Dick Wolf turned back the clock on crime dramas.
Law & Order, after being rejected by Fox & CBS, landed at NBC in 1990. For 20 seasons (1990-2010), the series not only launched a franchise, but it gave viewers a fresh look at how police conduct an investigation. The lessons that Jack Webb (Dragnet) & Phillips H. Lord (Gang Busters) had imparted on radio & television had been freshened with a then-modern day attitude.
Law & Order took the format of 1963's Arrest & Trial, and expanded on it. The difference, though, was that instead of the defense attorney getting the suspect off, it was now the viewers' expectation that the district attorney's office would win the case. It didn't always happen, just as it doesn't always happen in real life.
As is the case today with the lone survivor of the franchise, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which has been renewed for its 21st season, some episodes were ripped from the headlines.
The ensemble cast went through a revolving door over the course of the run for various reasons. George Dzundza, whom you'll see in the following video, left after the first season, with the similarly built Paul Sorvino taking his place. Sorvino then gave way to Jerry Orbach. Chris Noth left for Sex & The City. Dann Florek was eventually written off, then brought back and moved to SVU.
While not a part of the franchise, Arrest & Trial was revived by Wolf as a half-hour reality series, hosted by actor Brian Dennehy, for syndication. It lasted just one season.
Current primetime stars Jesse L. Martin (The Flash) & Anthony Anderson (black-ish, To Tell The Truth) have stints on Law & Order on their resumes.
Let's take a look at that season 1 clip:
Reruns are still fruitful. At last check, I think WE still had the rights.
Rating: A.
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