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You are here: Experts > TV/Radio > Cop TV Shows > Law & Order > Law & Order 'back stories'
Law & Order - Law & Order 'back stories'
Expert: Kitt Montague - 8/28/2008
Question
Hi. Hope this question isn't too long.
I am a big L & O fan but cannot find the following:
I'd like to know the "back story" or real plot line that explains the comings and goings of ALL the major characters.
For example, I recall that Logan's first partner (I think played by Paul Sorvino) died. But wasn't there some other partner?
And I think that Briscoe (the best!) came on to join Logan and that he had been a good cop who then went on the bottle. But I don't know how he got demoted (?) to work homicide.
Then Logan punched a congressman or something which brought on Green. What was his history? Worked in narcotics?
And then how did they write Briscoe off the show? And what then was Fontana's story. Etc, etc, etc.
I have the same evolution questions about Schiff to Diane Wiest's character to Branch.
And then all of McCoy's assistant DAs. How did they come on and how did they get written off. (And with whom did McCoy potentially have affairs? And how did they write off Stone to get McCoy?
Big questions, I know. (And I have more!)
Thanks so much.
Answer
This is a big question, parts of which have been answered by me elsewhere on All Experts. But here are the basics behind those departures; for more extended information, you should get a copy of Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion, by Susan Green and Kevin Courrier -- there are used and new ones on Amazon.com. Those cover the show up to 1999.
Be aware, though -- these are giving away story! You might want to ignore this whole answer and just look at the episode guide (www.epguides.com) to see what season was the last for any particular character, and do your best to catch that episode. But it's up to you.
If you're still reading, though:
Cops
Sgt. Det. Max Greevey (Logan's first partner) (George Dzundza)
Already a cop on the show when it started.
Killed by a perp in whose case he had testified. ("Confession")
Sgt. Phil Ceretta (Paul Sorvino)
Had worked in another precinct, came on when Greevey's death left an opening at the 27th Precinct.
Shot in "Prince of Darkness," decided to accept a desk job elsewhere that was safer.
Det. Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach)
Longtime cop, came to the 27 when Ceretta departed. Definitely not a demotion to work homicide; the homicide detectives are some of the best-paid and most revered on the force. He had a drinking problem at one point but appeared to have overcome it without it ruining his career (though there were a few episodes where they explored some of the mistakes he made while on the bottle).
Retired, but briefly came back to work as an investigator for the DA's office (he was to have been a semi-regular on "Trial By Jury" but then later it was reported the character had died. Not much detail ever provided as it coincided with the death of Orbach.
Det. Michael Logan (Chris Noth)
On the show when it started.
Punched a homobphobic city councilman, was demoted to "walking a beat" in Staten Island ("Pride"). Made an attempt to return to homicide in the 2-hour film "Exiled," but ended up outing a member of the 2-7 as a sort-of bad guy.
Left Staten Island to work on Major Case Squad (L&O: CI) and just recently left that show, presumably due to disillusionment/anger issues, and it was proably time to retire, but that'll be resolved in the new season.
Det. Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt)
Joined the 27 when Logan left.
Departed to take care of his wife, who had MS.
Det. Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin)
Joined the 27 when Curtis left. Previous record unexplored largely, except that he likes to gamble.
Departed after a scandal where he was indicted after a shooting. The charges were dropped and he was welcomed back, but he decided to leave anyway.
Det. Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina)
Various shows indicate he was with homicide in The Bronx, and even the Special Victims Unit prior to coming to the 27th precinct.
Left when he decided to retire.
Det. Nina Cassady (Milena Govich)
After a shootout at a beauty parlor she got transferred to the 27th precinct.
After she lost her temper with a suspect, Van Buren upbraided her and said she might not have a future there in homicide; the next season she was just gone.
Det. Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto)
Had been with NYPD Intelligence Division, investigating terrorists; before that he was a patrolman.
Still with the show.
Det. Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson)
He was an IAD detective in "Burn Card" and investigated the shooting that Ed Green got in trouble for; Bernard replaced Green after Green left.
Still on the show.
Capt. Don Cragen (Dann Florek)
Started with show when it debuted.
Promoted out of unit, ultimately ended up at Special Victims Unit.
Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson)
5 years as a cop and 7 years in undercover narcotics before coming to head up the 27th Precinct when Cragen departed.
Still on the show.
Lawyers
ADA: Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks)
Last Episode: "Benevolence" (1993)
Reason for Departure: None. Though in later episodes, when he came back as a defense attorney, he commented that once EADA Ben Stone told him he'd eventually have to decide if he was a black district attorney or a district attorney who happened to be black (or something like that) and ultimately Robinette decided he was black first, and then an attorney, so he had to leave The Man.
ADA: Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy)
Last Episode: "Aftershock" (1996)
Reason for Departure: Died in a car accident.
ADA: Jamie Ross (Carey Lowell)
Last Episode: "Monster" (1998)
Reason for Departure: Ex husband was going to take full custody of her kid on the basis that she wasn't around enough, so she left.
ADA: Abbie Carmichael (Angie Harmon)
Last Episode: "Deep Vote" (2001)
Reason for Departure: Offered a job with the U.S. Attorney's office.
ADA: Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm)
Last Episode: "Ain't No Love" (2005)
Reason for Departure: Fired (but gently) by DA; for several episodes they'd built up to how she was clashing with the way the DA's office pursued cases. She then revealed in the final seconds that she was a lesbian by asking if that's why she was being fired, and they firmly denied it.
ADA: Alexandra Borgia (Annie Parisse)
Last Episode: "Invaders" (2006)
Reason for Departure: Killed in a home invasion.
ADA: Connie Rubirosa (Alana De La Garza)
Still on the show!
EADA: Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty)
Last Episode: "Old Friends" (1994)
Reason for Departure: Disillusioned with himself and his job after a witness to a crime, who he promised to protect and pushed to testify, is killed by the Russian mob.
EADA/DA: Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston)
Presumably, McCoy was in the offices when Stone was there, and no doubt they knew one another. We just never saw his cases until Stone left. He's now the District Attorney.
Affairs had: This is a whole can of worms; I highly recommend checking out the character Web page here: http://www.podengo.com/apocrypha/characters/mccoy.html
EADA: Michael Cutter (Linus Roache)
Not much has been explored with him; he's been with the DA's office for a while and risen to the position of EADA, but that's about it.
DA Alfred Wentworth (Roy Thinnes)
On the pilot, never seen again. No details!
DA Adam Schiff
On the show when it started. Wentworth never mentioned; he's assumed to have been in office for ages, a la Morgenthau.
Left to work for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
DA Nora Lewin (Dianne Wiest)
Only an interim placeholder until an election can be held. A former law professor appointed by the Governor.
Not stated on the show why she left.
DA Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson)
Elected to the office, but no reason for departure ever given, only that Jack McCoy was installed (again, an interim placeholder) until an election can be held.
Finally, you may want to sign up on a mailing list to discuss questions with other L&O fans. I'm happy to answer these things but you may find out more by going on with them. I co-run a list you can find more about here: http://www.podengo.com/apocrypha/list.html
Hope this has been helpful!
--Kitt
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