By Harriet Gurganus

Law & Order, now in its twelfth season, is television's longest-running current drama series. As it has been renewed until 2005, it is poised to become the longest-running police series and second longest-running drama series in the history of television. Filmed entirely on location in New York City, this show is unique in that the first half hour focuses on the police investigation of a crime and the second half hour shifts to the criminal court room procedures.

Legacy Interactive, known for its best-selling gritty, realistic games like Code Blue and Emergency Room, will soon be releasing an interactive game based on and starring the cast of the Law & Order television series.

Harriet Gurganus was able to secure for Just Adventure this exclusive interview with the cast members of Law & Order. Join us as they speak about their involvement with the game and their television series.

S. Epatha Merkerson plays Lt. Anita Van Buren on Law & Order. Her film credits include Terminator II and Jacob's Ladder, among many others. She has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Helen Hayes Award, for her Broadway and off-Broadway roles. Her television roles are too numerous to mention here, but the part she will always be most fondly remembered for is that of Reba the Mail Lady on the cult favorite, Pee Wee's Playhouse.

How do you want Law & Order fans to respond when they play the game?

Well, Law & Order has acquired an incredible array of fans and viewers, and I think that when they find that we're interactive, that will bring them all to it, especially those who tend to sit at their computer anyway. Because the one thing that our show does is make people think. And this game allows people to think through a case by playing one of the parts. So I think it will make them even bigger fans of show, because it will give them the opportunity to participate.

Having recorded Lt. Van Buren's dialog for the game, are you intrigued to play it yourself?

The idea of actually sitting down and playing the game really intrigues me, especially after having done the voice over. And knowing that I can be Van Buren and be a player. That's going to be really cool. [Laughs.] I'm really interested in playing the game.

You know the character of Lt. Van Buren inside and out. What are the challenges involved in bringing an established character from a television show from one medium to the next?

Transferring character to 3D animation is really going to be interesting for me to see. I'm not quite sure how different it will be, because as I was doing the VO session, it just seemed right, the things Van Buren was saying and all the situations that happened within the precinct. So I think it'll mostly be a visual thing, more so than it is anything else. Because I didn't see any difference. It'll be when I look at the game I'll see the difference, but for now, I'm still an actor playing a part.

How do you, as an actor, get ready and prepare for a project like this? How is it different than your work on the show?

Well, I don't think my preparation was any different. The lines are set up the same way as on the show. The guys come to her, they talk about the case, she tries to get search warrants for them, they have to bring her more evidence, she responds to that, when they're not moving quickly enough, she has to move them on, and when it looks like they're not getting anywhere, she threatens to take the case away from them. So there wasn't a lot of difference. The only difference will be me actually seeing a 3D animation of Van Buren. That'll be a trip. Because this is really who I look like, and then there's who I look like as Van Buren, because it's well-documented that I wear a wig for the character, and then it'll be interesting just to see that animated. I can't wait to see what this is going to look like; it's very exciting. Because this is sort of new. I mean I know of PlayStation, I know of all these other games, but this kind of thing, I don't know of. So it's very exciting to be apart of it. Plus to have such a great show be the new one, the first one.

There's a big trend toward computer animation and gaming--would you say doing these kinds of roles is the way of the future?

I think that wherever actors can get really good work, this is as valid as anything else we do. It's all part and parcel of the whole. There are things that people do just voice-overs for, there are things people just do camera work for. So I think it's absolutely a valid form of work. It's not that easy. You're also taking characters outside of their normal setting, meaning, you're making them 3D. It's different from what you'll see on television. I think it's valid work. If this is the look of the future, so be it. It's a great forum for actors to be involved with.

The show address very complex current affairs, both legal and social. Did you find that the game cases are consistent with the kind of cases you would see on Law & Order on television?

I believe that these two cases are very close to, if not dead on, the way things are done on the show. Because basically they're stories people may have read in the paper, and that's what we do. Ripped from the headlines. To be able to participate in that also is an added attraction to this being an interactive game. Because you do have some knowledge of the case, and being the player, I think it's going to be really interesting for the fans of the show to really participate, because when you think about it, that's the only thing that's missing now--that they actually don't physically participate. I know that's why our viewers watch, because mentally you are asked to function, to see how we're going to make the twist and make it different, but this will make the viewer active. And I think that's the fun of it for those diehard Law & Order people.

