The BEST episodes of Law & Order season 1
Every episode of Law & Order season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Law & Order season 1!
A blended police procedural and courtroom drama which employs a two-part approach: The first half of each episode focuses on NYPD homicide detectives investigating a crime—often derived from a real-life headline—and apprehending a suspect. The second half takes place in the courtroom, with the district attorney prosecuting the defendant.
#1 - Indifference
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/27/1990
During the investigation into the death of a little girl in a respectable, middle-class family, Greevey and Logan uncover a myriad of family secrets involving abuse, molestation, and murder.
#2 - The Torrents of Greed (2)
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/19/1991
Stone tries to salvage his prosecution of the Masucci family when Beigel faces bribery charges and seems willing to turn against his brother-in-law.
#3 - A Death in the Family
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/15/1991
Police start a citywide manhunt for a man suspected of killing a cop during a rooftop pursuit.
#4 - The Secret Sharers
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/12/1991
Stone faces a flashy Texas lawyer and a hostile community as he tries to prosecute a young man accused of killing a drug dealer.
#5 - The Blue Wall
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 6/9/1991
Cragen comes under suspicion when his mentor in the department is investigated for laundering drug money.
#6 - Mushrooms
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/26/1991
The accidental shooting of two children by a 14-year-old hired killer leads to a drug dealer and a real estate agent.
#7 - Prisoner of Love
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1990
A city arts commissioner and a socialite come under investigation when an artist noted for his sadomasochistic themes is found dead under suspicious circumstances.
#8 - Out of the Half-Light
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/11/1990
Greevey and Logan's investigation into a black teenager's claim that she was raped by white policemen is hampered by a publicity hungry, black politician who will not grant the detectives access to the victim.
#9 - The Torrents of Greed (1)
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/12/1991
An assault on a candy storeowner leads Stone and Robinette to build a case against a powerful mafia don.
#10 - The Serpent's Tooth
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/19/1991
Two brothers appear to be the logical suspects in the murder of their wealthy parents.
#11 - Poison Ivy
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/20/1990
The shooting of a black honors student stirs up racial tensions, especially after it becomes apparent that the cop responsible for the death may have planted a gun on the body to excuse the shooting.
#12 - Sonata for a Solo Organ
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/2/1991
Stone and Robinette prosecute a surgeon and the wealthy father of a transplant patient for illegally obtaining a kidney.
#13 - Prescription for Death
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/13/1990
When a young woman dies during a hectic emergency room night shift, her father claims the hospital was negligent, and an investigation leads the detectives to believe that the doctor treating her may have been drunk on duty.
#14 - The Troubles
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/26/1991
Logan is forced to face his cultural biases when both a Lebanese gunrunner and an Irish terrorist are suspected of killing a drug dealer.
#15 - By Hooker, by Crook
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/1990
When Logan and Greevey investigate how a family man came to be found unconscious in Central Park, they uncover a very high-class call girl operation run by a well-educated socialite.
#16 - Life Choice
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/8/1991
Stone faces pressure from the public and from Schiff as he prepares to prosecute the person accused of bombing an abortion clinic.
#17 - The Violence of Summer
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/5/1991
Greevey and Logan reopen an investigation to help Stone and Robinette build a stronger case against three boys accused of gang-raping a TV reporter.
#18 - The Reaper's Helper
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/1990
The death of a man with AIDS appears to be the work of a serial killer who may have been motivated by mercy.
#19 - Everybody's Favorite Bagman
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/30/1990
The mugging of a councilman leads the detectives to arrest a mobster, who in turn leads Stone and Robinette to corrupt city officials.
#20 - Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/11/1990
Stone has difficulty prosecuting a privileged preppie with a history of abusing his girlfriends after one of them dies at his hands.
#21 - Happily Ever After
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1990
Greevey and Logan have a hunch that robbery is a cover for the real motive in the death of a millionaire in a parking garage.
#22 - Subterranean Homeboy Blues
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/20/1990
The shooting of two black men by a white woman in a crowded subway initially appears to be a case of self-defense, but further investigation reveals revenge as a possible motive.