Is NBC trying to kill off Law ...
Question: Is NBC trying to kill off
Law & Order? How else would you explain them putting it opposite
Lost? I think that NBC is content to just have
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (which is clearly the best of the
L&O shows) and
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (only watchable when
Chris Noth is on) in their stable and bid farewell to the original. It's too bad.
L&O has been a good show for a long time. Who knew that the death of
Jerry Orbach would be so devastating? No offense to
Dennis Farina, but he has been unable to generate any interest from this fan.
Answer: I agree that classic
Law & Order's glory days are behind it, but NBC (which merged a while back with
Law & Order's parent company, Universal) isn't about to kill it or let it go just yet, regardless of this latest short-term, boneheaded move. (Second only to CBS continuing to run
Amazing Race at the too-late hour of 10 pm/ET on Tuesdays.) If
Law & Order were being thrown to the wolves — not just
Lost, but the
American Idol results show and CBS' hotter crime-drama property
Criminal Minds — it should be on behalf of a better show than
Heist. But this is more an example of a network taking a warhorse for granted and treating it like a utility player, ignoring the fact that by scattering the various
Law & Orders around the schedule for so many seasons, not to mention the extreme overexposure on cable, the mother ship of the franchise has lost much of its luster. It's an ugly moment for the show, but far from its final chapter.
(Note: Since I filed this, NBC has changed its mind. Starting next week, Law & Order will be back at 10 pm/ET, with the lousy Heist destined for obscurity in the 9 pm/ET time period.)
