Law & Order - The First Year

Rating:
Summary: Best Drama on television. Chris Noth great
Review: Not many words needed to describe . one word suffices . Great

Rating:
Summary: A great television series finally arrives on DVD
Review: One of tv's longest running and more critically acclaimed series is now available on DVD. "Law and Order: The First Year" collects the entire first season of this quality show. Featuring the show's original cast of characters (ADAs Ben Stone and Paul Robinette and Detectives Mike Logan and Max Greevey), the First Season contains classic "Ripped From the Headlines" styled episodes including "Subterranean Homeboy Blues" (about a woman who may or may not have shot a trio of black teenagers in self-defense), "By Hooker, By Crook" (which has Stone prosecuting a socialite/madam who is based upon the "Mayflower Madam" Sydney Barrows), and "Out of the Half-Light" (where the cops try to debunk a black teen's false accusations of rape at the hands of white police officers and prevent an Al Sharpton-inspired character from using the girl to advance his political adgenda).

Other original story episodes includes "Poison Ivy" (where Logan and Greevey investigate the death of an Ivy League college student who was a drug dealer and who may have had a gun planted on his dead body by the police officer who shot him), "Indifference" (Logan and Greevey investigate the death of a upper class child and discovers that the child was regularly raped by her father and beaten by her drug using mother), "Prisoner of Love" (which has Stone prosecuting a city commissioner and a weathly socialite/part-time dominatrix over the death of the commissioner's gay lover, who died during kinky sex), " The Torrents of Greed Parts 1 and 2" (which has ADA Stone obsessively attempting to bring down a mob boss after the mob boss is aquitted of murder), "Mushrooms" (Stone must decide whether or not to take a plea bargin from a teenager who killed a baby and paralyzed another teen when the shooter offers to testify that a powerfull mob boss ordered the killing), "The Secret Sharers" (Stone faces a hot shot Texas attorney who's client murdered a drug dealer who raped his fiance), "The Serpent's Tooth" (in which two innocent brothers are wrongfully accused and arrested for the Menendez Brothers-esque murder of their parents while Stone believes that the ultra-violent Russian Mob may be the real culprits), "Troubles" (which has Stone going after a famous Irish terrorist who arranges for the principal witnesses against him murdered before they can implicate him in court), and "The Blue Wall" (the season finale, which has Logan and Greevey investigating a conspiracy inside the police department that resulted in evidence against corporate executives on trial disappearing and discovering that a friend of theirs, Captain Donald Cragen may have been involved in the conspiracy).

Rating:
Summary: First season pros and cons
Review: Season 1 may have had somewhat weak production values but the rapid-fire policework and no-nonsense story-telling which has become the series' hallmark was already there.

Michael Moriarty, as ADA Stone, may have been the best character that season; none of the series regulars from that season are still on the show, though Dann Florek (Capt. Cragen) is now a regular on SVU.

The plots of the first season, as in later seasons, emphasized difficult decisions; the doctor whose alcoholism may or may not have contributed to a patient's death (Prescription for Death) or the AIDS patients who had their "suicides" assisted by a gay man (The Reaper's Helper).

The series pilot (filmed in 1988) was shown as the sixth episode in the first season (1990). In all there were 22 episodes shown in that first season.

I don't expect much in the way of picture/sound quality in this DVD release given the years in which these were filmed.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, excellent but ......
Review: Superb acting and superb writing define this critically acclaimed series. While some fans favour the early years, almost without exception the entire series is consistently good. As a fan, you have to buy this. If you've never seen it (Brits etc.), just buy it. But...... If you are an existing fan or become one after seeing this first series, boycott the 'piecemeal' releases and buy the complete seasons as they become available. Universal Studios may get the message if we vote with our wallets.

Rating:
Summary: Warning: This Show Is Addictive!
Review: Thanks to my wife, I have become a Law & Order addict. This DVD set contains the 22 episodes of the first season of this show that has become an institution. A rather simple formula for each hour episode: the first half of the story shows the police action [Law], and the second segment of each episode covers the court trial [Order, in the court!]. The first season's cast is wonderful, but the fact that the show is still alive and strong, with a totally different cast, proves the power of the formula.

There is much to be said for watching the show without commercials; you can better appreciate the tight story lines and the wonderful writing, without a bunch of annoying commercials popping up every few minutes.

