best episodes of Law & Order poster

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

24 Seasons
515 Episodes
Returning Series
Crime Drama
Cast & Characters
episode image Aftershock
9.1/10 (913 votes)

#1 Aftershock

S6:E23

After Briscoe, Curtis, McCoy, and Kincaid witness the execution of a criminal they brought to justice, their unique reactions to the event culminate in personal tragedies for each of them.

episode image Pro Se
8.8/10 (567 votes)

#2 Pro Se

S6:E21

The investigation into multiple homicides at a clothing store leads to the arrest of a schizophrenic who presents McCoy with a formidable opponent when he decides to represent himself.

episode image Invaders
8.8/10 (477 votes)

#3 Invaders

S16:E22

The family of a man who once turned his customers into the police is slain, and the ensuing fracas pits McCoy against a corrupt D.E.A. agent.

episode image Couples
8.7/10 (459 votes)

#4 Couples

S13:E23

Briscoe and Green catch four murders and a kidnapping on the same day, and get handed confessions in each case.

episode image Bodies
8.6/10 (487 votes)

#5 Bodies

S14:E1

While investigating the death of a teenaged girl, the detectives stumble on a pattern of crimes that indicate they are after a serial killer. The suspect, however, puts the prosecutors through an ethical ringer when he discloses his attorney's knowledge of the victims and their whereabouts.

episode image Identity
8.6/10 (420 votes)

#6 Identity

S14:E6

When a man is found murdered shortly after depositing almost $400,000 in his savings account, the investigation into the source of funds reveals that the victim ran an identity theft scam which left an elderly man homeless and impoverished.

episode image Rubber Room
8.6/10 (456 votes)

#7 Rubber Room

S20:E23

Detectives search for an anonymous blogger who has posted plans to blow up a school. Lt. Van Buren struggles to keep her personal issues private.

episode image Refuge (1)
8.5/10 (375 votes)

#8 Refuge (1)

S9:E23

A shootout between a motorist and the police leads to the discovery of a gruesome Russian mob killing --- and a traumatized boy who was an eyewitness to the murder.

episode image Refuge (2)
8.5/10 (383 votes)

#9 Refuge (2)

S9:E24

McCoy and Carmichael risk violating the civil liberties of witnesses when they are forced to jail them in order to safely continue their investigation.

episode image Indifference
8.4/10 (576 votes)

#10 Indifference

S1:E9

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.

episode image American Dream
8.4/10 (359 votes)

#11 American Dream

S4:E8

A skeleton unearthed at a building site resurrects one of Stone's old cases, and brings him face to face with the tenacious, brilliant culprit, who is seeking a new trial.

episode image C.O.D.
8.4/10 (371 votes)

#12 C.O.D.

S14:E24

Briscoe bids farewell to the 27 as the prosecution of two women for killing each other's husbands comes to a successful conclusion.

episode image Red Ball
8.4/10 (336 votes)

#13 Red Ball

S16:E1

A young girl is abducted in broad daylight, and the only link to the girl is an ex-convict who wants a deal before he's willing to talk.

episode image Criminal Law
8.4/10 (333 votes)

#14 Criminal Law

S16:E9

The deaths of three women with the same name lead Fontana and Green to the nine-year-old conviction of Leland Barnes, who had shot and killed his wife in an office full of people. With two of the three witnesses against him dead and Jack McCoy on the hit list, the detectives struggle to determine how Barnes, who has been in prison the entire time, got someone on the outside to kill the only people who could keep him in jail. The investigation leads them to Leland's two sons, with surprising results.

episode image By Perjury
8.4/10 (316 votes)

#15 By Perjury

S19:E9

The murder of the plaintiff in a high-profile lawsuit against a major airline leads detectives to a defense attorney (Dallas Roberts) who is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure his big payday.

episode image Last Dance
8.4/10 (292 votes)

#16 Last Dance

S23:E5

When a woman is found murdered in Central Park, evidence points to two frequent park-goers: a street vendor and a tech billionaire. In the face of extreme political pressure, McCoy takes drastic action to make the case.

episode image Helpless
8.3/10 (408 votes)

#17 Helpless

S3:E6

Dr. Olivet accuses her gynecologist of rape, but Stone finds his case in trouble when he discovers that Olivet tape-recorded the crime.

episode image Prince of Darkness
8.3/10 (415 votes)

#18 Prince of Darkness

S3:E8

Cerreta poses as a weapons dealer to help Stone build a case against a Columbian hit man, but the deal takes an unexpected turn, resulting in bloodshed.

episode image Old Friends
8.3/10 (379 votes)