I've noticed when watching the show I have to pay really close attention, or I can get lost in the plot--there are so many pieces to the puzzle.

One of the things I love about the way the show runs is that I think it's the best of both worlds. It entertains, as well as teaches. It's very educational. So, it's true, you do have to sit and watch the show. I know so many people who say to me, when it comes on, no one interrupts me, I don't pick up the phone, because if you do, you're going to miss just that little thing. The great thing about the game is that you'll be able to turn it off, go about your business, answer the phone, do whatever you need to do, and then pick it up where you left off. That'll be fun. I think Law & Order fans are going to love this, I really do. Because I had so much fun doing it, and I think it's just going to work for them as well.

The people who play this game may be younger than the typical audience for the show. Does that appeal to you?

One thing I think might be interesting with this game, since children spend a lot of time in front of computers. I think that even though we have an older audience, it's going to be really interesting to see how children function with it. Because it is a thinking game. And anything that allows a child to think, I believe is important. Sometimes, the subject matter might be a little dicey, but I think at a certain age that children should be allowed to play the game, simply because they'll have to really think things out, powers of deduction, and things of that nature. I think it might be a lot of fun for them.

The game may appeal to teenagers.

Interestingly enough, we do have a lot of teenagers who watch the show. And I think it will be a great game for them, because they have the opportunity to really function as a character. And one of the things I love about the show is that not only does it entertain, but also it is an educational tool. And to put it in an interactive setting, I think that will be great for kids, especially teenagers. Because there are some smart kids. What kids have now, as opposed to when I was growing up, well, it's amazing how much information kids have, and I think this will be very positive, to have kids actually sit down and work this type of human problem out.

What are your thoughts about the new Assistant District Attorney (ADA) character joining the cast next season, Serena Southerlyn?

We'll have a new character replacing Angie Harmon. Elisabeth Rohm is coming in, and I think that this character is probably the youngest of all the ADAs we've had. So she's coming in a very different sort of mode, where Abby Carmichael was very strong and straight-ahead. And Jamie Ross was pretty bright and knew exactly what was going on. And Claire Kincaid was right there. This girl is still just out of college; she's very new to ADA's office. I think she'll be an interesting texture for our next season. Very different from the ladies we've seen in the past. Plus she's blonde, and all of the others have been very dark-haired, very dark. So it's going to be an interesting season. She's a sweetheart. She hasn't been around very long, but I've enjoyed working with her. It's been great.

Elisabeth Rohm, as Assistant District Attorney Serena Southerlyn, is the newest cast member of Law & Order. She has previously appeared on the daytime soap opera One Life to Live, and she also starred the popular miniseries The '60s and the BBC miniseries Eureka Street.

How do you want the diehard Law & Order fans to react when they play Law & Order Interactive?

I want them to love it. What made me fall in love with acting, which is my life, was watching other people perform. It made me hunger to do that. And when people play these games, it's going to make them feel more included in watching the show, and I think that's great. It's something I've felt as a viewer of Law & Order, and now that I'm joining the cast, I hope that this will add to that.

How do you think it will be different for people to play the game versus watching an episode of Law & Order?

Because now they're going to actually really know what we're doing. They're really going to have a skill, they're going to get up on the stand, they're going to learn about the law in a different way. I think it's a great idea because it's not just going to be Sherlock Holmes and mystery, but it's going to be educational. I think it's going to take off.

The show is known for addressing complex social issues and subtleties in the law. Do you see that in the plots for the game cases?

Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a very important issue in regard to how we look at right and wrong, how we look at the world we're in. There has to be a fine line; otherwise, that finesse, that difficult place to put your finger on about the world--it needs to be illustrated, and it has been in these [game] episodes, and it is on our show, and I think you've upheld that.

Are you excited to play the game?

