Can `Law & Order' outlive `Gunsmoke'?
AP, 10.31.08
By ERIN CARLSON
-excerpted-
"Law & Order" is returning to the air earlier than the announced date of early 2009, the result of an NBC schedule reshuffling to shore up the network's ratings as sweeps month begins. After almost two decades, this durable old veteran still has the juice to help rescue NBC's prime-time.
The new season has S. Epatha Merkerson (Lieutenant Anita Van Buren) remaining on duty, overseeing Sisto and Anderson; Roache as Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Cutter, who succeeded Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston), the newly promoted district attorney. And Alana De La Garza (Executive Assistant District Attorney Connie Rubirosa) resumes her role.
But it remains to be seen whether the cast reshuffling will achieve Wolf's greatest ambition: to surpass "Gunsmoke" as the longest-running prime-time drama in the history of television.
Wolf, 61, has long voiced his desire to overtake the classic Western, which ran from 1955-1975 on CBS; Wednesday's season premiere will herald 19 years for "Law & Order." "It's one to tie and two to win. I think after that, (we'll do) another 20," Wolf said.
But the TV mogul, who oversees the spinoffs "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," nearly lost his chance when NBC threatened to cancel after a sharp ratings drop last season.
Any plug-pulling seems preposterous, given the series' enduring status as the mother ship of one of the strongest franchises on TV. Wolf struck a last-minute deal to save the show in May 2007 by trading "Criminal Intent" to the NBC-owned USA Network in exchange for another year of "Law & Order" on the Peacock Network. Full article
Thanks Saghy!
posted by thereel @ 2:58 PM
7 Comments:
I wasn't sure I'd EVER forgive Mr Wolf for offering to 'sacrifice' C.I. to keep the Mothership on air. Then it turned out that C.I. was loved and cherished on USA and the ratings soared...something they seem to have forgotten at the moment!
NBC would be foolish to cancel Law & Order, but considering they are working with programmers who think putting garbage like Knight Rider on the air is a good idea, it doesn't really give much hope for anything.
I'll bet they wish they had CI back as well since the reruns on Saturday night were getting better ratings than the god-awful Lipstick Jungle, Kath and Kim and other new "gems" they have up for offer during the week.
I wonder what CI's season 8 schedule was "traded" for.......??
Would Mr. Wolf, Or anyone connected to CI, take the time to tell "their side of the story"; or shall I be waiting "until beyond eternity for any responce" -as a gracious soul has kindly pointed out to me...??
Still perplexed; -Saghy
So Dick Wolf was prepared so sacrifice CI just to give Law and Order a chance to beat Gun Smoke's record. Well I saw Gun Smoke as a child and I wouldn't want to be associated with any record to do with it.
Surely the best show should have stayed on NBC and it should have been Dick Wolf's duty to have done the best for all his shows which it certainly doesn't look like he did in this case.
I'll bet all the cast and crew of Criminal Intent will be really pleased that Mr Wolf sacrificed them for such a good cause, I don't think.
And with what has happened in the last few days it looks like good old Dick is still not fighting the CI corner.
Yours absolutely livid
vivienne
If I were Vincent D'Onofrio or Kathryn Erbe, I would SO be looking for another gig.
So Bobby didn't only assume sole responsibility for his ailing mother on LOCI but the ailing mothership as well. It's a good thing he has strong shoulders and even stronger acting skills to bear up under all the pressure. Never fear, Dear Bobby, your fans are here to support you and only you. Whatever they throw at you, you can rely on us to always be there for you. Lets hope that you will at least get a better time slot out of the latest deal. You deserve better than Friday nights.
They say that cops have some extra sense to "smell" it on the criminals.
Watching numerous "cop shows" -especially our favorite one!- eventually leads one to the delusion that they've managed to develope the necessary skills to put bits and pieces together, and above all, smell a "criminal intent"...!!
There's been no word from Mr.Wolf. or anyone connected to CI, on the reschedule, since Tuesday.
And there are at least 3 interesting clues in this article:
1....["Law & Order" is returning to the air earlier than the announced date of early 2009, the result of an NBC schedule reshuffling to shore up the network's ratings as sweeps month begins]...
2.[Mr.] Wolf struck a last-minute deal to save the show in May 2007 by trading "Criminal Intent" to the NBC-owned USA Network in exchange for another year of "Law & Order" on the Peacock Network.
3.[Jack McCoy -Sam] Waterston attributed the audience bump to the show's move to Wednesday from Friday, one of the least-watched nights on TV,
Ok; maybe it's not as good as one of Bobby's presentations; but don't tell me, that you don't see the pattern.....!!
If I'm wrong -which somewhat hope I am- someone please correct me
Saghy
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