Law & Order

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Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 13, 1990
Season #: 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
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Critic Reviews

  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: John J. O'Connor
    Mar 7, 2013
    90
    The first four episodes, made available for preview, indicate that Law and Order could climb quickly to the top echelons of the genre, right up there with "Crime Story" and "Hill Street Blues." [13 Sept 1990, p.C26]
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    Jun 7, 2013
    83
    It's a little gimmicky, but it works, primarily on the strength of the cast.
  3. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Tom Shales
    Mar 7, 2013
    80
    Nothing if not serious, and nothing if not good, NBC's Law & Order nevertheless seems a victim of one particular TV tyranny. Its stories are too long for the one-hour format into which they are stuffed. Otherwise the series... has all the ingredients associated with quality television: strong scripts, relevant themes and a cast that qualifies as first-rate-plus. [13 Sept 1990, p.D1]
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  5. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Hal Boedeker
    Mar 7, 2013
    50
    Missing here is the complexity that makes shows like "L.A. Law" or "Hill Street Blues" fun to watch. Executive producer Dick Wolf has said Law & Order is not an ensemble show. What it is is a show about police and legal procedures -- and they're recounted in almost documentary fashion. Of course, as with so much TV law, time is collapsed and these complicated procedures are neatly wrapped up by the show's conclusion. [9 Sept 1990, p.H1]
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  6. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ed Siegel
    Mar 7, 2013
    25
    All the masturbation jokes in the world don't help a script that is as inherently stale and as turgidly moralistic as "Dragnet"...This program only makes me want to shut the TV off, not put a foot through the screen. [12 Sept 1990, p.51p]
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. JoeDeckard
    Apr 10, 2019
    8
    Call me old fashioned, but I absolutely love this show. When I first came to live in LA way back in the early 2000's, it was my only point ofCall me old fashioned, but I absolutely love this show. When I first came to live in LA way back in the early 2000's, it was my only point of contact. All the characters are lovable (I came in with Lenny and Ray) and my eye still waters in the episode when Ray finally leaves 'Anything you need Ray, anything' Lenny chokes. The later L&O episodes had less of a flourish. Gone were the Lenny style lines like 'I have ties older than him .... and a couple of shoes...' replaced by slightly less funny one-liners. But L&O was a success because it was written by intelligent people in the know. I still flick through the channels looking for Law & Order whenever I find myself in front of the TV (not often). It's nostalgia - for a better time in TV land.… Full Review »
  2. jackherer50
    Jun 9, 2014
    10
    It's like watching two shows, a police investigation series for the first half hour, and a legal series for the next half an hour.It's like watching two shows, a police investigation series for the first half hour, and a legal series for the next half an hour. Performances are very convincing, lots of mystery and drama, but very realistic. 20 great seasons.… Full Review »
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