Law & Order (season 4)

The fourth season of Law & Order aired on NBC between September 15, 1993, and May 25, 1994. This is the final season to feature Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone and the last to feature Carolyn McCormick in a starring capacity. It is also the first season to include a shorter opening sequence and theme (at 46 seconds), which would be used for the remainder of the series' run. Season four was released on DVD December 6, 2005.

Law & Order
Season 4
Season 4 U.S. DVD cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 15, 1993 (1993-09-15) –
May 25, 1994 (1994-05-25)
Season chronology

Cast

There were two cast changes from season 3:

This was the first time women played any of the Law and Order 's six major characters: both roles would continue to be occupied by women, with Merkerson remaining in the role of Van Buren, throughout the remainder of the series. It was also the first time in Law and Order's history that two major cast changes were made simultaneously; the next such double change would not happen until the beginning of season 17.

During this season J. K. Simmons, who would later have a recurring role as Dr. Emil Skoda, appeared in the episode "Sanctuary" as TV cameraman Jerry Luppin.

Episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
671"Sweeps"James FrawleyCraig McNeer & Robert NathanSeptember 15, 1993 (1993-09-15)6900913.60[1]
Briscoe and Logan investigate after a convicted child molester, Dr. Joseph Vinton, is murdered on a controversial talk show hosted by Rick Mason (Robert Klein). The shooter is easily identified — he's Sid Fisher (Steve Ryan), the father of the dead man's victim from three years earlier. During the course of the investigation, however, the detectives find evidence that leads them to believe that Mason may have set up Vinton's murder so as to assure high ratings during sweeps period. Stone's case is made more difficult because Sid Fisher is not willing to say anything that could put his son, Scotty (David Krumholtz), on the stand.
682"Volunteers"James QuinnRené BalcerSeptember 29, 1993 (1993-09-29)6901713.70[2]
Detectives Briscoe and Logan investigate the severe beating of a homeless man, Roland Kirk. The man is something of a neighborhood terror and he is often off of his medication and also smokes crack. He was found in an alleyway, but had $2200 in his coat pocket and the detectives later learned that he has a $15,000 trust account managed by Richard Gilrich, an advocate for the homeless. The block association lost a court case, which is where the money came from, as they were clearly violating his rights. As a result, he continues to terrorize the neighborhood having once pushed a child in front of a moving car. On the night he was beaten, he had attacked a woman, Irene Morrissey, and her husband apparently decided to teach him a lesson. It all seems straightforward but getting a conviction proves to be another matter.. This episode was the basis for the Law & Order: UK episode "Community Service"
693"Discord"Ed SherinMichael S. ChernuchinOctober 6, 1993 (1993-10-06)6901215.30[3]
Briscoe and Logan investigate a claim by 19 year-old Julia Wood (Lucy Deakins) that she was raped by rock star C Square (Sebastian Roché) whose real name is Clarence Carmichael. She says she and several of her dorm friends met the singer at a restaurant that day and he had offered her tickets to a concert. He then showed up at her dorm around midnight and she went with him to pick up the tickets at his hotel. The rape occurred in his room and she went down to the bar to have a couple of drinks before calling the police. Lt. Van Buren interviews the young woman and as far she is concerned, the girl is telling the truth. Carmichael doesn't deny having had sex with her but claims it was consensual. When ADA Kincaid fails to tell ADA Stone an important piece of information in her testimony, he's certain they will now lose the case and suggests that she seek employment elsewhere.
704"Profile"E.W. SwackhamerT : Ed Zuckerman;
S/T : Gordon Rayfield		October 13, 1993 (1993-10-13)6901016.00[4]
A neighborhood is in fear when a gunman Allen Bradley, goes on a shooting spree that occurred on the same day. Both victims were shot at close range from a sawed-off shotgun. The medical examiner is of the view that the shootings were from the same gun. There had been a similar shooting two weeks before and all three people had one thing in common: they were people of color. A fourth victim is severely injured but survived the attack and he can recall the shooter's voice. Dr. Olivet and an FBI profiler give the police a profile and they work down the list of subscribers to white supremacist magazines. It eventually leads them to Arthur Tunney whose mother died after being mugged by black youths just a few months before. After his arrest, Tunney hires a prominent black attorney, Horace McCoy, to defend him. McCoy manages to get him out on bail, which has a major impact on the case.
715"Black Tie"Arthur W. ForneyWalon Green & Michael S. ChernuchinOctober 20, 1993 (1993-10-20)6900416.30[5]
After Jonathan Keyes is found dead in his wealthy home, the police receive an anonymous tip that he was murdered. Logan and Briscoe encounter difficulties at the scene when the widow Danielle Keyes (Caroline Lagerfelt) and her attorney Norman Rothenberg (Jeffrey DeMunn) refuse to allow an autopsy, and by the time Rodgers is able to examine the body, it has already been embalmed. The medical examiner claims the death was natural causes, and even though the state finally gets the necessary proof that the death was murder, the methods used to obtain the needed evidence come under question when Stone tries the case in court.
726"Pride and Joy"Gilbert ShiltonEdward Pomerantz & Robert NathanOctober 27, 1993 (1993-10-27)6900616.20[6]
When building superintendent Frank McKinnon is found murdered in the basement of the building he works and lives in, Logan and Briscoe initially investigate the crime as a potential break-in until forensics discovers that the "break-in" was staged. The state's attention soon turns to Sean, Frank's 17-year-old son Sean McKinnon (Gabriel Olds). Dr. Olivet determines the son is an abusive sociopath after interviewing him. But when the victim's wife claims that Frank beat his family on a regular basis, Stone and Kincaid try to determine who is telling the truth.
737"Apocrypha"Gabrielle BeaumontMichael S. ChernuchinNovember 3, 1993 (1993-11-03)6901314.90[7]
After a car bomb explodes in a parking garage, Detectives Briscoe and Logan find themselves investigating a religious cult. The driver of the car, identified by her dental records, was Wendy Berman who ran away from home at the age of 14 following the death of her father. She eventually found her way to the temple and its leader Daniel Hendricks (Sam Robards). He claims that they are a peaceful if conservative group that specializes in helping get young people off the street - and off prostitution and drugs - and into the group. The detectives also interview some former members of the temple who claim Hendricks was a harsh task master who demanded complete loyalty from his flock. ADA Stone initially charges him with murder for masterminding the car-bombing but ADA Claire Kincaid suggests a different tack: charging him with kidnapping.
748"American Dream"Constantine MakrisSibyl GardnerNovember 9, 1993 (1993-11-09)6901814.40[8]