#19 Old Friends

S4:E22

A truck hits a pedestrian and the investigation reveals the victim's link to a baby-food company in which a new partner has connections to the Russian mob.

episode image Corruption
8.3/10 (389 votes)

#20 Corruption

S7:E5

Curtis, angered by the attitude of an old colleague of Briscoe's, looks beyond the findings of an IAB investigation and turns up evidence of police corruption that puts the DA's office into competition with an ambitious judge and Briscoe under investigation for stealing evidence from a police lockup.

episode image Showtime
8.3/10 (372 votes)

#21 Showtime

S7:E17

The trial of Eddie Newman begins but the prosecution's chances of conviction are hampered by a "dream team" of defense attorneys, Gorton's personal pressures on Ross, the public questioning of the relationship between Curtis and Lisa Lundquist, and a surprise accusation.

episode image Double Down
8.3/10 (349 votes)

#22 Double Down

S7:E19

The cops' best hope of finding a kidnapped hired car driver alive is one of the armed robbers who grabbed him after a job, but the immunity deal he demands in return would effectively preclude his prosecution for the shooting death of an off-duty cop, placing McCoy in a difficult position as he seeks to placate the cops, who want the guy prosecuted, and the kidnapped man's wife, who wants every avenue of saving her husband explored.

episode image Terminal
8.3/10 (356 votes)

#23 Terminal

S7:E23

The cops uncover a man with a secret second life as they try to learn who opened fire on a group of people disembarking from a party cruise, but his guilt or innocence becomes almost a second thought as Schiff goes toe to toe with the governor and the States Attorney General over the decision to seek the death penalty.

episode image Blood
8.3/10 (432 votes)

#24 Blood

S8:E7

The paternity of a black baby given up for adoption by a white mother might provide a clue to her murderer but it also unearths some long buried family secrets.

episode image Killerz
8.3/10 (470 votes)

#25 Killerz

S10:E2

Briscoe and Green believe a 10-year-old is responsible for a child's death, and McCoy wants her isolated to stop any future fatalities.

episode image Acid
8.3/10 (319 votes)

#26 Acid

S16:E10

After the daughter of one of Van Buren's college friends is found dead in her room, a suicide, Van Buren joins Green and Fontana in hunting down the man who burned her face with acid months earlier, ultimately leading to her suicide. Van Buren is unsucces

episode image Burn Card
8.3/10 (365 votes)

#27 Burn Card

S18:E14

Internal affairs takes a special interest in Detective Green after a gambler is found dead by his bullet, and the investigation turns up a part of his past he's taken pains to conceal.

episode image For the Defense
8.3/10 (335 votes)

#28 For the Defense

S20:E9

A case that begins as a search for a missing witness spirals into a murder conspiracy with ADA Connie Rubirosa caught in the middle.

episode image Profile
8.2/10 (361 votes)

#29 Profile

S4:E4

Stone finds himself up against an ambitious black lawyer defending a white, racist serial killer.

episode image Mayhem
8.2/10 (399 votes)

#30 Mayhem

S4:E17

During a 24-hour period, Briscoe and Logan have a heavy caseload that includes 5 unrelated murders and a domestic quarrel, which results in the maiming of the husband.

episode image Bad Faith
8.2/10 (319 votes)

#31 Bad Faith

S5:E20

Logan relives unhappy childhood memories when a friend is found dead, a presumed suicide, until the investigation reveals recent contact with a former priest, with a history of pedophilia.

episode image Encore
8.2/10 (398 votes)

#32 Encore

S6:E15

A jogger killed in Central Park turns out to be the second wife of a former comedy club owner, who was acquitted of killing his first wife. And convicting him this time may hinge on tracing the path of a Columbian coin used as a subway token slug.

episode image Mad Dog
8.2/10 (388 votes)

#33 Mad Dog

S7:E18

McCoy becomes obsessed with nailing a serial rapist recently released on parole and pushes the cops perilously close to harassment as he attempts to connect the man with a new rape and murder matching his previous M.O.

episode image We Like Mike
8.2/10 (356 votes)

#34 We Like Mike

S7:E20

A young man who claims to have helped a murdered young man change a flat tire is first the cops' primary suspect, then the prosecutors' chief witness.

episode image Shadow
8.2/10 (365 votes)

#35 Shadow

S8:E8

The murder of a bail bondsman looks fairly routine until the chance words of the chief suspect uncovers possible case-fixing between a shady lawyer and an unknown contact within the judicial system.

episode image Under the Influence
8.2/10 (356 votes)

#36 Under the Influence

S8:E11

After Briscoe and Curtis finally determine who was driving the car that killed three people, the legal prosecution stands in danger of becoming a kangaroo court when McCoy's feelings over Kincaid mesh with the political agenda of an ambitious judge anxious to make an example of the defendant.

