Law & Order (season 2)

*Law & Order*
Law & Order
Season 2
	Season 2 U.S. DVD cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	September 17, 1991 –; May 12, 1992
Season chronology
	← Previous; Season 1 Next →; Season 3
	List of episodes

The second season of Law & Order aired on NBC between September 17, 1991, and May 12, 1992. This season marked the first death of a main character, as George Dzundza had departed the series after the conclusion of the first season. The death of his character Max Greevey is shown in the season premiere. Carolyn McCormick makes her first recurring appearance as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet.

Cast[]

Phil Cerreta (played by Paul Sorvino) replaced season 1's Max Greevey (George Dzundza) in the role of senior detective. The cast was otherwise unchanged.

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Carolyn McCormick as Elizabeth Olivet

Other notables[]

Jerry Orbach made his initial appearance in the series in the episode "The Wages of Love", playing defense attorney Frank Lehrman; he would become a member of the principal cast beginning the next season after Paul Sorvino left, playing Cerreta’s replacement Lennie Briscoe, and remain with the show for twelve seasons.

Episodes[]

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	US viewers (millions)
23	1	"Confession"	Fred Gerber	Michael Duggan & Robert Palm	September 17, 1991 (1991-09-17)	67416	16.40^{[citation needed]}
Logan forces a confession at gunpoint from the man suspected of murdering Max Greevey and, in the process, endangers Stone's prosecution. Logan is also introduced to his new partner, Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino), while he speaks to a counselor, Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormick).
24	2	"The Wages of Love"	Ed Sherin	S : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman	September 24, 1991 (1991-09-24)	67405	16.60^{[citation needed]}
A double homicide of an older man and his younger lover casts suspicion on both the ex-wife Melainie Cullen and the former boyfriend Douglas Phillips of the murdered duo, with the murdered man's son Jamie Cullen holding the key to the mystery.
25	3	"Aria"	Don Scardino	S : Michael S. Chernuchin; T : Christine Roum	October 1, 1991 (1991-10-01)	67411	18.90^{[citation needed]}
A lethal drug overdose of a young actress leads the detectives to an aggressive stage mother Elizabeth Blaine and a pornographic movie producer Franklin Frome.
26	4	"Asylum"	Kristoffer Siegel-Tabori	S : Robert Palm; T : Kathy McCormick	October 8, 1991 (1991-10-08)	67409	20.80^{[citation needed]}
A victim's stabbing death in front of a coffee shop leads to one vagrant testifying against another. But the conviction is threatened twice based on the lack of a search warrant for a suspect's home - first an SRO hotel room and second a lean-to in the park.
27	5	"God Bless the Child"	E.W. Swackhamer	David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan	October 22, 1991 (1991-10-22)	67404	15.10^{[citation needed]}
A couple, whose religious beliefs forbids medical treatment, is on trial for letting their daughter die of strep throat infection. Stone's prosecution hinges on whether either or both of the parents wanted to call for medical help. The investigation uncovers two other pertinent facts: 1. the night of the girl's death, the mother was drinking (also against the couple's religious beliefs), and 2. the couple had another child that died under similar circumstances.
28	6	"Misconception"	Daniel Sackheim	S : Michael Duggan; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin	October 29, 1991 (1991-10-29)	67410	18.50^{[citation needed]}
The mugging of a pregnant legal secretary leads to a charge against her employer of assault, which is upgraded to murder when the baby dies. Time span confirmation of the baby's conception and the employer-secretary affair eliminates the employer as a suspect. Suspicion shifts to the secretary and her boyfriend Christopher Baylor (a disbarred lawyer) when a wiretap reveals that the couple intended, first, to have the employer held criminally responsible for the baby's murder and, second, to sue the employer for wrongful death. Initially, the primary issue appears to be the fetus age at which a murder charge can be leveled. The primary issue proves to be two-fold; 1. whether the suspects can be held accountable for knowing both the law and its meaning, and 2. even if the suspects cannot legally be convicted of the baby's murder, whether they can be convicted of a lesser crime, i.e. attempted murder.
29	7	"In Memory Of"	Ed Sherin	S : Siobhan Byrne; T : Robert Stuart Nathan; S/T : David Black	November 5, 1991 (1991-11-05)	67413	18.10^{[citation needed]}
The renovation of a brownstone uncovers the remains of a young boy who disappeared thirty-one years earlier during the 1960 presidential campaign. The discovery revives a wrenching and long-suppressed memory in a childhood friend and neighbor Thad Messimer-and the suspect's daughter Julie Atkinson.
