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Favorite DAs, EADAs, ADAs & Other Initials I Have Known And Loved

aradia22

By aradia22
in Law & Order

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Which was your favorite pair?   POLL OPEN

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aradia22

aradia22

(edited)
Quote

 

I know my girlfriends have always given me the side-eye when I told them I preferred this show when it was all men, and threatened to take away my feminist card.

It's OK. Maybe chalk it up to the fact that this show, in spite of everything there is to recommend it, doesn't always do the best job writing female characters. Though, I do think they generally did a pretty good job with my favorite ADA's. Of course, for the most part I haven't been watching these episodes in order so I don't have a good sense of the continuity, which is kind of the way I like it. I don't need to know too much about the lives of the detectives and lawyers outside of work. I think that's been the downfall of a lot of police procedurals post-L&O.

Edited by WendyCR72
Fixed Misspelled Title
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callie lee 29

callie lee 29

(edited)

Watching L&O now on TNT (why do they always seem to replay the same episodes??). Briscoe and Logan were my favorite pairing, closely followed by Briscoe and Green. The beauty queen cop (what the hell was her name), was easily the worst cop they had. I can't even comperhend why TPTB went that route. I mean I didn't particularly care for Fontana but I still got it: great actor, interesting history, trying to bring back a little of the gravitas lost when Lenny left; but I never understood what the point of her was.

 

My favorite AADA's where easily Robinette and Carmichael, closely followed by Ross. WHat I saw of Rubirosa (I kind of faded out towards the end) she seemed really good. Claire.... I don't remember her getting on my last damn nerve in the first-run, but jeez, that character ddin't not age well. And I find I'm constantly distracted by her god-awful ill-fitting suit jackets. I guarantee the character was supposed to make more than what I earn and I know enough to get things adjusted! And Southerlyn.... I just can't. JUst no. And she's on most of the episodes that have my favorite DA! Which leads to an extremely unpolular opinion (UO)....

Branch is my favorite DA! Yes I know, what about Schiff? Schiff, who never seemed to meet a deal he didn't like. He just came across (to me at least)as (mostly) not willing to actually stand up for something, just make a deal to get the win. Drove me nuts. Nora, great actress, horrifically miscast.

Edited by callie lee 29
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rujasu

rujasu

Is it just me or is this thread a bit out of whack?  First two posts aren't really about favorite ADA's.  Also, is this just for the sidekick ADA's or are EADA's included as well?

 

There were a lot of decent-but-unspectacular ADA's on the show.  While Stone, McCoy, and Cutter were all great as EADA's, with the ADA's it's easier to pick out the worst ones (Serena, Alex Borgia, did I mention Serena?)  Jamie Ross never made much of an impression.  Robinette was quite good.  Carmichael, I didn't agree with her ideology, but I think it was good for the show and Harmon was both believable and memorable in the role.

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radishcake

radishcake

Carmichael, I didn't agree with her ideology, but I think it was good for the show and Harmon was both believable and memorable in the role.

Yep one of my favorites in her dealings with McCoy. Given what we know about his sleeping with all his ADAs I thought her attitude towards him was awesome. She really gave as good as she got. I love that one where he got them dinner and he said "I got you a salad" and she says "What are you having?" and it was like a way more substantial meal. She takes his food and gives him the salad and says "I'll eat, you graze." hee.

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rujasu

rujasu

I will always have a soft spot for Adam Schiff. He was a consummate layer who understood politics. The episode where he loses his wife is just *whew. :(

 

Schiff really was the best DA.  Not only was he good, but all of his successors were pretty bad.  Nora was terrible.  Branch was just ehh.  And I haven't seen much of the McCoy-as-DA episodes, but from what I have seen, it wasn't a great fit.

 

As I said before, all of the EADA's were great.  McCoy was great before he got promoted, but I'd have to give the edge to Ben Stone for best EADA.  He was very believable as the idealistic, by-the-books guy.  Shame how Moriarty burned his bridges and never made any return appearances after Season 4.  I find it interesting how he and Waterston were both so starkly different from their on-screen personas.

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

(edited)

Yeah, I liken Branch to Foghorn Leghorn, and there's a very good reason for that!

 

Despite Schiff always wanting to make a deal when it looked like they weren't going to win, he was also one to step up to the plate and get the crooked ass judge, or defense attorney or whoever, to step down, otherwise Schiff would come after him. Hell, he SUED the Mayor? Governor? Over a death penalty case I think it was. He lost, true, but he sued!

 

I'm sad that Moriarty went Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs because he was my FAVORITE EADA, because of his belief in the law and applying it, and not blankly giving out immunity deals just to win a case; something that Jack did on a regular basis, only to have it come back and bite him in the ass.

 

I loved his partnership with *Paul Robinette.

