Law & Order | |
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Season 2 | |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of episodes | 22 |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Original release | September 17, 1991 – May 12, 1992 |
Season chronology | |
The second season of Law & Order aired on NBC between September 17, 1991, and May 12, 1992. This season marked the first death of a main character, as George Dzundza had departed the series after the conclusion of the first season. The death of his character Max Greevey is shown in the season premiere. Carolyn McCormick makes her first recurring appearance as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet.
Cast and characters
Phil Cerreta (played by Paul Sorvino) replaced season 1's Max Greevey (George Dzundza) in the role of senior detective. The cast was otherwise unchanged.
Main Cast
- Paul Sorvino as Senior Detective Sergeant Phil Cerreta
- Chris Noth as Junior Detective Mike Logan
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
- Michael Moriarty as Executive Assistant District Attorney Ben Stone
- Richard Brooks as Assistant District Attorney Paul Robinette
- Steven Hill as District Attorney Adam Schiff
Recurring Cast
- Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet
- John Fiore as Detective Tony Profaci
- Leslie Hendrix as Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
- Donald Corren as Forensic Technician Medill
- Christine Farrell as Forensic Technician Arlene Shrier
- Richard Venture as Defense Attorney Douglas Greer
- Tovah Feldshuh as Defense Attorney Danielle Melnick
- George Grizzard as Defense Attorney Arthur Gold
- Joanna Merlin Defense Attorney Carla Bowman
- David Lipman as Arraignment Judge Morris Torledsky
- Barbara Spiegel as Arraignment Judge Harriet Doremus
- Sam Gray as Trial Judge Manuel Leon
- Bernie McInerney as Trial Judge Michael Callahan
- Tanya Berezin as Trial Judge Rosalyn Lenz
- Joan Copeland as Trial Judge Rebecca Stein
- John Ramsey as Trial Judge Walter Schreiber
- Ben Hammer as Trial Judge Herman Mooney
- Susan Blommaert as Trial Judge Rebecca Steinman
- David Rosenbaum as Trial Judge Alan Berman
- Roger Serbagi as Trial Judge Robert Quinn
- Fred J. Scollay as Trial Judge Andrew Barsky
- David Rosenbaum as Trial Judge Alan Berman
Notable Guest Stars
- Jerry Orbach made his initial appearance in the series in the episode "The Wages of Love", playing defense attorney Frank Lehrman; he would become a member of the principal cast beginning the next season after Paul Sorvino left, playing Senior Detective Sergeant Phil Cerreta’s replacement Senior Detective Lennie Briscoe, and remain with the show for twelve seasons.
In addition to above, Law & Order season 2's notable guest stars included: Maura Tierney, Allison Janney, William H. Macy, Kelli Williams and Nancy Marchand.
Episodes
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
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23 | 1 | "Confession" | Fred Gerber | Michael Duggan & Robert Palm | September 17, 1991 | 67416 | 16.4[1] |
Logan forces a confession at gunpoint from Daniel Magadan Jr. the man suspected of murdering Max Greevey and, in the process, endangers Stone's prosecution. Logan is also introduced to his new partner, Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino), while he speaks to a counselor, Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick).
