You know, the older shows, with George Dzunda and Michael Moriarty. TNT seems to be showing the newer shows, which is fine, and sometimes “older” new shows, with Jill Hennessey as McCoy’s assistant and Chris Noth (yummy!) as a detective, but the first seasons seem to be off air. Is it some sort of residual thing with the other actors?
I was just wondering this myself. My wife and I usually turn on TNT’s L&O reruns after work. It’s exceedingly rare to see an episode from the first 3-4 seasons, but past that, they mix it up pretty well. My theory is that Jack McCoy is the show’s most popular character, and they don’t think viewers want to see episodes from before his tenure.
Well, they’re wrong. As much as I love Jack, I also liked Ben Stone. He very rarely got angry, also pushed the envelope (but not as much as Jack) and you could tell when he was pissed at someone because he would call them, “Sir.” There was one early episode NBC refused to air more than once (it dealth with abortion, natch) and Cragen was more crotchety before he moved over to SVU.
The show has aged very well, and I wouldn’t mind seeing the pilot, “Everybody’s Favorite Bagman” again.
I haven’t seen a Claire episode in years. Pity, too, definitely yummy.
Mentioning the old episodes made me think about the DVD release. Can you imagine the box set once all the spinoffs run their course? It’ll have to have wheels on it.
They show them on TNT - I’ve seen them relatively recently (within the last few months), but remember, L&O has been around forever - they’re this close to 400 episodes.
According to IMDB, of those 400, of those, Jill Hennessy (Claire Kincaid) was only in 86, Michael Moriarty (Ben Stone) was only in 88, and George Dzundza was only in 22. In reruns, you’re far more likely to see Jerry Orbach or Sam Waterston (who were in nearly 3/4s of the episodes). Especially since TNT tends to run them in chronologicalish order. If you miss the week where they show the first season they won’t show those episodes again for a while.
TNT shows them every now and then – I just caught one in the last couple of weeks. I bet part of the reason they don’t show as frequently is that there just aren’t as many of them. I mean, Jack’s been on since, what, season 3?
And I don’t know if this factors into TNT’s L&O schedule, but the old ones really look old these days. I didn’t notice it as much a few years ago, but they seem awfully dated, now. Not that I think that’s a bad thing, but TPTB at TNT might.
ETA: great minds, eh, amarinth? 
I saw one last week from early in the run. It had Dzunda and Noth as detectives Greevey and Logan, and Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone. It is rare, though to see one without Jerry Orbach or Sam Waterston. I had not been aware Noth was on the show before Orbach.
Any ep with Jerry Orbach is fine by me. I adored Lenny Briscoe.
According to Wiki L & O has been shop on film in widescreen format since at least 1994 (I suppose in anticipation of HD). So there’s a reason the first three seasons look old.
Phooey. I must have missed it. I also liked the Paul Sorvino two-parter where he got shot…that was a chilling episode. Noth was on the show from the beginning.
So many cool actors in the early shows, James Earl Jones, William Macy, Christine Baranski. It’s also funny to see current ADA’s as earlier guest stars…even Lennie played a defense attorney way back when.
Kid on stairs: Are you The Man?
Dzundza: Yeah, kid, I guess we are.
Favorite series premier ever!
And I always have loved Ben Stone. In college we adopted his “Sir” for times when we were mad.
Didn’t one of the early ones have them dealing with the Soviet consul?
Yeah, didn’t Robinette have a hightop fade?
For crying out loud, the series has been on for nearly 20 years! I remember seeing Abby Carmichael with a huge cell phone…and she’s a fairly recent ADA!
I don’t care about dated…I want to see some of the classics, dammit!
Don’t forget about Carey Lowell, who replaced Jill Hennessy! I couldn’t forget if I tried. She was only on for 2 seasons I think.
According to imdb, Carey Lowell was on from 1996-2001.
Jack’s assistants have gone downhill since Abby, I think. Elisabeth Rohm was painful, Annie Parisse was barely there, and Alana de la Garza is tolerable, but Abby gave Jack a run for his money.
And Carey had an understated sexiness that she wasn’t afraid to use, unlike the others.
The one thing that really dates the older versions are the computers. They did a great job of keeping the clothes and sets rather timeless looking, but in the older episodes “email” is some strange new thing that entirely confounds the cops.
I agree. Abby Carmichael’s “Texan tough chick” thing was kind of cliched, but at least she had a strong personality. The ones since just don’t really register at all except as eye candy. Rubirosa could have potential but they haven’t really differentiated her so far.
They R on my Netflix, makin me happee!
I was going to say: Maybe it’s because Fred Thompson is in them…
but he’s too new for that to have mattered.
and I just discovered equal time laws only apply to broadcast TV, so that’s why NBC has to pull the reruns, but not TNT.
My ignorance has been fought.