The tenth season of Law & Order premiered on NBC, September 22, 1999 alongside Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and ended May 24, 2000. Executive Producers René Balcer and Ed Sherin both left the show at the end of the season. This is the final season to feature Steven Hill as Adam Schiff, who was the last original cast member.

Law & Order
Season 10
Season 10 U.S. DVD cover
No. of episodes24
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 22, 1999 (1999-09-22) –
May 24, 2000 (2000-05-24)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 9
Next →
Season 11
List of episodes

Cast

edit

This is the first season to feature Ed Green (played by Jesse L. Martin) who replaced seasons 6–9's Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) in the role of junior detective. This season marked the first Law & Order spinoff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Law & Order: SVU), which features Dann Florek reprising his role of Captain Donald Cragen from the first three seasons of Law & Order. Florek/Cragen appears in both parts of a two-part crossover between the two shows this season, and four other Law & Order: SVU characters appear in episodes of the original series over this season. Steven Hill, who played Adam Schiff, left the series at the end of the 10th season.

Main cast

edit

Recurring cast

edit

Departure of Steven Hill

edit

Steven Hill, who played Adam Schiff, was the last first-season member to leave the series; he left at the end of this 10th season and was replaced by Dianne Wiest.

Episodes

edit
No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)
2061"Gunshow"Ed SherinRené BalcerSeptember 22, 1999 (1999-09-22)E110618.63[2]

A murderer's shooting spree of female medical school students in Central Park prompts Briscoe and his new partner, Detective Ed Green, to trace the murder weapon's origin; McCoy makes it his mission to punish both the killer and the gun manufacturer.

2072"Killerz"Constantine MakrisRichard SwerenSeptember 29, 1999 (1999-09-29)E110318.66[3]

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.

2083"DNR"David PlattS : William N. Fordes;
T : Kathy McCormick
October 6, 1999 (1999-10-06)E110917.90[4]

As Briscoe and Green investigate the shooting of Denise Grobman a judge, suspicion quickly points to her husband Walter as the person who ordered the hit, but McCoy's case is hindered when she refuses to implicate her husband during the trial.

2094"Merger"Stephen WertimerLynn MametOctober 13, 1999 (1999-10-13)E110116.84[5]
The murder of Christie Garrison a drug-laden teen presents Briscoe and Green with a host of suspects from her wealthy family.
2105"Justice"Matthew PennS : William N. Fordes;
S/T : Gerry Conway
November 10, 1999 (1999-11-10)E110417.70[6]
After the murder of Martin Felder a lawyer, McCoy finds himself on the opposite side of the courtroom from his former colleague, Jamie Ross, when she defends a man who claims to have key evidence that could put to death a man McCoy believes was wrongly convicted.
2116"Marathon"Jace AlexanderRichard Sweren & Matt WittenNovember 17, 1999 (1999-11-17)E110517.69[7]
A frustrating investigation of Eva Harrison a purse-snatching victim who was fatally shot leads to tension between Briscoe and Green over age and racial innuendos. Briscoe notices his partner has developed a dangerous habit.
2127"Patsy"David PlattRené Balcer & Lynne E. LittNovember 24, 1999 (1999-11-24)E110217.64[8]
The investigation that follows the discovery of Cecilia Knowles a comatose woman in her apartment leads to an unusual case involving murder and a possible frame-up, despite the prosecution having key DNA evidence to the contrary.
2138"Blood Money"Matthew PennBarry SchindelDecember 1, 1999 (1999-12-01)E111115.24[9]
A taxi driver finds that his passenger Peter Grimaldi is dead, leading the detectives to a case involving an insurance scam and Holocaust victims.
2149"Sundown"Jace AlexanderS : William N. Fordes;
S/T : Krista Vernoff
December 15, 1999 (1999-12-15)E110719.29[10]
A patient Marjorie Hallenbeck is found beaten to death in a hospital lounge — and the resulting case involves infidelity, Alzheimer's disease, and a ladies' man.
21510"Loco Parentis"Constantine MakrisRichard Sweren & Matt WittenJanuary 5, 2000 (2000-01-05)E111518.28[11]
After sanitation workers find a teenage boy's body, the investigation leads to a school bully who displays an avid interest in martial-arts weapons, and whose father bought the murder weapon.
21611"Collision"David PlattS : William N. Fordes;
S/T : Gerry Conway
January 26, 2000 (2000-01-26)E111618.13[12]
The investigation of the death of Karen Brewster, a schizophrenic woman, leads to a case involving Harvey Bauer, a homeless man, and his right to refuse medication.
21712"Mother's Milk"Richard DobbsLynn Mamet & Barry SchindelFebruary 9, 2000 (2000-02-09)E111018.38[13]
Bloodstains in an apartment that belonged to Amy and James Beltran a young couple with a baby leads to the separated parents, each of whom claims that the other has the infant. The baby is later found dead.
21813"Panic"Constantine MakrisS : Kathy McCormick & Matt Witten;
T : William N. Fordes & Lynn Mamet
February 16, 2000 (2000-02-16)E111717.92[14]
Briscoe and Green investigate the shooting of Carolyn Tyler a best-selling mystery writer and the death of her accountant, with a love triangle involving the author's consulting FBI agent (Tom Berenger) as a possible motive for the crime.
21914"Entitled"Ed SherinS : Dick Wolf, René Balcer & Robert Palm;
T : Richard Sweren
February 18, 2000 (2000-02-18)E111218.92[14]

The focus of the case previously investigated in "Mayhem" (1994) returns to a politically-influential family; during the course of the trial, McCoy finds the powerful matriarch to be a formidable opponent.

