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Law & Order season 8

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Law & Order
Season 8
Season 8 U.S. DVD cover
No. of episodes24
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 24, 1997 (1997-09-24) –
May 20, 1998 (1998-05-20)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 7
Next →
Season 9
List of episodes

The eighth season of the legal drama Law & Order aired on NBC from September 24, 1997, to May 20, 1998, and consisted of 24 episodes.

Cast

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The cast of season 8 remained unchanged from season 7, for the first time in the show's history. Carey Lowell, who played Jamie Ross, left the series at the end of the 8th season but made a special guest appearance as a Defense Attorney in the 10th season episode "Justice" and the 11th season episode "School Daze", as well as going on to play a judge on Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet doesn't appear in this season, nor season 11 or 12.

Main cast

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Recurring cast

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Guest Stars

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Episodes

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1581"Thrill"Martha MitchellRené BalcerSeptember 24, 1997 (1997-09-24)K250817.58[2]

Detectives Briscoe and Curtis break the seemingly random murder of Matthew Wheeler a fried chicken deliverer, which was discovered to be a thrill killing, with a little "undercover" work in the park, but McCoy and Ross face a harder battle to get a conviction when the two defendants Joey Timon and Dale Kershaw resolutely point the finger at each other, and the one item identifying the actual killer is the recording of a confession-made to a priest. Meanwhile, Detective Curtis learns that his wife has multiple sclerosis.

1592"Denial"Christopher MisianoS : René Balcer;
S/T : David Shore		October 8, 1997 (1997-10-08)K250414.28[4]

Bloody sheets and an apparently stolen credit card lead Briscoe and Curtis to a pair of college-age lovers Christina Talbert and Tommy Horton, who present McCoy and Ross with a united front of denial that one of them killed their newborn son and disposed of the body.

1603"Navy Blues"Jace AlexanderS : Dick Wolf;
S/T : Kathy McCormick		October 15, 1997 (1997-10-15)K251011.79[6]

McCoy finds himself battling the Navy and the office of the Judge Advocate General as he tries to prosecute a female pilot Kirstin Blair accused of murdering Robert Stroud her married lover after he tried to break off with her.

1614"Harvest"Matthew PennS : René Balcer;
S/T : I.C. Rapoport		October 29, 1997 (1997-10-29)K250614.18[8]

A discrepancy concerning the time of death of a drive-by shooting victim Nancy O' Neal, leads McCoy and Ross to initiate prosecutions against both the shooter Elias Camacho and the doctor Donald Cosgrove, who harvested her organs as transplant donations.

1625"Nullification"Constantine MakrisDavid BlackNovember 5, 1997 (1997-11-05)K250712.98[10]

After Briscoe and Curtis trace an eagle tattoo on a man shot and killed while holding up an armored truck to a group of militia members, McCoy finds himself facing one of their number as the pro se counsel for his friends, arguing for the concept of "jury nullification", the right of a jury to protect a defendant from an unjust law by acquittal despite the evidence.

  • Inspired by Militia actions such as the sieges of Ruby Ridge, Idaho and Waco, Texas, the Oklahoma City bombing and the trial of the Chicago Seven. Writer David Black said while researching for the episode that he found some aspects of the movement to be bigoted, but found that some of it reminded him of "original revolutionists of America. They do sound like Tom Paine and Thomas Jefferson... I don't think they should use terrorist tactics, but philosophically I have some sympathy."[9]
1636"Baby, It's You"Ed SherinJorge ZamaconaNovember 12, 1997 (1997-11-12)K251116.01[12]

It's old home week for Briscoe when an apparent murder of Britney Janaway a teenage model in New York City develops ties to Baltimore, and Detectives Munch and Falsone pay a visit to the Big Apple to observe the case. Meanwhile, McCoy finds himself battling the attorney of the victim's parents for access to his clients while also battling the Baltimore DA for jurisdiction.

