Gothamist: The Best Law & Order Cast

bikehorn

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:37:55 -0500

Briscoe/Green.

matthew

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 01:42:44 -0500

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

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:09:38 -0500

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

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:05:09 -0500

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

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 11:31:34 -0500

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

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 14:08:31 -0500

Rohm rocks!

svufan

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 19:51:59 -0500

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

Tue, 19 Jul 2005 03:34:55 -0500

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

Mon, 18 Jul 2005 04:51:28 -0500

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

Sun, 01 May 2005 10:24:51 -0500

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

Wed, 29 Dec 2004 14:47:33 -0500

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

Wed, 29 Dec 2004 11:29:16 -0500

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

Sat, 18 Dec 2004 08:47:05 -0500

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

Tue, 07 Dec 2004 18:39:46 -0500

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

Thu, 02 Dec 2004 00:05:22 -0500

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

Sat, 25 Sep 2004 11:05:15 -0500

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

noman

Sun, 19 Sep 2004 03:28:19 -0500

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

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 20:26:44 -0500

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

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 20:26:13 -0500

Bill

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 20:25:52 -0500

Bill

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 20:25:40 -0500

stella

Thu, 09 Sep 2004 01:51:54 -0500

I just enjoy watching any episode with Dann Florek.

Lux

Tue, 24 Aug 2004 21:31:29 -0500

Law:Lennie! and Benjamin Bratt Order: Adam! Jack and Abbie or Serena

Lux

Tue, 24 Aug 2004 21:31:11 -0500

Law:Lennie! and Benjamin Bratt Order: Adam! Jack and Abbie or Serena

jmac85

Sat, 24 Jul 2004 22:39:10 -0500

Law: Lennie Briscoe, Senior Detective Mike Logan, Junior Detective Anita Van Buren, "The Boss". Order: Arthur Branch, District Attorney Jack McCoy, EADA. Abbie Carmichael, ADA. ------------------------------- Lennie is a fixture on L&O. It is terrible to see him leave, and look forward to seeing him occasionally on the new Trial by Jury. Detectives Curtis and Green both do/did well, but Chris Noth just was a cut above. Dann Florek is good enough to be on this show, but thankfully he resides on SVU. No one can lay the Smackdown like S.Epatha. I really liked Steven Hill (Schiff), and intentionally avoid episodes with Dianne West in the cast. She just seems to whine about things and seems more like my Grandma than my boss. Fred Dalton Thompson (Arthur Branch) is similar to Schiff in his toughness but I just like him more...its probably a local thing. Michael Morarity just didnt seem to fit the role of a "nail his hide to the wall" prosecutor like Sam Waterston does. And as far as ADAs, there has been so many, but I believe Angie Harmon was the best, with Carey Lowell coming in second.

benbrattlover

Sat, 17 Jul 2004 01:06:28 -0500

Okay, well as you can tell by my name, I am a HUGE fan of Benjamin Bratt!! So naturally, the obvious choice for my favorite "younger cop" character goes to Reynaldo "Rey" Curtis. For one I could really relate to his character, since my mom has MS, the same disease, his character's wife has. Two, I think Benjamin Bratt is DROP-DEAD hot. I've been lusting after him since the first time I saw him on TV! LOL! (Too bad he's married with a kid! :(!) As for the other characters, my faves are: Older Cop: Lennie Briscoe (Give me more "Lennie-isms" any day! I could not STAND Phil Cerreta or Max Greevey) Lieutenant - Anita Van Buren (Though I like Cragen on SVU, I didn't like him on Law and Order) D.A. - Adam Schiff (I LOVED that cuddly curmudgeon! I didn't like Dianne Wiest, though Fred Thompson is okay too, since he's kind of like Adam in some ways.) E.A.D.A - Jack McCoy (Though I also liked Ben Stone too) A.D.A. - Abbie Carmichael (Claire Kincaid comes in a close second, and Jamie Ross comes in third. I can NOT STAND Serena Southerlyn, or Paul Robinette - though I did kind of like him when he guest starred on Law and Order later on) I also liked Mike Logan too. So I guess I'd have to say my fave cast(s) would be Briscoe/Curtis/Van Buren, or Briscoe/Logan/Van Buren on the police side, and Kincaid/Stone/Schiff, Kincaid/McCoy/Schiff, Ross/McCoy/Schiff, or Carmichael/McCoy/Schiff on the law side.

