Law & Order - The First Year

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Actor: Chris Noth, Dann Florek, George Dzundza, Michael Moriarty, Richard Brooks
Brand: FARINA,DENNIS
Editor: Leslie Gaulin
Editor: Douglas Ibold
Editor: John Refoua
Writer: Brad Markowitz
Writer: Nancy Miller
Writer: Carl Nelson
Writer: David Streever
Writer: Scott Tobin
Writer: P.K. Todd
Writer: Dick Wolf
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 1040 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-15
Studio: National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

DVD Reviews of Law & Order - The First Year

DVD Review: The Law and Order franchise: this is where it all began
Summary: 4 Stars

Law and Order is an hour long drama that premiered on NBC. The show follows a simple but compelling formula. The first half of the show is about a police investigation into some crime. The second half of the show is the DA's office taking the case from the police.

The show has a good cast but due to the show's format, there is little character development. Thus, the show is accessible to anyone regardless of season. You needn't watch the show in episode order. This is both a benefit and detriment. The lack of character development allows the writers to explore the story more fully but lacks the substance of other police dramas such as The Shield (a show with both profound story and character development).

The cast of the first season includes George Dzundza as Detective Max Greevey. His partner is Chris Noth's Detective Mike Logan. Logan is the younger, smart aleky cop to Greevey's older, street smart detective.

Their supervisor is Dann Florek's character Captain Donald Cragen. Cragen is the cliche police adminstrator who is forever worried about the politics of a given case.

The DA's office has Steven Hill playing DA Adam Schiff, Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone and Paul Robinette played by Richard Brooks. Schiff is another Cragen, forever worried about the effects a case will have on his DA's office. Moriarty is the tough, no-nosense senior DA who takes Paul Robinette under his wing.

The first season of Law and Order is a good 1st season. Like most shows, it improves with time. The better casts will make their way to the show in later seasons.

Here is a synopsis of the 22 episodes in the first season.

#1 Prescription for death
A young woman is admitted into the hospital for a sore throat. She ends up dying. The investigation leads Detectives Greevey and Logan to the head of the hospital Dr. Edward Auster. DA Ben Stone builds a case against Dr. Auster that his alcoholism made him criminally negligent for the death of Ms. Morton.

#2 Subterranean Homeboy Blues
A woman boards a subway. After sitting for a few minutes she opens fire on two young men. Detectives Greevey and Logan track down the woman from various witness descriptions. The woman, Laura Di Biasi, claims it was self defense. DA Ben Stone must weigh the woman's case for self preservation against rising vigilantism in the city along with racial tempers.

#3 The Reaper's Helper
A gay man is found shot to death in his apartment. Detective Greevey's superior police work in linking the killer to other crimes is revealed. DA Ben Stone is put between a rock and a hard place when trying a man who claims he is helping those with AIDS kill themselves.

#4 Kiss the Girls and make them die
A young woman is found sexually assaulted and badly beaten. Detectives Greevey and Logan turn over rocks looking for suspects. They set their sights on a wealthy, good looking guy who can have any woman he wants. DA Ben Stone tries to argue the merits of the case without letting the victim's lifestyle from being put on trial.

#5 Happily Ever After
A couple drives into a parking garage. As the garage door opens, a street thug enters surreptitiously. The couple no sooner parks the car when shots ring out, leaving the man dead and his wife wounded. Greevey and Logan struggle with uncooperative witnesses who "saw nothing" and little physical evidence to point to a perpetrator. DA Stone has his work cut out for him when he drags the wife into court for conspiracy to kill her husband.

#6 Everybody's favorite bagman
Greevey and Logan investigate what appears to be a mugging and assault. A couple of thugs are seen robbing the fallen body of a city councilman. But the investigation will lead DA Stone into a conspiracy charge that involves the city's highest officials.

#7 By Hooker By Crook
A man's body is found in Central Park. Greevey and Logan turn over every rock in the city to learn the man was a john involved in a high priced prostitution service. The madam who ran this service hid behind her considerable wealth and her ubiquitous name to deflect the charges pressed against her.

#8 Poison Ivy
Internal Affairs confirms the shooting was clean. Then why does Detective Greevey believe otherwise? The young man who was shot was a hero to the community, a student at Princeton University. The community says he didn't even own a gun. DA Stone is caught between the politics of an enraged community and a blusterous police force.

#9 Indifference
Greevey and Logan are called to an elementary school to investigate the bruises on a child. The investigation leads them to the child's father who is a therapist and the girl's mother who is the abuser. DA Stone wants to make a case against the father for creating the situation in which his daughter would be abused.

#10 Prisoner of Love
An artist is dead in a twisted sex game. Greevey and Logan turn up rocks to reveal the culprits are powerful socialites. DA Stone puts the DA's office through the ringer when the socialites inflame the community.

#11 Out of the Half-Light
When a young black girl claims she was raped by white cops, the community becomes enflamed. Greevey and Logan run into a wall trying to investigate the crime when a congressman convinces the family not to cooperate. The DA's office has to negotiate the desires of the community while seeking justice for the girl.

#12 Life Choice
Greevey and Logan respond to a bombing at an abortion clinic. They look into some of the more radical pro-life groups to uncover who was behind the bombing. DA Stone strives to put the mastermind behind bars not just a young woman who is ready to be martyred for her beliefs on abortion.

#13 A Death in the Family
A cop is shot to death. Clues from the investigation suggest the cop may have been dirty. However, Greevey and Logan get nothing but resistance from the dead cop's partner and coworkers. DA Stone has to dig deep to get to the truth behind the cop and his assailant.