 

*The Paul Robinette that showed up years later as a defense attorney wasn't the real Paul. It was his nefarious evuhl twin!

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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photo fox

photo fox

It's hard for me to stretch way back and remember them all, but I really loved Stone and Robinette.

UO time, but I preferred McCoy once he was the DA. I wasn't a huge fan of the character when he was an EADA, so I enjoyed him a lot more once he had a smaller role. Plus, I loved Linus Roache as Mike Cutter, and I thought he and Connie Rubarosa made a good pair. She was a little bland, but I thought that was true of most of the ADAs.

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ApathyMonger

ApathyMonger

Not a question about a "favorite" ADA at all, but on Serena Southerlyn, as a latecomer: were people at the time really surprised when she turned out to be gay?

 

Pretty much any episode she's in that involves gay people, she seems to drop very heavy hints about it, especially when there was a question of gay rights/marriage. I just watched "Gov Love," from a few episodes before she left the show, and it seemed incredibly obvious in any conversation she has with Jack or Arthur, who mostly just ignore her, because why wouldn't they.

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radishcake

radishcake

 it seemed incredibly obvious in any conversation she has with Jack or Arthur, who mostly just ignore her, because why wouldn't they.

hee! Yes I never thought it was a "secret" or something that people didn't know about. I think a lot of people have that "conventionally attractive women can't be gay" thing that is so annoying. I always thought it was obvious. 

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FozzyBear

FozzyBear

hee! Yes I never thought it was a "secret" or something that people didn't know about. I think a lot of people have that "conventionally attractive women can't be gay" thing that is so annoying. I always thought it was obvious.

I think for me I just never thought about it one way or the other because I never thought about her. She was such a blah character being played by a blah actress that I never thought of her as a real person at all. And then with the "is this because I'm gay" my reaction was more along the lines of "no this is because you 're terrible"

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WendyCR72

WendyCR72

And then with the "is this because I'm gay" my reaction was more along the lines of "no this is because you 're terrible"

 

We must share a brain because that is exactly what I was thinking!

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

I loved Abbie Carmichael and her "take crap from nobody" attitude. Best example: the episode "Hubris" where the serial killer charmed a dumb desperate jury forewomen into getting a hung jury, and the jurywoman realizes too late that she'd been duped and asks McCoy and the others if he really did it, Abbie replies coldly, "Yeah.  He did it."  Her tone just oozed disgust for that woman.  I LOVED IT.

 

I also remember how cold she was with the parents of the school shooter in "School Daze."  Maybe she was too much of a hardass in that episode, but considering the fact that the parents were willing to cover for their son unless he went to a mental institution instead of jail, I don't blame her.  Having compassion for criminals isn't in the job description -- too bad Serena didn't feel that way.

 

Seriously, I can't believe Serena would actually feel sympathy for the parents that PIMPED THEIR CHILD OUT TO A PEDOPHILE in "Smoke."  I have no words.

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FozzyBear

FozzyBear

I loved Abbie Carmichael and her "take crap from nobody" attitude. Best example: the episode "Hubris" where the serial killer charmed a dumb desperate jury forewomen into getting a hung jury, and the jurywoman realizes too late that she'd been duped and asks McCoy and the others if he really did it, Abbie replies coldly, "Yeah. He did it." Her tone just oozed disgust for that woman. I LOVED IT.

I also remember how cold she was with the parents of the school shooter in "School Daze." Maybe she was too much of a hardass in that episode, but considering the fact that the parents were willing to cover for their son unless he went to a mental institution instead of jail, I don't blame her. Having compassion for criminals isn't in the job description -- too bad Serena didn't feel that way.

Seriously, I can't believe Serena would actually feel sympathy for the parents that PIMPED THEIR CHILD OUT TO A PEDOPHILE in "Smoke." I have no words.

I love Abbie! In my mind I live an exciting life in NYC and Abbie is my down to earth friend who keeps me rooted. Ok that's crazy, but I do love her. I don't think AH is the best actress ever (she's fine, but I don't think she brilliant) but she really managed to take what the writers gave her and come up with a complete character. Abbie felt like a real person in a way that the show struggled to recreate after she left. Plus she was just funny as Hell.

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Mrs. P.

Mrs. P.

Abbie is my all-time favorite ADA. I love Angie Harmon in anything she does - she's one of the most beautiful women ever - and I really like her gravelly voice. And I agree - she fleshed out a real character for Abbie.

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Princess Sparkle

Princess Sparkle

I'm sad that Moriarty went Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs because he was my FAVORITE EADA, because of his belief in the law and applying it, and not blankly giving out immunity deals just to win a case; something that Jack did on a regular basis, only to have it come back and bite him in the ass.

 

That's exactly why Ben Stone was my favorite EADA.  I feel like Ben, while he may not have agreed with something personally, would always do what was right within the law.  Jack seemed to be hell-bent on trying to make you see his way, whether the law was on his side or not.  I also much preferred Ben's quiet, simmering rage to Jack's blustering.