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24 | 2 | "The Wages of Love" | Ed Sherin | S : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman | September 24, 1991 | 67405 | 16.6[2] |
A double homicide of Edward Cullen an older man and Alexandria Beckett his younger lover casts suspicion on both the ex-wife Melainie and the former boyfriend Douglas Phillips of the murdered duo, with the murdered man's son Jamie holding the key to the mystery. | |||||||
25 | 3 | "Aria" | Don Scardino | S : Michael S. Chernuchin; T : Christine Roum | October 1, 1991 | 67411 | 18.9[3] |
A lethal drug overdose of Priscilla Blaine a young actress leads the detectives to an aggressive stage mother Elizabeth and a pornographic movie producer Franklin Frome. | |||||||
26 | 4 | "Asylum" | Kristoffer Siegel-Tabori | S : Robert Palm; T : Kathy McCormick | October 8, 1991 | 67409 | 20.8[4] |
A victim's stabbing death in front of a coffee shop leads to one vagrant testifying against another. But the conviction is threatened twice based on the lack of a search warrant for a suspect's home - first an SRO hotel room and second a lean-to in the park. | |||||||
27 | 5 | "God Bless the Child" | E.W. Swackhamer | David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan | October 22, 1991 | 67404 | 15.1[5] |
A couple Nancy and Ted Driscoll, whose religious beliefs forbids medical treatment, is on trial for letting their daughter die of strep throat infection. Stone's prosecution hinges on whether either or both of the parents wanted to call for medical help. The investigation uncovers two other pertinent facts: 1. the night of the girl's death, the mother was drinking (also against the couple's religious beliefs), and 2. the couple had another child that died under similar circumstances. | |||||||
28 | 6 | "Misconception" | Daniel Sackheim | S : Michael Duggan; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin | October 29, 1991 | 67410 | 18.5[6] |
The mugging of Amy Newhouse a pregnant legal secretary leads to a charge against her employer of assault, which is upgraded to murder when the baby dies. Time span confirmation of the baby's conception and the employer-secretary affair eliminates the employer as a suspect. Suspicion shifts to the secretary and her boyfriend Christopher Baylor (a disbarred lawyer) when a wiretap reveals that the couple intended, first, to have the employer held criminally responsible for the baby's murder and, second, to sue the employer for wrongful death. Initially, the primary issue appears to be the fetus age at which a murder charge can be leveled. The primary issue proves to be two-fold; 1. whether the suspects can be held accountable for knowing both the law and its meaning, and 2. even if the suspects cannot legally be convicted of the baby's murder, whether they can be convicted of a lesser crime, i.e. attempted murder. | |||||||
29 | 7 | "In Memory Of" | Ed Sherin | S : Siobhan Byrne; T : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : David Black | November 5, 1991 | 67413 | 18.1[7] |
The renovation of a brownstone uncovers the remains of Tommy Keegan a young boy who disappeared thirty-one years earlier during the 1960 presidential campaign. The discovery revives a wrenching and long-suppressed memory in a childhood friend and neighbor Thad Messimer-and the suspect's daughter Julie Atkinson. | |||||||
30 | 8 | "Out of Control" | John Whitesell | S : David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan; T : Jack Richardson | November 12, 1991 | 67403 | 19.3[8] |
The detectives investigate the gang rape of Andrea Fermi a college student during a fraternity Halloween party, but when her own testimony can't be supported by the evidence, it becomes hard to prove rape. | |||||||
31 | 9 | "Renunciation" | Gwen Arner | Michael S. Chernuchin & Joe Morgenstern | November 19, 1991 | 67414 | 16.0[9] |
When a gambler Lawrence Kealey is killed, the hit-and-run investigation leads to the discovery of a schoolteacher Jenna carrying on an affair with one of her students Roy Pack jr. Cerreta and Logan suspect that she may have manipulated him into killing her husband. | |||||||
32 | 10 | "Heaven" | Ed Sherin | T : Nancy Ann Miller; S/T : Robert Palm | November 26, 1991 | 67415 | 19.1[10] |
The investigation into an illegal social club fire which claimed 53 fatalities leads to a connection between arson, illegal immigrants and the sale of green cards.
