30 Best 'Law & Order' Episodes Ever
Dun-dun!
Law & Order has been a TV staple for decades. Dick Wolf's series spawned an entire franchise of spinoffs, including Law & Order: SVU, which became the longest-running live-action series in history with 24 seasons.
The Law & Order reboot, which premiered in February 2022, picked up where season 20 left off and reminded fans of what they were missing. The best Law & Order episodes of all time encompass all the twists, turns and tough-talk that we've come to love and expect from the long-running series. With 21 seasons and counting of Law & Order, narrowing these down was tough!
And if you're dying to tune in immediately? You can stream all of Law & Order from its very first season to now on Peacock.
Related: 13 Fun Facts About Law & Order: SVU
Best Law & Order Episodes of All Time
Law & Order Season 13, Episode 23: "Couples"
"Couples" leans all the way into the absurdity that the fictionalized NYPD faces, with Lennie Briscoe (the late yet immortal Jerry Orbach) and Ed Green (a priceless Jesse L. Martin) stuck investigating four separate murders. To top it all off, Briscoe ends up delivering a baby.
And you thought you had a long day at the office.
Law & Order Season 21, Episode 10: "Black and Blue"
One of the best episodes of the Law & Order reboot is "Black and Blue" for one big reason: Olivia Freakin' Benson! Mariska Hargitay guest stars in this crossover, which also serves as the season 21 finale and follows the aftermath of an off-duty NYPD cop's murder.
Related: Was the Law & Order Reboot Premiere Based on Bill Cosby?
Law & Order Season 10, Episode 2: "Killerz"
J.K. Simmons knocks it out of the park as psychiatrist Emil Skoda, fiercely debating with psychologist Elizabeth Olivet (played by Carolyn McCormick) over whether a sadistic 10-year-old girl can be rehabilitated following the murder of a young boy.
Law & Order Season 18, Episode 14: "Burn Card"
Gambling addiction takes center stage in "Burn Card." A gambling addict is murdered, and the primary suspect has ties to Green. Green kills the suspect, which opens a can of worms about his past and ends with him leaving the force—and with Martin exiting the series.
Law & Order Season 11, Episode 9: "Hubris"
Sam Waterston's iconic Jack McCoy can't believe his eyes when a con man (played perfectly by a magnetic Tim Guinee) acts as his own attorney and flirts with jurors while on trial for murder.
Related: Sam Waterston Reveals Why He Almost Passed on the Role of Jack McCoy
Law & Order Season 8, Episode 6: "Baby, It's You"
In a "ripped from the headlines" episode, Law & Order takes on the JonBenet Ramsey case in "Baby It's You." In addition to the salaciousness of the child model murder case, the episode also features John Munch (Richard Belzer), which is a welcome addition absolutely anywhere.
Law & Order Season 7, Episode 17: "Mayhem"
They weren't joking when they titled this episode "Mayhem." With inspiration from infamous true crime perps including Lorena Bobbitt, the Zodiac Killer and the Son of Sam, Briscoe and Logan (Chris Noth) have their hands beyond full of homicides in a single day—when all Briscoe wants to do is watch the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Related: The Best True Crime Documentaries
Law & Order Season 14, Episode 23: "Caviar Emptor"
When a wealthy, elderly caviar importer dies mysteriously just after marrying a much-younger lady, she obviously becomes a suspect. But like the very best of Law & Order, there are a lot more elements to the case, and this episode will keep viewers guessing until the very end.
Law & Order Season 20, Episode 23: "Rubber Room"
What was the series finale before the show was rebooted for its 21st season in 2022, "Rubber Room" encompasses almost all of the elements that fans adore about Law & Order as a whole: Drama in the officers' personal lives (most notably as S. Epatha Merkerson's Lt. Anita Van Buren battles cancer), a twisty terrorist whodunit and the squad rallying around one of their own.
Related: Mariska Hargitay Reveals Her Dream Ending for Olivia Benson
Law & Order Season 4, Episode 8: "American Dream"
Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) makes a murder case quite personal in "American Dream," going toe-to-toe with accused and acquitted killer Phillip Swann (Zeljko Ivanek). Aside from the dramatics of the case, their banter is more than enough reason to tune in, as Stone's frustration and anger is palpable.
Law & Order Season 14, Episode 1: "Bodies"
When does attorney-client privilege go too far? Ostensibly when a defendant's attorney has literally seen where the bodies are buried. Ritchie Coster guest stars as a serial killer so menacing that he toys with detectives for fun, knowing his own fate is inevitably sealed—even as his own lawyer (Alexander Chaplin) won't give up any details on his crimes.
Law & Order Season 3, Episode 8: "Prince of Darkness"
"Prince of Darkness" is dark indeed: Sgt. Phil Ceretta (Paul Sorvino) gets shot while investigating a double homicide linked to a drug cartel ... and that isn't even the most horrifying incident in the episode.
Law & Order Season 17, Episode 9: "Deadlock"
While a debate over whether Eli or Peyton Manning is the better quarterback makes "Deadlock" seem a bit of its 2006 moment, there are plenty of elements of the episode that are, unfortunately, timeless: Namely, mass shootings, including one involving children, and the politicization of victims of these senseless crimes.
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Law & Order Season 13, Episode 24: "Smoke"
Taking inspiration from Michael Jackson, "Smoke" features a comedian, not a pop star, who does things like dangling his baby over a balcony—but in this case, the child falls and dies. But is there more to the story than meets the eye (and the paparazzi lens)?
