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What's your favorite 'Law & Order' cast?
Four hundred-plus episodes and what has to be tens of thousands of cable reruns into the life of Law & Order, it's easy to take the show for granted.
Yes, it still has the same cops-and-lawyers format as it had when it debuted in 1990. Yes, the prosecution still wins almost every case. And yes, the chunk-chunk sound is still there.
And you know what? Law & Order, which begins season 19 on Wednesday night, still a pretty darn good show. The Losts and Sopranos-es of the TV world can have their narrative complexity; where Law & Order has always excelled is in its ability to be concise, which also isn't easy.
Consider the show's approach to doling out its characters' back stories. As L&O creator Dick Wolf put it in a conference call last week, "we do give character information, but we dole it out with demitasse spoons, not soup ladles. If you are a regular watcher of the show ... you know an enormous amount about these characters. ...
"You'd be surprised if you took the back of an envelope and you consider yourself a regular watcher, how much you know about [Sam Waterston's DA Jack McCoy], from the fact that he's had a daughter that he was semi-estranged from to the problems he's had with the Ethics Committee." (Also, his dad was a cop, he slept with a couple of his second chairs and he used to keep a flask of Scotch in his desk.)
Another hallmark of Law & Order over the years has been cast turnover. The new season will be the first full one with Anthony Anderson and Jeremy Sisto teamed up as detectives (Anderson joined midway through last season, replacing Jesse L. Martin), while in the court, Linus Roache and Alana de la Garza are in year two under Waterston, who's now Manhattan's elected district attorney.
I have to admit, the current cast has helped revive my interest in the show after a couple of seasons where it flagged badly. The Sisto-Anderson/Roach-de la Garza core may yet enter my personal pantheon of favorite Law & Order ensembles -- but not yet. Here, then, are a few of my favorite combinations (I'm talking only about the L&O mothership here, not the spinoffs):
Season 5 (Cops: Jerry Orbach, Chris Noth, S. Epatha Merkerson; Lawyers: Sam Waterston, Jill Hennessy, Steven Hill). This combination was only together for one season, with Waterston stepping in for Michael Moriarty at the beginning and Noth leaving the show at the end. But the dynamic of Hennessy's Claire Kincaid trying to figure out her new boss and the chemistry between the intense Noth and the more laid-back Orbach made this one of the show's best.
Seasons 7-8 (Cops: Orbach, Benjamin Bratt, Merkerson; Lawyers: Waterston, Carey Lowell, Hill). The seventh season brought Law & Order its lone Emmy for best drama series and also featured a rarity for the show: a three-part arc about the murder of a movie executive that still stops me in my tracks every time I see the rerun on TNT. Orbach and Bratt, for my money, were the best grizzled veteran-savvy younger guy pair in the show's history.
Seasons 2-3 (Cops: Noth, Paul Sorvino, Dann Florek; Lawyers: Moriarty, Richard Brooks, Hill). Moriarty's weird intensity buoyed the show as it found its footing in season two, and Sorvino, who replaced George Dzundza after the first season, meshed well with Noth. I also really liked Florek (now on SVU) in his first turn as Capt. Don Cragen. He could have been just another uptight higher-up, but the way Florek played the role -- a little bit resigned but always willing to go to bat for his guys -- helped make the role into something more than that.
Which Law & Order casts have been your favorites?
The cast from seasons 7-8, hands down.
Francesca | Nov 4, 2008 2:53:10 PM | #I absolutely love the cast now. I did not watch Law and Order on a regular basis until this new cast. Linus Roache and Alana De La Garza are wonderful and the new detectives are not at boring. My new favorite show again!~
Connie | Nov 4, 2008 2:57:41 PM | #My favorite season was the years with Orbach and Jessie L Martin. I am a HUGE fan of Broadway and to see these two talent actors together was something special. Their off screen mutual respect of each other showed through their acting.
The other night I saw an old episode which also featured Mandy Patkin. At one point all three were sharing the same scene. For me to see the original Billy Flynn from Chicago, the original Tom Collins from RENT, and the original Che from Evita was like all the planets in the solar system aligning. Truly magical.
I have two favorite casts season 6 because I still love the Jack/Claire Lennie/Mike duo's and I forget the season but, Jesse Martin/Jerry Orbach & Angie Harmon/Sam Waterston. I LOVE Sam Waterston! I am a teen but I have watched L&O for years, plus I watch it everyday on TNT. I am beginning to enjoy Jeremy Sisto, but I haven't quite warmed up to the rest of the new cast. I really thought I would lose interest in McCoy being promoted, but I am really enjoying him in the new role. I really like how is having to now be a politician and make hard decisions that aren't always black and white, and that he is still the off the wall McCoy who will do anything for justice. I like the spinoffs, but my favorite will always be the Mothership. I can't wait until tomorrow night!!!
Samfan | Nov 4, 2008 6:44:29 PM | #ANGIE HARMON!!!
They should have moved heaven and earth to get her back when Jack McCoy became DA - she'd be the lead DA with some green assistant. It would have been GOLD, I tell ya, GOLD.
I always loved the interaction with Abby and Lenny - they had a lot of respect and affection for each other.
Chip | Nov 4, 2008 6:51:00 PM | #Without a doubt, it's season five ... season five ... season five ... season five !!
The cast of Waterston/Hennessy/Hill/Orbach/Noth/Merkerson lit up the screen in a way that has never been equalled. The cast was flawless with enormous personal appeal that transcended the cameras.
I have watched law & Order since it's premiere and can say without a doubt that season five was the consummate season with no equal.
Would love to find out this seasont that "Claire" is alive and well and finally coming out of the witness protection program. Are you reading this Jill Hennessy and Dick Wolf (smile)????
