A blended police procedural and courtroom drama which employs a two-part approach: The first half of each episode focuses on NYPD homicide detectives investigating a crime—often derived from a real-life headline—and apprehending a suspect. The second half takes place in the courtroom, with the district attorney prosecuting the defendant.
Season | From | To | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
All Seasons | |||
Specials | November 1998 | November 2020 | 3 |
Season 1 | September 1990 | June 1991 | 22 |
Season 2 | September 1991 | May 1992 | 22 |
Season 3 | September 1992 | May 1993 | 22 |
Season 4 | September 1993 | May 1994 | 22 |
Season 5 | September 1994 | May 1995 | 23 |
Season 6 | September 1995 | May 1996 | 23 |
Season 7 | September 1996 | May 1997 | 23 |
Season 8 | September 1997 | May 1998 | 24 |
Season 9 | September 1998 | May 1999 | 24 |
Season 10 | September 1999 | May 2000 | 24 |
Season 11 | October 2000 | May 2001 | 24 |
Season 12 | September 2001 | May 2002 | 24 |
Season 13 | October 2002 | May 2003 | 24 |
Season 14 | September 2003 | May 2004 | 24 |
Season 15 | September 2004 | May 2005 | 24 |
Season 16 | September 2005 | May 2006 | 22 |
Season 17 | September 2006 | May 2007 | 22 |
Season 18 | January 2008 | May 2008 | 18 |
Season 19 | November 2008 | June 2009 | 22 |
Season 20 | September 2009 | May 2010 | 23 |
Season 21 | February 2022 | May 2022 | 10 |
Season 22 | September 2022 | May 2023 | 22 |
Season 23 | January 2024 | May 2024 | 13 |
Season 24 | October 2024 | January 2025 | 9 |
Unassigned Episodes | 0 |
Season | From | To | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
Season 1 | September 1990 | September 2022 | 467 |
Unassigned Episodes | 46 |
Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
René Balcer | 77 | 03/19/1991 - 05/24/2010 | |
Constantine Makris | 63 | 11/09/1993 - 10/16/2009 | |
Ed Sherin | 37 | 09/24/1991 - 11/23/2005 | |
Jace Alexander | 33 | 05/04/1994 - 01/05/2005 | |
Richard Dobbs | 29 | 04/15/1998 - 10/06/2006 | |
David Platt | 29 | 03/13/1996 - 10/12/2005 | |
Matthew Penn | 28 | 04/19/1995 - 05/18/2007 | |
Martha Mitchell | 16 | 11/23/1994 - 02/08/2024 | |
Don Scardino | 14 | 02/05/1991 - 05/03/2006 | |
Jean de Segonzac | 14 | 11/08/1998 - 04/06/2023 | |
Christopher Misiano | 14 | 01/11/1995 - 05/24/2000 | |
Arthur W. Forney | 13 | 03/10/1993 - 05/19/2022 | |
Alex Hall | 12 | 04/07/2022 - 05/16/2024 | |
Lewis H. Gould | 11 | 03/15/1995 - 04/24/2002 | |
James Quinn | 11 | 11/27/1990 - 04/23/2003 | |
Michael Pressman | 11 | 11/10/2004 - 04/11/2024 | |
E.W. Swackhamer | 8 | 09/20/1990 - 10/13/1993 | |
Daniel Sackheim | 7 | 02/26/1991 - 02/24/1993 | |
Jim McKay (II) | 7 | 02/06/2008 - 05/17/2010 | |
Alex Chapple | 7 | 11/17/2006 - 03/08/2010 | |
Gloria Muzio | 6 | 01/28/1998 - 03/03/2004 | |
Fred Berner | 6 | 11/12/2008 - 05/10/2010 | |
Fred Gerber | 6 | 04/02/1991 - 11/15/1995 | |
Dann Florek | 5 | 12/01/1993 - 04/26/1995 | |