Law & Order Season 7, Episode 17: "Showtime"
The third episode in a three-part arc, "Showtime" concludes the case of a Hollywood director accused of murder. While you're obviously going to come to see how that story closes, you'll stay for guest star Lauren Graham as she charms Briscoe and Detective Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) on a Hollywood studio tour.
Law & Order Season 8, Episode 22: "Damaged"
While memorable for its tragic subplot about Briscoe's daughter, "Damaged" is a powerhouse for other reasons as well. Likely inspired by the 1989 rape of a mentally disabled teen girl in Glen Ridge, N.J., "Damaged" follows the sexual assault of an intellectually disabled high schooler by three of her classmates—but with the added twist of a teacher's murder. While this is territory that could be done very poorly in the hands of the wrong writers, the story is conveyed with nuance and a powerful performance from Lauren Ambrose.
Law & Order Season 1, Episode 9: "Indifference"
In one of the first truly great episodes of the series, "Indifference" is a heartbreaking glimpse at some of the harsh realities of child abuse. It's excruciating to watch, but handled with deft direction, writing and performances.
Law & Order Season 20, Episode 2: "Just a Girl In the World"
"Just a Girl In the World" sees a lot of drama for the squad: Van Buren learns of her cancer diagnosis, while Detective Cyrus "Lupes" Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) commits probably the biggest mistake ever in a murder investigation: Getting romantic with a suspect. (Seriously, what the heck was he thinking?!)
Look out for guest star Peter Scanavino, who wasn't yet our beloved SVU iconic Carisi.
Law & Order Season 10, Episode 15: "Fools for Love"
Benson and Eliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) join the investigation in "Fools for Love," in which guest star Ellen Pompeo's character is dating her sister's murderer—a man who likely killed more women as well. This episode is truly chilling, and when the truth finally comes out, it remains shocking, even on a re-watch.
Related: Fans React to Benson and Stabler's Confession
Law & Order Season 18, Episode 14: "Identity"
What happens when a murderer takes not just lives, but also identities? The twists in "Identity" are what make Law & Order so great, and proof that even in a show that often rips from the headlines, fiction usually is stranger than truth.
Law & Order Season 9, Episodes 23 and 24: "Refuge Pt. 1" and "Refuge Pt. 2"
With an arc that fully required the two-part episode it encompassed, we get to see Skoda and Olivet together for the first time as they work with a child witness to a Russian Mafia hit. As with most organized crime in the series and its spinoffs, there are plenty of layers to peel back before getting to the core of the case—with the added drama of a bomb threat to boot.
Related: Law & Order: SVU Star Mariska Hargitay on Helping Rape Victims
Law & Order Season 19, Episode 3: "Lost Boys"
Jena Malone delivers a heart-wrenching performance as a child bride desperately trying to get away from a cult in "Lost Boys." The episode raises questions of religious freedom in court, and Colm Meaney makes for quite a manipulative and charismatic cult leader.
Law & Order Season 12, Episode 9: "3 Dawg Night"
Though the plot itself in "3 Dawg Night" is a decent look at the Black community's mistrust of police (especially for an earlier episode of Law & Order), what really gets this episode on the list is the guest stars: A one-two punch of both Idris Elba and Kerry Washington.
Law & Order Season 16, Episode 22: "Invaders"
While investigating the homicides of four members of a family, one of McCoy's own is murdered, leading him to get very personally involved in prosecuting the suspected killers. With everything from Waterston's heartbreaking speeches as McCoy to a mock trial that leads to an actual one, "Invaders" is a fan-favorite for a reason.
Law & Order Season 6, Episode 21: "Pro Se"
"Pro Se" is as much an indictment on the mental healthcare system (or lack thereof) as it is on crime as a whole. A man suffering from schizophrenia (American Horror Story star Denis O'Hare) is accused of multiple homicides. The suspect refuses to take medication and elects to act as his own attorney, leading to a ton of courtroom drama.
Related: Law & Order SVU Star Mariska Hargitay's Net Worth
Law & Order Season 5, Episode 1: "Second Opinion"
In an episode that's somewhat tragically evergreen considering the rampant medical misinformation in recent years, "Second Opinion" follows a woman charged with murder after providing alternative breast cancer treatments to patients who died afterward.
Law & Order Season 10, Episode 1: "Gunshow"
The season 10 premiere takes on the gun industry: After five female medical students are murdered in a mass shooting in Central Park, an investigation finds that the gun manufacturer failed to use proper protocol to prevent the shooter from converting his semi-automatic weapon into an automatic machine gun. McCoy charges the gun manufacturer with mass murder.
Related: The Best True Crime Shows on Streaming
Law & Order Season 13, Episode 7: "Open Season"
Tovah Feldshuh guest stars as fan-favorite defense attorney Danielle Melnick, this time representing a white supremacist accused of murdering another defense attorney who repped a cop killer. Aside from the main plot twists in the case itself, McCoy's exchanges with Melnick make this episode a truly memorable one.
Law & Order Season 4, Episode 22: "Old Friends"
A phenomenal Allison Janney guest stars as a star witness taking on the Russian mob in "Old Friends." The case ends with much of the squad and D.A.s office wondering how much it matters to win when so much is at stake.
Related: The Best True Crime Podcasts
Law & Order Season 6, Episode 23: "Aftershock"
Capital punishment centers "Aftershock," the season 6 finale. The squad and D.A.'s office are forced to come to terms with the impacts of the death penalty after watching the execution of a suspect that they worked together to convict. The ending is harrowing and heartbreaking, a solemn reminder that it's truly impossible to leave this line of work at the office.
