Law & Order is a media franchise composed of a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment. They were originally broadcast on NBC, and all of them deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system. Together, the original series, its various spin-offs, the TV film, and crossover episodes from other shows constitute over 1,000 hours of programming.
| Law & Order | |
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| Created by | Dick Wolf |
| Original work | Law & Order |
| Owner | Wolf Entertainment NBCUniversal |
| Films and television | |
| Television series |
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| Television film(s) | Exiled |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) |
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| Miscellaneous | |
| Foreign adaptations |
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| Related TV series |
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Shared characters and fictional organizations, such as Hudson University and the New York Ledger tabloid newspaper, serve as connecting links between the shows. Many supporting characters, such as district attorneys, psychologists, and medical examiners are also shared among the shows. Occasionally, crossovers of main characters or shared storylines between two of the shows will occur. A few major characters have also left the cast of one show within the franchise only to eventually join another. The music, style, and credits of the shows tend to be similar, with the voiceover in the opening of every series performed by Steven Zirnkilton.[1][2] The shows share the iconic "dun, dun" sound effect of a jail cell locking, created, along with the theme songs, by Mike Post.[3] Past episodes of the American series are in syndication with local over-the-air stations, along with cable channels such as USA Network and Bravo (both owned by the franchise's production company, NBCUniversal), TNT, WGN America, Ion Television, and AMC Networks' SundanceTV and WeTV, showing episodes sometimes up to six times a day. Its ubiquity on the NBCUniversal fledgling streaming platform Peacock ("...19 zillion reruns...") was noted by The Wall Street Journal in January 2024.
In October 2012, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit showrunner/executive producer Warren Leight said of the future of the Law & Order franchise, "[Dick Wolf and I] sometimes talk in general terms of where (the franchise) could go. I'm curious to see if there's another iteration somewhere down the line," he says. "We try hard to maintain a certain level of quality which I think is why the shows sustained in reruns so well. And I'd like to believe there's room for another generation in some way."[4] In February 2015, NBC was purported to have interest in bringing back the flagship Law & Order as a limited series.[5] On September 28, 2021, NBC announced that a 21st season had been ordered.[6]
Seven television series make up the Law & Order franchise: Law & Order, Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury, LA, True Crime, and Organized Crime. All series in total amount to 1,355 episodes across 65 seasons of television.
Law & Order, a crime procedural, features both a police investigation of a crime discovered during the cold open, and a prosecution case set forth by the New York County District Attorney, at the Manhattan DA's office. The first thirty minutes of an episode typically features a lead detective trio. On May 14, 2010, NBC announced that it was canceling the original series, although various spin-offs would continue. The series finale aired on May 24, 2010.[7] Wolf briefly attempted to continue the series on cable,[8][9] but the series "moved into the history books".[10]
On September 28, 2021, NBC announced that a 21st season had been ordered.[6] At the start of season 23, the police team consists of Senior Detective Vincent Riley (Reid Scott), Junior Detective Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Lieutenant Kate Dixon (Camryn Manheim), while the counterparts on the legal side are: Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy), Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi) and Manhattan District Attorney Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston). However, Waterston departed the series during the middle of the season and was replaced by Manhattan District Attorney Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn).
SVU follows the cases investigated by NYPD Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and her Manhattan Special Victims Unit colleagues. The show's focus is on detectives who investigate sexually based crimes and crimes against children, the elderly, and the disabled. At the start of season twenty-five, these detectives included characters Sgt. Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T) and Det. Joe Velasco (Octavio Pisano), while Peter Scanavino co-stars as ADA Dominick Carisi Jr..
Organized Crime follows the cases investigated by former SVU detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) as part of the task force within the Organized Crime Control Bureau headed by Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt). The show's focus is on detectives who investigate mobsters and other criminal syndicates. On March 31, 2020, NBC ordered a 13-episode season of a then-untitled Special Victims Unit spin-off starring Christopher Meloni as Stabler, now in an NYPD organized crime task force. Meloni had previously starred on SVU from 1999 to 2011.[11] The show's title was confirmed to be Law & Order: Organized Crime. Writer Craig Gore was fired from the series in June following backlash from a social media post.[12] When NBC announced its fall schedule on June 16, Organized Crime was the only new show on the schedule, slotted for Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern.[13] Due to filming stoppages related to COVID-19, the season was shortened to eight episodes and premiered on April 1, 2021.[14] At the start of season four, other detectives included characters detective Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) and detective Bobby Reyes (Rick Gonzalez).
