According to multiple media outlets, including the lovely Blast magazine of Boston that I sometimes contribute to, and Deadline, Law and Order will not be renewed by NBC for a 21st season. As a result, it will not edge out Gunsmoke as the longest running drama on network television, which makes me sad.Has Law and Order fallen on tough times recently? Yes. Like Saturday Night Live, it doesn't seem to attract the same talent that it once did. While I don't mind Jeremy Sisto and Anthony Anderson, I would put Jerry Orbach, Jesse Martin, Paul Sorvino, Chris Noth and Benjamin Bratt in front of them, in roughly that order.
In terms of the district attorney side, Waterston isn't as compelling as the DA as opposed to a courtroom prosecutor, and there has been a similar talent drain among the upper levels - Captain Cragen is now a linchpin on Special Victims Unit, and Paul Robinette and Steven Hill aren't walking through that door, as Rick Pitino would say.
I consider the current pairing equivalent to some of the show's more flawed yet interesting characters, like Nina Cassady (the foxy Milena Govich), Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Rohm), Abbie Carmichael (another stone cold fox, Angie Harmon) and Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina). Then again, I'm one of the 10 people alive who still favors Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone to Sam Waterston, unless they're selling robot insurance, so what do I know?
I will still have old episodes of Law and Order to keep me company on TNT, and there are rumors that they will try to keep running new episodes over there. If so, then I say huzzah! Although it sometimes feels dated, I much prefer the original to Special Victims Unit, which is far too wrapped up in its own characters' drama at times, and while I love Criminal Intent, it really is more of a classic detective show as opposed to a police and court procedural. Also, what exactly is NBC's thinking on this? While the show has disappointed in the ratings, so has everything NBC has done
The photo of the old Law and Order cast comes, inexplicably, from this site on Georgia Bulldog sports.
I love(d) Law and Order. Haven't watched in a few years though BECAUSE of the cast changes. I agree about SVU. Not a Criminal Intent fan.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the cast changes can make it hard to stick with the show. Just as you're getting use to someone, whoops, they leave! At least most of them have landed on their feet on various other shows.
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