Milena Govich | 5 | 03/10/2022 - 05/02/2024 | |
Vincent Misiano | 5 | 04/05/1995 - 09/29/2006 | |
James Frawley | 5 | 01/14/1992 - 09/15/1993 | |
Darnell Martin | 5 | 02/12/2003 - 05/03/2010 | |
Vern Gillum | 4 | 10/04/1990 - 10/21/1992 | |
Mario Van Peebles | 4 | 04/23/2008 - 11/06/2009 | |
Stephen Wertimer | 4 | 03/24/1999 - 11/28/2001 | |
Brian Mertes | 3 | 01/15/1997 - 05/13/1998 | |
John Whitesell | 3 | 09/13/1990 - 11/12/1991 | |
Steve Robman | 3 | 04/14/1992 - 10/19/1994 | |
Michael W. Watkins | 3 | 03/08/2006 - 01/09/2008 | |
Eriq La Salle | 2 | 05/19/2022 - 05/09/2024 | |
Bethany Rooney | 2 | 11/03/2022 - 01/26/2023 | |
William Klayer | 2 | 11/13/2009 - 05/17/2010 | |
James Hayman | 2 | 12/09/1992 - 05/05/1993 | |
Rachel Leiterman | 2 | 01/12/2023 - 01/25/2024 | |
Roger Young | 2 | 05/06/2009 - 11/20/2009 | |
Gwen Arner | 2 | 01/15/1991 - 11/19/1991 | |
Marisol Torres | 2 | 05/07/2008 - 12/17/2008 | |
Michael Dinner | 2 | 01/02/2008 - 10/09/2009 | |
Rose Troche | 2 | 11/06/2009 - 03/01/2010 | |
Charlie Correll | 2 | 10/11/1990 - 01/06/1993 | |
Nestor Carbonell | 2 | 04/27/2023 | |
Gilbert M. Shilton | 2 | 11/18/1992 - 10/27/1993 | |
Marc Levin | 2 | 03/05/2008 - 01/28/2009 | |
Yangzom Brauen | 2 | 05/05/2022 - 02/23/2023 | |
Tony Goldwyn | 2 | 03/29/2006 | |
Steve Shill | 2 | 03/27/2002 - 11/27/2002 | |
Elisabeth Röhm | 2 | 11/10/2022 | |
Tim Hunter | 2 | 11/03/2006 - 04/30/2008 | |
Michael Watkins | 2 | 11/26/2008 - 04/29/2009 | |
Heather Cappiello | 1 | 03/17/2022 | |
Joy Lane | 1 | 02/02/2023 | |
J. Ranelli | 1 | 04/01/1998 | |
Norberto Barba | 1 | 05/20/2009 | |
Joan Stein Schimke | 1 | 12/08/2006 | |
Christopher Zalla | 1 | 11/19/2008 | |
Michael Fresco | 1 | 12/04/1990 | |
Karen Gaviola | 1 | 04/06/2007 | |
Paris Barclay | 1 | 01/12/2005 | |
Gilbert Moses | 1 | 11/25/1992 | |
Bill D'Elia | 1 | 10/07/1992 | |
Dean White | 1 | 02/27/2008 | |
Mark Levin | 1 | 01/15/2010 | |
Aaron Lipstadt | 1 | 01/08/1991 | |
Eric Stoltz | 1 | 04/13/2005 | |
Helaine Head | 1 | 01/05/1994 | |
Sam Weisman | 1 | 03/30/2007 | |
Kristoffer Tabori | 1 | 10/08/1991 | |
Carl Weathers | 1 | 10/13/2022 | |
Adam Bernstein | 1 | 02/08/2006 | |
John Behring | 1 | 10/06/2022 | |
Martin Davidson | 1 | 11/13/1990 | |
Adam Davidson | 1 | 01/07/1998 | |
Alan Taylor | 1 | 01/23/2008 | |
Allen Coulter | 1 | 01/02/2008 | |
John David Coles | 1 | 05/14/2008 | |
Rick Wallace | 1 | 12/07/2005 | |
David Grossman | 1 | 10/27/2022 | |
Timothy Busfield | 1 | 01/05/2023 | |
Steve Cohen | 1 | 12/10/1991 | |
Ernest R. Dickerson | 1 | 05/13/2009 | |
Dan Karlok | 1 | 02/12/1997 | |
John Patterson | 1 | 10/30/1990 | |
Peter Levin | 1 | 02/04/1992 | |
Josh Marston | 1 | 02/04/2009 | |
M. T. Adler | 1 | 10/02/2009 | |
Gabrielle Beaumont | 1 | 11/03/1993 | |
Rosemary Rodriguez | 1 | 10/19/2005 | |
Bruce Seth Green | 1 | 03/03/1993 | |
Marc Laub | 1 | 11/30/1994 |
Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Richard Sweren | 70 | 01/08/1997 - 05/17/2010 | |
