• 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. Negative: 1 out of 5
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Critic Reviews

  1. 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]
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. 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. 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 »