Mario Van Peebles | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose | November 6, 2009 | 20008 | 8.29 |
| 442 | 9 | "For the Defense" | William Klayer | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas | November 13, 2009 | 20009 | 7.42 |
| 443 | 10 | "Shotgun" | Roger Young | Richard Sweren & Julie Martin | November 20, 2009 | 20010 | 7.52 |
| 444 | 11 | "Fed" | Alex Chapple |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Keith Eisner |
December 11, 2009 | 20011 | 8.81 |
| 445 | 12 | "Blackmail" | Marc Levin | Ed Zuckerman & Matthew McGough | January 15, 2010 | 20012 | 7.21 |
| 446 | 13 | "Steel-Eyed Death" | Michael Pressman | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose & Julie Martin | March 1, 2010 | 20013 | 7.76 |
| 447 | 14 | "Boy on Fire" | Rose Troche |
S : Ed Zuckerman; T : Luke Schelhaas; S/T : Matthew McGough |
March 1, 2010 | 20014 | 7.76 |
| 448 | 15 | "Brilliant Disguise" | Alex Chapple |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Keith Eisner |
March 8, 2010 | 20015 | 5.21 |
| 449 | 16 | "Innocence" | Fred Berner | Richard Sweren & Julie Martin | March 15, 2010 | 20016 | 6.95 |
| 450 | 17 | "Four Cops Shot" | Jim McKay | Ed Zuckerman & Luke Schelhaas & Matthew McGough | March 22, 2010 | 20017 | 6.02 |
| 451 | 18 | "Brazil" | Jean de Segonzac |
S : René Balcer; S/T : Keith Eisner |
March 29, 2010 | 20018 | 6.01 |
| 452 | 19 | "Crashers" | Darnell Martin | Richard Sweren & Christopher Ambrose & Julie Martin | May 3, 2010 | 20019 | 6.18 |
| 453 | 20 | "The Taxman Cometh" | Fred Berner |
S : Ed Zuckerman; S/T : William N. Fordes |
May 10, 2010 | 20020 | 6.22 |
| 454 | 21 | "Immortal" | Jim McKay | Richard Sweren & Julie Martin | May 17, 2010 | 20021 | 6.12 |
| 455 | 22 | "Love Eternal" | William Klayer | Ed Zuckerman | May 17, 2010 | 20022 | 6.12 |
| 456 | 23 | "Rubber Room" | René Balcer | René Balcer | May 24, 2010 | 20023 | 7.84 |
Season 21 (2022)
- Jeffrey Donovan, Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy and Odelya Halevi joined the cast this season following its revival, the show having been cancelled on May 24, 2010.
- Anthony Anderson and Sam Waterston are the only returning actors from the previous seasons to return. Anderson left the show at the end of the season, deciding not to renew his contract.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 457 | 1 | "The Right Thing" | Jean de Segonzac | Dick Wolf & Rick Eid | February 24, 2022 | 2101 | 5.80 |
| 458 | 2 | "Impossible Dream" | Michael Pressman |
Teleplay by : Rick Eid Story by : Pamela Wechsler & Rick Eid |
March 3, 2022 | 2102 | 4.46 |
| 459 | 3 | "Filtered Life" | Milena Govich | Art Alamo & Pamela Wechsler | March 10, 2022 | 2103 | 4.21 |
| 460 | 4 | "Fault Lines" | Heather Cappiello | Pamela Wechsler & Art Alamo | March 17, 2022 | 2104 | 4.62 |
| 461 | 5 | "Free Speech" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid | April 7, 2022 | 2105 | 3.91 |
| 462 | 6 | "Wicked Game" | Alex Hall |
Teleplay by : Rick Eid Story by : Pamela Wechsler & Art Alamo |
April 14, 2022 | 2106 | 4.02 |
| 463 | 7 | "Legacy" | Sarah Boyd | Pamela Wechsler | April 28, 2022 | 2107 | 4.15 |
| 464 | 8 | "Severance" | Yangzom Brauen | Art Alamo | May 5, 2022 | 2108 | 4.23 |
| 465 | 9 | "The Great Pretender" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid & Pamela Wechsler | May 12, 2022 | 2109 | 3.83 |
| 466 | 10 | "Black and Blue" | Eriq La Salle | Rick Eid | May 19, 2022 | 2110 | 3.94 |
Season 22 (2022–23)
- Mehcad Brooks joins the main cast as Detective Jalen Shaw, following the departure of Anthony Anderson.
- Jeffrey Donovan left the show after the season.
