Everything Clicked In the First Season
None of that matters watching this DVD of Law & Order's first season, where everything clicks: a great cast, great scripts, great atmosphere, and stories "ripped from the headlines", as the cliche went. The DVD contains "Life Choice", the episode where the L&Ocops and D.A.s investigated the bombing of an abortion clinic, an episode never rerun by NBC. "Subterranean Homeboy Blues", which reconstituted the Bernard Goetz subway shooting incident with a beautiful young ex-ballerina in the place of the nebbish Goetz. And "Out of the Half-Light", L&O's remarkable take on the Tawana Brawley hoax that put Al Sharpton on the national map.
So is it a perfect DVD? Well, I would have preferred to see more bonus materials, such as an optional audio commentary from Wolf or his writers underneath some of the more controversial episodes. While the video has probably been cleaned up a bit, in some areas it's been practically whitewashed: the original, crude looking title cards that ran under the show's famous gavel bang sound effects during the first four or five episodes have been replaced by the cleaner type face used from then on. And the original opening credit sequence, created for the pilot episode, has also been replaced with the now standard opening.
But those are minor criticisms that don't take much away from enjoying the box set as a whole. If you like your cops tough and dedicated, and remarkably free of touchy-feely emotional catharses and pastel linen suits (not to mention butt shots), and your cop shows free of fluff and long on plot, then this is your DVD.
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!!!