LAW AND ORDER. REVIEW

The focus on the case, rather than the private lives of the detectives and prosecutors, has kept this show going for twenty years. The structure of each show is simple, and it has not changed in twenty years. The first half of the investigation involves the discovery of the crime and the identification of suspects who can be charged. The focus here is on the two cops - usually a young cop/old cop dynamic - and their supervisor. The second half focuses on the suspect's trial and thus the prosecutors, the D.A. himself/herself in small doses, and the executive and assistant D.A.'s in large doses.

This show is essentially a time capsule of important American legal issues and current events from 1990 to 2010, and it's fascinating to see how the show reflects the changing attitudes of the times. Even after twenty years, the oldest episodes stand the test of time. As long as human nature remains the same as it has always been, as long as people seek shortcuts and the easy way out, and as long as things aren't always as they appear, I don't see this show losing its appeal no matter how much time passes.

Is it better than Suits_ No, its a different legal drama