Law & Order (1990)

Crime · Drama · Mystery

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

IMDb rating: 7.8 (52,276 votes)
Episode average: 7.7 -0.1 vs IMDb
Seasons: 25
Streaming (US): Hulu · Netflix · Peacock
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Browse shows by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 25 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1990)

7.71 avg 22 episodes 8.0 → 8.1 60 min avg

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Prescription for Death	8.0	1,066
2	Subterranean Homeboy Blues	7.4	798
3	The Reaper's Helper	7.5	739
4	Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die	7.4	675
5	Happily Ever After	7.6	622
6	Everybody's Favorite Bagman	7.5	674
7	By Hooker, by Crook	7.5	607
8	Poison Ivy	7.8	599
9	Indifference	8.5	697
10	Prisoner of Love	7.2	568
11	Out of the Half-Light	7.8	571
12	Life Choice	7.8	571
13	A Death in the Family	7.6	528
14	The Violence of Summer	7.7	585
15	The Torrents of Greed: Part 1	7.8	540
16	The Torrents of Greed: Part 2	7.9	530
17	Mushrooms	8.1	581
18	The Secret Sharers	7.4	484
19	The Serpent's Tooth	7.5	486
20	The Troubles	7.6	500
21	Sonata for Solo Organ	8.0	521
22	The Blue Wall	8.1	515

Season 2 (1991)

7.58 avg 22 episodes 7.9 → 7.8 60 min avg

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Confession	7.9	543
2	The Wages of Love	7.5	498
3	Aria	7.6	492
4	Asylum	7.5	459
5	God Bless the Child	7.7	445
6	Misconception	7.5	514
7	In Memory Of	7.6	459
8	Out of Control	7.4	436
9	Renunciation	7.4	434
10	Heaven	7.6	431
11	His Hour Upon the Stage	7.2	414
12	Star Struck	7.6	440
13	Severance	7.7	426
14	Blood Is Thicker...	7.7	426
15	Trust	7.6	421
16	Vengeance	7.8	426
17	Sisters of Mercy	7.5	422
18	Cradle to Grave	7.8	423
19	The Fertile Fields	7.3	386
20	Intolerance	7.5	402
21	Silence	7.6	389
22	The Working Stiff	7.8	405

Season 3 (1992)

7.69 avg 22 episodes 7.6 → 7.3 60 min avg

Mid-peak

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Skin Deep	7.6	474
2	Conspiracy	7.4	397
3	Forgiveness	7.3	394
4	The Corporate Veil	7.7	404
5	Wedded Bliss	7.7	397
6	Helpless	8.3	494
7	Self Defense	7.7	403
8	Prince of Darkness	8.4	493
9	Point of View	7.9	477
10	Consultation	7.7	410
11	Extended Family	7.6	406
12	Right to Counsel	7.6	387
13	Night & Fog	7.7	412
14	Promises to Keep	7.5	413
15	Mother Love	7.7	416
16	Jurisdiction	7.8	383
17	Conduct Unbecoming	7.8	415
18	Animal Instinct	7.8	407
19	Virus	7.4	393
20	Securitate	7.1	362
21	Manhood	8.1	448
22	Benevolence	7.3	383

Season 4 (1993)

7.66 avg 22 episodes 7.6 → 8.4 60 min avg

Season 4 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Sweeps	7.6	462
2	Volunteers	7.6	415
3	Discord	7.3	391
4	Profile	8.2	440
5	Black Tie	7.6	405
6	Pride and Joy	7.6	401
7	Apocrypha	7.3	377
8	American Dream	8.4	447
9	Born Bad	7.9	420
10	The Pursuit of Happiness	7.3	349
11	Golden Years	7.4	380
12	Snatched	7.5	367
13	Breeder	7.8	391
14	Censure	8.1	423
15	Kids	7.4	365
16	Big Bang	7.6	361
17	Mayhem	8.2	474
18	Wager	7.1	350
19	Sanctuary	7.8	411
20	Nurture	7.6	377
21	Doubles	6.9	362
22	Old Friends	8.4	448

Season 5 (1994)

7.75 avg 23 episodes 7.8 → 7.6 60 min avg

Season 5 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Second Opinion	7.8	440
2	Coma	8.0	447
3	Blue Bamboo	7.4	392
4	Family Values	7.5	430
5	White Rabbit	8.2	461
6	Competence	8.0	425
7	Precious	7.6	393
8	Virtue	7.8	413
9	Scoundrels	7.4	374
10	House Counsel	8.1	426
11	Guardian	7.3	375
12	Progeny	7.8	393
13	Rage	8.0	440
14	Performance	7.8	419
15	Seed	7.6	419
16	Wannabe	7.4	378
17	Act of God	7.6	374
18	Privileged	7.7	363
19	Cruel and Unusual	8.0	392
20	Bad Faith	8.2	389
21	Purple Heart	7.6	362
22	Switch	7.8	392
23	Pride	7.6	398