#14 The Violence of Summer
Three prep school boys have been charged with rape. The main witness against them is a fellow student whose testimony is flawed. The victim is a rabid journalist who can make the DA's office a living hell for Ben Stone.

#15 & #16 The Torrents of Greed Parts I &II
A candy store owner takes a licking from an anonymous thug. A neurotic homeless man is a witness. Greevey and Logan investigate and uncover a mob conspiracy. Ben Stone links the victim to a mob family, the hit man and an import/export business. When one witness is murdered and another perjures himself, the prosecution's case falls apart.

#17 Mushrooms
A baby and a young boy are shot to death from a gunman who fired through the walls. Logan and Greevey cannot find any link between the victims and their favorite suspect. Stone makes a case for conspiracy to bring down a kingpin.

#18 The Secret Sharers
A girl is hospitalized but refuses to allow a rape kit. A man is killed at a street fair in front of a church. Greevey and Logan discover the two events are related but the priest of the church is urging his followers not cooperate.

#19 The Serpent's Tooth
A man and his wife are shot to death in their homes. Greevey thinks the two sons are guilty but Logan is not so sure. The evidence against them mounts as they learn the father was abusive. DA Ben Stone charges the father's business partner for the crime.

#20 The Troubles
A prison van with three prisoners arrives to New York. The prisoners are part of various investigations. When the van arrives, one of the men is strangled. One of the prisoners is a Cuban with a history of strangulation but no motive. The other is an IRA terrorist. Upon investigation, Stone finds a link between the IRA terrorist and the victim.

#21 Sonata for a Solo Organ
A man is found bleeding and delirious in Central Park. He's rushed to the hospital. The diagnosis: his kidney was stolen. The kidney was transplanted into the daughter of one of New York's biggest philanthropists.

#22 The Blue Wall
All the evidence suggests Captain Cragen is guilty of tampering with evidence in a major white collar investigation. Logan and Greevey keep stepping on the toes of IAD when they try to help their besieged captain. The DA's office wants another crack at the perpetrators after an embarrassing defeat due to the evidence tampering.

DVD Review: From a Law and Order Fanatic
Summary: 5 Stars

It was great watching all those Law and Order episodes that I had never seen. Watching with no commercials--wow. These early episodes are a must see for all Law and Order fans.

DVD Review: Long Live Law & Order
Summary: 5 Stars

There had never been a series like this one. It's long lasting life gives a hint to that.
You are dealing with a TV drama that does not slip into a soap opera genre. We know little of the private lives of the police officers or the court officers. But we do know just enough to make them real people.
The stories are based on the cases presented before them. The twists and turns of finding the truth and how difficult it really is.
The Law portion deals with the investigation, the trail of clues, or lack therof. The relationship between partners. And on that note, what other show has been able to deal with loss of characters, cast changes and such with such flawless ability. No big explanations on why a member leaves and no big intoduction of the character that replaces him or her. This is sooo very refreshing!
The Order portion works in much the same way. The investigation contiues and court prosecuters have to decide so many times how to deal with such a diverse set of criminals. Sometimes they even have deal with their own ethical threads.
Amazing TV. The episodes suck you in. The cast, whichever season you watch, is above par.
Imagine, you see a case from start to finish in one hour. BAM! Thats it.
And don't think the verdict is always "Not Guilty". The juries are very human.
One warning. Be prepared to get mad...sometimes very mad. The glimpse into our judical system can be a bit surprising.

DVD Review: Great show!
Summary: 4 Stars

Law & Order - The First Year

Very fun to watch, especially those interested in law/police work.
Lots of things that bring you back to the early 90's, lol.
Just an enjoyable show... which is based on many true stories.

DVD Review: Wow
Summary: 5 Stars

I have Season 1-4, those are my favorite ones. Contrary to the most other opinions, I liked the "original cast" including season 4 the best. But however I honestly enjoy the show - cops - catch - d.a. - prosecute - and the way it interacts with each other.

Description of Law & Order - The First Year

Law & Order is one of the most successful and critically acclaimed series in the history of television. For over a decade this Emmy Award-winning series has presented the investigation and prosecution of cases ripped straight from today's headlines. With a celebrated cast that includes Michael Moriarty (Along Came a Spider), George Dzundza (Basic Instinct), Chris Noth (Sex and the City), Richard Brooks (The Crow: City of Angels), Dann Florek (Law & Order: SVU), and Steven Hill (The Firm), and featuring such notable guest stars as John Spencer (The West Wing), Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), William H. Macy (Fargo), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Red Dragon), and Christine Baranski (Dr Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Law & Order: The First Year is a must-have DVD collection.

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," personified in the first season by partners Greevey (George Dzundza--and be sure to catch the interview segment with series creator Dick Wolfe to learn how to pronounce his name) and Mike Logan (Christopher Noth, the future "Mr. Big" on Sex and the City) investigate a crime and make an arrest. The second half chronicles the ensuing trial, as prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) and Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) under the supervision of Steven Hill's Adam Schiff (more feisty and animated here than in later seasons).

Law & Order is also distinguished by its superb writing. Several episodes take their inspiration from the headlines, including "By Hooker, By Crook" about a socialite-run call-girl ring, and "Indifference," which recalls the tragic Lisa Steinberg child abuse case. Others deal with such hot-button issues as abortion ("Life Choice") and AIDS ("The Reaper's Helper"). Another plus is the talent pool of character actors who lend their verisimilitude. Guest stars include Samuel L. Jackson and Philip Seymour Hoffman ("The Violence of Summer"), The West Wing's John Spencer ("Prescription for Death"), Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon ("Subterranean Homeboy Blues"), and The Sopranos' Dominic Chianese ("Sonata for Stolen Organ"). --Donald Liebenson

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