ACanadian series based on Criminal Intent was announced in early June 2023. On October 16, 2023, the cast names were announced: Aden Young, as Detective Sergeant Henry Graff, Kathleen Munroe as Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman, Karen Robinson as Inspector Vivienne Holness, K. C. Collins as Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester, Nicola Correia-Damude as Forensic Pathologist Dr. Lucy Da Silva, and Araya Mengesha as tech expert Mark Yohannes. The series will have Canadian talent both in front of and behind the camera, including the writing and production departments. While the show will be part of the Law & Order universe, it has yet to be determined whether any crossovers will occur.[15]
The series premiered on 22 February 2024 and is expected to run for 10 episodes.[16]
Criminal Intent focuses on high-profile cases investigated by the Major Case Squad. Special attention is given to the actions of the criminals pursued, often including scenes from the victim's or perpetrator's lives not involving the police, thereby providing a hint as to the "criminal intent". The detectives depicted (Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe for the majority of the series, including the final season) will often attempt to infiltrate the mind of the suspect. Julia Ormond and Jay O. Sanders also star in the tenth season of the series. Unique to the franchise, pairs of detectives alternate episodes during seasons 5–8. On July 15, 2011, USA Network co-president Jeff Wachtel confirmed Law & Order: CI would end with its tenth season.[17]
Trial by Jury, starring Bebe Neuwirth, Amy Carlson, and Jerry Orbach, followed the preparation by the legal teams, both prosecution and defense, for a jury trial. This was the first Law & Order spin-off to be canceled due to low ratings. Orbach's death (which occurred while the show was in production) was another factor in the show's cancellation.
Originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, LA was the first American Law & Order series set outside of New York City. As with the original series, the first half hour of the show focused on the police investigation of a crime discovered in the cold open; the second half took place at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and focused on the prosecution of the criminal suspect(s). On May 13, 2011, Law & Order: LA was canceled by NBC after only one season, but its final episode didn't air until July 11, 2011.[18][19][20]
In April 2016, Wolf and NBC announced they were working on True Crime,[21] a scripted anthology series that will follow one significant true-to-life case per season. Season one, titled Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders[22] stars Edie FalcoasLeslie Abramson,[23] Gaston Villanueva and Gus Halper as Lyle and Erik Menéndez.[24] It premiered on September 26, 2017, and concluded its first season on November 14. The series is currently on hiatus.[25]
In September 2018, NBC announced that it had given an order of 13 episodes for a new installment of the franchise, titled Law & Order: Hate Crimes, which would be introduced on Law & Order: SVU.[26][27] Later, on March 4, 2019, NBC said that the series would be heading back into redevelopment to flesh out the concept and such an introduction on SVU would not take place.[28] The series was once again touted in 2020 as part of a multi-year contract signed with creator Dick Wolf.[11] The series would likely move to Peacock due to language concerns as of June 2020.[29]
NBC had given a straight-to-series order to Law & Order: For the Defense on May 3, 2021, a new legal drama from creator Wolf that would take a look inside a criminal defense firm. The premise of the ordered series was to put defense attorneys under the microscope, along with the criminal justice system, with every week delivering the promise of a contemporary morality tale.[30] On May 14, NBC announced that the series would premiere during the 2021–22 television season, leading off a trio of Law & Order franchise series on Thursdays in the same manner as the network's Wednesday Chicago grouping.[31] On July 15, multiple trade publications reported that NBC and Wolf had mutually agreed to scrap the series, which had not yet cast any roles, and that a different spin-off (later revealed as the revival of the original series) was in the works.[32][33]
The Law & Order franchise has one TV film, Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998). Chris Noth reprises his role as Mike Logan, as the film explores what happened to the character following his departure from the original series.
A TV special titled The Paley Center Presents Law & Order: Before They Were Stars premiered on November 12, 2020, preceding the premiere of SVU season 22.[34]
The franchise has also spawned a series of video games for the PC, which feature appearances by then-current cast members of the TV series.
The typical course of most of the games follows the original series' format with the player investigating a crime with interviews of witnesses and examination of evidence. After the arrest is made, the player then prosecutes the case with challenges such as selecting appropriate questions for witnesses on the stand, recognizing improper questions to raise objections and selecting the most persuasive arguments for the judge to allow certain evidence in court.
In the criminal justice system, some killers are so depraved that it takes multiple police agencies to bring them to justice.
This is one of those investigations.
– Special crossover opening narration spoken by Steven Zirnkilton[35]
The following table lists all the crossover stories in the Law & Order franchise.
