The WORST episodes of Law & Order

Every episode of Law & Order ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Law & Order!

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.

Last Updated: 10/8/2024Network: NBCStatus: Continuing
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Bailout
star
6.62
172 votes

#1 - Bailout

Season 19 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/11/2009

As detectives investigate the death of a bank executive's mistress, they uncover a kidnapping and extortion plot.

Directors: Jean de Segonzac
The Corporate Veil
star
6.72
305 votes

#2 - The Corporate Veil

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/14/1992

A teenager's fatal heart attack is traced to fraud and greed on the part of the manufacturer of his pacemaker and their supplier.

Directors: Don Scardino
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mother Love
star
6.77
293 votes

#3 - Mother Love

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/24/1993

The absence of a murder weapon complicates the investigation into the murder of a drug addict who stole from her family to support her habit.

Directors: Daniel Sackheim
Watch Now:Apple TV
Panic
star
6.83
190 votes

#4 - Panic

Season 10 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/16/2000

Briscoe and Green investigate the shooting of a best-selling mystery writer and the death of her accountant, with a love triangle as a possible motive for the crime.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Crimebusters
star
6.92
227 votes

#5 - Crimebusters

Season 19 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/11/2009

An unconscious war widow and her lifeless infant are found in the rubble of a bombed army recruitment center; Jack McCoy is forced to make one of the most unpopular decisions of his career.

Directors: Alex Chapple
Burden
star
6.93
185 votes

#6 - Burden

Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/24/1998

After a 12-year-old quadriplegic dies at home in his bed, paramedics claim that he was suffocated and the suspects include the boy's parents and sister.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Subterranean Homeboy Blues
star
6.96
602 votes

#7 - 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.

Directors: E.W. Swackhamer
Writer: Robert Palm
Watch Now:Apple TV
Conspiracy
star
6.98
305 votes

#8 - Conspiracy

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/1992

The assassination of an African-American leader leads to the arrest of a man whose ex-wife was suspected of having an affair with the victim.

Directors: Ed Sherin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sundown
star
6.98
198 votes

#9 - Sundown

Season 10 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/15/1999

A patient is found beaten to death in a hospital lounge -- and the resulting case involves infidelity, Alzheimer's disease and a ladies' man.

Directors: Jace Alexander
Watch Now:Apple TV
Happily Ever After
star
6.99
451 votes

#10 - 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.

Directors: Vern Gillum
Watch Now:Apple TV
His Hour Upon the Stage
star
7.00
313 votes

#11 - His Hour Upon the Stage

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/10/1991

The discovery of a frozen corpse in a dumpster leads to rival Broadway producers.

Directors: Steve Cohen
Watch Now:Apple TV
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die
star
7.03
500 votes

#12 - 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.

Directors: Charlie Correll
Watch Now:Apple TV
Disciple
star
7.03
150 votes

#13 - Disciple

Season 9 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/24/1999

After a teen is found dead in the emergency room, the investigation leads to a case involving a religious ritual and a defendant who claims that the action taken was dictated by a saint's voice.

Directors: Martha Mitchell
Watch Now:Apple TV
Angelgrove
star
7.03
168 votes

#14 - Angelgrove

Season 18 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/19/2008

A terrorist organization seems to be tied in with the violent death of an art dealer, until the victim's troubled son with ties to a fanatic religious group is investigated.

Directors: Darnell Martin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Doubles
star
7.04
175 votes

#15 - Doubles

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/18/1994

An assailant breaks the wrist of a tennis player prior to a tournament, and a competitor is among the suspects.

Directors: Ed Sherin
Star Struck
star
7.05
309 votes

#16 - Star Struck

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/7/1992

An obsessive fan pleads temporary insanity when he is charged with attempting to murder the soap-opera actress who is the center of his life.

Directors: Ed Sherin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Haven
star
7.07
145 votes

#17 - Haven

Season 9 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/10/1999

Briscoe and Curtis probe the murder of a popular Harlem community leader while McCoy and Carmichael struggle to prevent a chaotic situation.

Directors: David Platt
Watch Now:Apple TV
Wedded Bliss
star
7.07
280 votes

#18 - Wedded Bliss

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/1992

The discovery of a young woman's body in the river leads to an investigation of illegal sweatshops and the enslavement of young immigrants.

Directors: Vern Gillum
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sisters of Mercy
star
7.07
326 votes

#19 - Sisters of Mercy

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/3/1992

Cerreta and Logan investigate the accusation that a nun in charge of a shelter for teens molested a young addict.

Directors: Fred Gerber
Watch Now:Apple TV
Snatched
star
7.07
243 votes

#20 - Snatched

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/12/1994

A millionaire friend of Schiff's won't cooperate with the police following his son's kidnapping.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Harvest
star
7.07
242 votes

#21 - Harvest

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/29/1997

A discrepancy concerning the time of death of a drive-by shooting victim leads McCoy and Ross to initiate prosecutions against both the shooter and the doctor who harvested her organs as transplant donations.

Directors: Matthew Penn
Watch Now:Apple TV
Brilliant Disguise
star
7.08
204 votes

#22 - Brilliant Disguise

Season 20 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/8/2010

A young woman is found murdered in a hotel and the evidence leads to a medical student.

Directors: Alex Chapple
Watch Now:Apple TV
Endurance
star
7.08
176 votes

#23 - Endurance

Season 11 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/18/2000

After a disabled boy dies of smoke inhalation during a fire, his parents and a building tenant with a history of "accidental" fires become suspects.

Writer: Matt Witten
Watch Now:Apple TV
Black Tie
star
7.08
284 votes

#24 - Black Tie

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/1993

The police suspect a cover up when they receive an anonymous tip that a wealthy man was murdered by his wife, who refuses to allow an autopsy after a physician declares that the death occurred from natural causes.

Directors: Arthur W. Forney
Watch Now:Apple TV
In Memory of…
star
7.09
333 votes

#25 - In Memory of…

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/1991

The renovation of a brownstone uncovers the remains of a boy who disappeared 31 years earlier, reviving a wrenching and long-suppressed memory in his childhood friend and neighbor.

Directors: Ed Sherin
Watch Now:Apple TV