Anita Van Buren
Encyclopedia
Lt. Anita Van Buren is a fictional character
on NBC
's long running police procedural
and legal drama
television series Law & Order
, portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson
. By episode count, she is the longest-running character on the show. Medical Examiner Elizabeth Rodgers, portrayed by Leslie Hendrix
, joined the show a year earlier in 1992, but she appears in fewer episode
s.
) as commander of the 27th Precinct Detective Squad after Cragen transfers to the Anti-Corruption Task Force. Throughout her run on the show, she oversaw the work of detectives such as Lennie Briscoe
, Mike Logan
, Rey Curtis
, Ed Green
, Joe Fontana, Nick Falco
, Nina Cassady
, Cyrus Lupo
, and Kevin Bernard
. Van Buren focuses on salvaging investigations when her detectives make mistakes, rather than focusing on their failures.
Van Buren is known for her toughness, but she often pays a price for it. In the 1994 episode "Competence", for example, she shoots and wounds a would-be mugger who attacks her at an ATM, and kills the mugger's partner, who turned out to be a mentally retarded
teenager. She was investigated, and absolved, by the Bureau of Internal Affairs
. In the 1997 episode "Burden", she nearly loses her job when she sues
the NYPD for promoting a white woman with less seniority ahead of her. In the episode "Monster", the Chief of Detectives tells her she will have to resign to get her squad the resources it needs to apprehend a child rapist
. A judge eventually dismissed her discrimination
suit.
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.
In the 2006 season, she is forced to accept Nina Cassady
as the replacement for Det. Joe Fontana upon his retirement. Van Buren believes that Cassady is too inexperienced to be a homicide detective, creating a risk to her partner. Van Buren had a "hand-picked" replacement for Fontana who was much more experienced than Cassady. She eventually learns to tolerate (and perhaps accept) Cassady as a member of her squad; however, this acceptance does not seem to last long and in the seventeenth season finale "The Family Hour", Van Buren berates the detective for her inability to keep her temper in check and suggests that Cassady has no future in the 27th Squad.
Van Buren appeared in 390 episodes of Law & Order and is the longest-running regular character in any of the Law & Order franchises.
Merkerson was also seen in the first season of the show in the episode "Mushrooms
", where she played Denise Winters, a murder victim's mother.
from Law & Order: Criminal Intent
), Van Buren is divorced from Donald, who owns a hardware store (L&O: "Scoundrels"). They have two sons, Ric (who is diagnosed with scoliosis
at the age of six in 1995) and Stefan. She spent five years as a patrol officer and seven years in undercover narcotics (L&O: "Fame"). It is revealed that she enjoys the poet Langston Hughes
, and that she is left-handed (L&O: "Slave").
Her father was wounded in Wasu, Korea
during the Korea War in 1952. He spent time at Tulsa
VA Hospital
in Oklahoma
(L&O: "Over Here"). Her sister lives in Queens
(L&O : "Whiplash"). She was affectionately addressed as by two shortened versions of her rank: earlier on, many of her detectives, including Ed Green
, Lennie Briscoe
and Rey Curtis
, called her "Lieu"; Dets. Cyrus Lupo
and Kevin Bernard
call her "L.T.", a nickname Briscoe and Curtis had been using since at least Season Eight (L&O: "Navy Blues").
In Season 20, Van Buren was diagnosed with Stage-II cervical cancer
, caused by the sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus
— which she had contracted from Donald, who had been cheating on her. She later began chemotherapy
(L&O: "Just a Girl in the World"). In the following episode, L&O: "Great Satan", one of her sons (it is unclear which one, as he is not named onscreen), is portrayed by Sean Nelson
. Due to the chemotherapy, she has lost her hair and began using a wig (L&O: "Human Flesh Search Engine"). In that same episode, her boyfriend Frank (portrayed by Ernie Hudson
) appears for the first time. It is revealed in L&O: "Boy Gone Astray", that she has not been eating that much since she began chemotherapy; her son tries to help by offering her some medical marijuana
, which she initially rejects because it is a crime in New York and she is a sworn police officer. Later in the episode, it is revealed that she has been using, as the Chief of Detectives stops by and tells her that someone in the building smelled marijuana on her. To her surprise, the Chief gives her mints and directs her to someone who sells medicinal drugs and is careful and discreet. The Chief did this because he had testicular cancer
three years ago and the marijuana got him through the treatments. In "For the Defense", she regained her appetite for the first time in six weeks. Unfortunately, by the episode "Fed," her treatment is apparently not progressing well and she is becoming increasingly worried at her chances of survival. However, in the final episode of the series, "Rubber Room
", her health appears to have improved: she received a call from her doctor, looked back at her colleagues and whispered "Thank you...Thank you" to herself. The series ends with a fund-raising party that her colleagues had organized in order to help her pay for the expensive treatment. It was Lupo's idea after he had overheard Van Buren's phone conversation in which she mentioned growing medical bills. On the same occasion it is revealed that she and Frank are engaged (that episode turned out to be the final episode of the entire series).
