I would love to play, but I've never seen even one episode of the show. I think it started during a time when I didn't have a television. My set broke in 1989 and I didn't get a new one until 2001. It's hard for me to believe that I missed a whole decade of television, but I was working a lot of hours back then. I certainly have a gap in my knowledge of popular culture.

Annie - did you watch all the spin offs? DH loves the original L & O, detests L & O SVU, and would watch Criminal Intent if nothing else was on.

We always get a kick when we recognize an actor who has appeared multiple times in the series in different parts.

-Michael Imperioli - who of course is more famous for The Sopranos, played a detective in several episodes. But about 10 years before that he had a 1 episode role as a criminal or street thug.

Annie Parisse who was ADA Alexandra Borgia (and who came to an gruesome end) was a stripper in an earlier episode.

maire cate...you're right, I'd forgotten about Borgia being a stripper!

It's fun to spot other actors who have been well known in other roles...for example, the guy who played neighbor Wilson on Home Improvement (Tim the tool man Taylor's show) played a defense attorney on one program, and you got to see his nose and chin!

I actually like to watch them all, including SVU. CI was my least favorite and of those, I prefer the Jeff Goldblum ones.

fun2B, now that you have a TV again, you might want to watch some of the reruns...they are good drama. Law & Order was on for 20 years so there was clearly some staying power there. It fostered 2 spin offs, one of which is still on. As you're watching, keep news stories in mind as they often took them and spun it into a fictional version...for example Michael Jackson's ranch with children, the Menedez bros., Tawana Brawley, Lorena Bobbitt, even the woman in NY who ran over her husband with her Mercedes several times. Truth makes for good fiction...

And I always wanted to be Mike Post...he's the guy who wrote the theme song for the show and he gets residuals every time the show is on air. He also made the thunk thunk sound which is made up of many different sounds including a bunch of monks stamping on the floor.

When we watch tv, I often check IMDB for more info on the actors. We joke you're nobody unless you've done a L&O episode. For British actors, the equivalent series seems to be Doctors - anyone who is anyone has been on that show.

Not much to add since I'm not a regular watcher, but have to laugh at hhireno's comment. It seems that everyone in show business has been on L&O at one time or another.

My least favorite ADA was Elisabeth Rohm as Serena Southerlyn...AFAIC, she went to the James Brolin school of acting...her emotions ran the gamut from A to B. I was surprised to see she won a SAG award for her role in American Hustle...haven't seen the movie though.

What is it about these shows that draws? I too watch them constantly, getting to a point they are remembered as being watched in repeats more than a couple of times.

And I like remembering the transition of characters which show up in different roles, knowing their previous appearances in other series and "where are they now" gigs.

I'm a fan of Vincent D'Onofrio. He is such a mysterious man personality wise. Have watched his movies too.

I won't list links on the actors who began or have been seen on the shows, too many. Plus you have probably been there already.

I was a latecomer to L&O watching, I didn't start until they were in reruns, and I did watch various versions. I stopped about a year or more ago because they were just too gruesome. I just can't watch all the stories about violence, hate, anger, & anti social behavior any more. I suppose that demonstrates how well acted and written they are, they are all too believable and distressing. It's bad enough I read about the horrible stuff in the paper, I don't feel entertained by watching it played out.

I like the original L&O throughout the years and Criminal Intent. I was actually watching an early L&O (well, sort of-in and out) yesterday and saw the fellow who was the captain in some of the CI ones (dark, curly hair) playing a defense attorney in that early one.

I won't be very good at this because I don't know (remember) names. Here, they are re-running ones from the very beginning. Fun.

AnnieDeighNaugh and Cyn427, I'll have to check out the re-runs sometime just so I know what people are talking about, but like Hhireno, I have a hard time watching realistic violence. I've even had to drop some of my favorite authors because the subject matter covered is too gruesome for me to read.

Fun, I am also not a fan of realistic violence and the situations on SVU make me cringe which is why I don't watch that one. However, the other L&Os don't show much violence, especially if you don't watch the first 3-4 minutes. It is mostly about solving and prosecuting the crime. I have liked most of the regular characters over the years and I am enjoying seeing the old guys like Paul Sorvino in the reruns.

cyn - The actor is Eric Bogosian - and you're right - he was on an early L & O and then played the Captain on Criminal Intent. See - you are playing the game.

