Law & Order has been a staple crime TV show for Americans and many others for more than 30 days. The original Law & Order series was released in the 1990s and became one of the most successful legal dramas.
In this article, we will discuss the reason why Law & Order is considered one of the best legal and crime dramas to exist. Along with providing you with valid points why you should give it a watch.
Why Is The Law & Order Franchise One Of The Best Successful Legal Dramas To Exist?
For the past 30 years, there has been a certain form of legal drama and police proceedings series that seem to exist in television. From the start of the 1990s, the release of Law & Order has been considered one of the most successful legal dramas that continues to date.
On the other hand, Law & Order is also a legal drama that has seen one of the most spin-offs compared to other legal dramas that exist in American television. Due to this, every series that has been released as a branch of Law & Order has followed a particular niche format.
The format follows an investigation of a crime and following the prosecution of the defendant. One of the primary crimes that is focused on by Law & Order is homicide. And most of the time, the portrayal of the scenes in the series that are related to real-life incidents. This is what makes the series Law & Order so compelling and interesting to watch.
We all have the inclination to watch cases that have occurred in real life, and we are all guilty of watching interesting criminal cases. This is the very reason why the audience has been hooked up with the content of Law & Order for so many years.
Another factor that makes this legal drama popular among the audience is the casting of the investigators, detectives, and district attorneys, who are celebrities having a wide fan base. And they also syndicate their roles as if they are real lawyers and detectives, making them engaging to the audiences.
Reasons To Watch Law & Order
There are a variety of reasons why Law & Order is a series that is considered the best legal drama to exist. The reasons are as follows:
Justice Always Wins
Law & Order, like many police procedural and legal dramas, primarily focuses on the investigations of the crime and visitation of crime scenes. Along with these, the show also focuses on the interviewing process of the witnesses of the crime and gathering evidence. These are the people who are later turned to the District Attorneys for determination of guilt or innocence within due process.
Typically in most cases, each episode is followed with a bifurcated format where most of the time has been devoted to the investigations and the other half to courtroom scenes.
The very reason behind its popularity and success is the happy ending that led to the serving of justice to both the victim and the offender. This allows the audience to stay hooked up.
The Courtroom Actions
You have noticed that real-life court scenes tend to be dull and boring. Due to this, many people are not that interested in viewing real-life court proceedings and trials as it has high amounts of bureaucracy and regulatory processes.
However, the very reason for Law & Order’s popularity is the presence of dramatic tension in its episodes. The District Attorney, played by Jack McCoy from 1994 to the end of 2010s, has always been known to have portrayed a sense of determination during the court scenes. This allowed for the demand for truth no matter what. This gave the audience an adrenaline rush, which made the series one of the best legal dramas to exist.
Real World Authenticity
Most of the legal dramas and police proceedings-related series that we watch on television and Internet platforms tend to over-exaggerate the process to keep their audience hooked. This is done for the drama and excitement to keep on going.
On the other hand, Law & Order has grabbed critical acclaim for keeping all the things real in the series. This means every court proceeding, investigation method, and police reporting has been shown exactly like in real life.
The series has laid out its cases with a matter-of-fact format that is easy to follow and usually has taken creative licenses while framing the case’s time frame. This is because the writers of the series know that in real life, cases take much longer time to finish.
Characters Showcasing Themselves As Everyday Heroes
The cast of Law & Order, especially Jerry Orbach as Jennie Briscoe and Chris Noth as Mike Logan, has been depicted in the legal drama as ordinary people. They are heroes of public service who come to work and serve their purposes without any special treatment.
Fans of Law & Order have many times pointed out that the cast of Law & Order’s SVU franchise has an eccentric and glamorous cast who cannot be imagined in police investigations and court proceedings.
However, Law & Order’s cast has been portrayed in a genuine and believable, which has made its audience more hooked to the series leading to its success.
Topical Problems
Law & Order has been noted for its capacity to portray its district attorneys to battle for the truth, transparency, and justice. The legal drama also had a nerve in the portrayal of considering edgy and topical concerns in the series.
Each episode of the series started out with self-contained circumstances and developed into large commentaries related to society, politics, bureaucracy, and justice. Due to this, it developed the best episodes that compelled the audience to engage with the situation portrayed in the series. As it showcased the daily issues that seem to occur within American society.
And Its A Wrap!
Now you have the reasons that make Law & Order one of the most interesting and realistic legal dramas to watch. This is because, it portrays all the circumstances of a case in a very realistic manner.
If you are seeking to understand the American justice system, then Law & Order is worth a watch.
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Nilanjana is a lawyer with a flair for writing. She has a certification in American Laws from Penn Law (Pennsylvania University). Along with this, she has been known to write legal articles that allow the audience to know about American laws and regulations at ease.
This was beautiful Admin. Thank you for your reflections.