| Crossover between | Episode title | Actors appearing in other series | Date broadcast | Description | Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | Series B | Series C | |||||
| Homicide | Law & Order | — | "Law & Disorder" (Homicide S03E15) |
Appears in Series A: Chris Noth | Feb 24, 1995 | Det. Mike Logan meets with Pembleton to hand over a fugitive who fled from Baltimore to New York City. | Cameo |
| New York Undercover |
Law & Order | — | "Smack is Back" (New York Undercover S03E07) |
Appears in Series A: Carolyn McCormick | Nov 7, 1996 | After an on-the-job incident, Detective Nina Moreno goes to Dr. Elizabeth Olivet for counseling. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order | Homicide | — | "Charm City" (Law & Order S06E13) "For God and Country" (Homicide S04E12) |
Appears in Series A: Richard Belzer, Kyle Secor, Andre Braugher Appears in Series B: Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Jill Hennessy |
Feb 7, 1996 Feb 9, 1996 |
Briscoe and Curtis clash with Pembleton and Bayliss, who have come to New York to investigate a subway explosion resembling an unsolved bombing in Baltimore. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order | Homicide | — | "Baby, It's You" (Law & Order S08E06) (Homicide S06E05) |
Appears in Series A: Richard Belzer, Jon Seda, Yaphet Kotto, Željko Ivanek Appears in Series B: Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, Carey Lowell |
Nov 12, 1997 Nov 14, 1997 |
Falsone and Munch team up with Briscoe and Curtis to investigate the murder of a 14-year-old girl. They trace the suspect from New York back to Baltimore. | |
| Law & Order | Homicide | — | "Sideshow" (Law & Order S09E14) (Homicide S07E15) |
Appears in Series A: Richard Belzer, Michael Michele, Željko Ivanek Appears in Series B: Benjamin Bratt, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston |
Feb 17, 1999 Feb 19, 1999 |
Briscoe and Curtis re-team up with Munch and Sheppard to investigate the murder of a government worker and expose a connection to the White House. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order | — | "...Or Just Look Like One" (SVU S01E03) |
Appears in Series A: Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach, Carolyn McCormick | Oct 4, 1999 | Detectives Briscoe and Green assist the 16th precinct when their homicide victim was also a witness in an SVU case. Meanwhile, Detective Stabler seeks the advice from Dr. Olivet regarding his daughter and anorexia. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order | — | "Entitled" (SVU S01E15) (Law & Order S10E14) |
Appears in Series A: Angie Harmon, Steven Hill, Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston Appears in Series B: Dann Florek, Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Richard Belzer |
Feb 18, 2000 | The detectives of SVU team with the 27th Precinct to investigate a salesman's murder, leading them to a politically influential family. When the case goes to court, McCoy finds the matriarch to be a formidable opponent. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order | Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Fools for Love" (Law & Order S10E15) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni | Feb 23, 2000 | Detectives Benson and Stabler assist the 27th precinct in tracking down a murder suspect. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
Law & Order | — | "One" (Criminal Intent S01E01) |
Appears in Series A: Dianne Wiest | Sep 30, 2001 | Detective Goren and ADA Carver work to assure DA Nora Lewin's confidence in their handling of a murder case. | |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
Law & Order | — | "Poison" (Criminal Intent S01E07) |
Appears in Series A: Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Orbach | Nov 11, 2001 | Major Case Detectives Goren and Eames talk to Homicide Detectives Briscoe and Green about a homicide case that may be connected to their cyanide poisoning case. | |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
Law & Order | — | "Badge" (Criminal Intent S01E20) |
Appears in Series A: S. Epatha Merkerson | Apr 28, 2002 | Detectives Goren and Eames question Lt. Anita Van Buren about a former police officer she wrote a letter of recommendation for who is now a suspect in a string of murders. | |
| Law & Order | Law & Order: Trial by Jury |
— | "Tombstone" (Law & Order S15E20) "Skeleton" (Trial by Jury S01E08) |
Appears in Series B: Dennis Farina, Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Richard Belzer | Apr 13 & 15, 2005 | Green is shot while taking a murder witness to trial, leading Fontana to team up with Salazar and uncover ties to a porn magnate. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Trial by Jury |
— | "Night" (SVU S06E20) "Day" (Trial by Jury S01E11) |
Appears in Series A: Bebe Neuwirth, Kirk Acevedo, Fred Thompson Appears in Series B: Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Carolyn McCormick |
May 3, 2005 | A man is suspected of rape and facts about his adolescence are revealed at his trial. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order | — | "Design" (SVU S07E02) "Flaw" (Law & Order S16E02) |
Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T | Sep 27–28, 2005 | A mother-daughter con team get away with fraud, then are tried for murder. | |
| Conviction | Law & Order | — | "Pilot" (Conviction S01E01) |
Appears in Series A: Fred Thompson | Mar 3, 2006 | When an ADA is assassinated, Alexandra Cabot begins work as a New York Bureau Chief, while DA Branch rallies the troops. | Cameo |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
In Plain Sight | — | "Contract" (Criminal Intent S07E12) |
Appears in Series A: Mary McCormack | Jun 15, 2008 | When a celebrity gossip columnist is murdered, Deputy Marshall Mary Shannon's investigation into suspect Frank Chess leads her to Logan and Wheeler in New York. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: LA |
— | "Behave" (SVU S12E03) |