Season 6 (1995)

7.86 avg 23 episodes 7.8 → 9.1 53 min avg

Season 6 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Bitter Fruit	7.8	466
2	Rebels	7.3	420
3	Savages	8.1	458
4	Jeopardy	8.0	433
5	Hot Pursuit	7.9	467
6	Paranoia	7.5	430
7	Humiliation	7.8	431
8	Angel	7.8	425
9	Blood Libel	7.4	393
10	Remand	7.4	391
11	Corpus Delicti	7.5	407
12	Trophy	8.2	446
13	Charm City	7.9	458
14	Custody	7.5	407
15	Encore	8.2	470
16	Savior	7.8	426
17	Deceit	7.8	390
18	Atonement	7.4	393
19	Slave	8.0	419
20	Girlfriends	7.7	415
21	Pro Se	8.8	678
22	Homesick	7.9	438
23	Aftershock	9.1	1,083

Season 7 (1996)

7.89 avg 23 episodes 7.8 → 8.3 51 min avg

Rebound

Season 7 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Causa Mortis	7.8	452
2	I.D.	8.2	489
3	Good Girl	7.5	431
4	Survivor	7.8	454
5	Corruption	8.3	460
6	Double Blind	7.9	408
7	Deadbeat	7.7	390
8	Family Business	7.2	386
9	Entrapment	7.0	360
10	Legacy	8.1	444
11	Menace	7.8	388
12	Barter	8.0	396
13	Matrimony	8.1	423
14	Working Mom	7.6	403
15	D-Girl	7.9	441
16	Turnaround	8.1	435
17	Showtime	8.4	445
18	Mad Dog	8.2	466
19	Double Down	8.3	415
20	We Like Mike	8.2	421
21	Passion	7.3	347
22	Past Imperfect	7.7	372
23	Terminal	8.3	427

Season 8 (1997)

7.78 avg 24 episodes 7.9 → 7.9 48 min avg

Season 8 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Thrill	7.9	487
2	Denial	7.6	419
3	Navy Blues	7.5	430
4	Harvest	8.1	429
5	Nullification	7.7	408
6	Baby, It's You	7.7	439
7	Blood	8.2	513
8	Shadow	8.2	442
9	Burned	7.8	408
10	Ritual	7.8	402
11	Under the Influence	8.2	432
12	Expert	7.5	394
13	Castoff	7.1	394
14	Grief	7.7	401
15	Faccia a Faccia	7.8	382
16	Divorce	8.0	402
17	Carrier	7.8	404
18	Stalker	7.9	389
19	Disappeared	7.5	368
20	Burden	7.5	352
21	Bad Girl	8.0	424
22	Damaged	8.1	485
23	Tabloid	7.3	351
24	Monster	7.9	388

Season 9 (1998)

7.80 avg 24 episodes 7.9 → 8.6 52 min avg

Season 9 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Cherished	7.9	445
2	DWB	8.1	413
3	Bait	7.5	369
4	Flight	7.7	382
5	Agony	8.2	446
6	Scrambled	7.5	394
7	Venom	7.7	413
8	Punk	8.1	447
9	True North	7.8	426
10	Hate	7.9	437
11	Ramparts	8.0	405
12	Haven	7.3	346
13	Hunters	7.4	367
14	Sideshow	8.0	399
15	Disciple	7.4	389
16	Harm	7.7	367
17	Shield	7.5	363
18	Juvenile	7.6	370
19	Tabula Rasa	8.1	434
20	Empire	7.6	462
21	Ambitious	7.6	355
22	Admissions	7.5	353
23	Refuge: Part 1	8.5	456
24	Refuge: Part 2	8.6	459

Season 10 (1999)

7.66 avg 24 episodes 7.7 → 7.6 54 min avg

Season 10 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Gunshow	7.7	474
2	Killerz	8.3	563
3	DNR	7.8	434
4	Merger	7.7	431
5	Justice	8.1	406
6	Marathon	8.1	431
7	Patsy	8.1	469
8	Blood Money	8.1	446
9	Sundown	7.7	391
10	Loco Parentis	7.7	424
11	Collision	7.4	357
12	Mother's Milk	7.4	383
13	Panic	7.3	392
14	Entitled	7.3	408
15	Fools for Love	8.3	487
16	Trade This	7.5	356
17	Black, White and Blue	7.5	372
18	Mega	7.7	390
19	Surrender Dorothy	7.2	347
20	Untitled	7.0	334
21	Narcosis	7.3	326
22	High & Low	7.4	359
23	Stiff	7.6	353
24	Vaya Con Dios	7.6	395

