Here's why you might perceive them as less frequent:
* Michael Moriarty's Departure: Moriarty played the iconic role of Executive Assistant District Attorney Adam Schiff for the first four seasons. However, he abruptly left the show in 1990 due to creative differences. This early departure means there are simply fewer episodes featuring him compared to actors who stayed longer.
* Paul Sorvino's Role: Paul Sorvino played the stern and beloved NYPD Captain Phil Cerreta for 12 seasons. While that's a significant run, he was not the main character and did not appear in every episode. His absence from some episodes is simply due to the nature of the show's rotating cast.
* Syndication Choices: Syndication networks often make choices about which episodes they prioritize based on audience appeal and scheduling. Episodes featuring characters like Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) or Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) might be more commonly selected, especially if those actors are considered the "faces" of the show.
To sum up: It's likely a combination of factors, including the length of the actors' runs, their roles within the show, and syndication preferences that lead to the perception that episodes starring Moriarty or Sorvino are less frequent in reruns. However, those episodes are still broadcast, just potentially not as often as others.