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33 | 11 | "His Hour Upon the Stage" | Steve Cohen | Robert Nathan & Giles Blunt | December 10, 1991 | 67407 | 18.3[11] |
The discovery of Joshua Foster a frozen corpse in a dumpster leads to rival Broadway producers. | |||||||
34 | 12 | "Star Struck" | Ed Sherin | S : David Black & Alan Gelb; T : Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth | January 7, 1992 | 67406 | 21.3[12] |
An obsessive fan Jesse Unger pleads temporary insanity when he is charged with attempting to murder the soap opera actress Lucy Nevin who is the center of his life. | |||||||
35 | 13 | "Severance" | Jim Frawley | S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : William N. Fordes | January 14, 1992 | 67418 | 17.4[13] |
Stone faces Arthur Gold an old rival in court as he tries to link a hit man and three murders to a sleazy lawyer and a powerful man behind bars. | |||||||
36 | 14 | "Blood Is Thicker" | Peter Levin | S : Robert Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman | February 4, 1992 | 67422 | 17.6[14] |
An apparent mugging ends in the death of Lois Ryder a wealthy woman but the case comes to hang on a silver pin that may have been in the victim's possession. | |||||||
37 | 15 | "Trust" | Daniel Sackheim | S : Michael Duggan; S/T : René Balcer | February 11, 1992 | 67417 | 17.6[15] |
Stone is determined to see that Jamie Maser a teenage boy does not get away with murder twice when the young man is brought to trial for the shooting death of one of his friends. | |||||||
38 | 16 | "Vengeance" | Daniel Sackheim | S : Peter S. Greenberg; T : René Balcer; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin | February 18, 1992 | 67420 | 19.2[16] |
The parents of a murdered woman Judy Bream contest Stone's prosecution of her killer Albert Lawrence Cheney so that he can be extradited to their home state, where the death penalty still exists. | |||||||
39 | 17 | "Sisters of Mercy" | Fred Gerber | S : Robert Palm; S/T : René Balcer | March 3, 1992 | 67423 | 16.4[17] |
Cerreta and Logan investigate the accusation that a nun sister in charge of a shelter for teens molested a young addict. | |||||||
40 | 18 | "Cradle to Grave" | James Frawley | Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth | March 31, 1992 | 67424 | 18.1[18] |
The discovery of a dead baby leads to a case involving a slumlord who would not provide any heat and who defends her actions by blaming the rent laws. | |||||||
41 | 19 | "The Fertile Fields" | Ed Sherin | Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer | April 7, 1992 | 67425 | 17.5[19] |
The brutal murder of Ezra Shore a Jewish jeweler appears to be a hate crime, but the investigation soon leads back to the man's brother and his shady business deals. First appearance of Leslie Hendrix as Assistant Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers. | |||||||
42 | 20 | "Intolerance" | Steven Robman | Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth | April 14, 1992 | 67426 | 14.9[20] |
When Tim Chong a Chinese-American honors student is killed, the investigation uncovers a racist mother Marian Borland whose son Randy was competing with the victim for the same scholarship. | |||||||
43 | 21 | "Silence" | Ed Sherin | S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : René Balcer | April 28, 1992 | 67427 | 11.1[21] |
A politician opposes the prosecution of his son's murderer because it might mean revealing that his late son James Vogel was gay. | |||||||
44 | 22 | "The Working Stiff" | Daniel Sackheim | S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Robert Palm | May 12, 1992 | 67428 | 12.1[22] |
The murder of Marshall McFadden a Wall Street legend begins a case involving ailing union worker Simon Vilanis, and Dwight Corcoran, a former governor and old friend of Schiff's. |
References
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (September 25, 1991). "New faces try to save 'One Life to Live'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (October 2, 1991). "'Roseanne' comes out on top". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (October 9, 1991). "Cable pulls network's plug". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (October 16, 1991). "Hearings score a win for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (October 30, 1991). "Close Series wins big for CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (November 6, 1991). "Ratings contest narrows". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (November 13, 1991). "NBC's hurricane windfall". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (November 20, 1991). "'60 Minutes' clocks a 3rd win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (November 27, 1991). "CBS scores a strong win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (December 4, 1991). "The nut at the door on 'Seinfeld'". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (December 18, 1991). "St. Nick arrives early for CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ "Pigskin plays in to CBS win". Life. USA Today. January 15, 1992. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (January 22, 1992). "Brooks ropes ratings for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (February 12, 1992). "CBS mines Olympic gold". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (February 19, 1992). "CBS wins, but ABC gets silver". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (February 26, 1992). "CBS' all-around Olympic win". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Donlon, Brian (March 11, 1992). "'Indy' boosts ABC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (April 8, 1992). "Oscar sweep extends to ABC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (April 15, 1992). "CBS' historic jump". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (April 22, 1992). "'Roseanne' leads ABC's way". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (May 6, 1992). "'Cosby' goes out on top". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
- ↑ Gable, Donna (May 20, 1992). "Weddings blissful for NBC". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
External links
Preceded by Season One (1990-1991) |
List of Law & Order seasons (1990-2010) |
Succeeded by Season Three (1992-1993) |