Everything works wonderfully on this show-- the great music by Mike Post, the opening narration, the formula of seeing the crime before the opening credits. The joys and challenges of life as a NY cop and life in the DA's office are artfully portrayed (and interestingly, we learn almost nothing about the personal lives of the characters). Note that there is very little on-screen violence here, even though violence is a key driver in many episodes. You will notice the absence of violence when you observe, in one episode, a storekeeper being beaten up--it is quite a shock, and makes you realize that the violence is usually just suggested (or it happens before the viewer is brought into the scene).

It is a lot of fun to notice who pops up in some of the small parts or one-episode roles. My favorite is Frances Conroy, the mother on Six Feet Under, who plays a high-class, horrid dominatrix. Cynthia Nixon plays someone quite different from her Sex and the City persona (and it is funny to see her with Chris Noth, who grows up to be Mr. Big). Also watch for Peter Frechette, Gil Bellows, Mandy Patinkin, Faith Prince, Courtney Vance, Camryn Manheim, John Spencer, William H. Macy, Andrew McCarthy, Ron Rifkin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Frances Sternhagen, S. Epatha Merkerson (in a small role, not related at all to her later starring role), Christine Baranski, plus scores and scores of New York City actors and actresses in bit parts.

Some of the recurring roles are marvelous; my personal favorite is Lorraine Toussaint, whom we first meet in Episode 2, as the in-your-face defense attorney Shambala Green.

L & O has given birth to several spin-offs, and it continues to dominate in its thirteenth season. I strongly recommend this DVD, whether you are a first time viewer or faithful addict as I have become. The only frustrating thing will be waiting for seasons 2-13 to come out on DVD!

Rating:
Summary: Season 1 = Great acting, slower action, features missing.
Review: The first season of Law and Order lacks the bang-bang short attention span plot advances and twists of the later years, but more than makes up for it by deeper plots and better acting, along with some nice background. Unfortunately, the DVD quality isn't what it could be, which is why this is 4 stars and not 5.

From season 3 or 4 on, the Law and Order formula came into full flower. Every 'donk-donk' signifies a quick advance in the plot as a year-long investigation and trial gets compressed in an hour, except for those delicious times when it reverses in a wild plot twist. Three spinoffs prove this works regardless of who is in the role. Season 1 isn't quite like that. For instance, it often meanders slowly, spending 4 or 5 minutes at the beginning actually witnessing the crime, having the cast walk down the street talking to each other rather than going from one interview to the next. (This actually gives some great background - you finally see the full precinct room and DAs office!) The slower pace even reflects in the way the guest stars seemly act - an L&O trademark is to have an interviewee continuing to do their job while the cops grill them. Not so here. No quick hot dog lunch for meetings between the Captain and the detectives. Logan even complains when someone doesn't give them their full attention!

While not having the formula down means that action slows down, it allows for better acting and better plot development. The 'ripped from the headlines' aspect remains as large as it ever was, with the Mayflower Madam, Tawana Brawley claiming rape, the Lisa Steinberg child abuse case, and city council corruption along with several cop corruption cases. The difference is that because the actors aren't forced to move through hoops they actually get to perform. Robinette gives a soul searing performance in the the Brawley case (Half-Light) and the corruption case (Bagman) as he examines his race versus his job - and race and class in general get explored a lot more than in later years (in episodes like Homeboy Blues and Poison Ivy.) Logan acts like a rookie as he screams at people who don't help him, and nearly comes to blows with Greevey over their views on abortion and morality in Life Choice and Kiss the Girls. Stone shows actual rage in Indifference, and Schiff is a motivated caring boss and not just his normal fun cantankerous let's-cut-our-losses self. Finally, the caliber of the guest stars before they became big (Cynthia Nixon, William Macy, Epatha Merkerson!) helps as the give and take is unrestrained. This is a fair tradeoff for a slower show.

My only objection to the DVD set is the transfer is somewhat mediocre, especially for the first few episodes where you get flecking. I can't believe the original tapes weren't in better shape. Also, the features side borders on the unacceptable. Dick Wolf does talk about the original development of the show, for about 10 minutes. Other than that, nothing - except for an unbelievable ad about the Law and Order game! I can't believe there aren't outtakes or they couldn't get someone from the cast to walk through the episodes ala the Simpsons DVD sets. Definitely worth marking down a star for that.

Still, a great beginning to a great show.