Of course I'm going to play it, it'll be helpful research for working on my part! [Laughs.] I actually learned a lot today just working in the sound room; I thought it was very interesting. It helped me to practice being in a court and doing everything that I do everyday. It was great.

Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe is a fan favorite. His film credits include Dirty Dancing, Prince of the City, and F/X, among many others. He has appeared on numerous television shows, including Golden Girls and Who's the Boss. He has won Tonys for his work on Broadway, been nominated for numerous Emmys for his television work, and was recently honored with the Crystal Apple Award from the New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Television, and Broadcasting for his contribution to the Arts.

You and your show have fanatical fans--fan web sites, online discussion boards. How do you want your fans to react when they play Law & Order Interactive?

I know that L&O has very loyal fans who've been watching it for a long time, and I would like it if the game reflects Law & Order the show, that it is very much like it, and they can feel like they're a part of a real Law & Order case when they play the game.

How do you think the game experience will compare to and differ from watching an episode of Law & Order?

I think that playing the game will be different for the fans of Law & Order in that they get to be one of the characters, basically. You get to be my partner in the first half and you sort of get to be Sam Waterson in the second half. I think it's a lot more exciting.

What key elements of the TV show did you see in the interactive game?

The key elements of the show Law & Order that are reflected in the game are the fact that it adheres to the case, it doesn't get into personal issues about the different characters, you go right down the line with the case. You get to be a sleuth, you get to be a Sherlock, you know. Also, one of the things that I like about the way the game is written is that the character of Lennie still maintains his kind of wise-guy attitude, his world weary reflection on everything.

Having done the voice-over, are you now intrigued to play this game?

Yes, I would like to try the game. But I probably know a little too much about it. [Laughs.] I think I know where the mistakes might be made. I've gotten to be a pretty good amateur detective over the years now, after all these cases. I think it's a very challenging game. This is a lot different than shooting space aliens, you know--this is something that you really have to use your head for. It's not going to be too easy to solve.

What was important to you as an actor in deciding to be a part of this project?

I think one of the most important things for me was to maintain the quality of Law & Order and the character of Lennie, and my own integrity, whatever that is, so that it's not a cheap commercial rip-off of something.

The show is noted as both a murder mystery and a morality play. Did you see that in the plots for the game cases?

Yeah, I think that Law & Order has a very specific structure; it's almost like a ritual. There's the solving of the case, or the bringing to justice of the perpetrator, and then there's a legal problem in the second half, whether it's a moral problem or a problem of law. Very often people will say, "Oh, this story from the newspaper would make a great case." And it might be a very interesting murder story, but then our writers would say, "Well, what's the legal problem in the second half?" And so, Law & Order has a double kind of complication. It doesn't end when we find out who did it. And that's what makes it interesting beyond the ordinary murder mystery.

Do you see that structure reflected in the cases for the game?

I think that structure is very well-reflected in this game. It gets the complications in the second half that you need.

The people who play this game may be younger than the typical audience for the show--does that appeal to you?

I think it's a great idea to bring a younger audience to Law & Order, although we have a pretty good demographic of audience. It's not just the Murder She Wrote or Diagnosis Murder, Dick Van Dyke audience; we get quite a few younger people. But if it can get even younger kids interested in the justice system, and in what happens, and in mysteries, that's great.

Having just gone through the threat of an actors' strike, would you say doing these kinds of projects, games and animation, is the way of the future?

I worry about the future of actors with animation and the digital things happening. Then we worry about that someday it'll go to high-definition tape and then it'll go to a hologram in your living room, in three-dimensional, and then eventually it'll go back to live actors coming to your living room to perform. So I don't know where the end of it will be. My dad said people always need to be entertained, and they always need to eat. So the restaurant business and the acting business, I don't think they will ever go anywhere.

What excites you the most about this project?

I think the most exciting thing about a project like this is that it can involve a whole new audience. People who might not turn it on on television, but they may find it this way. And that's very interesting to me to reach out to more people, to a wider group of people.

Do you think playing the game may change the way current fans watch the show?

Having played the game I think would give you a kind of a different take on watching the show--you'd be trying to get one step ahead of us. Which I think would be fun. Go buy it! [Laughs.]