# Law & Order (1990)

> Police detectives and prosecutors work each New York crime from the headlines through to a courtroom conviction.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/518

## Facts

- Seasons: 26
- Episodes: 549
- Episode runtime: 47 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Dick Wolf
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Dennis Farina, Reid Scott, David Ajala, James Badge Dale, Anthony Anderson, Tony Goldwyn, Hugh Dancy, George Dzundza
- TMDB rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: gritty, brisk, matter of fact, serious, urban

## What critics say

Viewers broadly regard Law & Order as a consistently solid, well-crafted procedural whose dual police and prosecution structure delivers reliable investigative and courtroom drama across decades.

## Synopsis

Law & Order (1990-2026) is an American network crime drama created by Dick Wolf for NBC. Its episodes are built around cases ripped from the headlines, following New York police detectives who investigate serious and often deadly crimes, then handing the evidence to district attorney's office lawyers who must prove each suspect guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina) and Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) anchor the stories across many seasons, with Anthony Anderson as Kevin Bernard and Paul Sorvino as Phil Cerreta adding further weight to the investigative and courtroom work. The show runs for twenty-six seasons and hundreds of episodes, using a case of the week format in which each hour is self-contained. The stories unfold in the city's precincts, interrogation rooms and courtrooms, with a brisk and matter-of-fact tone that prizes procedural detail over melodrama. Its atmosphere is gritty and urban, with a steady sense of civic duty. Fans of Homicide: Life on the Street, The Practice and The Wire will find resonance in its blend of police work and legal drama.

## Shows like Law & Order

- [The Fix (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/70044)
- [Elsbeth (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/144789)
- [Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/88726)
- [CSI: NY (2004)](https://ember.film/tv/2332)
- [The Practice (1997)](https://ember.film/tv/2901)
- [Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/4245)
- [Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/146264)
- [Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)](https://ember.film/tv/4379)
- [NYPD Blue (1993)](https://ember.film/tv/178)
- [Instinct (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/63402)

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