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's long running police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
and legal drama
Legal drama
A legal drama is a work of dramatic fiction about crime and civil litigation. Subtypes of legal dramas include courtroom dramas and legal thrillers, and come in all forms, including novels, television shows, and films. Legal drama sometimes overlap with crime drama, most notably in the case of Law...
television series Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It 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,...
, portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson
S. Epatha Merkerson
S. Epatha Merkerson is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has won a Golden Globe, Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Obie Award and four NAACP Image Awards. She has also received two Tony Award nominations...
. By episode count, she is the longest-running character on the show. Medical Examiner Elizabeth Rodgers, portrayed by Leslie Hendrix
Leslie Hendrix
Leslie Hendrix is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Elizabeth Rodgers on four Law & Order series...
, joined the show a year earlier in 1992, but she appears in fewer episode
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
s.
Character history
Van Buren joins the cast in the 1993 episode "Sweeps", succeeding Capt. Don Cragen (Dann FlorekDann Florek
Ezekial Dann Florek , professional name Dann Florek, is an American actor and director.-Early life:Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated...
) as commander of the 27th Precinct Detective Squad after Cragen transfers to the Anti-Corruption Task Force. Throughout her run on the show, she oversaw the work of detectives such as Lennie Briscoe
Lennie Briscoe
Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach...
, Mike Logan
Mike Logan (Law & Order)
Michael "Mike" Logan is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order franchise, played by Chris Noth.-History in the franchise:...
, Rey Curtis
Rey Curtis
Reynaldo "Rey" Curtis is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order, created by Ed Zuckerman and played by Benjamin Bratt from 1995 to 1999.-Character overview:Curtis is introduced as homicide detective in Manhattan's 27th Detective Squad...
, Ed Green
Ed Green
Edward "Ed" Green is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by Jesse L. Martin.-Character overview:...
, Joe Fontana, Nick Falco
Nick Falco
Det. Nick Falco is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Michael Imperioli. Falco appears as the junior partner of Det. Joe Fontana at the end of season 15 after Fontana's partner, Ed Green , was shot in the line of duty...
, Nina Cassady
Nina Cassady
Det. Nina Cassady is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Milena Govich. Cassady, the first, and only, female detective in the original Law & Order series, appeared in the first episode of the seventeenth season. Cassady worked alongside Det. Ed Green Det. Nina...
, Cyrus Lupo
Cyrus Lupo
Det. Cyrus "Lupes" Lupo is a fictional character on the long-running NBC series Law & Order, played by Jeremy Sisto. He replaced Nina Cassady, who was written out of the show due to Milena Govich's departure from the cast.-Character development:...
, and Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard is a fictional character on the TV crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Anthony Anderson.- Character overview :Detective Bernard first appears in the episode "Burn Card" as an Internal Affairs detective, investigating a shooting in which Detective Ed Green is involved...
. Van Buren focuses on salvaging investigations when her detectives make mistakes, rather than focusing on their failures.
Van Buren is known for her toughness, but she often pays a price for it. In the 1994 episode "Competence", for example, she shoots and wounds a would-be mugger who attacks her at an ATM, and kills the mugger's partner, who turned out to be a mentally retarded
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
teenager. She was investigated, and absolved, by the Bureau of Internal Affairs
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
. In the 1997 episode "Burden", she nearly loses her job when she sues
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
the NYPD for promoting a white woman with less seniority ahead of her. In the episode "Monster", the Chief of Detectives tells her she will have to resign to get her squad the resources it needs to apprehend a child rapist
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
. A judge eventually dismissed her discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
suit.