Appears in Series A: Skeet Ulrich | Sep 29, 2010 | Detective Olivia Benson works with LAPD Detective Rex Winters in Los Angeles to uncover evidence to help convict a rapist back in New York. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: LA |
— | "Reparations" (SVU S12E21) |
Appears in Series A: Terrence Howard | Apr 6, 2011 | Deputy DA Joe Dekker heads to New York from LA to defend his cousin when he's accused of rape. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
— | "Acceptable Loss" (SVU S14E04) |
Appears in Series A: Kathryn Erbe | Oct 17, 2012 | Following her departure from the Major Case Squad, Joint Task Force Lieutenant Alexandra Eames intercepts the SVU's investigation into sex trafficking when one of the victims is suspected of terrorism. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
— | "Poisoned Motive" (SVU S14E22) |
Appears in Series A: Kathryn Erbe | May 8, 2013 | When Rollins becomes the victim of a sniper, Alexandra Eames once again unites with Benson to investigate the Homeland aspects of the case. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Homicide | — | "Wonderland Story" (SVU S15E05) |
Appears in Series A: Clark Johnson | Oct 16, 2013 | Baltimore Detective Meldrick Lewis heads to New York to attend the retirement party of his former colleague, John Munch. | Cameo |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: LA |
— | "Jersey Breakdown" (SVU S15E12) |
Appears in Series A: Alana de la Garza | Jan 22, 2014 | ADA Barba seeks the help from former LA DDA Connie Rubirosa, who's now an Assistant U.S. Attorney. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Chicago P.D. | — | "Comic Perversion" (SVU S15E15) "Conventions" (Chicago P.D. S01E06) |
Appears in Series A: Sophia Bush Appears in Series B: Ice-T, Kelli Giddish, David Eigenberg |
Feb 26, 2014 | Chicago detective Erin Lindsay asks the NYPD for help in solving a series of rapes and murders, so Tutuola and Rollins head to Chicago to help Voight and Antonio catch the culprit. | Two-part crossover |
| Chicago Fire | Law & Order: SVU |
Chicago P.D. | "Nobody Touches Anything" (Chicago Fire S03E07) "Chicago Crossover" (SVU S16E07) "They'll Have to Go Through Me" (Chicago P.D. S02E07) |
Appears in Series A: Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Kelli Giddish Appears in Series B: Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer Appears in Series C: Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish |
Nov 11–12, 2014 | When Firehouse 51 rescues the owner of a house on fire, they find him clutching a suspicious box, so the Intelligence Unit is brought in for further investigation, leading them to work with SVU to take down a child pornography ring. | Three-part crossover |
| Chicago Fire | Chicago P.D. | Law & Order: SVU |
"We Called Her Jellybean" (Chicago Fire S03E21) "The Number of Rats" (Chicago P.D. S02E20) "Daydream Believer" (SVU S16E20) |
Appears in Series A: Jason Beghe, Jon Seda, Mariska Hargitay, Tamara Tunie Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, Ice-T, Peter Scanavino, Jesse Spencer, Eamonn Walker, Nick Gehlfuss Appears in Series C: Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer, Marina Squerciati, Brian Geraghty |
Apr 28–29, 2015 | An apartment fire connected to a case of attempted rape and murder in Chicago resembles an unsolved case in New York, so SVU and Intelligence work together to find the suspect. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Chicago P.D. | — | "Nationwide Manhunt" (SVU S17E14) "The Song of Gregory William Yates" (Chicago P.D. S03E14) |
Appears in Series A: Jason Beghe, Sophia Bush, Jon Seda Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Eamonn Walker, Brian Tee |
Feb 10, 2016 | Chicago detectives come to New York to assist in the hunt for two escaped murderers, one of whom is Greg Yates, who returns to Chicago and commits a triple homicide, so SVU detectives go to Chicago to join in the investigation. | Two-part crossover |
| Chicago Justice |
Law & Order | Chicago P.D. | "Uncertainty Principle" (Chicago Justice S01E02) |
Appears in Series A: Richard Brooks, Jason Beghe, Marina Squerciati, LaRoyce Hawkins, Amy Morton | Mar 5, 2017 | At the request of Sgt. Hank Voight, Defense Attorney Paul Robinette travels to Chicago to defend Officer Kevin Atwater and faces off against ASA Peter Stone, the son of his former colleague Ben Stone. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Chicago Justice |
Law & Order | "The Undiscovered Country" (SVU S19E13) |
Appears in Series A: Philip Winchester, Sam Waterston | Feb 7, 2018 | After traveling to New York to attend his father's funeral, Chicago ASA Peter Stone accepts an offer from Jack McCoy to work for the DA's office. His first case is the prosecution of ADA Rafael Barba. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Chicago Justice |
— | "Zero Tolerance" (SVU S20E03) |
Appears in Series A: Carl Weathers | Oct 4, 2018 | After an illegal immigrant child is separated from her mother, ADA Stone seeks out the help from his former boss, Chicago State's Attorney Mark Jefferies, to reunite them. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent |
— | "Hunt, Trap, Rape and Release" (SVU S22E07) |
Appears in Series A: Annabella Sciorra | Feb 18, 2021 | Benson and the squad team up with former Major Case Squad detective Carolyn Barek, who's the new Bronx SVU Lieutenant, when a serial rapist strikes in Manhattan. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "Return of the Prodigal Son" (SVU S22E09) "What Happens in Puglia" (Organized Crime S01E01) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay |
