The Best Law & Order Cast

Gothamist was flipping through Entertainment Weekly yesterday and we spied the latest "Ask the TV Critic" with Ken Tucker and it's a doozy of a question: Which is the best Law & Order cast ever? Since you need an access code ("spidey" until tomorrow) to go to EW.com, we've reprinted the entire question and answer:

Ken, please put an end to the debate: Which ''Law & Order'' cast was the best? (Note: Anything Noth-less is just unacceptable.) -- Matthew Sosnowsky
Matthew, my man, this is a debate that rages across the country and in my house as well.

For me, the dream lineup was, for the cops, Chris Noth (a fan fave and a convincing flatfoot) and Jerry Orbach (yeah, he walked through the last few seasons, but in the mid-'90s he was aces). In the courtroom, I go with Michael Moriarty over Sam Waterston (Moriarty was fascinatingly mannered); in the endless parade of female ADAs (Elisabeth ''The Ice Sculpture'' Rohm will likely leave midway through next season), Jill Hennessy displayed a lotta moxie. Now I open it up to you, readers: What is your favorite ''L&O'' lineup? Cha-chung!

Goodness, a question like that is akin to asking which of your children do you like the best or which one of your best friends is the bestest. We sort of agree: Gothamist's pick for Law side would be would be Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy as D.A., a toss-up between Jill Hennessy's Claire Kincaid and Carey Lowell's Jamie Ross for A.D.A., and of course, Steven Hill for bigwig D.A. (J.K. Simmons' Dr. Emil Skoda is tops with us, because Dr. Olivet, as played by Carolyn McCormick, always seemed to become entangled in the cases). On the Order side, of course we love Jerry Orbach's Lennie Briscoe as the older wiser detective and S. Epatha Merkerson's Anita Van Buren as the captain but it's a toss-up between Chris Noth and Benjamin Bratt (in his later seasons) as the younger, hot-headed cop. But we also love Richard Brooks's A.D.A. Paul Robinette and Angie Harmon's A.D.A. Abby Carmichael, not to mention Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green. Gothamist would say the only casting mis-step thus far has been Elisabeth Rohm. She brings NOTHING.

What is your favorite Law & Order cast?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on July 8, 2004 5:55 PM

Comments [rss]

bikehorn

Briscoe/Green.

matthew

The best tv cop show cast would be andy sipowicz, lenny briscoe, stabler, and jack malone. lawyers would be fred thompson, jack mc coy, daniel(sinclair)benzali, and female ada would be the late sylvia kostas of nypd blue.

rob

angie harmon is her name and please dont forget it because every women should look like her. she married jason sehorn, what a lucky bastard. he retired because he now spends his time banging his hot wife. i wouldnt leave the house either if i were married to piece of tail that looked like that.

im glad rohm is leaving too....it wold be nice if she takes her clothes off before that time cums.

rob

i think that as ada abby because she is just so nice to look at and lowell would be a distanct short.

i liked briscoe and noth as well. bratt is good also. i think green should go back to rippin of car stereos. tries too hard to be a 'brotha' i think.

i just think that that chinese psychologist has to go! he just looks like such a freaking homo.

i like the african american ME , i think tamara tunie is her name . shes hot think she should have more screen time especially without her clothes.

Karen Gibbs

My father is a big fan of Abby Carmichael on the show, could someone please tell me her real name. He was thinking she was married to a pro football player and I have been unable to find out . thanks

lawandorderfan

Rohm rocks!

svufan

My favorite Law and Order cast was the one with Elisabeth Rhöm. She and Angie Harmon were the best actors of the bunch, so I would say either the one with Southerland or Carmichael, since the rest of the cast relatively stays the same. Though the rest of you don't agree, I didn't really like Hennesy. on the contrary, she seemed to focused on acting out the scene than what was actually happening. Either way, Law and Order is one of the best shows ever made.

Mike

Nothing beats the combination of Briscoe and Green. That was fantastic chemistry between them two that really brought out a lot of passion in some scenes in the show, and at the same time they had some of the best funny comments together. None of the other cop combintions had that kind of connection. Without a doubt Briscoe and Green + Van Buren and Sam Waterson + Steven Hill. That was serious quality tv.