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.
In the 2006 season, she is forced to accept Nina Cassady
Nina Cassady
Det. Nina Cassady is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Milena Govich. Cassady, the first, and only, female detective in the original Law & Order series, appeared in the first episode of the seventeenth season. Cassady worked alongside Det. Ed Green Det. Nina...
as the replacement for Det. Joe Fontana upon his retirement. Van Buren believes that Cassady is too inexperienced to be a homicide detective, creating a risk to her partner. Van Buren had a "hand-picked" replacement for Fontana who was much more experienced than Cassady. She eventually learns to tolerate (and perhaps accept) Cassady as a member of her squad; however, this acceptance does not seem to last long and in the seventeenth season finale "The Family Hour", Van Buren berates the detective for her inability to keep her temper in check and suggests that Cassady has no future in the 27th Squad.
Van Buren appeared in 390 episodes of Law & Order and is the longest-running regular character in any of the Law & Order franchises.
Merkerson was also seen in the first season of the show in the episode "Mushrooms
Mushrooms (Law & Order episode)
"Mushrooms" is the seventeenth episode of NBC's legal drama Law & Order. It originally aired on February 26, 1991.-Plot:When a 12-year-old boy and his younger brother are shot, Greevey and Logan connect the older boy to a teenage drug ring. The 14-year-old shooter names the head of the operation...
", where she played Denise Winters, a murder victim's mother.
Personal life
A graduate of John Jay College (as is Ron CarverRon Carver
Ron Carver is a fictional character on the NBC-USA Network series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, played by Courtney B. Vance.Carver often works in conjunction with detectives Robert Goren, Alexandra Eames, Mike Logan and Carolyn Barek of the Major Case Squad. He graduated from John Jay College of...
from Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
), Van Buren is divorced from Donald, who owns a hardware store (L&O: "Scoundrels"). They have two sons, Ric (who is diagnosed with scoliosis
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line...
at the age of six in 1995) and Stefan. She spent five years as a patrol officer and seven years in undercover narcotics (L&O: "Fame"). It is revealed that she enjoys the poet Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
, and that she is left-handed (L&O: "Slave").
Her father was wounded in Wasu, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
during the Korea War in 1952. He spent time at Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
VA Hospital
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(L&O: "Over Here"). Her sister lives in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
(L&O : "Whiplash"). She was affectionately addressed as by two shortened versions of her rank: earlier on, many of her detectives, including Ed Green
Ed Green
Edward "Ed" Green is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by Jesse L. Martin.-Character overview:...
, Lennie Briscoe
Lennie Briscoe
Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach...
and Rey Curtis
Rey Curtis
Reynaldo "Rey" Curtis is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order, created by Ed Zuckerman and played by Benjamin Bratt from 1995 to 1999.-Character overview:Curtis is introduced as homicide detective in Manhattan's 27th Detective Squad...
, called her "Lieu"; Dets. Cyrus Lupo
Cyrus Lupo
Det. Cyrus "Lupes" Lupo is a fictional character on the long-running NBC series Law & Order, played by Jeremy Sisto. He replaced Nina Cassady, who was written out of the show due to Milena Govich's departure from the cast.-Character development:...
and Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard is a fictional character on the TV crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Anthony Anderson.- Character overview :Detective Bernard first appears in the episode "Burn Card" as an Internal Affairs detective, investigating a shooting in which Detective Ed Green is involved...
call her "L.T.", a nickname Briscoe and Curtis had been using since at least Season Eight (L&O: "Navy Blues").
In Season 20, Van Buren was diagnosed with Stage-II cervical cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
, caused by the sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus
Human papillomavirus is a member of the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses, HPVs establish productive infections only in keratinocytes of the skin or mucous membranes...
— which she had contracted from Donald, who had been cheating on her. She later began chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
(L&O: "Just a Girl in the World"). In the following episode, L&O: "Great Satan", one of her sons (it is unclear which one, as he is not named onscreen), is portrayed by Sean Nelson
Sean Nelson (actor)
- Biography :Nelson was born in the Co-Op City section of Bronx, New York, of Jamaican/St. Thomian descent. He began his acting career at age 10 when he landed a role in an off-Broadway play Hey Little Walter. Sean Nelson turned 13 shortly before beginning principal photography on his debut film,...