Ed Zuckerman | 54 | 09/13/1990 - 05/17/2010 | |
Michael S. Chernuchin | 54 | 02/12/1991 - 02/02/2007 | |
William N. Fordes | 44 | 01/14/1992 - 05/10/2010 | |
Robert Stuart Nathan | 31 | 10/04/1990 - 10/13/2006 | |
Pamela J. Wechsler | 23 | 03/03/2022 - 05/16/2024 | |
Rick Eid | 23 | 04/13/2005 - 05/09/2024 | |
Wendy Battles | 19 | 11/01/2000 - 11/09/2005 | |
David Black | 18 | 09/13/1990 - 05/18/2007 | |
Kathy McCormick | 17 | 10/08/1991 - 09/26/2001 | |
I.C. Rapoport | 16 | 03/19/1991 - 03/24/1999 | |
Barry M. Schkolnick | 14 | 01/13/1993 - 05/03/2000 | |
Jeremy R. Littman | 14 | 09/21/1994 - 02/26/1997 | |
Aaron Zelman | 13 | 11/15/2000 - 02/25/2004 | |
Dick Wolf | 13 | 10/11/1990 - 01/18/2024 | |
Barry Schindel | 13 | 12/01/1999 - 03/24/2004 | |
Matt Witten | 13 | 11/25/1998 - 04/24/2002 | |
Art Alamo | 13 | 03/10/2022 - 05/02/2024 | |
David Wilcox | 12 | 09/21/2005 - 04/23/2008 | |
Keith Eisner | 12 | 11/26/2008 - 05/04/2023 | |
Robert Palm | 12 | 09/20/1990 - 10/31/2001 | |
Eric Ellis Overmyer | 10 | 05/16/2001 - 05/18/2005 | |
Michael Duggan | 10 | 12/11/1990 - 04/28/1992 | |
Luke Schelhaas | 9 | 12/10/2008 - 03/22/2010 | |
Janis Diamond | 9 | 02/15/1995 - 03/03/2004 | |
David Slack | 9 | 11/02/2005 - 05/07/2008 | |
Morgan Gendel | 9 | 12/01/1993 - 04/10/1996 | |
Marc Guggenheim | 8 | 11/07/2001 - 05/19/2004 | |
Lynne E. Litt | 8 | 01/13/1999 - 05/10/2000 | |
Gina Gionfriddo | 8 | 01/23/2008 - 06/03/2009 | |
Walon Green | 8 | 11/25/1992 - 03/09/1994 | |
Christopher Ambrose | 8 | 11/05/2008 - 05/03/2010 | |
Noah Baylin | 7 | 05/02/2001 - 03/24/2004 | |
Stephanie Sengupta | 7 | 01/09/2008 - 05/13/2009 | |
David Shore | 7 | 10/08/1997 - 03/24/1999 | |
Lynn Mamet | 6 | 10/13/1999 - 03/27/2002 | |
Julie Martin | 6 | 10/23/2009 - 05/17/2010 | |
Roz Weinman | 6 | 02/26/2003 - 05/18/2005 | |
Matthew McGough | 6 | 04/06/2007 - 03/22/2010 | |
Gardner Stern | 6 | 10/30/1996 - 04/30/1997 | |
Gia Gordon | 5 | 11/17/2022 - 04/18/2024 | |
Jill Goldsmith | 5 | 12/12/2001 - 04/23/2003 | |
Terri Kopp | 5 | 11/14/2001 - 05/14/2003 | |
Gerry Conway | 4 | 02/10/1999 - 05/17/2000 | |
Nicholas Wootton | 4 | 11/16/2005 - 01/12/2007 | |
Stuart Feldman | 4 | 05/01/2002 - 02/23/2005 | |
Nick Santora | 4 | 09/22/2004 - 05/04/2005 | |
Matt McGough | 4 | 05/14/2008 - 10/30/2009 | |
Sally Nemeth | 4 | 01/07/1992 - 11/16/1993 | |
Sean Jablonski | 4 | 10/03/2001 - 05/22/2002 | |
Eddie Feldmann | 4 | 03/27/1996 - 03/03/1999 | |
Lorenzo Carcaterra | 4 | 05/21/2003 - 11/17/2004 | |
Sibyl Gardner | 3 | 03/17/1993 - 05/17/1995 | |
Mark B. Perry | 3 | 11/02/1994 - 01/25/1995 | |
Sonny Postiglione | 3 | 04/05/2006 - 04/27/2007 | |
Alfredo Barrios Jr. | 3 | 09/29/2004 - 02/09/2005 | |
Davey Holmes | 3 | 10/06/2004 - 10/12/2005 | |
William M. Finkelstein | 3 | 01/17/2001 - 02/28/2001 | |
Chris Levinson | 3 | 09/28/2005 - 10/20/2006 | |
Joe Morgenstern | 3 | 04/02/1991 - 10/14/1992 | |
Hall Powell | 3 | 11/11/1992 - 05/24/2000 | |