Season 11 (2000)

7.59 avg 24 episodes 8.0 → 7.8 52 min avg

Season 11 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Endurance	8.0	392
2	Turnstile Justice	7.5	352
3	Dissonance	7.4	340
4	Standoff	7.4	335
5	Return	7.4	337
6	Burn Baby Burn	7.5	346
7	Amends	7.8	349
8	Thin Ice	7.1	325
9	Hubris	8.2	410
10	Whose Monkey Is It Anyway?	6.9	323
11	Sunday in the Park with Jorge	7.2	309
12	Teenage Wasteland	8.0	379
13	Phobia	7.7	334
14	A Losing Season	7.2	313
15	Swept Away - A Very Special Episode	7.1	326
16	Bronx Cheer	8.0	335
17	Ego	7.7	317
18	White Lie	7.5	314
19	Whiplash	7.6	308
20	All My Children	7.5	313
21	Brother's Keeper	8.1	352
22	School Daze	8.0	346
23	Judge Dread	7.6	317
24	Deep Vote	7.8	341

Season 12 (2001)

7.44 avg 24 episodes 7.7 → 7.4 52 min avg

Season 12 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Who Let the Dogs Out?	7.7	398
2	Armed Forces	7.5	334
3	For Love or Money	7.7	350
4	Soldier of Fortune	7.1	308
5	Possession	7.4	318
6	Formerly Famous	7.0	320
7	Myth of Fingerprints	8.1	388
8	The Fire This Time	6.9	301
9	3 Dawg Night	7.2	339
10	Prejudice	7.5	317
11	The Collar	7.3	296
12	Undercovered	7.3	296
13	DR 1-102	7.9	333
14	Missing	7.7	313
15	Access Nation	7.8	321
16	Born Again	7.4	302
17	Girl Most Likely	7.6	327
18	Equal Rights	7.1	281
19	Slaughter	7.3	295
20	Dazzled	7.7	322
21	Foul Play	6.9	260
22	Attorney Client	7.4	305
23	Oxymoron	7.6	304
24	Patriot	7.4	316

Season 13 (2002)

7.69 avg 24 episodes 7.6 → 8.0 47 min avg

Rebound

Season 13 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	American Jihad	7.6	426
2	Shangri-La	8.2	458
3	True Crime	7.4	362
4	Tragedy on Rye	7.7	373
5	The Ring	8.1	441
6	Hitman	7.8	374
7	Open Season	8.2	423
8	Asterisk	7.3	349
9	The Wheel	7.1	334
10	Mother's Day	7.5	350
11	Chosen	7.8	385
12	Under God	7.5	358
13	Absentia	7.8	380
14	Star Crossed	7.8	377
15	B*tch	7.5	375
16	Suicide Box	7.5	406
17	Genius	7.4	367
18	Maritime	7.2	332
19	Seer	7.4	351
20	Kid Pro Quo	7.4	347
21	House Calls	7.6	347
22	Sheltered	8.1	476
23	Couples	8.7	528
24	Smoke	8.0	377

Season 14 (2003)

7.66 avg 24 episodes 8.6 → 8.4 51 min avg

Rollercoaster

Season 14 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Bodies	8.6	578
2	Bounty	7.5	348
3	Patient Zero	7.4	370
4	Shrunk	7.4	340
5	Blaze	7.2	354
6	Identity	8.6	507
7	Floater	7.9	357
8	Embedded	6.9	329
9	Compassion	7.7	341
10	Ill-Conceived	7.3	335
11	Darwinian	7.7	339
12	Payback	7.5	322
13	Married with Children	7.4	326
14	City Hall	7.7	319
15	Veteran's Day	7.4	311
16	Can I Get a Witness?	7.6	353
17	Hands Free	7.8	324
18	Evil Breeds	7.8	343
19	Nowhere Man	8.2	393
20	Everybody Loves Raimondo's	7.5	353
21	Vendetta	7.6	311
22	Gaijin	7.5	315
23	Caviar Emptor	7.3	322
24	C.O.D.	8.4	437

Season 15 (2004)