This is part two of a two-part episode that begins on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Guest stars Richard Belzer as John Munch; Dann Florek as Donald Cragen; Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson; Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler
22015"Fools for Love"Christopher MisianoKathy McCormick & Lynne E. LittFebruary 23, 2000 (2000-02-23)E111315.11[16]

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

Guest stars: Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler. Ellen Pompeo also guest stars.

Note: Inspired by Karla Homolka, who helped rape and murder her sister and two other young girls.[15]
22116"Trade This"Jace AlexanderS : René Balcer;
S/T : Barry Schindel
March 1, 2000 (2000-03-01)E111818.32[17]
The murder of Sean Alvarez a stockbroker points to a coworker and supervisor (Michael Gross) involved with organized crime when a hired hit man kills the prime suspect.
22217"Black, White and Blue"Constantine MakrisS : Richard Sweren;
T : Matt Witten;
S/T : Lynne E. Litt
March 22, 2000 (2000-03-22)E112018.67[18]
The murder of Michael Tobin a young white man in Harlem sparks outrage when it is discovered that two police officers Smith and Flannery intentionally dropped him off in a known crime prone neighborhood.
22318"Mega"David PlattLynn Mamet & William N. FordesApril 5, 2000 (2000-04-05)E112117.99[19]
The investigation into a helicopter bombing points to a victim's wife and her unconventional financial adviser (Michael McKean).
22419"Surrender Dorothy"Martha MitchellBarry Schindel & Matt WittenApril 26, 2000 (2000-04-26)E112518.46[20]
The body of Dorothy Graham a teacher, suspected of having an affair, is found in a car trunk and the investigation involves her husband and father-in-law, both of whom are psychiatrists.
22520"Untitled"Jace AlexanderS : Richard Sweren;
S/T : Barry M. Schkolnick
May 3, 2000 (2000-05-03)E112416.42[21]
A wealthy woman Lucy Young, a patron of the arts, is found dead in her apartment and the ensuing investigation leads to a suspect whose violence was spurred by a painting similar to the crime scene.
22621"Narcosis"Constantine MakrisKathy McCormick & Lynne E. LittMay 10, 2000 (2000-05-10)E112318.64[22]
The discovery of Lorraine Shelby a strangled prostitute's body leads to a case involving illegal immigrants and a family grappling with internet addiction.
22722"High & Low"Richard DobbsS : William N. Fordes;
S/T : Gerry Conway
May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17)E112217.49[23]
Detectives Briscoe and Green probe the strangulation of Leslie Cavanaugh, a college student who moonlighted as a stripper, and while they believe a pair of drug-dealing skinheads committed the murder, they struggle to determine the motive of the strip club owner who paid them for the hit. However, as they work their way up the ladder of complicity, the cops learn that the slaying is keyed to an insider trading scam that forces McCoy to connect a former porn star with a businessman.
22823"Stiff"Jace AlexanderS : René Balcer;
S/T : Hall Powell
May 24, 2000 (2000-05-24)E111915.12[24]
The detectives' investigation into why a wealthy woman is comatose involves her husband, daughter, and doctor (John Slattery).
22924"Vaya Con Dios"Christopher MisianoRené Balcer & Richard SwerenMay 24, 2000 (2000-05-24)E110819.48[24]

The death of an elderly man trying to find who was responsible for the torture-killing of his son in Chile in 1973 leads to a former high-ranking Chilean Army officer who is in New York receiving cancer treatments at a Manhattan hospital.

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Rogers, Abby (March 21, 2012). "15 True Stories That Inspired Your Favorite 'Law & Order' Episodes". Business Insider. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. September 29, 1999. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 27–Oct. 3)". The Los Angeles Times. October 6, 1999. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 4-10)". The Los Angeles Times. October 13, 1999. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  5. ^ "Prime-Time TV Rankings". The Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1999. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 8-14)". The Los Angeles Times. November 17, 1999. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  7. ^ "Clipped from the Los Angeles Times". The Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1999. p. 178.
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 22-28)". The Los Angeles Times. December 1, 1999. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  9. ^ "Dateline: Week Of December 8, 1999 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  10. ^ "Clipped from the Los Angeles Times". The Los Angeles Times. December 22, 1999. p. 103.
  11. ^ "Dateline: Week Of January 8, 2000 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 24-30)". The Los Angeles Times. February 2, 2000. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  13. ^ "Dateline: Week Of February 15, 2000 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Tech & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 14-20)". The Los Angeles Times. February 24, 2000. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  15. ^ "Bernardo murders inspire Law & Order episode". CBC News. November 10, 1999. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 21-27)". The Los Angeles Times. March 1, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. 
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 28-March 5)". The Los Angeles Times. March 8, 2000. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  18. ^ "Dateline: Week Of March 22, 2000 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Tech & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  19. ^ "Dateline: Week Of April 8, 2000 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. May 3, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. 
  21. ^ "Top 20 Network Primetime Report". Zap2it. Archived from the original on August 19, 2000. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  22. ^ "Top 20 Network Primetime Report". Zap2it. Archived from the original on August 19, 2000. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. May 24, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. 
  24. ^ a b "Top 20 Network Primetime Report". Zap2it. Archived from the original on August 16, 2001. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
edit
Preceded by
Season Nine
(1998-1999)
List of Law & Order seasons
(1990-2010)
Succeeded by
Season Eleven
(2000-2001)