Elaine Loeser | 3 | 01/10/1996 - 05/15/1996 | |
Joshua Stern | 3 | 03/19/1991 - 05/25/1994 | |
Lois Johnson | 3 | 10/20/2004 - 02/16/2005 | |
Ajani Jackson | 3 | 02/23/2023 - 03/21/2024 | |
Douglas Stark | 3 | 02/10/1993 - 01/05/2005 | |
Suzanne O'Malley | 3 | 04/05/1995 - 05/01/1996 | |
Christine Roum | 2 | 10/01/1991 - 11/04/1992 | |
Matt Kiene | 2 | 12/09/1992 - 05/05/1993 | |
Jorge Zamacona | 2 | 02/02/1996 - 11/12/1997 | |
Chris Noth | 2 | 11/08/1998 | |
Ted Malawer | 2 | 03/14/2024 - 04/11/2024 | |
Peter S. Greenberg | 2 | 02/18/1992 - 03/10/1993 | |
Gordon Rayfield | 2 | 09/23/1992 - 10/13/1993 | |
Michael Harbert | 2 | 02/09/1994 - 05/15/2002 | |
Siobhan Byrne O'Connor | 2 | 11/05/1991 - 12/10/1997 | |
Jack Richardson | 2 | 11/20/1990 - 11/12/1991 | |
Doug Palau | 2 | 05/19/1993 - 01/05/1994 | |
Jonathan Collier | 2 | 10/27/2022 - 01/12/2023 | |
Edward Pomerantz | 2 | 10/21/1992 - 10/27/1993 | |
Joe Reinkemeyer | 2 | 12/09/1992 - 05/05/1993 | |
Bernard Goldberg | 1 | 12/20/2000 | |
Shimon Wincelberg | 1 | 04/16/1997 | |
Wendell Rawls | 1 | 01/06/1993 | |
Paris Qualles | 1 | 05/04/1994 | |
Tom Szentgyorgyi | 1 | 04/20/2005 | |
Tom Smuts | 1 | 03/08/2006 | |
Frank Pugliese | 1 | 03/30/2005 | |
Judith Hopper | 1 | 11/11/1998 | |
Alec Baldwin | 1 | 05/13/1998 | |
Harvey Solomon | 1 | 03/30/1994 | |
Suzanne Oshry | 1 | 02/04/1998 | |
Ross Berger | 1 | 11/10/2004 | |
Charles C. Mann | 1 | 11/30/1994 | |
Joe Viola | 1 | 01/15/1991 | |
Charles Kipps | 1 | 11/08/1998 | |
Dick Teresi | 1 | 11/11/1998 | |
Thomas Francis McElroy | 1 | 10/04/1990 | |
David Nahmod | 1 | 04/21/2004 | |
Krista Vernoff | 1 | 12/15/1999 | |
Carter Harris | 1 | 01/18/2006 | |
Harold Schecter | 1 | 01/28/1998 | |
Greg Plageman | 1 | 10/19/2005 | |
Shiya Ribowsky | 1 | 01/05/2007 | |
Carl Nelson | 1 | 09/23/1998 | |
Alan Gelb | 1 | 01/07/1992 | |
Gene Ritchings | 1 | 05/24/1995 | |
Joe Gannon | 1 | 05/09/2001 | |
Brad Markowitz | 1 | 01/11/1995 | |
Kevin Arkadie | 1 | 03/30/1994 | |
Scott Tobin | 1 | 09/23/1998 | |
Rob Wright | 1 | 04/10/2002 | |
Gwen Sigan | 1 | 09/22/2022 | |
Jonathan Rintels | 1 | 12/03/2008 | |
Craig Turk | 1 | 11/19/2003 | |
Philippe Browning | 1 | 01/11/2006 | |
Craig McNeer | 1 | 09/15/1993 | |
Nancy Ann Miller | 1 | 11/26/1991 | |
Craig Tepper | 1 | 11/19/1997 | |
P.K. Todd | 1 | 11/08/2000 | |
Jacob Brackman | 1 | 11/20/1990 | |
Walter Dallenbach | 1 | 03/22/1995 | |
Giles Blunt | 1 | 12/10/1991 | |
Peter Blauner | 1 | 10/13/2022 |
Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Peter Jankowski | 3 | 04/07/2022 - 05/19/2022 |
DUN-DUN! Name a more iconic sound — we’ll wait. For over three decades, Dick Wolf has ruled the television landscape with the beloved procedural and its many spin-off series. With two “Law & Orders” on NBC’s schedule this upcoming fall season, this veteran franchise, which has been home to big-name guest stars and known for often ripping stories from the headlines, is showing no signs of slowing down.
