Law & Order 2024: The End of an Era
“In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.”
DUH DUH!
It’s 1994. Law & Order is in season number five. For the first four Michael Moriarty has been the lead prosecutor. When he left, his role was taken over by Sam Waterston. He played Jack McCoy until the show came to an end in 2010. When it was rebooted three years ago, Waterston returned to reprise his iconic role.
Last night was the finale for Waterston as Jack McCoy. Nineteen seasons and more than four hundred episodes in the same role doesn't happen often. It's pretty much Kelcey Grammar, Marisa Hargitay and Sam. You don't get almost two decades of longevity on a single television program because you suck. From the minute he became McCoy, his segment became must-see TV. If you were a fan of the show, you couldn't wait for the police segment to end because here would come Sam/Jack and you were sure something special would occur.
When the reboot came back a few years ago, Waterston retook his place as the District Attorney so you didn't see him nearly as much as in the early years. Still, you could feel his presence. The character and the actor were both the biggest things on the screen.
As last night’s episode ended, Jack McCoy’s final words were “It’s been a Hell of a ride.” From a long-time fan, thanks for taking us along.