Happy 25th Anniversary to Law & Order

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The very first episode of Law & Order was shot in 1988 (but not broadcast until 1990, halfway through the first season) so therefore this is the 25th anniversary of the show. Happy 25th, L&O!

 

[auntiehill]

They waited THAT long to show it? I did not know that.

25 years. CRAP, I'm old.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ The first season of L&O was supposed to air on CBS from 1989-90. Only some of the episodes were actually made that early. You can tell which ones because their text caption style is totally different.

The actual first season aired on NBC from 1990-91 and they held over the "original" 1989 episodes until that time. So the first season is way the hell out of order of course.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I know Everybody's Favorite Bagman was the pilot (different DA and all), but which other episodes were that early? The first season as a whole has a slightly different feel from at least later seasons before things became a bit more formulaic. Formula was always its biggest criticism. But, while formula sometimes led it to being stale (to the point where comedian John Mulaney is able to poke fun of these tropes), it also led to some incredible episodes in their long run.

 

[ATimson]

^ The first season of L&O was supposed to air on CBS from 1989-90. Only some of the episodes were actually made that early. You can tell which ones because their text caption style is totally different.

Really? I didn't recall a difference in the captions (though maybe they standardized the masters at some point between original broadcast and the DVD release).

You could tell that "Bagman" was shot on 16mm instead of 35mm, though.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I know Everybody's Favorite Bagman was the pilot (different DA and all), but which other episodes were that early?

I know for a fact that "Kiss The Girls And Make Them Die" is another holdover from '89. I think "The Reaper's Helper" might also be.

IIRC, the differences in the captions with the 1989 episodes are: 1) Much smaller text, and 2) No doink-doink.

 

[auntiehill]

When you think about it, that little sound effect is rather ridiculous, but I do love it so!

 

[bigdaddy]

Should have given it a finale season you piece of shit NBC!!!!

Got that out of the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocNcUNRmvFI

 

[the G-man]

The first season as a whole has a slightly different feel from at least later seasons before things became a bit more formulaic. Formula was always its biggest criticism.

Yeah, at one point, you could almost time with a stopwatch the moment in each episode where Schiff would tell Stone/McCoy to settle the case and then Kinkaid would walk in with the defense's motion to dismiss and/or suppress the evidence.