Peace
Yvonne | Nov 4, 2008 9:47:18 PM | #How could you totally skip over Angie Harmon and Elisabeth Rohm?
Particularly Angie! I mean c'mon. Abby was probably the best ADA Jack ever had!
ave | Nov 4, 2008 10:31:59 PM | #Season 9 (Cops: Orbach, Bratt, Merkerson; Lawyers: Waterston, Harmon, Hill)
It never got better from those six
trumanhorn | Nov 5, 2008 4:41:38 AM | #Clearly ANGIE HARMON was the best of the "Number 2 Chairs."
Elizabeth Rohm? Are you taking a poll of the WORST L&O actors, too? lol
jfms777 | Nov 5, 2008 5:02:13 AM | #This year's cast is superb. While I loved some of the earlier casts, the dynamic between the two ADAs and two cops hasn't been matched before.
Linus Roache is as good or better as Waterston was in the same role (ADA) and de la Garza is just oh so sexy.
Sisto and Anderson play well off each other.
After Lost, this might be my favourite show again.
ll99 | Nov 5, 2008 6:10:23 AM | #I have the rare privilege of being a French viewer who saw ALL the episodes of L&O and i must say that I've enjoyed the show during all its run, especially the first 10 years (helmed by executive producer René Balcer). My favorite teams are Orbach + Martin, Hennessy + Waterston and the current cast, which has revived the show again under the impulse of René Balcer. American Television can be proud of such a great show. I wish we had an equivalent in this country.
Marc
You completely forgot Season 1!
Max Greevey (George Dzundza) Senior Det.
Chris Noth=Mike Logan Jr. Det
Don Cragen (Dann Florek) Police commander
Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) ADA
Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks)Junior ADA
Adam Schiff (Steven Hill) Dist. Attorney
Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick)The shrink who analyzed everyone!
Apres Ski | Nov 5, 2008 10:12:38 AM | #I Love The Combo Of Lennie & Mike & Mike With Phil As Well !
Stacey | Nov 5, 2008 11:06:25 AM | #You are so right about Season 5: Lenny and Mike, Claire and Jack... best season ever! Everyone was great, and there were some excellent cases.
I also adore the new cast, particularly Jeremy Sisto as Lupo. The show has been completely revitalized.
And hear hear to finding a way to bring back Claire! I have been a very faithful viewer of both original episodes and reruns, and have never been able to figure out what was supposed to have happened to her (which I believe was the intention of the show, so they could leave the door open for Jill Hennessey to return.) But witness protection? Really? I thought we were supposed to assume she died or was badly injured in that drunk driving accident with Lenny.
Allie | Nov 5, 2008 11:15:04 AM | #Season 7 & 8 for me. I loved Cops: Orbach, Benjamin Bratt, Merkerson; Lawyers: Waterston, Carey Lowell, Hill) . Bratt and Orbach had the best chemistry as partners. I will watch Waterson in anything but him working along side a bond girl (Lowell) and not sleeping with her is freaking great. Merkerson and Hill made magic with the little screen time they got...
C-bone | Nov 5, 2008 11:27:51 AM | #I was so thrilled when Sam Waterson joined "Law and Order", because he was so wonderful on "I'll Fly Away".
My mom liked Jill Hennessy. I was not watching it at that time, because I was in grade school when "Law and Order" started so I never got to watch her. Loved her on "Crossing Jordan".
Angie Harmon & Elisabeth Rohm were great.
Was so excited when Jesse L. Martin joined the cast, because I loved him on "Ally McBeal" and it meant that Benjamin Bratt was gone.
S. Epatha Merkerson, Jerry Orbach, & Jesse L. Martin have been my favorite "Law and Order" detectives.
Carly | Nov 5, 2008 12:28:21 PM | #I have to agree with the combination of Lennie & Mike and Jack & Claire was the absolute all time best.
I do love the new ADA though, he is really good. Haven't made up my mind about the new dectives though. We will see.
Season 5 - the one and only
delilah | Nov 5, 2008 1:30:58 PM | #Jerry Orbach/Jesse Martin/S. Epatha Merkerson and Sam Waterston/Carey Lowell/Fred Thompson. This was my favorite combination, probably because this was in place when I first started watching. I was a latecomer. I rather hoped they would bring back Michael Imperioli after he did a fantastic guest stint while Jesse Martin was filming Rent. Alas, no.
Carlo | Nov 5, 2008 4:47:30 PM | #Anything with Lenny but especially paired with Chris Noth. The guy with all the lines (90's best actor Orbach) plus the cop you NEVER cross.
brifan | Nov 5, 2008 5:21:57 PM | #gotta give respect to the early years, moriarty and robinet, sorvino & noth-- but season 6... that final episode took the show to a whole new level.
pd | Nov 5, 2008 5:37:01 PM | #My fave years are the ones with Angie Harmon. The worst years are the ones with that corpse Liz Rohlm. How she got the job I have no idea.
TMZ | Nov 5, 2008 5:55:44 PM | #The first season I remember is the one with Orbach, Bratt, Merkerson, Waterson, Harmon and Hill. ( I was still a kid when the show premiered in 1990) I don't know if I can really call it my favorite, but it was a very memorable cast for me. I do like all the actors of the series and enjoy what each of them brings to their roles. I haven't found a character I dislike yet.
T | Nov 5, 2008 6:26:32 PM | #LOVE CHRIS NOTH!!!!!!!
ENOUGH SAID!!!!
Jacki | Nov 5, 2008 7:51:36 PM | #I LOVE LAW & ORDER!!!!!
My favorite detective pair in the original L&O are Briscoe & Green... They worked so well together...
I LOVE McCoy and Carmichael on the prosecution's side...
I am liking this new ensemble, too!
LOCInumber1fan | Nov 5, 2008 8:12:25 PM | #
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