Pam

Thu, 15 Jul 2004 01:55:02 -0500

I've been a big fan of the show, and I'm really upset that Jerry Orbach is leaving; no one will be able to replace him. As for my favorites, for detectives I like Jerry Orbach and Benjamin Bratt. His story was interesting with his sick wife and his kids. For attorneys, San Waterson and Angie Harmon were the ones I liked best. I didn't like Dianne West at all. Steven Hill was really great, and it took a while, but I now like Fred Thompson. I think him being on the show at the same time as Elizabeth Rohm kind of brings down his image, just because she is so bad. Angie Harmon does a perfect job of being a really tough ADA, but at certain times she seems really soft and vulnerable. After her, I like Jill Hennessey. Who do you think they will get for the new ADA, now that Rohm is leaving? I wish that Angie Harmon would come back, and she could, since her character just switched to work somewhere else. Jill Hennessey can't come back, since her character left by dying in a car crash. I didn't really like Carey Lowell, and I don't want her to come back.

Keri

Wed, 14 Jul 2004 23:39:53 -0500

Angie Harmon? Why anyone who thinks Rohm is wooden, would like Harmon, is beyond me. Harmon had one expression, and that was to salivate every time her character saw a suspect being questioned, every time she got to question someone, everytime she sat at the prosecutor's table and watched McCoy go at a defendant. With all that drool on the set, it must have been pretty messy. I often wondered if she was gonna drown herself when someone got convicted. I have no problem with Rohm. I think half the problem, is the lines she's given. What the hell can someone do, with, "But, Jack!" Anyway, I like the way Serena can get pissed off at McCOy, not seem to hold a grudge, how she can tease him, and how she can point out something he's missed-and in all cases, live to tell the tale. I have no idea how these two act off camera to each other (what I've read, is that everyone on all the L&O's are friends as well as coworkers)but Jack and SErena have a mentor-student relationship as well as a buddy thing going on. I'm gonna miss Rohm, and I hope they don't hire some skin and bones drooler to replace her. Jill Hennesey...I liked the implied affair with Jack-loved how they didn't shove it in our faces, like other shows do. ER has gotten as bad as All My Children. But, I have to say, I really liked CArey Lowell as my favorite ADA...Jamie was right up there legally with Jack, i liked her history of having been on the defense side of things, and I loved the look on McCoy's face at the end of her last episode! Sure took the wind out of his sails! As for EADA, I have to go with Jack. FOr his glaring LACK of manners. This is a guy who can act civilized...but he isn't, not really. I half expect him to haul off and slap anyone who gets under his skin, upside the head, instead of baffling them with legalese. As for DA...I feel this is usually just a throw away role. All they seem to do, is tell Stone or McCOy, "You can't do that!" or,"You can do that!" Still, Steven Hill was the best at conveying the heart burn being elected to such a post must give one. Cops...will someone let Epatha go to the salon, and get rid of that housewifey do? C'mon...she's a lieutenant-let the braids show! I love how she can just give the detectives "the look," and they toe the line at once. What a woman! And...I need my Lennie-isms! Thank God, Jerry Orbach is going to be on the new L&O from time to time! Does Jesse Martin know how I lust after him? sigh.

Keri

Wed, 14 Jul 2004 23:39:15 -0500

Bonnie

Tue, 13 Jul 2004 10:10:30 -0500

The best L & O Cast ever is as follows: DA: Steven Hill EADA: Sam Waterston ADA: Jill Hennessy Lt: S. Epatha Merkerson Cop: Chris Noth Cop: Jerry Orbach Psych:J.K. Simmons These actors all worked seamlessly together. It was as though the camera was peeping in to their lives. They never appeared to be "acting" with one another!!!!

