Law & Order
Jack McCoy was a staple ofLaw & Order , so it was a shock to longtime fan when actor Sam Waterston leave behind the show after four hundred episodes under his belt . Waterson ’s NY District Attorney Jack McCoyhas long been considered the exhaust heart ofLaw & Order , the longest - tenure actor on the show . During his clip onLaw & Order , Sam Waterston shape the serial publication with Jack McCoy ’s acquisition and savvy before becomingLaw & Order ’s highest - profile character exit .
Waterston join the mold inLaw & Orderseason 5 , episode 1 , as the young lawyer at the D.A. ’s government agency who doggedly pursues a strong belief for a woman who provide sketchy alternate treatment services to women with breast cancer . From the start , his first episode established Jack McCoy ’s character : determine , tough , and uncompromising in his hobby of justice for those who need it most . In his two decades on the show , Sam Waterston ’s character became synonymous withLaw & Order , and it ’s a novel , strange era now that he ’s run ahead ofLaw & Orderseason 24 .
Sam Waterston Law & Order Episodes
Episode Title
Original Air Date
First : season 5 , installment 1
" Second Opinion "
September 21 , 1994
Last : time of year 23 , instalment 5
The beginning of the long-running franchise Law & Order is a crime-drama series created by Dick Wolf and launched on NBC in 1990. The series follows the day-to-day lives of detectives and legal professionals in New York who are involved in apprehending and prosecuting dangerous criminals.
" Last Dance "
February 22 , 2024
Sam Waterston Exited As Law & Order’s Jack McCoy For Personal Reasons
He Wanted To Try Something Different
Despite him being the backbone of the flagship show in theLaw & Orderuniverse , Sam Waterston made the choice to exit the show after playing the role of the Manhattan D.A. for a whopping 19 seasons . Earlier this year , he penned a alphabetic character to fan on Instagram , explaining that he matt-up it was time to move on and explore other boulevard , both as an actor in life :
" Greetings , you wondrous citizenry . It ’s a pleasance to talk like a shot like this to the backbone of Law & Order ’s absolutely amazing audience . The fourth dimension has derive for me to move on and take Jack McCoy with me . There ’s sadness in leave , but I ’m just too curious about what ’s next . An role player does n’t want to let himself get too comfortable . I ’m more grateful to you than I can say . L&O ’s bear on and awe-inspiring longsighted rivulet , along with its amazing seminal fluid - back , is all thanks to you and to Dick Wolf , but for whose vision , patience , perseverance , and unique combination of originative and patronage talents , none of this would have materialise . I feel very deuced . I hope to see you all on the flip side . Thank you . Sam . "
However , Waterston was quick to clarify that he ’s not retiring , a sentiment that he ’s repeat in legion interviews since . " I ’m heart-to-heart for business , " he told theL.A. Times , " If anybody ’s reading this and mentation , ‘ Oh , too risky . He retired . ’ I have n’t retired . " He later on explain that his married woman , Lynn Louisa Woodruff , and his manager were responsible for finding him his next project . In the meantime , he will next be seen in the upcoming Tyler Perry WWII dramaSix Triple Eight .
Even if he ’s not acting , though , Waterston keeps officious with other endeavors . A longtime climate militant and champion of human right , Waterston has serve as the Board President of Oceana , the world ’s expectant non-profit-making ocean conservation NGO , since 2001 . He also serves as Board Member Emeritus for Refugee International , with the Waterston Emergency Fund nominate for him . His championing of refugee drive has been so dedicated that in 2012 , he was grant the Goodermote Humanitarian Award from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health . Clearly , even if Waterston does n’t come back to a steady performing schedule Charles William Post - Law & Order , he will keep busy .
District Attorney Jack McCoy was an integral part of what held the original Law & Order together - and he ’s doing the same for the reboot .
How Law & Order Wrote Out Jack McCoy After 400 Episodes
He Rode Off Into The Sunset - Figuratively
In Sam Waterston ’s terminal episode , the venerate D.A. retired while keeping his wholeness entire . The case he act upon on was a sticky one . Dating app beginner Veronica Knight ’s body is observe in Central Park . Jack McCoy is certain that the man who did it was filthy plentiful , influential tech mogul Scott Kelton , who killed Veronica after she accused him of rap her year earlier . The case experience more complicated when it was revealed that Jordan , the son of New York City Mayor Payne , was on the same slip with Kelton , a huge donor to the mayor , when the alleged rape charter station .
When the D.A. ’s office threatened to subpoena Jordan , the mayor threatens to " bury " Jack McCoy and assistant D.A. Nolan Price , take he ’ll use his considerable weight and influence to ascertain Jack ’s opponent is elected and that Price is burn down in a public and career - ruining style . With the pressure sensation mounting , Jack McCoy asks Price to step off the caseful and step up to finish the trial himself . The move was vintage Jack McCoy , designed to protect his supporter D.A. while still getting justice , and Kelton is eventually found shamed of second - level murder . Knowing there will be consequences his actions , Jack puts in his surrender . He leaves with his ethics uncompromised and on his own condition , a fitting goodbye toLaw & Order ’s heart and soul .
The root of the long - running dealership Law & Order is a crime - drama series created by Dick Wolf and set in motion on NBC in 1990 . The series follows the solar day - to - mean solar day lives of investigator and legal master in New York who are involved in get the picture and prosecuting grave criminals .