episode image Agony
8.2/10 (364 votes)

#37 Agony

S9:E5

After the detectives find a murdered postman and a woman who was left for dead in her apartment, the investigation leads to a serial killer and a surprise.

episode image Fools For Love
8.2/10 (414 votes)

#38 Fools For Love

S10:E15

After the bodies of two teens are found, the detectives trace their identities and learn that one of them had a sister who was traveling with the girls.

episode image Hubris
8.2/10 (352 votes)

#39 Hubris

S11:E9

An assistant manager at a jewelers discovers four bodies at the store, leading to the prosecution of an amiable murder suspect who insists on representing himself, and winning the admiration of a female juror.

episode image Myth of Fingerprints
8.2/10 (321 votes)

#40 Myth of Fingerprints

S12:E7

A murder investigation uncovers deliberately faulty forensics in the wrongful conviction of two men 12 years earlier in the case that paved the way for Van Buren's promotion.

Cast & Chracters

character image Jalen Shaw

Jalen Shaw

Actor: Mehcad Brooks
character image Vincent Riley

Vincent Riley

Actor: Reid Scott
character image Jessica Brady

Jessica Brady

Actor: Maura Tierney
character image Nicholas Baxter

Nicholas Baxter

Actor: Tony Goldwyn
character image Nolan Price

Nolan Price

Actor: Hugh Dancy
character image Samantha Maroun

Samantha Maroun

Actor: Odelya Halevi

The highest rated episode of Law & Order is "Aftershock" (S6E23) with a rating of 9.10.

This episode received 913 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Free Speech" (S21E5) with a rating of 6.10.

This episode received 491 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Indifference" (S1E9) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 576 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Prisoner Of Love" (S1E10) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 473 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Confession" (S2E1) with a rating of 7.90.

This episode received 446 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "His Hour Upon The Stage" (S2E11) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 348 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Helpless" (S3E6) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 408 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Securitate" (S3E20) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 296 votes.

The highest rated episode is "American Dream" (S4E8) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 359 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Doubles" (S4E21) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 303 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Bad Faith" (S5E20) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 319 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Scoundrels" (S5E9) with a rating of 7.40.

This episode received 307 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Aftershock" (S6E23) with a rating of 9.10.

This episode received 913 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Rebels" (S6E2) with a rating of 7.30.

This episode received 364 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Corruption" (S7E5) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 389 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Entrapment" (S7E9) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 301 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Blood" (S8E7) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 432 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Castoff" (S8E13) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 329 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Refuge (1)" (S9E23) with a rating of 8.50.

This episode received 375 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Haven" (S9E12) with a rating of 7.30.

This episode received 292 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Killerz" (S10E2) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 470 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Untitled" (S10E20) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 281 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Hubris" (S11E9) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 352 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Whose Monkey is it Anyway?" (S11E10) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 278 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Myth of Fingerprints" (S12E7) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 321 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Fire This Time" (S12E8) with a rating of 6.90.

This episode received 252 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Couples" (S13E23) with a rating of 8.70.

This episode received 459 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Wheel" (S13E9) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 286 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Bodies" (S14E1) with a rating of 8.60.

This episode received 487 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Embedded" (S14E8) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 277 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Fluency" (S15E14) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 293 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Paradigm" (S15E1) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 300 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Invaders" (S16E22) with a rating of 8.80.

This episode received 477 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Age of Innocence" (S16E4) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 269 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Deadlock" (S17E9) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 304 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Melting Pot" (S17E15) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 267 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Burn Card" (S18E14) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 365 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Misbegotten" (S18E3) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 291 votes.

The highest rated episode is "By Perjury" (S19E9) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 316 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Rapture" (S19E14) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 257 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Rubber Room" (S20E23) with a rating of 8.60.

This episode received 456 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Brazil" (S20E18) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 283 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Filtered Life" (S21E3) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 410 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Free Speech" (S21E5) with a rating of 6.10.

This episode received 491 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Appraisal" (S22E21) with a rating of 7.90.

This episode received 219 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Private Lives" (S22E19) with a rating of 6.80.

This episode received 262 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Last Dance" (S23E5) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 292 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Freedom of Expression" (S23E1) with a rating of 6.60.

This episode received 394 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Bad Apple" (S24E8) with a rating of 7.80.

This episode received 176 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "In God We Trust" (S24E13) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 131 votes.

Name Department Job
Arthur Penn Production Executive Producer
David Shore Production Producer
Dick Wolf Production Executive Producer
William M. Finkelstein Production Executive Producer

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