An old case comes back to haunt ADA Ben Stone when a body is discovered buried on Roosevelt Island. Stone had obtained a murder conviction against Phillip Swann without the victim's body ever having been found. What he did have was the sworn testimony of the man who helped him bury the body in New Jersey. Finding the body elsewhere calls into question that witness' testimony. Swann has become quite a competent jail house attorney and represents himself before the Court of Appeal who grant his request for a new trial. Briscoe and Logan try to track down the witnesses from the first trial but only a few are still available. When Swann is acquitted, Stone faces a lawsuit but decides to fight fire with fire.

This episode was the basis for the Law & Order: UK episode "Unsafe"
759"Born Bad"Fred GerberMichael S. Chernuchin & Sally NemethNovember 16, 1993 (1993-11-16)6902115.60[9]

Briscoe and Logan investigate after a teenage boy, 14 year-old Johnny Lasky, is found beaten to death sitting on the sidewalk in a sleazy part of town. The autopsy reveals that he was severely beaten. They learn that his father is in Attica and his mother is a drug addict - currently in rehab. He's been living in a foster home with some other boys of the same age. They first focus on the mother's former boyfriend but he has an alibi for the time when the boy was likely beaten. They then turn their attention to the two boys in the same foster home, particularly Chris Pollit,(Wil Horneff) who has a previous conviction in juvenile court. ADA Stone decides to prosecute Chris as an adult, particularly when he learns the earlier offense had him shooting a store owner during a robbery. Chris' defense is that he has an extra Y-chromosome which some studies have indicated means a predisposition to violence.