Apr 1, 2021 | The squad rallies around former SVU Detective Eliot Stabler after threat is made on his family. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Not Your Father's Organized Crime" (Organized Crime S01E02) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay | Apr 8, 2021 | Stabler chats with Benson in her car about their awkward meeting in the lobby and the fact that Stabler is suffering from PTSD. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" (Organized Crime S01E04) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay, Peter Scanavino | Apr 22, 2021 | Carisi assists Stabler and Ayanna Bell with getting Izak Bekhar to work with them to bring down Richard Wheatley. Benson helps Stabler's children in staging an intervention for Stabler to deal with his PTSD. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "Trick-Rolled at the Moulin" (SVU S22E013) "An Inferior Product" (Organized Crime S01E05) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Demore Barnes |
May 13, 2021 | After a string of drug related crimes, Benson and Stabler work together to solve the case. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "I Thought You Were on My Side" (SVU S23E03) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt | Sep 30, 2021 | Benson and Rollins must contend with the FBI and the Organized Crime bureau when a rape victim identifies a dangerous mobster as her assailant. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "The Outlaw Eddie Wagner" (Organized Crime S02E03) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay | Sep 30, 2021 | Stabler shows up at Benson's home after having been drugged while undercover. | |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "Fast Times @TheWheelHouse" (SVU S23E05) "The Good, The Bad, and The Lovely" (Organized Crime S02E05) |
Appears in Series A: Danielle Moné Truitt, Ainsley Seiger Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T |
Oct 14, 2021 | SVU and Organized Crime work together to take down an Albanian sex trafficking ring. | Guest appearance[a] |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "People vs. Richard Wheatley" (SVU S23E09) "The Christmas Episode" (Organized Crime S02E09) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt, Tamara Taylor, Dylan McDermott Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Raúl Esparza |
Dec 9, 2021 | Carisi tries Richard Wheatley for the murder of Kathy Stabler while Benson finds herself at odds with a friend when Rafael Barba agrees to take the case. | Two-part crossover |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Takeover" (Organized Crime S02E15) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay | Mar 10, 2022 | Benson helps Stabler and Ayanna Bell establish Stabler's undercover role. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Can't Knock the Hustle" (Organized Crime S02E17) |
Appears in Series A: Dann Florek | Apr 17, 2022 | Stabler visits former SVU Captain Donald Cragen at his home to discuss Stabler's father. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "Did You Believe in Miracles?" (SVU S23E20) "Lost One" (Organized Crime S02E20) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Octavio Pisano |
May 6, 2022 | SVU and Organized Crime search for an abducted 9-year-old girl. | Two-part crossover[36][37] |
| Law & Order | Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Black and Blue" (Law & Order S21E10) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay | May 19, 2022 | Det. Cosgrove asks Captain Olivia Benson for help solving a case. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Friend or Foe" (Organized Crime S02E22) |
Appears in Series A: Dann Florek | May 19, 2022 | Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears at Stabler's Combat Medal ceremony. | Cameo |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order | "Gimme Shelter" (Organized Crime S03E01) (SVU S24E01) (Law & Order S22E01) |
Appears in Series A: Mariska Hargitay, Kelli Giddish, Octavio Pisano, Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, Camryn Manheim Appears in Series B: Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt, Ainsley Seiger, Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, Camryn Manheim Appears in Series C: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Kelli Giddish, Peter Scanavino, Ainsley Seiger |
Sep 22, 2022 | The shooting of a girl in cold blood is traced to an international crime ring. | Three-part crossover[38] |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Behind Blue Eyes" (Organized Crime S03E05) |
Appears in Series A: Kelli Giddish | Oct 17, 2022 | Amanda Rollins brings Stabler into a case where two girls are raped by two people who are dressed as cops who are suspected to be linked to the Brotherhood. | Guest appearance |
| Law & Order: SVU |
Law & Order: Organized Crime |
— | "Bad Things" (SVU S24E21) 『Shadowërk』 (Organized Crime S03E21) "All Pain Is One Malady" (SVU S24E22) "With Many Names" (Organized Crime S03E22) |
Appears in Series A: Christopher Meloni, Ainsley Seiger, Brent Antonello, Rick Gonzalez. Appears in Series B: Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, Peter Scanavino, Octavio Pisano, Molly Burnett, Kelli Giddish | May 11–18, 2023 | When DNA from a Special Victims Unit rape investigation connects to an OCCB unsolved murder, Stabler and Benson uncover a revenge-for-hire scheme on the dark web. Bell and Slootmaekers follow the money trail to expose the website's anonymous creator. | Four-part crossover |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Original Sin" (Organized Crime S04E07) |
Appears in Series A: Dann Florek | March 14, 2024 | Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears | Cameo |
| Law & Order: Organized Crime |
Law & Order: SVU |
— | "Sins of Our Fathers" (Organized Crime S04E08) |
Appears in Series A: Dann Florek | March 21, 2024 | Former SVU Captain Donald Cragen appears | Cameo |
The character John Munch, who originated on Homicide: Life on the Street, is notable for either appearing in or being referenced in a wide variety of other series, ranging from appearing in the science fiction series The X-Files, to the sitcom Arrested Development, to being referenced by name in the UK crime drama Luther. Whether or not this places these series in the Law & Order universe is a matter of debate.
