<P> Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series , created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise . It originally aired on NBC and , in syndication , on various cable networks . Law & Order premiered on September 13 , 1990 , and completed its 20th and final season on May 24 , 2010 . At the time of its cancellation , Law & Order was the longest - running crime drama on American primetime television . Its record of 20 seasons is a tie with Gunsmoke ( 1955 -- 75 ) for the longest - running live - action scripted American prime - time series with ongoing characters . Although it has fewer episodes than Gunsmoke , Law & Order ranks as the longest - running hour - long primetime TV series . Gunsmoke , for its first six seasons , was originally a half - hour program . </P>
<P> Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series , created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise . It originally aired on NBC and , in syndication , on various cable networks . Law & Order premiered on September 13 , 1990 , and completed its 20th and final season on May 24 , 2010 . At the time of its cancellation , Law & Order was the longest - running crime drama on American primetime television . Its record of 20 seasons is a tie with Gunsmoke ( 1955 -- 75 ) for the longest - running live - action scripted American prime - time series with ongoing characters . Although it has fewer episodes than Gunsmoke , Law & Order ranks as the longest - running hour - long primetime TV series . Gunsmoke , for its first six seasons , was originally a half - hour program . </P>
when did law and order start on tv
when did law and order start on tv
September 13 , 1990
September 13 , 1990