- Sam Waterston makes his 400th appearance in the season finale.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 467 | 1 | "Gimme Shelter – Part Three" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid & Gwen Sigan | September 22, 2022 | 2201 | 4.69 |
| 468 | 2 | "Battle Lines" | Milena Govich | Art Alamo | September 29, 2022 | 2202 | 4.40 |
| 469 | 3 | "Camouflage" | John Behring | Pamela Wechsler | October 6, 2022 | 2203 | 4.06 |
| 470 | 4 | "Benefit of the Doubt" | Carl Weathers | Peter Blauner | October 13, 2022 | 2204 | 4.09 |
| 471 | 5 | "12 Seconds" | David Grossman | Jonathan Collier | October 27, 2022 | 2205 | 4.18 |
| 472 | 6 | "Vicious Cycle" | Bethany Rooney |
Teleplay by : Pamela Wechsler & Rick Eid Story by : Pamela Wechsler |
November 3, 2022 | 2206 | 3.73 |
| 473 | 7 | "Only the Lonely" | Elisabeth Röhm | Pamela Wechsler & Jennifer Vanderbes | November 10, 2022 | 2207 | 4.07 |
| 474 | 8 | "Chain of Command" | Carlos Bernard | Art Alamo & Gia Gordon | November 17, 2022 | 2208 | 4.56 |
| 475 | 9 | "The System" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid & Pamela Wechsler | December 8, 2022 | 2209 | 4.41 |
| 476 | 10 | "Land of Opportunity" | Timothy Busfield | Art Alamo | January 5, 2023 | 2210 | 4.73 |
| 477 | 11 | "Second Chance" | Rachel Leiterman | Pamela Wechsler & Jonathan Collier | January 12, 2023 | 2211 | 4.64 |
| 478 | 12 | "Almost Famous" | Bethany Rooney | Pamela Wechsler & Jennifer Vanderbes | January 26, 2023 | 2212 | 5.38 |
| 479 | 13 | "Mammon" | Joy Lane | Keith Eisner | February 2, 2023 | 2213 | 4.98 |
| 480 | 14 | "Heroes" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid | February 16, 2023 | 2214 | 4.75 |
| 481 | 15 | "Fear and Loathing" | Yangzom Brauen |
Teleplay by : Pamela Wechsler Story by : Pamela Wechsler & Ajani Jackson |
February 23, 2023 | 2215 | 4.71 |
| 482 | 16 | "Deadline" | Martha Mitchell | Art Alamo & Gia Gordon | March 23, 2023 | 2216 | 4.41 |
| 483 | 17 | "Bias" | Alex Hall | Keith Eisner | March 30, 2023 | 2217 | 4.22 |
| 484 | 18 | "Collateral Damage" | Jean de Segonzac | Pamela Wechsler | April 6, 2023 | 2218 | 4.40 |
| 485 | 19 | "Private Lives" | Néstor Carbonell | Art Alamo | April 27, 2023 | 2219 | 3.92 |
| 486 | 20 | "Class Retreat" | Milena Govich |
Teleplay by : Rick Eid & Keith Eisner Story by : Rick Eid |
May 4, 2023 | 2220 | 4.18 |
| 487 | 21 | "Appraisal" | Michael Pressman | Pamela Wechsler & Jennifer Vanderbes | May 11, 2023 | 2221 | 3.93 |
| 488 | 22 | "Open Wounds" | Alex Hall |
Teleplay by : Rick Eid & Pamela Wechsler Story by : Gia Gordon & Ajani Jackson |
May 18, 2023 | 2222 | 3.96 |
Season 23 (2024)
- Reid Scott joins the season as Detective Vincent Riley.
- The series' milestone 500th episode will air this season.
|
No. overall |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
Prod. code |
U.S viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 489 | 1 | "Freedom of Expression" | Alex Hall | Rick Eid & Pamela Wechsler | January 18, 2024 | 2301 | TBD |
Home video releases
| Season | Episodes | DVD release dates | Bonus features | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Discs | |||
| 1 | 22 | October 15, 2002 | June 16, 2003 | April 14, 2003 | 6 |
|
| 2 | 22 | May 4, 2004 | February 28, 2004 | January 19, 2005 | 3 | Law & Order: The First Three Years |
| 3 | 22 | May 24, 2005 | November 21, 2005 | March 8, 2006 | 3 |
|
| 4 | 22 | December 6, 2005 | July 17, 2006 | September 19, 2006 | 3 | Deleted and Extended Scenes |
| 5 | 23 | April 3, 2007 | July 23, 2007 | July 30, 2007 | 5 | America's Top Sleuths |
| 6 | 23 | December 2, 2008 | February 16, 2009 | March 4, 2009 | 5 | Homicide: Life on the Street Crossover Episode "For God and Country" |
| 7 | 23 | January 19, 2010 | April 12, 2010 | April 21, 2010 | 5 | — |
| 8 | 24 | December 7, 2010 | TBA | August 4, 2011 | 5 | Homicide: Life on the Street Crossover Episode "Baby It's You, Part 2" |
| 9 | 24 | December 6, 2011 | TBA | August 3, 2016 | 5 | Homicide: Life on the Street Crossover Episode "Sideshow: Part Two" |
| Film | June 12, 2012 | March 21, 2011 | TBA | 1 | — | |
| 10 | 24 | February 23, 2012 | TBA | August 3, 2016 | 5 | |
| 11 | 24 | November 6, 2012 | TBA | August 3, 2016 | 5 | |
| 12 | 24 | February 26, 2013 | TBA | October 5, 2016 | 5 | |
| 13 | 24 | November 5, 2013 | TBA | October 5, 2016 | 5 | |
| 14 | 24 | September 14, 2004 | TBA | October 5, 2016 | 6 |
|
| 15 | 24 | November 4, 2014 | TBA | March 2, 2017 | 5 | — |
| 16 | 22 | November 4, 2014 | TBA | March 2, 2017 | 5 | |
| 17 | 22 | November 4, 2014 | TBA | March 2, 2017 | 5 | |
| 18 | 18 | May 5, 2015 | TBA | April 5, 2017 | 4 | |
| 19 | 22 | May 5, 2015 | TBA | April 5, 2017 | 5 | |
| 20 | 23 | May 5, 2015 | TBA | April 5, 2017 | 5 | |
| 21 | 10 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | — |
| 22 | 22 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | — |