NBC'S 'LAW & ORDER' BRAND MARKS 600TH COMBINED EPISODE

NBC'S 'LAW & ORDER' BRAND MARKS 600TH COMBINED EPISODE

New Executive Producers Nicholas Wootton ("NYPD Blue") and Walon Green ("Law & Order: Trial By Jury") Join "Law & Order"

Marcia Gay Harden, Lynda Carter, Estella Warren, Dean Cain, Mary Stuart Masterson and Teri Garr, Among Others to Guest Star on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

Chris Noth and Annabella Sciorra Join "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" as Alternating Series Leads

NEW YORK - September 15, 2005 - NBC's "Law & Order" brand marks an impressive milestone, celebrating its 600th combined episode - including original episodes of "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Law & Order: Trial By Jury" - on Wednesday, October 5. This achievement commemorates over fifteen years of compelling, award-winning criminal justice programming that draws its inspiration from the real-world cases topping the headlines.

"Law & Order," the second longest running drama in the history of television, enters its 16th season on Wednesday, September 21 at 10-11 p.m. ET, with "Red Ball," a powerful episode penned by new executive producer Nicholas Wootton ("NYPD Blue"). With the look and feel of a classic "Law & Order" episode plus a contemporary, multi-faceted plot and challenging moral dilemmas, Wootton's opener makes good on his promise to "bring it back to the era when it was at its most fantastic." The premiere episode is also the first collaboration of Wootton and "Law & Order" veteran producer Walon Green ("Law & Order: Trial by Jury"), who re-joins the series as executive producer this season.

On the heels of its sixth and highest-rated season to date, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" returns on Tuesday, September 20 at 10-11 p.m. ET, to the timeslot it dominated last season. With a succession of powerful episodes touching on hot-button social issues, "SVU" features an impressive array of guest stars including: Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden ("Mystic River"), Lynda Carter ("The Dukes of Hazzard"), Estella Warren ("Her Minor Thing"), Dean Cain ("The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story"), Tony nominee Mary Stuart Masterson ("Something the Lord Made") and Teri Garr ("Mr. Mom").

Golden Globe winner and two-time Emmy nominee Mariska Hargitay and series star Christopher Meloni continue to deliver commanding performances. In "911" to air October 5 and described by executive producer Neal Baer as "the most ambitious show we've ever done," Detective Benson is the sole lifeline for a little girl held captive and it's up to her to locate the child before the predator can return. Additionally, Meloni will take center stage in a subsequent episode as Detective Stabler continues to grapple with his suppressed rage. "We're going to find out what's under Stabler's anger and launch him on a new path," added Baer.

Entering its fifth season, the cast of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will expand to include Chris Noth ("The Perfect Man," "Sex and the City") as Detective Mike Logan - the role he portrayed in the original series from 1990 to 1995 - and Annabella Sciorra ("The Sopranos") as Detective Carolyn Barek, a brilliant criminal profiler, as alternating series leads. The pair joins long-time partners Detective Robert Green (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Detective Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) and will split the caseloads, each team fronting eleven episodes this season. "It'll be more testosterone that you can shake a housewife at," said executive producer Rene Balcer.

Detective Logan (Noth) will be introduced as part of the Major Case Squad during the season premiere episode also guest-starring Olivia D'Abo as Nicole Wallace, Detective Goren's nemesis who returns once again in the midst of a drug-related murder. Detective Logan will be joined by his partner Detective Barek (Sciorra) for their first full episode the following Sunday, October 2 at 9-10 p.m. ET.

"Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and are produced by Wolf Films in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.