New York Undercover (1994–1998)
Deadline (2000–2001)
Conviction (2006)
The franchise, as a result of its popularity, has led to the adaptation of scripts from the American series into foreign-produced series. These are:
Paris enquêtes criminelles (Paris Criminal Investigations)
Paris Criminal Investigations follows the format of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, adapted to Paris and the French legal system, with detectives from the Prefecture of Police DRPJ and the Ministère public attempting to secure a conviction. The series stars Vincent Pérez, Sandrine Rigaux, Jacques Pater, Hélène Godec, Laure Killing, and Audrey Looten. The show is also aired in Germany on ZDF, under the title Law & Order: Paris.
Закон и Порядок. Отдел оперативных расследований (Law & Order: Division of Field Investigation)
Division of Field Investigations follows the format of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, set in Moscow and adapted to the Russian justice system. The series stars Ivan Oganesyan, Alisa Bogart, Dmitry Brusnikin, Alexander Naumov, Valery Troshin, and Xenia Entelis.
Закон и Порядок. Преступный умысел (Law & Order: Criminal Intent)
Criminal Intent follows the format of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, set in Moscow and is adapted to the Russian Justice System. The series stars Mikhail Homyakov, Igor Lagutin, Elena Kovalchuk and Boris Mironov.
UK follows the format of the original Law & Order show but adapts it to the new setting of London, with detectives from the Metropolitan Police CID and the Crown Prosecution Service attempting to secure a conviction. The series stars Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Harriet Walter, Ben Daniels, Freema Agyeman, Bill Paterson, Paul Nicholls, Dominic Rowan, Georgia Taylor, Peter Davison, Sharon Small, Paterson Joseph, and Ben Bailey Smith.
Code of Law
This unofficial rip-off by Mediacorp Channel 5 follows the format of the original Law & Order series, but changes the setting to Singapore in the 2010s, with detectives from the Singapore Police Force and "the best criminal lawyers in town" who "fight to present the best case in court for the Accused". The series stars Sunny Pang and Fauzie Laily as the detectives and Keagan Kang and Joanne Peh[40] in the legal side. Code of Law also has two spin-off series, a Malay-language series entitled Forensik[41] and an English-language series entitled Derek,[42] and a spin-off movie entitled Derek: The Movie.[43] It also had a prequel, The Pupil, which aired for two seasons of 26 episodes between January 7, 2010 and November 8, 2011, and which in turn was based on the Law & Order spinoff, Conviction.[44]
| Series | Television seasons | No. of Episodes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | ||
| Franchise | 1,410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| L&O | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 501 | |||||||||||
| SVU | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 551 | |||||||||
| CI | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 195 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TBJ | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LA | 1 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TC | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OC | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Universe | 1,222 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HLOTS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 122 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NYU | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 89 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DL | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Con | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IPS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jo | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fire | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 252 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| P.D. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 221 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Med | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 176 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Justice | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FBI | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 113 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MW | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intl | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 2,630 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Most of the American series have been filmed almost entirely in the New York City area.[citation needed] The fictional Hudson University is a recurring location across multiple series in the franchise, based on an amalgam of Columbia University and New York University,[45] with some other colleges appearing as additional filming locations. Hudson University has also appeared less frequently in many other television series and movies, and is a fictional college in the DC universe.[46][47]
The original Law & Order series has filmed a few episodes in the Los Angeles area and Baltimore; these episodes or portions of episodes were set in the cities in which they were filmed and concerned multi-jurisdictional investigations or extradition. Law & Order: LA expanded the franchise to a new main city, the new series' namesake. L&O: LA was canceled after one season.[citation needed]
With some frequency, actors have appeared on the various series that make up the franchise, usually as different (sometimes very different) characters. This is because filming occurs in the New York City area and thus draws from the same pool of actors. Some prominent examples of the same actor playing different roles in different episodes are:
Also due to the New York filming, a number of actors appearing in Law & Order shows have had regular or recurring roles on soaps. Most notable is Tamara Tunie, who simultaneously played both medical examiner Melinda Warner on SVU as well as (until 2007) District Attorney Jessica Griffin on As the World Turns. Likewise, New York theater actors have also been frequently cast.