And I agree with you about SVU - I seldom watch that series. The topics are horrifying and too often they spend most of the episode trying to catch the villain before he kills, tortures, abuses again. As you pointed out in the original L&O most of the time the crime is committed in the initial minutes.

SVU used to be my favorite, but Christopher Meloni (thump) left and they got even more grisly. My fav DA was Sam Waterston in L&O. Do not like Vince D'Onofrio (too much angst) so never got into CI. I was always surprised by how quickly L&O was able to produce the real life stories.

One frustration is there were a couple that they did where the story started on L&O and finished on Homicide which was another really good, realistic cop show set in Baltimore...where Munch came from before joining SVU...and now they show the reruns of L&O, but you are left hanging as they don't rerun Homicide any more.

Some of the more famous who have been on L&O include Julia Roberts, Laura Linney, Claire Danes, Martha Stewart, Mayor Bloomberg, Henry Winkler, Robin Williams, Jerry Lewis, Sharon Stone, Carol Burnett, Jeremy Irons, Stephen Colbert, Serena Williams and Chevy Chase among many others....

I'm watching an episode now of a L&O with Sam Waterston (just to narrow down the seasons for you!), and it's taken me the entire episode to remember the last name of one of the actresses, even tho I recognized her face right away, as well as to remember where I've seen another actress before...

If I figure the details out before the credits roll, I think I've staved off the effects of old age for another day!

The episode is titled "Entitled," and the first actress was Jane Alexander -- I knew her first name (the last took a bit longer), the fact that she headed up the NEA (!) and that she's been cast as a judge in more than one TV show. The second actress was one of a string of women who played Lilly in the CBS soap "As The World Turns."

Funny how the mind files little details away... even dopey ones!
Got them just in time for my brain to survive another day!

(Annie, I started watching "Homicide" only after it came out on DVD, but I really liked it; pretty sure that was the first TV show I binge-watched. And in addition to his L&O work, Robin Williams also starred in the "Homicide" episode as a tourist whose wife was killed. Curious to know how many actors have done at least a "hat trick" with "Homicide" and 2 of the L&O offshoots!)

I am such a dud. I have never seen L&O. I watched SVU and was turned off by it. I've never seen Mark Harmon show although I think he is very hunky. I pay $1 million a month for cable and never watch a darn thing. Sorry I can't play along.

I do like Modern Family!

I was sure I had seen every L&O, Annie, you got me. I do not remember one episode with Julia Roberts. Now I feel slighted and I must find the episode.

I saw most of them but somehow I missed all of CI when it was on the air. I discovered in reruns that I find Vincent Donofrio just riveting. It must have been in something else I watched, that played opposite L&O: CI for me to have missed the entire thing. And the ones w/ Nicole (Roseanna Arquette), I could watch them over & over (& have)!

I remember Donofrio from playing the episode of Homide: LOTS where he's the subway rider caught btwn the train & the platform, w/ hours to live/die. Talks about the sugar maple leaves turning in advance of the rain. I recently watched that episode again, online this time. Still riveting!

I used to swim laps for many yrs. Once I was in the locker room changing into my bathing suit (they had TV there) & looked up to see an actor friend of mine sitting at the Defense Table looking nervous & squirelly in an episode of L&O originals (the Courtroom ones). Too funny!

Eandhl, she played a "professional fund raiser" was dating Benjamin Bratt who played Det Rey Curtis at the time, and she won the Emmy for her performance.

Huh. Apparently Jeremy Sisto (Det. Lupo) appeared as a lawyer on the show before becoming a regular.

Anthony Anderson (Det. Bernard) appeared as a Det. Blaine on L&O SVU as a partner for Stabler in an episode.

Thanks Annie, I can't imagine how I missed it. I am sure someday I will see it as I too watch the reruns over & over.

The episode with Julia Roberts was titled "Empire" . It originally aired May 5, 1999 and it's Season 9 episode # 20. As part of the plot she was put into protective custody before testifying and Benjamin Bratt was assigned to guard her.

If I remember correctly there was a mix up at the hotel, they had to share a room and Julia was flirtatious and Det. Curtis was intrigued.

Here is a link that might be useful: Empire

Are there episodes you just can't watch?

I can't watch the one where Liz gets molested by her patients' gyno.

I can't watch the one where this fellow is a witness, does everything he should but his situation just gets worse and worse and he ends up behind the 8 ball because he was doing the right thing.

I love the one with Jessica Walters and her husband who was buds with Jack McCoy but crosses over the line from lawyer to the mob to being an accomplice.