Steve Parker

As a Brit (London) I know the UK audience is saddened that there are very, very, very few Brits ever in the Law & Order series and spin-offs. We loved Angie Harmon, Jerry Orbach and Stephen Hill. This is the best US series on British tv. Suggestion - why not try a few Brits like Ian McShane (Deadwood), James Nesbitt (Murphy's Law) or Nathaniel Parker (Inspector Lynley Mysteries)? Having real Brits (unlike that awaful woman from CSI:NY) would be terrific in a New York location.

bk

thee best cast for l&o ever was the 2004 law and order cast

Detectives : green and brisko (martin and orbach)

LT. van buren (merkeson)

ADAs: Mccoy and southerland (waterston and rhom)

DA: Branch (thompson)

.... this is the best law and order cast.. i dont understnad why people got so excited to see rhom go.. she was the best female ADA by far..

dj2005

Being a film director myself as well as having Law and Order spoon-fed to me as my father's favorite show of all-time, the all-star cast is:

1) Orbach

2) chris noth

3) michael moriarity

4) jill hennessey

5) steven hill

yes, i'm glad Rohm is leaving.....you know which actress would be kick-ass in the ADA role? Cynthia Nixon. Ya like that?

Peace in the new year all.

Sandy

Dear Lenny,

We miss ya already, big guy. You were the best of the best....the original stealth bomber, baby. My heart goes out to your family.

Mary K Langmead

Chris Noth, Jerry Orbach, Merkison, Waterson, Angie Harmon. I loved them all. I could never connect with Elizabeth, but she was a pretty girl and I wish her well. I have never lost interest in the show, no matter who was who. They always have good enough charactors to carry the show. Steven Hill was wonderful, but who cannot love Fred Thompsom? I think, we fans, just love them all. We are so happy to have such a wonderful show to watch and educate us. Thanks mkl

michaela

EADA: Jack Mcoy (Sam Waterson)

ADA: Alex Cabot (Stephanie March) (who really should have been the the original version not SVU because then she would have gotten more air time.

Detectives: Jessie Martin, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hartigay)

I hope Stephanie March's Alex Cabot comes back soon!

Bob

OK, are we just fantasizing here or are we choosing our favorite L&O cast ensembles that actually existed?

There has yet to be a weak one. But my vote for the strongest cast of the series run to date would have to be that of season two.

Ben Stone's constant conflict with his bulldog approach to prosecuting to the letter of the law and his basic liberal personal philosophy. Paul Robinette as the voice of conscience in the DA's office. And Adam Schiff's ability to cut to the chase with more memorable one-liners that Lennie Briscoe ever uttered.

Phil Ceretta's vast experience, even temperment, and a family man's view of the dirty job he was so often called upon to perform. Chris Noth's unfettered zeal and hot temper which more than once had to be restrained by the paternal Ceretta. And Don Cragen, seemingly constantly under the gun, hilariously fending off pressure from his unseen superiors, and whose street smarts often steered his detectives in the right direction.

All the cast ensembles have been good, but the star of the show that carries it is still the writing. That writing has never been better brought to life as it was by the cast of the second season. And still one of the best L&O episodes ever, Phil Ceretta's mid third season swan song at the hands of the gun dealer for a Columbian drug cartel hit man. It doesn't get any better than that .......

John

I'd pick Sam Waterson over Michael Moriarty, hands down. How many lawyers do you know that rides a motorcycle to work?

noman

STOP the Rohm bashing!!!

I have no problems with her--at least she's not after everybody like Harmon was.

What's the scoop on "Lennie's" new show?

Bill

DA - Stephen Hill (he always had the best lines)

EADA - Sam Waterston

ADA - Angie Harmon (sexy and tough) (I'd also take Stepanie March from L&O:SVU anytime)

Lt - Epatha Merkeson

Cop - Jesse Martin and Jerry Orbach (they are fantastic together).. I'd also take Ice-T and Richard Belzer

Psych - JK Simmons

Either of the two lovely Pathologists. They are great!

Bill

DA - Stephen Hill (he always had the best lines)

EADA - Sam Waterston

ADA - Angie Harmon (sexy and tough) (I'd also take Stepanie March from L&O:SVU anytime)

Lt - Epatha Merkeson

Cop - Jesse Martin and Jerry Orbach (they are fantastic together).. I'd also take Ice-T and Richard Belzer

Psych - JK Simmons

Either of the two lovely Pathologists. They are great!

Bill

DA - Stephen Hill (he always had the best lines)

EADA - Sam Waterston

ADA - Angie Harmon (sexy and tough) (I'd also take Stepanie March from L&O:SVU anytime)

Lt - Epatha Merkeson

Cop - Jesse Martin and Jerry Orbach (they are fantastic together).. I'd also take Ice-T and Richard Belzer

Psych - JK Simmons

Either of the two lovely Pathologists. They are great!