Bob Diethrich

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 23:36:53 -0500

Best cast in my opinion is: Order: Orbach/Logan/Van Buren (although that is close, because I liked Dann Florek since his LA Law days Law: Waterston/Hennsesy/Hill Assorted other notes: 1) He don't go dissin' Dr. Olivet! Carolyn McCormick was absolutly gorgeous in that role, and the fact that she played her part with feeling only added to it. She has one of the softest and sexiest voices in all of television. I would really want to hear her soothing voice in therapy or whispering my name after........ooops lost my train of thought there. BAck to L&O. 2) I won't join the Barbie bashing parade but I did not like her. I thought the real casting misfire was Dianne Wiest. She added nothing and was essentially Adam Schiff in a dress, ie. an ethincally Jewish moderate liberal. I really like Arthur as his good ol boy practical conservatism occasionally goes up against the two liberal idealists under his charge. 3) Took me a long time to warm up to Bratt, after only watching the Logan episodes on A&E but he did okay. Thought Jesse was a good fit with Lennie and can't wait to see Dennis Farina, whom I have liked since Crime Story.

Doug

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 22:45:48 -0500

Take it from someone who has loved "Law and Order" from Day 1: While Benjamin Bratt, Jill Hennessey, Jerry Orbach and S. Epatha Merkerson have been at times terrific in their respective roles, no cast matches the week to week brilliance of the second season, with Paul Sorvino, Chris Noth and Dann Florek in the police station and Michael Moriarty, Richard Brooks and Steven Hill in the courtroom. Everyone else has been pale imitations, and Sam Waterston, who was marvelous in "I'll Fly Away,'' has been a predictable one note from Day One. Moriarty's Ben Stone might be the most nuanced dramatic television character since David Janssen played Dr. Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive." I never miss an episode that Moriarty is in.

Doug

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 22:44:47 -0500

selena

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 12:54:57 -0500

please do share: how do you know that terrible sutheland is leaving? i am starting to really like the new redhead ADA on "SVU." i mean, sure, nobody can replace that hardnose fox alex cabot but this flamehaired vixen is doing her damndest. i think i have a crush on her. as i only caught onto L&O within the past four or five years, i have only witnessed the genius of jack mccoy. what happened to diane wiest?

Laisy

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 06:02:36 -0500

Noth/ Sorvino/ Moriarty/ Brooks I just loove that team, they were great!!!!!

francesa

Sun, 11 Jul 2004 14:48:28 -0500

here's my dream team: order: briscoe/curtis, or briscoe/greene with LT hanging back in the squad room law: jill hennessey hands down choice (bleh bleh yuk and ick to Angie Harmon. Carey Lowell was a little too precious and holier than thou for my taste) and I was going to say McCoy, but I really like Tucker's remark about Moriarty being beautifully mannered. And the pocket watch was always a nice touch. And of course, Schiff is the ultimate DA.

BW

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:16:26 -0500

"Carey Lowell kicks Jill Hennessy's skinny butt any day." No, sorry. Can't agree with that. Any cast with Jill Hennessy in it would be my fave, and she kicks Lowell's butt any day.

Scott Stowell

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:08:19 -0500

"i'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere in the internet universe (maybe even on 'l & o' obsessed gothamist, but what is 'law' and what is 'order'?" It's all in the credits. Law = blue = cops. Order = red = prosecutors. On L&O: SVU they're all yellow and on L&O: Columbo I have no idea. And I'm waiting for L&O: TBJ's version...

Dirk

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 11:07:32 -0500

gnome, now you've got me confused. Maybe it should be called "Order & Law"...

editor

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 10:59:07 -0500

Can't disagree with Tucker's choices (Noth/Orbach/Hennessey/Moriarty), although if you had to replace Moriarty with anybody Waterston is a good second, and if you had to replace Hennessey with anybody, Lowell (in retrospect) turned out to be a good choice. Since then, I've questioned most replacement decisions one way or the other. The harder the show has tried to draw viewers (with bombshell broads and poor attempts at character development), the less interested I've become over the years.

Sheila

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 10:32:06 -0500

Rohm was most glaring casting mistake; Wiest is 2nd place. I'll take any of the rest back in a heartbeat. Saw a couple of reruns recently...love some of the guest criminals/witnesses like Heather Burns and Ellen Pompeo.

