# Who's your favorite Law & Order character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429 "2012-04-30T17:10:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/21 "2012-04-30T19:22:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > No. That’s why some people felt it was a stupid ending. That’s what I thought. I wonder if the actress even knew before reading the script. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/22 "2012-04-30T19:24:00Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > \ Briscoe is number one for me, though. Jerry Orbach always seemed like he actually was a cop instead of just playing one. Orbach was too successful, for me. I mean, I love him and all, it’s just that when I see him in another role, I’m jarred out of the action for a bit. Jerry played the detective so wonderfully, that it’s hard to remember that he was more than just that one role. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/23 "2012-04-30T19:27:04Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Orbach was too successful, for me. I mean, I love him and all, it’s just that when I see him in another role, I’m jarred out of the action for a bit. Jerry played the detective so wonderfully, that it’s hard to remember that he was more than just that one role. Have you ever seen him sing and dance? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/24 "2012-04-30T19:37:39Z")
I’ve only heard him sing, never seen him dance. I’m not much of a TV watcher. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/25 "2012-04-30T19:39:11Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I’ve only heard him sing, never seen him dance. But have you seen him put Baby in a corner? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/26 "2012-04-30T19:43:20Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Briscoe and McCoy are the best cop and lawyer, with everyone else a pretty distant second. > [@cochrane](#): > > I’ve always liked Logan. Briscoe is number one for me, though. When Briscoe retired, I wanted to team Green and Logan - talk about badass! > [@cochrane](#): > > Jerry Orbach always seemed like he actually was a cop instead of just playing one. Until you see him doing Lumiere’s song and dance at the Oscars! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/27 "2012-04-30T19:49:11Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > But have you seen him put Baby in a corner? Or hide a pack of Luckys in his chect under his skin? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/28 "2012-04-30T19:59:44Z")
I like McCoy and Briscoe. BTW, **Robot Arm** -Well played. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/29 "2012-04-30T21:02:20Z")
Biscoe as the detective, of course. Ben Stone as the prosecutor, under the leadership of Adam Schiff. Jack just annoyed me. I loved Angie “Give that jaywalker the chair” Harmon as the assistant attorney buy that’s just because I wanted to jump her bones. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/30 "2012-04-30T21:50:01Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > No, but she’s the best looking. Claire is a close second. But it’s more than her looks. She was just a really good character. > > Did we even know she was a lesbian before her last episode? To me, Claire looked very butch. She had this dumb “tough-guy” swagger and those huge shoulder pads (Ok, I wore them, too. :rolleyes: ) and her shirts buttoned all the way up. I thought she was the LEAST attractive of all the female ADAs. Take at look at these. It almost makes you feel that Jerry was wasted in the role of Lenny. What a talent. [Jerry Orbach sings “Lullaby of Broadway”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKuaoculKDg) Holy cow… if possible, I love this man even more than before. What presence he had. [“There’s a Small Hotel”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_OBx-sk-w) Audio only. [RARE Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera on Mike Douglas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLsM6PpOXbA) [Jerry Orbach tribute](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TPSkA9W72w&feature=fvst) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/31 "2012-04-30T22:18:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > To me, Claire looked very butch. She had this dumb “tough-guy” swagger and those huge shoulder pads (Ok, I wore them, too. :rolleyes: ) and her shirts buttoned all the way up. I thought she was the LEAST attractive of all the female ADAs. Pistols at dawn! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/32 "2012-05-01T05:41:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Take at look at these. It almost makes you feel that Jerry was wasted in the role of Lenny. What a talent. He made it look so easy, and so fun. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/33 "2012-05-01T12:55:11Z")
Lenny Briscoe was my favorite character, but I also liked the coroner, Dr. Elizabeth Rogers. And yes, I did watch that recent episode of _Community_ which was a _Law and Order_ parody, in which she played the botanist. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/34 "2012-05-01T13:13:33Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Is it because she’s a lesbian? 😃 I got it, **Robot Arm**. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/35 "2012-05-01T13:19:59Z")
Oh, and I’ve started a [spin-off thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=650239). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/36 "2012-05-01T14:55:11Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Lenny Briscoe was my favorite character, but I also liked the coroner, Dr. Elizabeth Rogers. I’ve become a big fan of hers, too. Most of the time she’s just there for exposition, but every few appearances they’d give her some excellent sarcastic rejoinder, and her delivery of those was always great. My favorite went like this: Rodgers: “Right now I gotta get a javelin out of somebody’s chest.” Briscoe: “What made you go into this line of work?” Rodgers: “Free javelins.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/37 "2012-05-01T20:18:00Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Did we even know she was a lesbian before her last episode? There were a few hints dropped along the way, but she also mentioned a college boyfriend once, so nothing concrete, no. Good. Good. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/38 "2012-05-01T21:57:56Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Lenny Briscoe was my favorite character, but I also liked the coroner, Dr. Elizabeth Rogers. Yeah, she has a real world-weary affect that looks very authentic. My personal L&O crush? Liz Olivet! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/39 "2012-05-01T23:37:19Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’ve always liked Logan. Briscoe is number one for me, though. Jerry Orbach always seemed like he actually was a cop instead of just playing one. Dennis Farina actually was a cop before going into acting. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429/40 "2012-05-02T14:44:14Z")
Since my real favorites (Jerry Orbach and and Angie Harmon) have been mentioned multiple times, I’ll nominate JK Simmons as Emil Skoda, the shrink. He was never given many lines, but he always stole every episode he was in with his droll, spot-on deliveries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-law-order-character/620429.md?page=3)