Wolf developed the idea originally as a legal show in a half-hour format for syndication. He changed the format because he believed that a legal show would not be popular, and he thought if he combined it with a cop show, it would have a better change. In truth, this is not the first time this format has been used on television, for there was a 90-minute ABC series called Arrest and Trial on for one season in 1963-1964. That series was a more common television format, however, and was not as legally rigorous as Law & Order has proven to be.

The program is produced by Wolf through an association with Universal Television. The series is not only successful in its timeslot on NBC but has

Kathy McCormick, another writer on the show, agrees and notes,

The show that emerged in 1990 combined two television staples--the police drama and the courtroom drama. In this case, both were treated better than usual and were approached in near-documentary fashion, and the basic structure has remained the same, as described by critic Frank McConnell:

Another element that stands out is the way the law is presented. The shows often hinge not on tricks or confrontation as in most shows but on legal niceties based on the law as it exists and is administered in the state of New York. Many of the writers are lawyers, while others have some legal background. One writer for the show, Renee Balcer, who is also the executive producer, notes,

The first season, actor George Dzundza quit at the end of the first season, giving as his reason that he wanted to be in Los Angeles with his family instead of in New York where the show was filmed. The decision by Wolf to shoot in New York gave the show its unique look and access to a variety of New York actors not seen that often on television, and that decision contributed to the success of the show. However, it also contributed to the loss of Dzundza and his replacement the next year, Paul Sorvino. Some have argued that Dzundza actually quit because he was unhappy with the ensemble nature of the show and so with the fact that he was not getting enough screen time and was sharing the show too much with co-star Michael Moriarty, the primary assistant DA for the first four seasons. Paul Sorvino quit in the middle of the third season because he considered the weather too cold and was concerned about it damaging his voice--he was pursuing an opera career as well.

Having viewed virtually all 180-some shows produced so far, an observer would find that the show has a pattern which is reflected in the two-part structure noted above--the police investi