As season two of Law & Order opens, Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth) finds himself assigned a new partner in Detective Cerreta (Paul Sorvino) in the wake of the murder of his old partner Greevy (George Dzundza). From that point on, this is when the revolving door began to turn for the ensemble cast of Law & Order, even though the rest of season one's cast returns here. Michael Moriarty's and Richard Brooks' DA team are still the best duo in the history of the show (say whatever you want about longtime vet Sam Waterston, Moriarty will always be superior), and Sorvino and Noth are excellent together. The characters are given more depth, and the stories are more intense; containing that "ripped from the headlines" feel that the show would gain notariety for. The late Jerry Orbach, who would become the face of the series from season three onwards, appears here as a super slick defense attorney, and his guest spot alone is worth giving this a look for alone. All in all, season two of Law & Order only proves further that the early seasons of the series were undoubtadly the best, and now maybe Universal will finally get around to releasing season three on DVD.
The good years
Each episode of the early seasons lofts far above the majority of the recent dribble, now mostly sensationalist schlock. But if you take a look at this or season one,(i can't wait for season 3!), you'll know why, or remember why, this show has endured for so long. This is genuine quality TV, and i hope with all my heart that the current trend of, well, crappiness will end soon, very very soon. The show should go back to it's basics, because it's so good at it.
Here Is Where Familiar Episode Rhythm REALLY Starts To Jell.
Season One gave us a show of unique creativity and presentation. I would not call it slow in rhythm. It just took its time. With this MTV age, viewers probably preferred a little more speed of pace in the stories.
Season Two starts that. The plots move faster, more twists happen, and the scenes switch quicker. Even the dialogue snaps off with more urgency. This all sets up Seaons 3 and 4 which are my favorites.
I really liked Paul Sorvino. I think he did an outstanding job worthy of his veteran acting resume by stepping into the shoes of George Dzundza.
I predict that Dennis Farina will do a fine job too when he replaces my favorite cop (Jerry Orbach) for Season 15. (Farina is a former Chicago cop by the way in real life)
From its gritty documentary look to its signature note-knocking "tching-tching" that signals scene changes, Law & Order was a groundbreaking cop show when it debuted in 1990. It has since earned Emmys for Best Dramatic Series and spun off satellite franchises, and reruns of the original series are as omnipresent in syndication as those of I Love Lucy. Devoted fans and those who came late to the series can catch it from the beginning with this six-disc set that contains all 22 episodes from the inaugural season.
Law & Order is television's most resilient series. It has survived wholesale changes to its ensemble. One of the secrets of the show's durability: its compelling structure. The first half of each hour-long episode is classic police procedural in which "Law,"... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Dennis Farina DVD Release Date: Released the 15 October 2002 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Law & Order's third year marked a transitional one for the top-rated drama. In 1992, Jerry Orbach (Prince of the City) joined the cast. His Det. Lenny Briscoe would turn out to be one of its most enduring characters. After Sgt. Phil Ceretta (Paul Sorvino) is shot by a gun dealer in episode eight ("Prince of Darkness"), Briscoe teams up with Det. Mike Logan (Chris Noth) in the next ("Point of View"). It wasn't meant to be a permanent change (Ceretta was injured, not killed), but the two would continue to beat the streets until Logan's departure in 1995 (Orbach, meanwhile, would remain part of the Law & Order universe until his passing in 2004).
The line-up was otherwise the same: Capt. Donald Craven (Dann Florek), ADA Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks), ADA Benjamin... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Jerry Orbach DVD Release Date: Released the 24 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Reviewers like John Q. Public "vhspreowner" annoy me. Here's a person that obviously doesn't care about what he's reviewing, he just wants to trash anything popular. Don't beleive me? Look at his reviews. The guy doesn't like anything.
I, however, do like things. Many things. I include among them the Law & Order franchise. This season was released as a tribute to Jerry Orbach, as it was his last season playing Lennie Briscoe. Sadly, it turned out to be a tribute to Jerry as well, as he died shortly after leaving the show. Over the course of almost 11 seasons, Jerry became the man people thought of when you said "New York Detective." Dennis Franz was close as Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue, but Jerry was king. The man made the performances of those around him better... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Jerry Orbach DVD Release Date: Released the 14 September 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Originally called Sex Crimes, executive producer Dick Wolf wisely opted for something less lurid when the second in the inexhaustible Law & Order franchise hit the air in 1999. Still, as the opening voiceover makes clear, the "sexually based offenses" investigated by New York's Special Victims Unit can be "especially heinous." This six-DVD boxed set includes all 22 episodes of the first compelling season.
Wolf penned series premier "Payback," which sets the scene, but not the tone. It's a lively, if uneasy mix between horror (rape) and comedy (risqué banter). As the show progressed, humor would be written out altogether (leaving Richard Belzer's Homicide-derived John Munch with increasingly less to do). Less emphasis would also be placed on the home... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Christopher Meloni DVD Release Date: Released the 21 October 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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I love this series, but I refuse to buy season 5 until 3 and 4 come out. Call me crazy, but why would I not want to watch the episodes in order? I've been waiting for years for them to fill in the gap between 2 and 5. What are they doing?! More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 14 September 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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