7.59 avg 24 episodes 7.2 → 7.5 49 min avg

Season 15 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Paradigm	7.2	364
2	The Dead Wives Club	7.8	387
3	The Brotherhood	8.0	375
4	Coming Down Hard	7.6	337
5	Gunplay	7.9	348
6	Cut	7.6	325
7	Gov Love	7.6	327
8	Cry Wolf	7.3	327
9	All in the Family	7.4	322
10	Enemy	7.4	314
11	Fixed	7.7	336
12	Mammon	7.6	313
13	Ain't No Love	7.4	382
14	Fluency	8.0	357
15	Obsession	7.6	333
16	The Sixth Man	7.2	324
17	License to Kill	7.7	330
18	Dining Out	7.4	327
19	Sects	7.6	343
20	Tombstone	8.0	366
21	Publish and Perish	7.8	337
22	Sport of Kings	7.4	316
23	In God We Trust	7.4	324
24	Locomotion	7.5	320

Season 16 (2005)

7.78 avg 22 episodes 8.3 → 8.8 51 min avg

Season 16 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Red Ball	8.3	409
2	Flaw	8.1	445
3	Ghosts	7.9	355
4	Age of Innocence	7.2	317
5	Life Line	7.7	335
6	Birthright	7.8	350
7	House of Cards	7.3	313
8	New York Minute	7.6	298
9	Criminal Law	8.4	390
10	Acid	8.3	380
11	Bible Story	7.3	324
12	Family Friend	7.4	315
13	Heart of Darkness	7.5	330
14	Magnet	7.6	322
15	Choice of Evils	7.5	316
16	Cost of Capital	8.1	346
17	America, Inc.	7.5	320
18	Thinking Makes It So	8.1	346
19	Positive	7.3	312
20	Kingmaker	7.6	329
21	Hindsight	7.9	369
22	Invaders	8.8	546

Season 17 (2006)

7.55 avg 22 episodes 7.2 → 7.9 56 min avg

Season 17 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Fame	7.2	393
2	Avatar	7.7	360
3	Home Sweet	7.7	347
4	Fear America	7.2	322
5	Public Service Homicide	7.4	325
6	Profiteer	7.5	319
7	In Vino Veritas	7.7	395
8	Release	7.4	346
9	Deadlock	8.2	363
10	Corner Office	7.5	327
11	Remains of the Day	7.6	319
12	Charity Case	7.9	355
13	Talking Points	7.3	352
14	Church	7.3	349
15	Melting Pot	7.1	324
16	Murder Book	7.7	321
17	Good Faith	7.3	319
18	Bling	7.3	311
19	Fallout	7.8	312
20	Captive	7.9	329
21	Over Here	7.6	303
22	The Family Hour	7.9	386

Season 18 (2008)

7.76 avg 18 episodes 7.6 → 8.2 60 min avg

Season 18 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Called Home	7.6	400
2	Darkness	7.7	360
3	Misbegotten	7.1	330
4	Bottomless	7.5	330
5	Driven	8.0	381
6	Political Animal	7.6	326
7	Quit Claim	8.0	371
8	Illegal	8.0	337
9	Executioner	7.6	331
10	Tango	7.7	382
11	Betrayal	7.9	358
12	Submission	7.9	338
13	Angelgrove	7.2	340
14	Burn Card	8.4	418
15	Bogeyman	7.4	319
16	Strike	8.2	335
17	Personae Non Grata	7.7	320
18	Excalibur	8.2	340

Season 19 (2008)

7.75 avg 22 episodes 7.8 → 8.2 59 min avg

Rebound

Season 19 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Rumble	7.8	346
2	Challenged	7.8	344
3	Lost Boys	7.5	351
4	Falling	7.5	370
5	Knock Off	8.2	365
6	Sweetie	7.6	363
7	Zero	8.2	374
8	Chattel	8.1	339
9	By Perjury	8.4	366
10	Pledge	8.1	374
11	Lucky Stiff	7.6	304
12	Illegitimate	7.7	322
13	Crimebusters	7.2	309
14	Rapture	7.1	296
15	Bailout	7.3	284
16	Take-Out	7.5	297
17	Anchors Away	7.7	304
18	Promote This!	7.6	300
19	All New	7.6	286
20	Exchange	7.6	291
21	Skate or Die	8.1	360
22	The Drowned and the Saved	8.2	352

Season 20 (2009)