Rating:
Summary: Crime Stories
Review: The first season of NBC's long running Law & Order is a solid, but not spectacular season. The show's now familiar format of telling the story from the police side in the first half-hour and lawyers side in the second half-hour is intact, but the show hadn't found its footing. That's not to say that these shows aren't any good (they are), they just don't measure up to the incredible high standards that the series set in later seasons. The police side is made up of Chris Noth as Mike Logan, George Dzundza as Max Greevey and Dann Florek as Don Cragen and the law side is made of Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone, Richard Brooks as Paul Robinette and Steven Hill as Adam Schiff. Mr. Noth's & Mr. Dzundza's characters never really click. Obviously the producers thought so as well as Mr. Dzundza's character is killed off the show and was replaced by Paul Sorvino in season two. The teaming of Mr. Moriarty & Mr. Brooks works better and their work is more fruitful. The two season one standouts are Mr. Hill & Mr. Florek. Mr. Hill would enjoy the longest run of any character on the show and his work from season one on was exemplary. He was the rock of the show and his absence has been felt since he left. Mr. Hill was not the original choice to play the D.A., the failed pilot that was produced for CBS appears as episode six and Roy Thinnes played the D.A. Alfred Wentworth. Series creator and producer Dick Wolf made an incredibly wise decision to employ Mr. Hill in the D.A. role. Mr. Florek plays Captain Cragen with perfect balance. He is a by-the-books cop who stands by his men, but adds a sense of humor to tense situations. He was also missed upon his departure after the third season and Mr. Wolf wisely revived the character for series spin-off Law & Order: SVU. Season one also features a plethora of then unknown actors who would rise to fame in either television or films including William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samuel L. Jackson, Patricia Clarkson, Christine Baranski, Courtney B. Vance, Gil Bellows, future co-star of Mr. Noth on Sex & The City, Cynthia Nixon, Six Feet Under star Frances Conroy and future Sopranos stars Dominic Chianese and Aida Turturro. Also making a guest appearance is S. Epatha Merkerson would become a series regular in season four as Lt. Van Buren. She plays a different role in the Mushrooms episode.

Rating:
Summary: Loved Season One- Season Two Coming!
Review: The shakedown season of Law & Order was gritty and great. Now the 2nd Year DVD release has been announced by Universal Home Video.
May 4, 2004 is the street date for this box set, which follows in the footsteps of The First Year with similar packaging design and specs, with one exception: Universal is moving this to double-sided DVDs in order to cut the disc count in half and save you (and themselves, of course) some money, plus take up less space on the shelf in the bargain.
Video is once again in 1.33:1 "full screen" mode, with audio in English 2.0 Dolby and French 2.0 Dolby, with subtitles in French and Spanish. This release is closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
$59.98 is the list price for Law & Order - The 2nd Year

Rating:
Summary: Revisit the early years.
Review: These early episodes are in some ways the best. The dramatic style is more realistic and has somewhat of a documentary feel to its tone. The series had not yet begun to rely on continuous dramatic music to convey mood--as the later espisodes do. And the acting is looser and more natural, avoiding the more mainstream, histrionic approach that characterizes the later years.

The scripts are also more true-to-life in content and construction; the stories are given room to breath, and they are sufficiently interesting to maintain one's attention without the need to buttress the events with breakneck twists and turns that keep you five minutes behind the storyline.

I don't at all mean to put down the post-Moriarty years. Except for the last couple of seasons, Law and Order has always been outstanding. When the cast and crew shifted to a more commercial approach to drama it did not hurt the series; on the contrary, they continued to make absorbing and compulsively viewable dramas.

But there is something about the lower-key approach in the Moriarty years that had a great deal to recommend it. The difference between Moriarty L&O and Waterston L&O is somewhat akin to the difference between an independent film and a Hollywood film; while neither is inherently superior to the other, what made the early episodes so exciting to watch was the way in which they conveyed a sense of real-world law proceedings and made it engrossing, while breaking away from the usual dramatics and center-stage acting of traditional teledrama. It seemed to open new doors for television, an opportunity the series gradually moved away from. But at least we have these DVDs to return to.

Rating:
Summary: Law & Order - The First Year Review
Review: This DVD is the greatest. I love Chris Noth. He is the best character on the show. Or on the show his name is Detective Mike Logan. I love this show and I got this DVD for a reason!