credit: amazon.com
Cast:
Jerry Orbach….Detective Lennie Briscoe
Chris Noth….Detective Mike Logan
S. Epatha Merkerson….Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
Michael Moriarty….Executive A.D.A Benjamin Stone
Jill Hennessy….Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid
Steven Hill….District Attorney Adam Schiff
The Show
Of all the cast changes that have been undertaken on Law & Order the changes made between the third and fourth season may have been the most dramatic. Gone were Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) and A.D.A. Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) and coming were Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) and A.D.A. Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy.) Producers decided that the show needed some estrogen in the cast that until that time had consisted solely of men.
Removing Florek and Brooks was a huge loss to the show. Florek has since reprised his role as Captain Cragen in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and has been in that role since 1999. Despite a six-year gap L&O fans were still willing to embrace Captain Cragen, showing there was nothing wrong with the actor or the character. Similarly Richard Brooks was brought back in 1996 and 2005 to reprise his role as Paul Robinette, this time as a defence attorney in two very memorable episodes.
So while other cast changes were done because an actor wanted to leave for whatever reason this cast change was made not because there was anything wrong with the actors or roles but to add depth to the show. While I lament the loss of Robinette and Cragen the change worked.
Merkerson is still a member of the cast to this day and has built that character into one of the most memorable of the series.
Best Quote:
Episode 4 – Profile
“I remember the voice of the first white man that told me not to come in his store. I remember the voice of the doctor who told me I had a healthy son. And I remember the voice of the man who took out a gun and shot me!” Joe Seneca as Lionel Jackson.
Score
9
The DVD
Video
The video is shown in full frame 1.33:1. The quality of the DVD is solid. Since the show itself was filmed in 1993-1994 it doesn’t necessarily look as good as Law & Order does not. It’s not as polished looking but the grittier look also kinda adds a gritty feel.
Audio
The audio is dolby digital 2.0. No problems with audio but its not like you really need amazing audio for a cop and lawyer show.
Special Features
The only special features were 43 deleted and extended scenes. I’m a big fan of this feature as I always like to see what gets cut. Understandably there really isn’t much else they can add in regard to special features for a season that is over 10 years old.
Score
7
