Law & Order Year 1 (6-DVD)

Law & Order, NBC's long running crime drama, has been so successful largely because it has a formula that emphasizes story over character. This collection contains the show's entire first season, and it is evident how well the formula works from the outset. Each show begins with the police discovering a crime and for the first half-hour two detectives (here it's Noth and Dzundza) wade through the evidence to come up with a prime suspect. The second half hour follows the suspect to trial and is told from the DA's point of view and allows the show to dissect the intricacies of the US legal system. Staying topical by often taking cases straight from current headlines, Law & Order is no less compelling when seen long after the real life events have faded from the headlines, thanks in large part to its terrific cast and its intelligent and involving writing. Contains the entire first season of the show in six volumes packaged in a handsome collector's box.