Narrative:  Law & Order is now the longest running drama on television today and it's still a ratings hit for NBC.  More than any other crime show, Law & Order lets the story shine as the stars around it come and go.  Recently, I visited the set as they prepared for their 250th episode. . . . Jesse L. Martin, another cast member with a theatre background plays Orbach's partner, Detective Ed Green.

Q:Did you watch Law & order before you started actually being on Law & Order?

JLM:    Most definitely.  I watched it non-stop, I mean I was really, really into it like I'd literally break my neck to get home to watch the show.  Now I can't watch it so much . . . the mystery is gone, you know (laughs), and not to mention I'm here 12-16 hours a day, so I don't need to see anything "Law & Order"-like.

-Clip of L&O showing JLM-

 

Q:   When you come in, the character is sort of this "blank slate", because essentially the story is the star of the show.  

JLM:    That's truly one of my favorite things about the show, because it never is about them, it's more about the case, it's all about the case, and if you do learn something about them during the case, you know, that's a good day, like:  "Oh my God, they dropped a little tid-bit about 'McCoy' today", you know, I like it like that.  I really do like it like that.

  Narrative:  The Law & Order workday is suprisingly long.  12 hours on the set is considered a luxury.

-Clips of show showing JLM and other characters performing-

JLM:    The hours are crazy, like really, really, crazy; but . . . you know, when you sign on you know that that's the deal.  You really have to remind yourself . . . like, my parents, you know, they worked all their lives, like, doing things that they didn't want to do at all.  Like, working at these places that they didn't want to work in at all, and for me to complain about having a great job, making great money, living in New York City, the greatest city in the world . . . you know, for me to complain?  [shakes head] That's just disrespectful.  You know what I mean?

Narr:  Law & Order on NBC.    

End of the Interview.
Thanks to Finesse for this transcript