Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Orderfranchise. 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.