This episode was the basis for the Law & Order: UK episode "Unloved"
7610"The Pursuit of Happiness"Dann FlorekMorgan Gendel & Robert NathanDecember 1, 1993 (1993-12-01)6900517.00[10]
When workers of a meat package plant find the body of William Cooper who is found shot to death in his office. The man had been at his business late the night before and was killed with the gun he kept in his desk drawer. His wife Irina - a Russian mail-order bride 30 years his junior - says he has no enemies and seems to have a valid alibi. When they learn she was seen with a young Hispanic-looking man however, they focus on an affair as being the principal cause of the shooting. Irina worked in a lab and one of her colleagues Alex Nunez (Jesse Corti), proves to be her lover. They are charged with murder and ADA Stone is prepared to plea bargain but neither will give in as it soon becomes apparent that they are very much in love and will not betray the other.
7711"Golden Years"Helaine HeadT : Ed Zuckerman;
S/T : Doug Palau		January 5, 1994 (1994-01-05)6900815.20[11]

Briscoe and Logan investigate the death of 82 year old Mildred Bauer who is found in her ransacked apartment. She was found alone by her friend Edna Hodge (Jan Miner) but her granddaughter Laura (Julie Dretzin) had hired a woman, Maria Gonzales, to care for her. Maria however claims that Laura fired her just a few days prior to the old woman's death. The medical examiner determines that she starved to death and Maria claims it was Laura who told her to restrict her diet. When the police learn that Laura inherited her grandmother's apartment, she's charged with murder. The defendant insists that her grandmother wanted to die and ADA Stone has to decide whether to pursue the murder charge.

This episode was the basis for the Law & Order: UK episode "Mortal".
7812"Snatched"Constantine MakrisWalon Green & René BalcerJanuary 12, 1994 (1994-01-12)6902415.30[12]
when a patrol car comes across Sol Bregman (Theodore Bikel) sitting alone in his car in a seedy part of town and find several million dollars in cash in the trunk. On the advice of his lawyer, Bregman tells them the truth - he was there to pay the ransom demanded by his son Jason's kidnappers. Bregman is a friend of Adam Schiff's and the police soon arrest Shep Watson and Helena Navarro and subsequently find the younger Bregman alive, but shot. Watson and Navarro claim however that Jason was in on the kidnapping to get money out of his father. Jason vehemently denies any participation in the scheme but breaks down and eventually claims Watson tried to kill him. Jason testifies but fails to appear at his sentencing. Sol Bregman refuses to tell the DA where his son is, leading to the elder Bregman being arrested for hindering prosecution.
7913"Breeder"Arthur W. ForneyMichael S. Chernuchin & René BalcerJanuary 19, 1994 (1994-01-19)6902319.30[13]
Debra Elkins is found bleeding in the hospital Emergency room, after passing out in a cab and giving birth only to wake up and discover her baby is missing, but it isn't long before Briscoe and Logan follow the trail of evidence to her boyfriend, Steven Shaw, who is keeping the baby in a hotel at Debra's request. As the investigation continues, Stone and Kincaid find three separate couples who had been led to believe that they would be the baby's adoptive parents, but it appears that Debra has no intention of giving her baby to any of them.
8014"Censure"Ed SherinWilliam N. FordesFebruary 2, 1994 (1994-02-02)6902619.00[14]
While investigating a series of threatening calls received by Dan (Kip Niven) and (Jane Kaczmarek) Janet Rudman on their home phone. The caller's voice is masked but the caller threatens to harm their young daughter unless he's paid $20,000. The police set a trap when the payoff is made and the pick-up man says he has no idea as to the identity of the man who hired him. He does have a make of car and recalls a unique decal on the windshield. With that the detectives believe the culprit is an Appellate Court judge, Joel Thayer. ADA Claire Kincaid begs Ben Stone to take her off the case but he sees no reason to. When the charges against Thayer are dropped, he files a complaint against Claire and she is formally censured. She admits they had once had an affair and resigns. Stone is convinced of Thayer's guilt and redoubles his efforts to find evidence against him.
8115"Kids"Don ScardinoMichael Harbert & Robert NathanFebruary 9, 1994 (1994-02-09)6902816.30[15]
When 14-year-old Angel Ramirez is shot dead while out with two friends, the boy was a good student and wasn't involved in gangs or drugs. A licensed gun dealer, Juan Domingo, was standing next to Ramirez at the time of the shooting. He may have been involved in an incident to silence a witness against him in a previous case and the police suspect he may have been the intended target, perhaps by another witness who feared for his life. A search of boys' school lockers turns up a stash of guns. It leads them to Kevin Parker who turns out to be the son of a former policeman, Ted Parker (Robert Hogan), someone Briscoe knows well. He hopes Briscoe will do him a favor but Kevin is charged and ADA Stone thinks he has a good case against the boy. Ted Parker isn't going to let his son go to jail however.
8216"Big Bang"Dann FlorekEd ZuckermanMarch 2, 1994 (1994-03-02)6902715.70[16]
when Florence Manning is severely injured and later dies in hospital when a letter bomb explodes in her apartment. When trace evidence of a radioactive material is found among the debris, the police naturally suspect the dead woman's estranged husband Edward Manning, (Harris Yulin), a renowned physicist. He denies having anything to do with the crime and the police continue their investigation of those who may have had access to nuclear material. The focus is on Max Weiss whose post-doctoral fellowship recently expired and is now working as an apartment building doorman. During questioning he claims that Manning hired him to build and send the bomb but ADA Stone uncovers a different motive: Manning had turned down Weiss' application for a research grant and intended to steal his idea leading Weiss to seek revenge. Getting Manning to testify in court to academic theft will not be easy however.
8317"Mayhem"James QuinnS : Walon Green;
T : René Balcer;
S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin		March 9, 1994 (1994-03-09)6902916.60[17]

