The Gradual Loss of Grit
Wolf, who created Law & Order, preceded it by experimenting radically with the cop show genre in the 1980s. He wrote for Hill Street Blues, then co-produced the glitzy Miami Vice, and then produced a little remembered 1988 TV series for Universal called The Street, which starred Stanley Tucci as a cop patrolling the streets of Newark. Shot on videotape, it was Wolf's little known bridge between the glitz of Vice and the grit of Law & Order.
Of course, any dramatic TV show that starts off looking harsh, gritty and "authentic" eventually loses those attributes--it's just the nature of television. "Everybody's Favorite Bagman", Law & Order's pilot episode (and included on this DVD), was shot on 16mm, for a deliberately crude, grainy and streetwise look. As Wolf explains on the DVD's documentary, when it came time to run the pilot on national TV, executives at NBC thought its image quality was below their standards, and it took a direct OK from Brandon Tartikoff for it to air. Tartikoff consistently backed L&O during its low rated first season, just he had backed earlier NBC shows that showed promise, but had low ratings during their early runs, such as Hill Street and Cheers. It didn't help matters (as Dick Wolf takes perverse pride in saying on the DVD's documentary), that in their first season, Law & Order held the NBC record for sponsors dropping off of a TV show, due to its controversial plots.
The pilot was shot a year before production began on the series. Once the show was sold to NBC, Law & Order's first six regular season episodes were shot by Ernest Dickerson, Spike Lee's original cinematographer. Dickerson used lots of diffusion to create a softer, more sun drenched look than the pilot. A few years later that softness started affecting the plots as well, when the assistant D.A.'s sidekick was replaced with a series of babelicious young women. After the show's third season, NBC ordered the all-male cast of Law & Order broken up, and Richard Brooks' character, assistant D.A. Paul Robinette, was replaced first by Jill Hennessey, then Carey Lowell (whose character was at least believable as a single mom), then Angie Harmon, until today's current D.A. As Bombshell, Elisabeth Rohm. And simultaneously, as National Review Online once noted, just as Giuliani and Pataki swung New York politics to the right, Law & Order's plots started increasingly shifting left.
Article comments
1 - Jan Vielehr
Is the "first year" of Law and Order" the only box set DVD available at this time?
2 - Eric Olsen
The first year of the various "Law and Order" series are all that is currently available.
3 - Ed Driscoll
Jan,
Eric's right--if you like the original Law & Order, only the first season is currently available on DVD.
Personally, I'm not as crazy about the recent glut of spin-off series as I was the first few seasons of the original show, but if you need an additional Dick Wolf fix, the pilots of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent are available on DVD, and Amazon says that collections of their first seasons are also coming soon on DVD.
Just click through the Law & Order box below to get into Amazon, and then search for "Law & Order" in their DVD section.
Regards,
Ed
4 - Sean DeMarco
I got the Law and Order season 1 dvd collection a year ago as a present and recently this along with a few other dvds have had this error where the picture fades in and fades out on the dvds. I was wondering what this problem could be and no it isn't because of any of the players I am using. I have many other dvds in mint condition and am quite concerned about this issue as how can one really invest $100 into The Sopranos or $50+ into Law and Order and other series when the dvd will go to crap over time. What do I do about this ? Does anyone have any ideas of what happened to my media ?
5 - Gab
Does anyone know if the sixth season of law and order was relesed on DVD or VHS?
6 - Sabrina
I would like to know when Law & Order Special Victims Unit year 3 and year 4 will be released. I already have the first, second and fifth year, but I would like the rest of the collection it is a wonderful show. My day's are always filled with watching all the Law & Order episodes regardless wich one it is.
7 - Aneta
I would like to know if they are going to release any more Law & Order SVU past season 5. I have been watching this show for a couple of years now and I like. Someone please let me know.
8 - Aneta
I meant to say past YEAR 5. Sorry
9 - Diane Wilmanski
I really enjoy those reruns of "Law and Order" on TNT. I agree with the other fans' comments, that Jerry Orbach was the best, but Dennis Farina is doing a good job as well.
I also admire the acting of Sam Waterston (McCoy). Keep up the good work. I hope the show runs for another 10 years.
10 - jason heath
SVU seasons 3 and 4....where you at?
11 - Sheila
I too would like to ask the question that Sabrina asked:
I would like to know when Law & Order Special Victims Unit year 3 and year 4 will be released. I already have the first, second and fifth year, but I would like the rest of the collection it is a wonderful show. My day's are always filled with watching all the Law & Order episodes regardless wich one it is.
12 - Jeanette
Same as everybody else...when is season 3 and 4 going to be available I have 1, 2 and 5!
13 - Angie
MORE SEASONS OF SVU RELEASED PLEASE!!!!!
14 - Tara
I know that season 3 just came out on dvd on jan 30th but what I really want to know is when is season 4 coming out. or season 6 or season 7.
15 - Stacy Wright
I am looking for law and order season 6. Is it available? Somebody please help!!!