30	8	"Out of Control"	John Whitesell	S : David Black & Robert Stuart Nathan; T : Jack Richardson	November 12, 1991 (1991-11-12)	67403	19.30^{[citation needed]}
The detectives investigate the gang rape of a college student during a fraternity Halloween party, but when her own testimony can't be supported by the evidence, it becomes hard to prove rape.
31	9	"Renunciation"	Gwen Arner	Michael S. Chernuchin & Joe Morgenstern	November 19, 1991 (1991-11-19)	67414	16.00^{[citation needed]}
When a gambler is killed, the hit-and-run investigation leads to the discovery of a schoolteacher Jenna Kealey carrying on an affair with one of her students Roy Pack jr. Cerreta and Logan suspect that she may have manipulated him into killing her husband.
32	10	"Heaven"	Ed Sherin	T : Nancy Ann Miller; S/T : Robert Palm	November 26, 1991 (1991-11-26)	67415	19.10^{[citation needed]}
The investigation into an illegal social club fire which claimed 53 fatalities leads to a connection between arson, illegal immigrants and the sale of green cards. based on the Happy Land fire
33	11	"His Hour Upon the Stage"	Steve Cohen	Robert Nathan & Giles Blunt	December 10, 1991 (1991-12-10)	67407	18.30^{[citation needed]}
The discovery of a frozen corpse in a dumpster leads to rival Broadway producers.
34	12	"Star Struck"	Ed Sherin	S : David Black & Alan Gelb; T : Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth	January 7, 1992 (1992-01-07)	67406	21.30^{[citation needed]}
An obsessive fan pleads temporary insanity when he is charged with attempting to murder the soap opera actress Lucy Nevin who is the center of his life.
35	13	"Severance"	Jim Frawley	S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : William N. Fordes	January 14, 1992 (1992-01-14)	67418	17.40^{[citation needed]}
Stone faces an old rival in court as he tries to link a hit man and three murders to a sleazy lawyer and a powerful man behind bars.
36	14	"Blood Is Thicker"	Peter Levin	S : Robert Nathan; S/T : Ed Zuckerman	February 4, 1992 (1992-02-04)	67422	17.60^{[citation needed]}
An apparent mugging ends in the death of a wealthy woman but the case comes to hang on a silver pin that may have been in the victim's possession.
37	15	"Trust"	Daniel Sackheim	S : Michael Duggan; S/T : René Balcer	February 11, 1992 (1992-02-11)	67417	17.60^[1]
Stone is determined to see that a teenage boy does not get away with murder twice when the young man is brought to trial for the shooting death of one of his friends.
38	16	"Vengeance"	Daniel Sackheim	S : Peter S. Greenberg; T : René Balcer; S/T : Michael S. Chernuchin	February 18, 1992 (1992-02-18)	67420	19.20^{[citation needed]}
The parents of a murdered woman contest Stone's prosecution of her killer so that he can be extradited to their home state, where the death penalty still exists.
39	17	"Sisters of Mercy"	Fred Gerber	S : Robert Palm; S/T : René Balcer	March 3, 1992 (1992-03-03)	67423	16.40^{[citation needed]}
Cerreta and Logan investigate the accusation that a nun sister in charge of a shelter for teens molested a young addict.
40	18	"Cradle to Grave"	James Frawley	Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth	March 31, 1992 (1992-03-31)	67424	18.10^{[citation needed]}
The discovery of a dead baby leads to a case involving a slumlord who would not provide any heat and who defends her actions by blaming the rent laws.
41	19	"The Fertile Fields"	Ed Sherin	Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer	April 7, 1992 (1992-04-07)	67425	17.50^{[citation needed]}
The brutal murder of a Jewish jeweler appears to be a hate crime, but the investigation soon leads back to the man's brother and his shady business deals. First appearance of Leslie Hendrix as Assistant Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers.
42	20	"Intolerance"	Steven Robman	Robert Nathan & Sally Nemeth	April 14, 1992 (1992-04-14)	67426	14.90^{[citation needed]}
When a Chinese-American honors student is killed, the investigation uncovers a racist mother Marian Borland whose son Randy Borland was competing with the victim for the same scholarship.
43	21	"Silence"	Ed Sherin	S : Michael Duggan; T : Michael S. Chernuchin; S/T : René Balcer	April 28, 1992 (1992-04-28)	67427	11.10^{[citation needed]}
A politician opposes the prosecution of his son's murderer because it might mean revealing that his late son James Vogel was gay.
44	22	"The Working Stiff"	Daniel Sackheim	S : William N. Fordes; S/T : Robert Palm	May 12, 1992 (1992-05-12)	67428	12.10^[2]
The murder of a Wall Street legend begins a case involving an ailing union worker Simon Vilanis, Dwight Corcoran a former governor and old friend of Schiff's.

References[]

^ Donion, Brian (19 February 1992). "CBS wins, but ABC gets silver". USA TODAY.
^ Gable, Donna (20 May 1992). "Weddings blissful for NBC". USA TODAY.

External links[]

Episode guide from NBC.com

Preceded by Season One (1990-1991)	List of Law & Order seasons (1990-2010)	Succeeded by Season Three (1992-1993)

[1] Donion, Brian (19 February 1992). "CBS wins, but ABC gets silver". USA TODAY.

[2] Gable, Donna (20 May 1992). "Weddings blissful for NBC". USA TODAY.

[1]

[2]