During a 24-hour period, Briscoe and Logan have a rough shift when they catch a series of unrelated murders. All Briscoe hopes for is that he'll get out of the shop to make to the Knicks/Rockets basketball game that evening. The first killing is the shooting of man in a parked car. Later in the day there's a virtually identical shooting and they fear they may have a serial killer on their hands. In their next case, they arrest a woman who has cut off her cheating husband's genitals. The third murder involves a violent drug user. After they make their arrests it turns out that one of them is innocent. That person won't make it out of Riker's Island jail alive. This episode was the basis for the Law & Order: UK episode "Dawn till Dusk".

One of the cases in this episode is revisited in "Entitled", which begins on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
8418"Wager"Ed SherinS : Michael S. Chernuchin;
T : Kevin Arkadie;
S/T : Harvey Solomon		March 30, 1994 (1994-03-30)6900216.30[18]

The beating death of Ben Williams who it turns out is son of Major League baseball player Pat Williams (Malik Yoba). The elder Williams had only come into his son's life when the young man signed his major league contract and from all accounts he had a major gambling problem. The police immediately suspect Dr. Henry Doirnell, a chiropractor who is also the biggest bookie in Harlem. He's been arrested numerous times but never convicted and not surprisingly maintains he had nothing to do with Ben Williams' death. In the middle of the trial, ADA Stone realizes that they may have the wrong man on trial.

Note: Keith Hernandez makes an appearance.
8519"Sanctuary"Arthur W. ForneyMichael S. Chernuchin & William N. FordesApril 13, 1994 (1994-04-13)6903017.10[19]

Investigation of a hit and run accident that killed a young black boy. The case quickly takes on racial overtones when several witnesses identify the driver as a Jew. Before Briscoe and Logan get too far into the case the driver, Joshua Berger, turns himself in insisting it was an accident. The traffic bureau confirms that, based on all of the evidence at the scene, Berger was not driving fast and did his best to try and avoid hitting the boy. Berger is not charged which outrages the black community and one of its leaders, Reverend Ott (Tony Todd). It leads to a riot where a white man is pulled from his car and beaten to death in front of his wife. Using videotape the police the police identify the main assailant but he claims asylum in a local church.