1647"Blood"Jace AlexanderS : René Balcer;
S/T : Craig Tepper		November 19, 1997 (1997-11-19)K250215.13[13]
The paternity of a black baby placed for adoption by Karen Burdett a white wealthy mother, who later fell from an apartment balcony might provide a clue to her murderer, but it also unearths some long-buried family secrets that it seems more than one person would kill to keep hidden.
1658"Shadow"Matthew PennRichard SwerenNovember 26, 1997 (1997-11-26)K250514.81[14]
The murder of Manny Erlich a bail bondsman looks fairly routine until the chance words of the chief suspect uncover possible case-fixing between a shady lawyer and an unknown contact within the judicial system.
1669"Burned"Constantine MakrisSiobhan ByrneDecember 10, 1997 (1997-12-10)K250114.24[15]
A message overheard on an answering machine leads Briscoe and Curtis to a confessed murderer and the home of wealthy Carl Anderton, an old friend of Adam Schiff, whose stubborn non-cooperation with the district attorney threatens to create a serious miscarriage of justice.
16710"Ritual"Brian MertesKathy McCormick & Richard SwerenDecember 17, 1997 (1997-12-17)K251613.88[17]

Curtis and Briscoe investigate the death of Josef Moussad, an Arab man found behind a dumpster, the victim of an apparent mugging. The detectives soon realize that Moussad had brought a doctor into the country to perform a clitoridectomy on his young niece, and suspicion turns to the family. Ross is horrified that young Alison's grandmother and uncle were both in full support of the operation, which makes it hard for her to prosecute the case objectively.

16811"Under the Influence"Adam DavidsonRené BalcerJanuary 7, 1998 (1998-01-07)K251716.98[18]

After Briscoe and Curtis finally determine who was driving the car that killed three people, the legal prosecution stands in danger of becoming a kangaroo court when McCoy's feelings over Kincaid mesh with the political agenda of Gary Feldman, an ambitious judge anxious to make an example of the defendant to boost his election chances against Adam Schiff.

  • This episode revisits the car accident involving Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid from Season 6 episode "Aftershock."
16912"Expert"Lewis H. GouldDavid Shore & I.C. RapoportJanuary 21, 1998 (1998-01-21)K251813.55[19]
The shooting of two people in a restaurant restroom takes some abrupt turns as they try to discover who exactly the intended victim Lindsay Carson was, and the prosecutors have to deal with a defendant claiming to have been in a dissociative state while committing the crime — the same defense used years before by the defendant's father.
17013"Castoff"Gloria MuzioDavid Black & Harold SchechterJanuary 28, 1998 (1998-01-28)K251215.59[21]

The street murder of Jennifer Gaylin – a woman who worked with underprivileged kids – takes a turn towards the bizarre when the detectives uncover she had a predilection for kinky sex, and that one of her current partners appears to be serial killer Eddie Chandler, who offers an overexposure to television violence as his defense during his trial.

17114"Grief"Christopher MisianoSuzanne OshryFebruary 4, 1998 (1998-02-04)K251414.56[22]
As Briscoe and Curtis try to pin down the specifics of an assault on George Harding a man reluctant to discuss it, they uncover the alleged rape of two women in custodial care. But as the prosecutors attempt to prepare their case, a reluctant witness changes their view of the cases.
17215"Faccia a Faccia"Martha MitchellRené Balcer & Eddie FeldmannFebruary 25, 1998 (1998-02-25)K251913.78[23]
Taking on an apparent Mafia murder, Detectives Briscoe and Curtis are stymied by a dead witness and a seemingly incoherent mob boss.
17316"Divorce"Constantine MakrisBarry M. SchkolnickMarch 4, 1998 (1998-03-04)K252014.71[24]
The stabbing death of Linda Burke a psychologist draws Detectives Briscoe and Curtis into a heated divorce case and pits Prosecutors McCoy and Ross against a manipulative attorney.
17417"Carrier"J. RanelliDavid BlackApril 1, 1998 (1998-04-01)K252512.73[25]
The death of May Kiley a college student leads to a case involving an HIV-positive male who's seeking to infect as many young women as possible. McCoy, testing right-to-privacy ethics, wants to charge him with murder.
17518"Stalker"Richard DobbsKathy McCormickApril 15, 1998 (1998-04-15)K252316.38[26]
When a woman Andrea Blake is found unconscious at the bottom of her apartment stairs, Briscoe and Curtis must figure out what happened — before it's too late. In order to make his case, McCoy pits the two detectives against each other in the courtroom.
17619"Disappeared"David PlattRichard Sweren & William N. FordesApril 22, 1998 (1998-04-22)K252814.20[27]

A defendant Matthew O'Dell refuses to allow his lawyer to raise the issue of insanity. This complicates matters for the brother who turned him in with hopes of securing medical treatment for him.