The term Wolf Universe is commonly used to describe American television programs created and/or produced by Dick Wolf and programs related to them. These are shows about crime and first responders. Executive producers are Dick Wolf, Peter Jankowski, Arthur W. Forney and Tom Thayer. Steve Zirnkilton has narrated many of the shows, both scripted and reality, while Mike Post wrote the music and/or theme for some of them.
From a pioneering variety show from the black-and-white days to two faves on now -- see our No. 1. To see EW's picks of the top 100 all-time greatest TV shows
IGN and some of our friends have decided the best in the world of TV.
So many golden ages, so much brilliance from which to choose. In culling from the "60 Greatest" lists we've compiled during our 60th-anniversary year, we shook things up, blending drama, comedy and other genres to salute the shows with the biggest cultural impact and most enduring influence. What will the next 60 years bring? We can't wait to find out.
The “TV 101” list honors classic, trailblazing series and miniseries, as well as current and critically acclaimed programs, from comedies and dramas to variety/talk and children’s programming. At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers who joined their staffs or worked on individual episodes. “This list is not only a tribute to great TV, it is a dedication to all writers who devote their hearts and minds to advancing their craft.
A legal drama is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice plays a critical role in the film's narrative. Legal dramas have also followed the lives of the fictional attorneys, defendants, plaintiffs, or other persons related to the practice of law present in television show or film. Legal drama is distinct from police crime drama or detective fiction, which typically focus on police officers or detectives investigating and solving crimes. The focal point of legal dramas, more often, are events occurring within a courtroom, but may include any phases of legal procedure, such as jury deliberations or work done at law firms. Some legal dramas fictionalize real cases that have been litigated, such as the play-turned-movie, Inherit the Wind, which fictionalized the Scopes Monkey Trial. As a genre, the term "legal drama" is typically applied to television shows and films, whereas legal thrillers typically refer to novels and plays.
We are what we watch-and over the last half century, we've watched some pretty fabulous TV. From Mary to Jerry, from Tonight to Today, from the sublime (Prime Suspect) to the ridiculous (Gilligan's Island), EW recalls everything you need to know about 100 shows that tell us who we are.
Mike Wallace and a vampire slayer? Letterman and Oprah? Andy Griffith and the Sopranos? On one list? What were we thinking? Simply put, the best of the best, from Day 1 to last night: quality, innovation and the ability to stay in our lives year after year after year. A touch of sentiment? Sure, but nostalgia alone couldn’t make the cut (sorry, Beav). And TV-movies, miniseries and specials will have to wait. These are the series we watched regularly — and will watch again. And again.
What's the best TV show of all time? Who knows? This poll is strictly about favorite shows, the programs people in Hollywood hold nearest to their hearts — that remind them of better times or speak to their inner child or inspire their creativity or just help them unwind after a crappy day at the studio — even if one or two of the programs listed here aren't exactly masterpieces of the medium.
From time-capsule sitcoms to cutting-edge Peak-TV dramas — the definitive ranking of the game-changing small-screen classics
A comprehensive list of all TV series seen and experienced throughout my life from early childhood to the present day. Usually full completion including all seasons, but at least a mandatory minimum of one full season. Will include live action and Western animation/cartoons, but exclude anime, which is on a separate list.
TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time is a collection of essays written by television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz. It was published in 2016. The main purpose of the book was to provide a canonical list of the top 100 greatest television programs in American history.
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