On September 13, 1990, a new television show debuted on NBC that, since its premiere – has become the longest running drama series and most successful brand currently on television, has spawned three spin-offs which have achieved equal popularity and respect – and has generated a cult following of loyal fans that number in the millions – and most definitely includes myself – Law & Order.

Created and produced by Dick Wolf and filmed entirely in New York City, Law & Order is a brilliant “cops and robbers” concept that literally shows you both sides of a case. The first half of each episode presents the police investigation of a crime, which is often, as the show likes to boast, “ripped from the headlines” – while the second half of the show focuses on the trial of the accused and his or her ultimate fate when the verdict is read in court. The three sister Law & Order shows: Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent and Trial By Jury all follow the same template, but focus on different aspects of the investigation: the plight of the victim, the mind of the criminal, and the point-of-view of the prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants, judges and jurors respectively.

I can’t remember the first time I saw an episode of Law & Order, but I can tell you that I have been hooked ever since I did. Unlike similar shows such as NYPD Blue and Third Watch, Law & Order does not spend a lot of time on the private lives of the cast members, but rather stays focused on the investigation at hand. You do get to know the cast members and watch them evolve as the show evolves, but through one sentence explanations and thirty second clips of their life outside the station house. I think this approach to their respective casts are just one of the many facets of the four Law & Order shows that make them so successful.

Speaking of the show’s success, both the original Law & Order and its sister show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, are syndicated on the TNT and TBS networks respectively – and are so high in the ratings – that they are both staples in the weekly top ten and even outrank popular shows that air brand new episodes in the same time slot as their repeats. In addition, the DVD box sets of each show are selling like hotcakes, with fans like myself hungry for each season to come out on DVD so they can be watched over and over again.

Personally, I watch both of the syndicated Law & Order shows on a regular basis. I also own the first and fifth seasons of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on DVD – and I can’t tell you how many times I have watched them. There are nights that I am either glued to TNT or TBS, or have reached for the box sets and watched almost every episode in a row – even though I have seen them countless times before. In fact, I am reaching a point that finds me having seen each syndicated episode that airs – but I watch them anyway – along with the new ones on NBC, which I make sure I do not miss.

Personally, I hope that the Law & Order phenomenon lasts forever and continues to spawn new spin-offs that continue to rip stories from the headlines and bring us further and further into the realm of the criminal justice system, because as long as they have new stories – I will be willing to watch them.