17720"Burden"Constantine MakrisDavid Shore & I.C. RapoportApril 24, 1998 (1998-04-24)K252611.34[27]
After Michael Sutter a 12-year-old quadriplegic dies at home in his bed, paramedics claim that he was suffocated and the suspects include the boy's parents and sister.
17821"Bad Girl"Jace AlexanderRené Balcer & Richard SwerenApril 29, 1998 (1998-04-29)K252414.26[29]

Schiff's re-election may hinge on the stabbing death of Dana Flynn a police officer; Briscoe's daughter is arrested for dealing drugs.

17922"Damaged"Constantine MakrisJanis DiamondMay 6, 1998 (1998-05-06)K252214.27[30]
The case of a teacher's shooting uncovers a vendetta involving the rape of a mentally challenged coed by three students, whose attorney claims they weren't aware of her condition. Briscoe is devastated to learn of his daughter Cathy's death at the hands of a killer that an unknown Prosecutor failed to convict.
18023"Tabloid"Brian MertesS : Alec Baldwin;
S/T : David Black		May 13, 1998 (1998-05-13)K251513.28[31]
Tabloid journalism comes under scrutiny during the investigations into the deaths of a gossip columnist and a celebrity target he pursued.
18124"Monster"Ed SherinRené Balcer & Richard SwerenMay 20, 1998 (1998-05-20)K252714.80[32]

A 10-year-old girl Malika Richardson is raped and rendered comatose by a pedophile. A snitch offers Briscoe a chance to avenge his daughter's death. The NYPD brass is looking to force Lieutenant Van Buren out of her job. McCoy must contend with Judge Feldman as an adversary both at trial and outside the courtroom due to an ethics complaint the judge filed against him. While all of this goes on, Schiff begins to consider the possibility that Feldman might defeat him in the election. At episode's end, Ross resigns from her job as an ADA to devote more time to her family life and her ongoing divorce.

References

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  1. ^ Dwyer, Kevin (2006). Review: True Stories of Law & Order: The Real Crimes Behind the Best Episodes of the Hit TV Show. Penguin. pp. viii, 179–184. ISBN 9780425211908. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  2. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  3. ^ Wyatt, Edward (January 8, 2005). "Even for an Expert, Blurred TV Images Became a False Reality". New York Times.
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 6-12)". The Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ^ Courrier, Kevin (1998). Law & order: the unofficial companion. Renaissance Books. pp. 285–286.
  6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ^ Courrier, p.287
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27-Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ Courrier, p.288
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ^ Courrier, p.288-290
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17-23)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 8-14)". The Los Angeles Times. December 17, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ James, Stanlie Myrise (2002). Genital cutting and transnational sisterhood: disputing U.S. polemics. University Press of Illinois. p. 73. ISBN 9780252027413.
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15-21)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 5-11)". The Los Angeles Times. January 14, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 19-25)". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ Lo, Malinda (June 13, 2005). "Law and Order Treats Gay Men Fairly". AfterElton.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 26-Feb. 1)". The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 2-8)". The Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23–March 1)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 30-April 5)". The Los Angeles Times. April 8, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  27. ^ a b "National Nielsen Viewership (April 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  28. ^ Price, Melynda Janea (2006). At the Cross: Race and Religion in the Politics of the Death Penalty Among African Americans. p. 222.
  29. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 27-May 3)". The Los Angeles Times. May 6, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  30. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 4–10)". The Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  31. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  32. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 18–24)". The Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1998. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
[edit]
Preceded by
Season Seven
(1996-1997) 		List of Law & Order seasons
(1990-2010) 		Succeeded by
Season Nine
(1998-1999)
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