Also as the result of sharing the same pool of New York–based television actors, the series' casts have had significant overlap with that of the former HBO series Oz. This is perhaps most pronounced in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, whose cast has included three regularly credited actors (Christopher Meloni, BD Wong and Dean Winters), as well as two recurring actors (J. K. Simmons and Mike Doyle) who were also regularly credited actors on Oz, also Kathryn Erbe from Oz starring in Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Similarly, Law & Order: UK sees significant overlap with other programs' casts; most prominently series regulars Freema Agyeman and Peter Davison, who starred in Doctor Whoascompanion Martha Jones and the Fifth Doctor as well as Bradley Walsh who joined the show at the same time as Jodie Whittaker the Thirteenth Doctor as her companion Graham O'Brien.
| Series | Character | Portrayed by | Law & Order franchise | Universe | Chicago franchise | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L&O | SVU | CI | TBJ | OC | NYU | Fire | |||||||||||||||||
| Law & Order | Elizabeth Rodgers | Leslie Hendrix[P 1] | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | |||||||||||||||||
| Elizabeth Olivet | Carolyn McCormick | Main | Guest | Guest | Guest | Guest | |||||||||||||||||
| SVU | Melinda Warner | Tamara Tunie | Main | Guest | Guest | ||||||||||||||||||
| George Huang | BD Wong | Main | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Criminal Intent | Paula Gyson | Julia Ormond | Main | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Organized Crime | Angela Wheatley | Tamara Taylor | Guest | Main | |||||||||||||||||||
| Richard Wheatley | Dylan McDermott | Guest | Main | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Series | Character | Portrayed by | True Crime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menendez | |||
| The Menendez Murders | Leslie Abramson | Edie Falco | Main |
| Erik Menendez | Gus Halper | Main | |
| Lyle Menendez | Miles Gaston Villanueva | Main |
Episode count current as of August 2023
| Character[a] | Primary series | Episodes | Law & Order franchise |
Episodes | Law & Order universe |
Episodes | Total appearances |
First appearance |
Last appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) |
SVU (1– ) | 529[b] | • L&O • TBJ • OC |
• 5 • 1 • 13 |
• Chicago P.D. • Chicago Fire |
• 3 • 1 |
552 | 1999 | present |
| Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) |
SVU (2– ) | 482 | • L&O • OC |
• 1 • 2 |
Chicago P.D. | 3 | 488 | 2000 | present |
| Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) |
L&O (5–) | 400[c] | • SVU • TBJ |
• 4 • 2 |
Homicide | 2 | 408[c] | 1994 | present[d] |
| Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) |
L&O (4–20) | 388[c] | • CI • TBJ |
• 1 • 1 |
None | 0 | 390[c] | 1993 | 2010 |
| Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) |
• L&O (1–3) • SVU (1–16, 23) |
• 69[c] • 308 |
OC | 2 | None | 0 | 381[c] | 1990 | 2024[e] |
| John Munch (Richard Belzer) |
SVU (1–15, 17) | 242 | • L&O • TBJ |
• 4 • 1 |
• Homicide • The Wire • The Beat |
• 119[c] • 1 • 1 |
368[c] | 1993[f] | 2016[g] |
| Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) |
• SVU (1–12) • OC (1– ) |
• 277 • 52 |
• L&O • TBJ |
• 3 • 1 |
None | 0 | 333 | 1999 | present[h] |
| Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) |
L&O (3–14) | 273[c] | • SVU • CI • TBJ |
• 3 • 1 • 2 |
Homicide | 3 | 282[c] | 1992 | 2004 |
| Elizabeth Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix)[i] |
• L&O (2–20) • CI (1–10) |
• 143[c] • 110 |
• SVU • TBJ |
• 9 • 1 |
None | 0 | 263[c] | 1992 | 2011 |
| Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) |
SVU (13–24) | 242 | • OC • L&O |
• 4 • 1 |
• Chicago P.D. • Chicago Fire |
• 2 • 1 |
250 | 2011 | 2023 |
| Adam Schiff (Steven Hill) |
L&O (1–10) | 228 | SVU | 1 | None | 0 | 229 | 1990 | 2000 |
| Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin) |
L&O (10–18) | 198 | • SVU • CI • TBJ |
• 2 • 1 • 1 |
Andy Barker, P.I. | 1 | 203 | 1999 | 2008 |
| Dominick Carisi Jr. (Peter Scanavino) |
SVU (16– ) | 181 | • OC • L&O |
