Anita Van Buren
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Anita Van Buren is a fictional character on
In 1997, it was noted that "Van Buren was one of the first and is still one of the few female African-American characters in network television to hold a position of power standing over the desks of white professional men telling them how to do their jobs."[5] The Associated Press once described Van Buren as a character with typically "limited screen time...whose practical function is to point her detectives in the story's next direction."[6] After many years on the procedural drama, Merkerson was "rewarded with a personal crisis for her character—a life-threatening bout with cervical cancer—that gave her some fine, if fleeting, opportunities to show Van Buren's rarely glimpsed vulnerability."[7] Van Buren's role in the franchise is considered a precursor to Olivia Benson's centrality in the SVU series.[8]
By episode count, she was the longest-running character on the original show during its original run; Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) surpassed her during its revival. Van Buren appeared in 392 episodes within the franchise (390 of Law & Order, the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Badge" and the Law & Order: Trial by Jury episode "Skeleton") and Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, and is the fifth longest-running regular character in the Law & Order franchise, behind Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Fin Tutuola (Ice-T), McCoy, and Donald Cragen (Dann Florek), and the sixth longest-running character in the Law & Order universe, behind Benson (478 episodes in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Tutuola (456 episodes in SVU), McCoy (408 episodes in the universe, including two in Homicide: Life on the Street), Cragen (400 episodes in the franchise), and John Munch (Richard Belzer) (452 episodes in the universe, including 122 in Homicide: Life on the Street).
TV critics
Character history
Van Buren joins the cast in the 1993 episode "Sweeps", succeeding
For almost the entire duration of the series, Van Buren carries a Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver as her duty weapon.[11] In the 20th season episode "Fed" she is seen carrying a Glock 19.
Van Buren is known for her toughness, but she often pays a price for it. In one episode she shoots and wounds a would-be mugger (Omar Scroggins) who attacks her at an
During a murder case, Van Buren learns that the case that led to her promotion to lieutenant was tainted by a dishonest fingerprint examiner's report. The expert, a friend of Van Buren's, had been falsifying various other reports and is tried for her actions, saying that she was just doing what Van Buren wanted. No action is taken against Van Buren, but the scandal continues to haunt her.[14]
In season 17, she is forced to accept Nina Cassady as the replacement for Det.
She was succeeded as lieutenant of the 27th Precinct by Kate Dixon, when Season 21 premiered in 2022. [15]
Personal life
Van Buren was born at some point after 1952.
Her father was wounded in Wasu,
Cancer storyline
In season 20, Van Buren sees an
Work history
Time period | Senior Detective | Junior Detective |
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1993–1995 | Lennie Briscoe | Mike Logan |
1995–1999 | Rey Curtis
| |
1999–2004 | Ed Green
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2004–2006 | Joe Fontana
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2005 | ||
Nick Falco | ||
Ed Green | ||
2006–2007 | Ed Green | Nina Cassady |
2008 | Cyrus Lupo
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2008–2010 | Cyrus Lupo | Kevin Bernard
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Awards and decorations
The following are the medals and service awards worn by Lieutenant Van Buren, as seen in "Gunplay" (season 15, episode 5).
American Flag Breast Bar | |
World Trade Center Breast Bar | |
NYPD Meritorious Police Duty | |
NYPD Excellent Police Duty |
Credits
Seasons | Years | Episodes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | ||
4 |
1993–94 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 |
1994–95 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 |
1995–96 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 |
1996–97 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 |
1997–98 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 |
1998–99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 |
1999-2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 |
2000–01 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 |
2001–02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 |
2002–03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 |
2003–04 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 |
2004–05 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 |
2005–06 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 |
2006–07 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 |
2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 |
2008–09 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 |
2009-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seasons | Years | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
Episodes |
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References
- ISBN 978-1-4766-9140-4.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-2415-0.
- ISBN 978-1-4408-4306-8.
- ^ "Star's Law & Order character makes television history". The Daily Oklahoman. 2008-03-19. p. 82. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ^ "S. Epatha Merkerson achieves a position of power on TV". The Baltimore Sun. 1997-03-30. p. 61. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ^ "HBO to air new film 'Lackawanna Blues'". The Ithaca Journal. 2005-02-11. p. 18. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ^ Moore, Frazier (2010-05-20). "Two-decade run for 'Law & Order' cut short". The Daily Journal. Associated Press. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
- ISBN 978-1-78673-161-6.
- ISBN 978-1-4555-8820-6.
- ISBN 978-1-60885-052-5.
- ^ Competence". Law & Order. Season 5. Episode 6. November 2, 1994. NBC.
- Ritual". Law & Order. Season 8. Episode 10. December 17, 1997. NBC.
- Monster". Law & Order. Season 8. Episode 24. May 20, 1998. NBC.
- ^ "Myth of Fingerprints". Law & Order. Season 12. Episode 7. November 14, 2001. NBC.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. (2021) Camryn Manheim Joins ‘Law & Order’ Revival On NBC. Deadline. [online] Available at: https://deadline.com/2021/12/camryn-manheim-cast-law-order-revival-nbc-season-21-1234888572/ (Accessed: October 11th 2023).
- ^ a b "Over Here". Law & Order. Season 17. Episode 21. May 11, 2007. NBC.
- ^ "Scoundrels". Law & Order. Season 5. Episode 9. November 30, 1994. NBC.
- ^ "Just A Girl in the World". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 2. October 2, 2009. NBC.
- ^ "Suicide Box". Law & Order. Season 13. Episode 16. March 26, 2003. NBC.
- ^ "Mother's Day". Law & Order. Season 13. Episode 10. January 8, 2003. NBC.
- ^ "Fame". Law & Order. Season 17. Episode 1. September 22, 2006. NBC.
- ^ "Slave". Law & Order. Season 6. Episode 19. April 21, 2006. NBC.
- ^ "Scrambled". Law & Order. Season 9. Episode 6. November 11, 1998. NBC.
- ^ "Embedded". Law & Order. Season 14. Episode 18. November 19, 2003. NBC.
- ^ "License to Kill". Law & Order. Season 15. Episode 17. February 23, 2005. NBC.
- ^ "Memo from the Dark Side". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 1. September 25, 2009. NBC.
- ^ "Human Flesh Search Engine". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 6. October 30, 2009. NBC.
- ^ "Boy Gone Astray". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 7. November 6, 2009. NBC.
- ^ "Rubber Room". Law & Order. Season 20. Episode 23. May 24, 2010. NBC.