In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #79 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.[20]
8620"Nurture"Jace AlexanderParis Qualles & Ed ZuckermanMay 4, 1994 (1994-05-04)6901115.30[21]
Briscoe and Logan investigate all of the stops when 10 year-old Wendy Sylvester's school friend complains that she hadn't seen her for two days. She was a ward of the State but her foster mother treated the girl like a servant and hadn't bothered calling the police believing she would return at some point. Her mother is an alcoholic and also hadn't seen her. A diary leads the police to believe that she may have been close to one of her teachers and the school confirms that a volunteer, Annette Fennady, may be that person. Fennady says she hasn't seen Wendy for some time but Logan's thinks she lying. After they find the girl in a hidden bedroom in the basement she is charged but her defense is that she was actually protecting the girl.
8721"Doubles"Ed SherinMichael S. Chernuchin & René BalcerMay 18, 1994 (1994-05-18)6900115.70[22]
Briscoe and Logan investigate the locker room assault on a rising young tennis star, Korey Burke. Her wrist was broken and it likely spells the end of her career as a pro tennis player. At first they suspect a rival, Allison Hall but then focus on the girl's father who they think might have wanted to find a way for Korey to keep her sponsorship contracts without actually having to play - and perhaps lose. The case seems to come full circle again when evidence points to Allison's boyfriend as the culprit. The solution lies elsewhere however.
8822"Old Friends"James QuinnS : Robert Nathan;
S/T : Joshua Stern		May 25, 1994 (1994-05-25)6903115.30[23]
The investigation into the killing of the CFO of a baby food company leads Briscoe and Logan directly to the Russian mob and its head, who now goes by the name Steven Green. When they arrest the shooter, ADA Stone isn't above manipulating his situation to get him to testify against Green. However, since no one can be found guilty solely on the testimony of an accomplice to the same crime, he desperately needs another witness. Ann Madsen (Allison Janney) had business dealings with Green and can testify to having seen the shooter in Green's office the day of the shooting. When it come to actually testifying however she changes her story, obviously in fear of her life. Stone makes it quite clear she will go to jail if she doesn't tell the truth but it leads to tragedy and forces Stone to make a major decision about his future.

References
  1. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 22 September 1993. p. 3D.
  2. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 6 October 1993. p. 3D.
  3. Gable, Donna (13 October 1993). "New shows pick up steam in ABC win". USA TODAY.
  4. Gable, Donna; Graham, Jefferson (20 October 1993). "'Home Improvement' powers to No. 1". USA TODAY.
  5. DeRosa, Robin (27 October 1993). "World Series earns CBS a win". USA TODAY.
  6. DeRosa, Robin (3 November 1993). "ABC usurps CBS as No. 1". USA TODAY.
  7. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 10 November 1993. p. 3D.
  8. DeRosa, Robin (17 November 1993). "Walters gives ABC a special boost". USA TODAY.
  9. DeRosa, Robin (24 November 1993). "CBS sweeps back to the top". USA TODAY. p. 3D.
  10. DeRosa, Robin (8 December 1993). "'White Dog' has its day; CBS, its week". USA TODAY.
  11. DeRosa, Robin (12 January 1994). "'Improvement' leads ABC charge". USA TODAY.
  12. DeRosa, Robin (19 January 1994). "'Columbo' on the case for ABC". USA TODAY.
  13. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 26 January 1994. p. 3D.
  14. DeRosa, Robin (9 February 1994). "Lilith brings ratings to 'Frasier'". USA TODAY.
  15. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 16 February 1994. p. 3D.
  16. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 9 March 1994. p. 3D.
  17. DeRosa, Robin (16 March 1994). "Premieres give ABC pull". USA TODAY.
  18. DeRosa, Robin (6 April 1994). "ABC gets help from 'These Friends'". USA TODAY.
  19. "Nielsen ratings". USA TODAY. 20 April 1994. p. 3D.
  20. "Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". TV Guide (June 28–July 4). 1997.
  21. DeRosa, Robin (11 May 1994). "ABC keeps hammering away". USA TODAY.
  22. "Nielsen Ratings". USA TODAY. 25 May 1994. p. 3D.
  23. DeRosa, Robin (1 June 1994). "ABC's clean sweeps". USA TODAY.
Preceded by
Season Three
(1992–1993)		 List of Law & Order seasons
(1990–2010)		 Succeeded by
Season Five
(1994–1995)
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