 

And, like you, Ben and Paul Robinette were my dream team.  I didn't like an EADA and ADA pairing that much until Cutter and Ruberosa, and even then, I give the edge to Stone/Robinette.

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FormerMod-a1

FormerMod-a1

And I just realized I had mixed some actors names instead of character names.  (doh!)  I think it's because I most often hear "RhomBot" than Southerlyn.  I have updated the poll to be consistent.  Now I'm off to do that everywhere else.

 

And FYI, Jamie Ross is one of my least favorites too.  As I said elsewhere, even when I agreed with her something in her speaking manner or line delivery would just rub me the wrong way.  I liked her on paper, but not in execution.

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ApathyMonger

ApathyMonger

And I just realized I had mixed some actors names instead of character names.  (doh!)  I think it's because I most often hear "RhomBot" than Southerlyn.  I have updated the poll to be consistent.  Now I'm off to do that everywhere else.

 

While, you're there, it's Kincaid, not Kincaide. :)

 

I voted Cutter/Rubirosa as my favourite. McCoy/Kincaid would be second, followed by Stone/Robinette.

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

Wow, so far this is closer than I expected.  A tie between Stone & Robinette and McCoy & Kincaid, and McCoy & Carmichael very close behind.  

 

Eh! I vote that McCoy and Kincaid should be disqualified because those two ended up doing the horizontal mambo. Ergo, their professional relationship was no longer strictly professional!

 

And I'll add how "I" talked when in Junior High: "Like, Ben and Paul, should like TOTALLY WIN! Stone and Robinette 4EVAH!!!! I'm so SURE!" Or the more mature way: "EEEEEEEEH! Stone and Robinette should TOTALLY WIN!"

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magicdog

magicdog

 

what about Schiff? Schiff, who never seemed to meet a deal he didn't like. He just came across (to me at least)as (mostly) not willing to actually stand up for something, just make a deal to get the win.

 

Schiff will always be my favorite DA!  He was very realistic as NY DAs go and knew that a lot of times you had to make the deal or risk losing everything. 

 

I didn't mind Branch but he was not Adam Schiff. 

 

Couldn't care about Nora.  The best part of her introduction was then Mayor Guiliani escorting her into the office and congratulating her.

 

McCoy was completely ill suited to the job.  Compared to the crusades he got into since his introduction, there's no way he would have taken the job - there's a lot of butt kissing involved to becoming a DA and McCoy didn't come across as one.

 

Stone will always be my favorite ADA!  Like Schiff, he was real;  he acted exactly like a NY ADA would be.  Of course I love the first season due to it being more rooted in reality and it's gray, gritty look.  By default, I also enjoyed Robinette as his fellow ADA. 

 

McCoy always bugged me when he would find another cause to get sanctimonious over!  Of course by then the writing had changed and the show became a giant soapbox using McCoy as it's primary mouthpiece.

 

I didn't mind Kincaid or Ross.  They just did what they could with what was given.

 

When Cutter came along, I took a liking to him, as he worked so well with the group.  He had a fresh sparkle that livened things up a bit after nearly 20 years.

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nygma619

nygma619

Am I the only one who was never that high on Ben Stone as an EADA (even though I liked Robinette)?

 

Sure Stone was probably someone that a real life DA would be satisfied with. But IMO Jack McCoy made for BETTER TELEVISION.

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

(edited)

Stone and McCoy each had their strengths, but for me, Jack had a lot more flaws/weaknesses than Ben. For me, Ben never cut any corners, had integrity and followed the law, and didn't try to twist it or use technicalities to try and win. Ultimately, he wanted justice for the victim. Jack wanted that too, but he wanted to win more. And he said that as well: that he wanted to win. And he cut a LOT of corners.

And Ben's quiet rage...his contempt and how he got the goods, made for great television for me, instead of the loud, brash, sometimes blowhard ways of Jack McCoy.

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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nygma619

nygma619

Stone and McCoy each had their strengths, but for me, Jack had a lot more flaws/weaknesses than Ben. 

 

If you mean character flaws. Then yes, but that's why I prefered McCoy over Stone. So sue me, I prefer my fictional characters to be flawed.

 

For me, Ben never cut any corners, had integrity and followed the law, and didn't try to twist it or use technicalities to try and win. 

 

Clearly we are watching different shows since I watched one of the episodes with Stone tonight on netflix. The one where he threatens to indict a man's son as an accomplice to murder to secure his cooperation in another case. Stone doesn't think the charge would stick, he doesn't think the son was actually an accomplice in the legal sense, but he tells the father, the son, and the boy's mother that he will if he doesn't get what he wants. He basically uses the power of his office to bully a man who didn't want to accept a deal on his own behalf (because that was offered and rejected) to create a scenario where the man must testify if he wants to keep his kid out of jail. And when the man doesn't buy it, he targets the mother and son and makes the same promise, to prosecute the teenager (who btw was a victim of molestation by the man his father killed) if they won't help him go after someone else.