Zster

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 10:24:19 -0500

I saw Angie Harmon would have to be in there, she was just pleasing to look at. Benjamin Bratt is a good-looking guy and all, but I prefer Jesse Martin.

gnome

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 09:15:23 -0500

i'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere in the internet universe (maybe even on "l & o" obsessed gothamist, but what is "law" and what is "order"? nichelle thinks that the police characters represent order, and the lawyers are the face of the law. dirk takes the opposite position, while walt takes a neutral approach. if you agree with nichelle, the show should really be called "order & law" in synchronicity with the flow of events on the show. in reality, however, both the police and the assistant district attorneys (as well as the judges) seek to enforce the law and thereby create "order". practically, new york law is codified by state legislators. i think the show is really a tryptych -- cops, lawyers and judges -- all enforcing order. was there ever a discussion on favorite judges?

WL

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 02:14:01 -0500

What about Munch? I loved the scene where Munch and Lennie go to question a suspect at this fancy country club. I'd go for Munch/Lennie/Logan/Van Buren on the cop side and Schiff/McCoy/Ross on the DA side. As for L&O:CI, I agree with Dirk... D'Onofrio will make everyone else irrelevant unless he tones it down a bit.

Walt

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 23:56:07 -0500

As for me, my cast would be this: Senior Detective -- Lennie Briscoe Junior Detective -- Mike Logan Captain/Lt. -- Don Cragen Executive Assistant DA -- Jack McCoy Assistant DA -- Abbie Carmichael District Attorney -- Adam Schiff I always like Don better in the earlier seasons as Captain, and as good as Anita is, I just like Cragen better. As for Abbie, she was the best of the ADA's, and if Dick Wolf had been smart, knowing Angie Harmon already had a wedding planned for June 2001 and filming of the early episodes was likely going to have to be moved up due to strike threats, I would have assumed she was not going to be available for the "pre-strike" episodes. Knowing "Charmed" would be on hiatus from filming at the time the "pre-strike" episodes were being filmed, I would then have used Angie's absence as an opportunity to bring over a ton of "Charmed" fans to "Law & Order" by trying to "borrow" Holly Marie Combs on a temporary basis, with if being able to her taking over temporarily as Jack's "second chair." Had that been done, Angie would probably have then returned after the "pre-strike" episodes and might very well have still been playing Abbie now (though if so, they would have had to again find a temporary replacement for part of this season since Angie of course had her baby). Even if Angie didn't return, if DW had Holly has a temporary replacement, he could have continued with her until "Charmed" resumed filming and then, with several episodes in the can taken his time to find a permanent replacement for Angie (which could have wound up being Elisabeth anyway, but at least it would have happened the way it did). Walt

Kevin

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 21:49:04 -0500

Two Words: Claire Kincaid.

Dirk

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 21:39:51 -0500

Carey Lowell kicks Jill Hennessy's skinny butt any day. My dream cast would be Orbach/Noth/Hargitay/Merkenson on the "Law" side (I know that's more than two detectives - but what a great team that would be). And on the "Order" side, it would be Waterson/Lowell/Hill (and I must admit, I'm liking the DA on SVU more and more each week). Oh, yeah, and Simmons as the resident shrink. I'm glad I'm not the only one obessessed with all the L&O show. On a side note... what's up with L&O: CI? It's kind of bad compared to the other shows (I think they should tone down D'Onofrio's role bit -- he's always chewing the scenery). And as of late, SVU is definitely the best of the three.

beanie

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 18:43:01 -0500

What about Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson from SVU?

Steven I. Weiss

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 18:30:55 -0500

Nichelle -- Simmons once did forget who he was and play a white supremacist. In a tie-in with "Homicide," L&O had a case about a white supremacist organization that was mass-murdering blacks. Simmons was the head of the supremacists, before his role as Skoda.

Nichelle

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 18:19:57 -0500

If there was an all-star "Law & Order" cast, then I would pick on the order side Orbach's Briscoe, Benjamin Bratt (seeing him on a weekly basis got me through the late 90's) and Merkerson's Van Buren. On the law side, Steven Hill, Waterson's McCoy, and Jill Hennessey. I always wonder when I see Simmons (Skoda) if he ever forgets who he is and start acting like a white supremacist from OZ.

Scott Stowell

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 18:11:24 -0500

I'm with Tucker. It's gotta be Orbach/Noth/Moriarty/Hennessy. I don't know what happened to her on the way to Crossing Jordan, but Jill Hennessy was awesome and beautiful and cool on L&O. Meanwhile, I'm happy to see R�hm go. And I agree about Orbach phoning it in as of late, but Dennis Farina? Not good.