Ed Green - Character Overview

Character Overview

Ed Green is introduced as senior detective Lennie Briscoe's (Jerry Orbach) new junior partner, succeeding Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt). Green's willingness to bend legal rules to arrest a suspect does little to endear him to his superiors, and he initially thinks Briscoe is too old to investigate crimes effectively. Green and Briscoe have several heated disagreements about the latter's capabilities. Later, however, Green grows to trust and respect his partner, as well as tone down his unorthodox investigative methods. He and Briscoe often joke about the age difference between them, as well as Green's Rolex watches and Briscoe's three failed marriages.

After they work together on the show for five years, Briscoe retires, and Green is more affected by his retirement than he expected. It takes him a while to warm up to his next partner, Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina), whose style is very different from Briscoe's: it is much more abrasive and belligerent. However, Green eventually deflates some of the tension between Fontana and their lieutenant, Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson).

Near the end of Season 15, Green is shot in the line of duty, and hospitalized for several weeks. During his absence, he is replaced by Nick Falco (Michael Imperioli). The absence of the character from the show was occasioned in the real world by actor Martin's sabbatical to reprise his former Broadway depiction of Tom Collins in the motion picture version of Rent.

Detective Green is promoted to senior detective after Fontana retires. He is partnered with Nina Cassady (Milena Govich), over the objections of Van Buren, who thinks Cassady is too inexperienced to be a homicide detective. Although he grows to tolerate her, Green seems to have a similar opinion.

After Cassady's departure (no reason is given on the show), Green is next partnered with Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto). Green's reaction to Lupo is somewhat reserved at first, especially since the first case they work together is the suicide of Lupo's brother. Green is opposed to Lupo working the case at all, but Van Buren overrules him. However, after a short period of time, Green seems to become more comfortable with Lupo as he does with his other partners. Around mid-season, Green even takes to affectionately dubbing Lupo as "Loops".

Mid-way through Season 18, Green is involved in a shooting that leads to his being indicted and tried, though all charges are subsequently dropped. Even though Van Buren assures him that he is welcome back on the force, Green, unhappy with having "broken every rule in the book", decides to leave the squad. Lupo is given Green's position of senior partner, and Detective Kevin Bernard (Anthony Anderson) of Internal Affairs Bureau who investigated Green, becomes Lupo's new partner.