So yeah, Stone's a real prince with integrity (rolls eyes).

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radishcake

radishcake

I think Stone's ultimate goal was to get the bad guy off the street. And yes he used the full power of his office to do that. Jack's ultimate goal was to be right no matter what, IMO. I think they are very different characters who have very different moral centers.

 

Liking Stone isn't a character flaw any more than liking Jack is. Like who you like but let's keep the tone light guys OK?

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nygma619

nygma619

I think Stone's ultimate goal was to get the bad guy off the street. And yes he used the full power of his office to do that. Jack's ultimate goal was to be right no matter what, IMO. I think they are very different characters who have very different moral centers.

 

Liking Stone isn't a character flaw any more than liking Jack is. Like who you like but let's keep the tone light guys OK?

Again I disagree, in season 5's Act of God when Jack got a conviction, he found himself taken aback by Lennie Briscoe's theory on them getting the wrong man. He doesn't try to argue about the right man sitting in jail. What he does is find ways to get the right man behind bars, and the wrong man out of jail. That doesn't sound like the acts of someone who's endgame is to be right no matter what. It was more about doing right.

 

The real difference between Stone and McCoy is that Stone seeked to fully apply the law, and only pushed the envelope when he himself was pushed to get that. While McCoy seeked to fully apply justice, which didn't always line up with the law sometimes.

 

Where did I say liking Stone was a character flaw? My point is more that people seem to put Stone on a pedestal as someone who could do no wrong in his position, which I absolutely disagree on. 

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WendyCR72

WendyCR72

Some like McCoy, some like Stone, some even like both men. Let's relax here, a bit. This is not a contest nor is it a matter of life and death if someone likes what you don't and vice versa.

 

Explain your stance and have fun! But then, remember no one will change anyone's mind and move on.

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Idiotboy

Idiotboy

If it weren't for Michael Moriarty's portrayal of Ben Stone, I never would have started watching L&O, beginning a beautiful, 20-season relationship (plus DVDs), so I'm partial in that respect. I also loved the way he made "sir" sound like the most demeaning of epithets. His enforcement of the full extent of the law came with terrible collateral damage sometimes (as in "Torrents of Greed") but the show didn't sugar-coat. No other EADA/ADA team had quite the gravitas of Stone and Robinette, I think.

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Ailianna

Ailianna

I've been watching the later seasons with Connie Rubirosa, which I didn't watch live, the last several months.  Although generally I like her fine, one thing is driving me crazy--her sweaters.  She looks nice and in-the-office-only appropriate in them, but she insists on wearing them to court, and even to jury trials, instead of a suit.  It really undermines her professionalism to me.  You never see any other the other ADAs, male or female, in court without a suit and jacket on.

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Cobalt Stargazer

Cobalt Stargazer

Yep one of my favorites in her dealings with McCoy. Given what we know about his sleeping with all his ADAs I thought her attitude towards him was awesome. She really gave as good as she got. I love that one where he got them dinner and he said "I got you a salad" and she says "What are you having?" and it was like a way more substantial meal. She takes his food and gives him the salad and says "I'll eat, you graze." hee.

 

I adored Abbie from the second she stole Jack's plate of ribs for herself. Watching her heap contempt on the people who gave up the daughter they'd adopted from Russia without telling anyone how sick the little girl was is always a thing of beauty. Hang 'em all, indeed. Also?

 

Jack: "Arresting a seven year old kid for murder? A kid with a laundry list of psychological problems? What was Carmichael thinking?"

 

Adam: "Why don't you ask her?"

 

Jack: "I will. And I don't like the way she got the parents removed as guardians."

 

Adam: "Sounds like you're sorry you didn't think of it first."

 

*snerk*

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Cobalt Stargazer

Cobalt Stargazer

Just watched the episode when Adam has to decide whether to keep his wife on life support after a stroke. The devastated look on his face and that little whimper he lets out when she flat-lines is heartbreaking.

 

I also saw that episode, and it's such a small noise that the sound of the machine making that long beep almost drowns it out, but the expression on Adam's face is so desolate that you can tell he's dying inside.

 

Money? Sorry, I kind of hate Jamie and felt like she was just a rich, stuck up, snob who took a job as a DA to stick it to her ex and then quit when she got married again. That odious DA who was fixing cars was right on one point, Jamie was a spoiled dilettante who worked as a hobby.

 

Heh. I liked Jamie well enough, although not as much as I liked Abbie later. That said, Neal seemed to bring out the worst in her. Not without reason, but still.

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