7.78 avg 23 episodes 7.5 → 8.7 59 min avg

Season 20 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Memo from the Dark Side	7.5	409
2	Just a Girl in the World	8.2	406
3	Great Satan	7.7	379
4	Reality Bites	7.4	334
5	Dignity	7.6	383
6	Human Flesh Search Engine	7.8	329
7	Boy Gone Astray	7.5	345
8	Doped	8.0	353
9	For the Defense	8.4	390
10	Shotgun	7.8	340
11	Fed	7.7	360
12	Blackmail	7.4	348
13	Steel-Eyed Death	7.9	356
14	Boy on Fire	7.6	326
15	Brilliant Disguise	7.7	353
16	Innocence	8.1	375
17	Four Cops Shot	7.9	330
18	Brazil	7.1	321
19	Crashers	7.6	338
20	The Taxman Cometh	7.6	328
21	Immortal	8.0	345
22	Love Eternal	7.8	324
23	Rubber Room	8.7	505

Season 21 (2022)

6.72 avg 10 episodes 6.6 → 6.4 43 min avg

Season 21 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Right Thing	6.6	1,105
2	Impossible Dream	6.5	562
3	Filtered Life	7.1	463
4	Fault Lines	7.1	441
5	Free Speech	6.2	546
6	Wicked Game	6.9	408
7	Legacy	6.6	396
8	Severance	6.9	320
9	The Great Pretender	6.9	324
10	Black and Blue	6.4	374

Season 22 (2022)

7.40 avg 22 episodes 7.5 → 7.4 41 min avg

Season 22 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Gimme Shelter - Part Three	7.5	426
2	Battle Lines	7.1	410
3	Camouflage	7.3	346
4	Benefit of the Doubt	7.3	282
5	12 Seconds	7.5	271
6	Vicious Cycle	7.3	281
7	Only the Lonely	7.7	289
8	Chain of Command	7.4	261
9	The System	7.3	287
10	Land of Opportunity	7.2	291
11	Second Chance	7.1	262
12	Almost Famous	7.5	262
13	Mammon	7.3	255
14	Heroes	7.6	267
15	Fear and Loathing	7.8	310
16	Deadline	7.3	239
17	Bias	7.5	241
18	Collateral Damage	7.5	235
19	Private Lives	6.8	302
20	Class Retreat	7.7	261
21	Appraisal	7.8	261
22	Open Wounds	7.4	289

Season 23 (2024)

7.55 avg 13 episodes 6.7 → 7.6 42 min avg

Mid-peak

Season 23 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Freedom of Expression	6.7	461
2	Human Innovation	7.4	267
3	Turn the Page	7.6	265
4	Unintended Consequences	7.6	256
5	Last Dance	8.5	368
6	On the Ledge	7.5	295
7	Balance of Power	7.5	237
8	Facade	7.2	262
9	Family Ties	7.3	224
10	Inconvenient Truth	7.6	211
11	Castle in the Sky	7.6	245
12	No Good Deed	8.1	229
13	In Harm's Way	7.6	226

Season 24 (2024)

7.40 avg 22 episodes 7.6 → 7.9 42 min avg

Season 24 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Catch and Kill	7.6	323
2	The Perfect Man	7.4	318
3	Big Brother	7.6	278
4	The Meaning of Life	7.3	263
5	Report Card	7.6	239
6	Time Will Tell	7.5	231
7	Truth and Consequences	7.1	259
8	Bad Apple	7.8	253
9	Enemy of the State	7.6	234
10	Greater Good	7.2	258
11	The Hardest Thing	7.7	231
12	Duty to Protect	7.3	251
13	In God We Trust	7.0	231
14	A Price to Pay	7.5	231
15	Crossing Lines	7.7	222
16	Folk Hero	6.4	431
17	A Perfect Family	6.9	255
18	Inherent Bias	6.7	257
19	Play with Fire Part 1	7.8	270
20	Sins of the Father	7.7	197
21	Tough Love	7.5	207
22	Look the Other Way	7.9	220

Season 25 (2025)

7.68 avg 21 episodes 7.6 → 8.1 41 min avg

Rebound

Season 25 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Street Justice	7.6	267
2	Hindsight	7.6	221
3	White Lies	7.5	203
4	Two and Twenty	7.4	198
5	Bend the Knee	7.9	232
6	Brotherly Love	8.2	211
7	Guardian	7.6	196
8	Parasite	7.8	209
9	Snowflakes	8.1	239
10	Dream On	7.5	185
11	The Enemy of All Women	7.8	178
12	Never Say Goodbye	7.8	177
13	New Normal	7.6	194
14	Remedies	7.3	191
15	Bright Lights	7.5	173
16	Fate's Cruel Joke	7.8	170
17	Beyond Measure	7.1	180
18	Ride or Die	7.8	184
19	Accidentally Like a Martyr	7.5	174
20	Once Burned	7.8	163
21	Liberty	8.1	161