• 2 • 1 |
Chicago P.D. | 1 | 185 | 2016 | present |
| Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) |
SVU (2–17, 19, 21–) | 173 | TBJ | 1 | Chicago Fire | 1 | 175 | 2000 | present |
| Mike Logan (Chris Noth) |
• L&O (1–5) • CI (4–7) |
• 111[c] • 36 |
None | 0 | Homicide | 1 | 148[c] | 1990 | 2008 |
| Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) |
CI (1–10) | 142 | SVU | 2 | None | 0 | 144 | 2001 | 2013 |
| George Huang (BD Wong) |
SVU (2–15, 17) | 143 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 143 | 2001 | 2015 |
| Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson) |
• L&O (13–17) • TBJ |
• 116 • 13 |
• SVU • CI |
• 11 • 1 |
Conviction | 1 | 142 | 2002 | 2007 |
| Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) |
CI (1–10) | 133 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 141 | 2001 | 2011 |
| James Deakins (Jamey Sheridan) |
CI (1–5) | 111 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 111 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Ron Carver (Courtney B. Vance) |
CI (1–5) | 111 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 111 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) |
SVU (2–6, 10–11, 13, 19) | 97 | None | 0 | Conviction | 13 | 110 | 2000 | 2018 |
| Casey Novak (Diane Neal) |
SVU (5–9, 12–13) | 105 | TBJ | 1 | None | 0 | 106 | 2003 | 2012 |
| Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) |
L&O (6–9, 20) | 95[c] | None | 0 | Homicide | 3 | 98 | 1995 | 2009[j] |
| Connie Rubirosa (Alana de la Garza) |
L&O (17–20) | 85 | • LA • SVU |
• 8 • 1 |
None | 0 | 94 | 2006 | 2014 |
| Nick Amaro (Danny Pino) |
SVU (13–16, 23) | 91 | None | 0 | Chicago P.D. | 2 | 93 | 2011 | 2021 |
| Rafael Barba (Raúl Esparza) |
SVU (14–19, 21–23) | 91 | OC | 1 | None | 0 | 92 | 2012 | 2022 |
| Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty) |
L&O (1–4) | 88 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 88 | 1990 | 1994 |
| Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Röhm) |
L&O (12–15) | 85 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 85 | 2001 | 2005 |
| Abbie Carmichael (Angie Harmon) |
L&O (9–11) | 72 | SVU | 6 | None | 0 | 78 | 1998 | 2001 |
| Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick) |
L&O (2–7, 9–10, 13–20) | 67 | • SVU • CI • TBJ |
• 6 • 1 • 1 |
NY Undercover | 1 | 76 | 1991 | 2018 |
| Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) |
L&O (1–3, 6, 16–17) | 69 | None | 0 | Chicago Justice | 1 | 70 | 1990 | 2017[k] |
| Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy)[l] |
L&O (4–6) | 69 | None | 0 | Homicide | 1 | 70 | 1993 | 1996 |
| Michael Cutter (Linus Roache) |
L&O (18–20) | 63 | SVU | 4 | None | 0 | 67 | 2008 | 2012 |
| Noah Porter-Benson (various)[m] |
SVU (15– ) | 63 | OC | 2 | None | 0 | 65 | 2014 | present |
| Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) |
L&O (18–20) | 63 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 63 | 2008 | 2010 |
| Danny Ross (Eric Bogosian) |
CI (6–9) | 61 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 61 | 2006 | 2010 |
| Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) |
L&O (18–21) | 60 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 60 | 2008 | 2022[n] |
| Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) |
OC (1– ) | 52 | SVU | 4 | None | 0 | 56 | 2021 | present |
| Jet Slootmaekers (Ainsley Seiger) |
OC (1– ) | 52 | • SVU • L&O |
• 3 • 1 |
None | 0 | 56 | 2021 | present |
| Tony Profaci (John Fiore)[o] |
L&O (1–9) | 53[c] | None | 0 | None | 0 | 53[c] | 1990 | 1998 |
| Jamie Ross (Carey Lowell) |
L&O (7–8, 10–11, 21) | 50 | TBJ | 2 | Homicide | 1 | 53 | 1996 | 2022[p] |
| Ryan O'Halloran (Mike Doyle)[q] |
SVU (5–10) | 53 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 53 | 2003 | 2009 |
| Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) |
UK (1–5) | 53 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 53 | 2009 | 2014 |
| Emil Skoda (J. K. Simmons) |
L&O (8–15, 20) | 44 | • SVU • CI |
• 6 • 1 |
NY Undercover | 1 | 52 | 1997 | 2010 |
| Ruben Morales (Joel de la Fuente)[r] |
SVU (3–12) | 52 | None | 0 | None | 0 | 52 | 2002 | 2011 |