. Due to the chemotherapy, she has lost her hair and began using a wig (L&O: "Human Flesh Search Engine"). In that same episode, her boyfriend Frank (portrayed by Ernie Hudson
Ernie Hudson
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Hudson is an American actor known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters film series, Sergeant Albrecht in The Crow, and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz.-Early life:...
) appears for the first time. It is revealed in L&O: "Boy Gone Astray", that she has not been eating that much since she began chemotherapy; her son tries to help by offering her some medical marijuana
Medical cannabis
Medical cannabis refers to the use of parts of the herb cannabis as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine...
, which she initially rejects because it is a crime in New York and she is a sworn police officer. Later in the episode, it is revealed that she has been using, as the Chief of Detectives stops by and tells her that someone in the building smelled marijuana on her. To her surprise, the Chief gives her mints and directs her to someone who sells medicinal drugs and is careful and discreet. The Chief did this because he had testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
three years ago and the marijuana got him through the treatments. In "For the Defense", she regained her appetite for the first time in six weeks. Unfortunately, by the episode "Fed," her treatment is apparently not progressing well and she is becoming increasingly worried at her chances of survival. However, in the final episode of the series, "Rubber Room
Rubber Room (Law & Order)
"Rubber Room" is the twenty-third episode of the twentieth season and the series finale of NBC's long-running legal drama Law & Order. In the episode, Detectives Lupo and Bernard search for an anonymous blogger who has posted plans to blow up a school, while Lt...
", her health appears to have improved: she received a call from her doctor, looked back at her colleagues and whispered "Thank you...Thank you" to herself. The series ends with a fund-raising party that her colleagues had organized in order to help her pay for the expensive treatment. It was Lupo's idea after he had overheard Van Buren's phone conversation in which she mentioned growing medical bills. On the same occasion it is revealed that she and Frank are engaged (that episode turned out to be the final episode of the entire series).
Work history
| Time period | Senior Detective | Junior Detective |
|---|---|---|
| 1993–1995 | Lennie Briscoe Lennie Briscoe Leonard W. "Lennie" Briscoe is a fictional character on NBC's long running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order. He was featured on the show for 12 seasons, from 1992 to 2004. He was created by Walon Green and René Balcer, and was portrayed by Jerry Orbach... |
Mike Logan Mike Logan (Law & Order) Michael "Mike" Logan is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order franchise, played by Chris Noth.-History in the franchise:... |
| 1995–1999 | Rey Curtis Rey Curtis Reynaldo "Rey" Curtis is a fictional character on the TV drama Law & Order, created by Ed Zuckerman and played by Benjamin Bratt from 1995 to 1999.-Character overview:Curtis is introduced as homicide detective in Manhattan's 27th Detective Squad... |
|
| 1999–2004 | Ed Green Ed Green Edward "Ed" Green is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, created by Rene Balcer and portrayed by Jesse L. Martin.-Character overview:... |
|
| 2004–2006 | Joe Fontana | |
| 2005 | ||
| Nick Falco Nick Falco Det. Nick Falco is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Michael Imperioli. Falco appears as the junior partner of Det. Joe Fontana at the end of season 15 after Fontana's partner, Ed Green , was shot in the line of duty... |
||
| Ed Green | ||
| 2006–2007 | Ed Green | Nina Cassady Nina Cassady Det. Nina Cassady is a fictional character on the NBC crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Milena Govich. Cassady, the first, and only, female detective in the original Law & Order series, appeared in the first episode of the seventeenth season. Cassady worked alongside Det. Ed Green Det. Nina... |
| 2008 | Cyrus Lupo Cyrus Lupo Det. Cyrus "Lupes" Lupo is a fictional character on the long-running NBC series Law & Order, played by Jeremy Sisto. He replaced Nina Cassady, who was written out of the show due to Milena Govich's departure from the cast.-Character development:... |
|
| 2008–2010 | Cyrus Lupo | Kevin Bernard Kevin Bernard Kevin Bernard is a fictional character on the TV crime drama Law & Order, portrayed by Anthony Anderson.- Character overview :Detective Bernard first appears in the episode "Burn Card" as an Internal Affairs detective, investigating a shooting in which Detective Ed Green is involved... |