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The Shocking Way Maura Tierney’s New Lieutenant Made Her Entrance on Law & Order
Lt. Jessica Brady made her debut on Law & Order Season 24 at a grisly scene, and by bringing some stunning news.
If there’s one place you don’t want to meet an unexpected new boss, a violent crime scene is probably it.
But that’s exactly how it played out for Law & Order Detectives Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) — who learned in the process that their previous boss was mysteriously no longer in the picture.
The 27th Precinct detectives were processing the brutal murder of a Brooklyn prosecutor in the Season 24 premiere, when they got a surprise visitor.
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What was Lt. Jessica Brady's first scene on Law & Order?
Without any introduction, Lt. Jessica Brady, played by Maura Tierney, appeared in the doorway of the murder victim’s bedroom and interrupted Detectives Shaw and Riley mid-dialogue, telling one crime scene investigator to “bag her hands” to collect any possible evidence left behind on the victim.
“Hey, excuse me, this is an active crime scene,” a confused Riley told Brady, believing at first it could be a case of mistaken jurisdiction. “Detective Riley. This is Detective Shaw, we’re out of the 2-7. I’m pretty sure this is ours.”
“It is,” Brady replied stoically. “I’m your new lieutenant. Jessica Brady. Nice to meet you.”
The news understandably took the two detectives by surprise, especially because they didn’t know that their long-time boss, Lt. Kate Dixon (Camryn Manheim), had left the squad.
“Woah, woah, woah, wait, hold on. What happened to Dixon?” Shaw asked.
“I don’t know,” Brady said, holding up a pair of blue evidence gloves. “What have we got?”
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Brady seemed eager to get to work, but Shaw and Riley were still trying to process the sudden turn of events.
“Hold on a second, you’ve got to give us more than that,” Riley told her.
“No, because I don’t know,” Brady shot back. “So, what have we got?”
Who is Law & Order’s Lt. Jessica Brady?
Brady has a very direct personality and is “a little idiosyncratic," Law & Order showrunner Rick Eid, who's also an executive producer and writer for the series, shared with NBC Insider before the Season 24 premiere.
“She’s a real straight shooter,” he said. “She’s results oriented.”
Eid explained that Brady has “this other gear that most people don’t have” that allows her to pick up on things, like personality tics or accents, that other detectives might miss, making her a top-notch investigator.
“Unlike most lieutenants, I think she still thinks and acts like a detective and is more engaged day-to-day than most lieutenants — meaning she's active in interrogations and almost acts like another detective as opposed to a supervisor,” Eid said.
While there may be a reason for Brady’s unique skill set, for now, that’s something the writers have yet to reveal.
RELATED: Everything to Know About Law & Order Season 24
Lt. Brady tells Det. Riley, "I don't need you to like me"
The awkward start between Brady and her new detectives only got worse once they all were back at the station.
Feeling the pressure from the high profile case, Brady was frustrated that Riley and Shaw had yet to verify one suspect’s alibi, even though they’d been unable to reach him.
“Do you know that the DA, Brooklyn DA, the mayor, they are all calling for updates, on the hour?” Brady asked.
“Ok I appreciate that, but I mean,” Riley began to reply, before Brady interjected “But, what?”
“Well, we’re not magicians,” Riley finished.
The remark didn’t sit well with Brady, who asked Riley into the hall after “sensing a little tension.”
Although Riley insisted there was “no tension,” he added that the new working relationship may seem strained because it felt as though Brady didn’t trust the detectives to do their jobs.
“I don’t know you. I’ve never worked with you before,” Brady replied. “I can’t afford to take anything for granted right now with everybody breathing down my neck.”
Although Brady understood that the transition might be particularly difficult for Riley because of his close bond with his previous boss, Dixon, she still wasn’t willing to cut him any slack.
“Look, I know you were close to Dixon,” she said. “I know it’s hard to start all over again with someone new and all of that stuff but really, that’s your problem. Not mine. I don’t need you to like me. I don’t need you to agree with me. I need you to listen to me.”
Brady's words left Riley stunned.
“Copy that,” he said.
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It was a chilly start to the new working relationship, but after Brady was able to determine a suspect’s innocence in an interrogation by impressively determining the three tells he used while lying, Riley and Shaw had a new respect for her investigative skills and the ice began to thaw.
“You must be pretty dangerous at the poker table,” Shaw told her.
“Don’t gamble, long story,” Brady said, before Riley added, “Well, now I’m intrigued.”
“Well, maybe some other day,” Brady said with a smile before walking off.
To find out more about how the detectives will adjust to their new boss, watch Law & Order on Thursdays at 8/7c p.m. on NBC or stream episodes the next day on Peacock.
