Law & Order

[helen]

Time for another poll about a TV series called Law & Order on NBC which also has two other spin-off series called Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. I tend to go almost out of my way to watch the original Law & Order but not the other two series. However if it is playing on the TV I won't switch the channel.

[pzarquon]

It's not on your list, but there's also Law & Order: Crime & Punishment.

We're L&O fans, so we will watch all the flavors. We like older, original series L&O episodes more than the newer ones, so up against the last few seasons we might actually prefer L&O: Criminal Intent. The SVU spinoff never really caught on with us, but while the storylines aren't that engaging, I like some of the actors, so...

We like L&O: Crime & Punishment, but it's "real life law and order," and isn't a scripted drama. The cases are sometimes less exciting, but the fact that the defendants and crimes are real make up for that. Sadly, it seems they only make a few episodes a season... I guess summer filler more than a full series.

[Mokihana]

I like um all too....

[helen]

Also noticed that USA Network tends to air the SUV version a lot.

[Mokihana]

Also noticed that USA Network tends to air the SUV version a lot.

yeah, das true... i tink 2 hours a night...

[helen]

Another spin-off series is in the works and due to be released in January of 2005 and it will be called Law & Order: Trial by Jury.

[DaFerret]

The original will always have my <3, but I do enjoy watching SVU and CI. Criminal Intent is really fun to watch because Vincent D'Onofrio (Detective Robert Goren) is like William L. Petersen (Grissom) where their characters seem to know everything. I only like watching SVU because the guy looks like the dude who played Casey in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the first movie), but it's not him.

The only problem with original flavor L&O is that the main characters are always changing. Now that veteran cop guy is leaving, right? SVU and CI are comfortable because they haven't aged long enough to go through character transitions.

[helen]

I think last year in SUV the lawyer character got changed, but then again the SUV cast (at 7) is bigger than the CI cast (at 4) or even the original (at 6).

[NemesisVex]

I actually think the last few seasons of SVU have been more interesting than L&O: TOS (to borrow the Star Trek acronym). I almost think the TOS writers have dumbed down the plots of the last few seasons to compensate for Elisabeth Rohm's total lack of expression. Thankfully, she will be gone by the middle of the season.

And here's something interesting: Bebe Neuwirth is joining the case of the new L&O spin-off, "Trial By Jury". Neuwirth, of course, played Lilith Crane on "Cheers".

L&O: CI has slowly lost its luster on me. I just can't buy the villians pit against the so-called genius detective -- they seem more like caricatures of danger. And it seems like Vincent D'onofrio's speech impediment is getting more pronounced. For some reason, though, I think Jamey Sheridan, who plays Capt. Deakins, is hot.

[pzarquon]

And here's something interesting: Bebe Neuwirth is joining the case of the new L&O spin-off, "Trial By Jury". Neuwirth, of course, played Lilith Crane on "Cheers".

"Trial By Jury" also has Jerry Orbach. I wonder what his character will be on that show, since I got the impression from the way he retired from L&O:TOS that he was just tired of the law enforcement scene. Is he going to be a bailiff? A wisecracking clerk? A courthouse security guard?

Interesting that you're liking L&O:SVU. Of all the branches of the franchise, that's the one that I like the least. I agree that L&O:CI can get pretty tedious, but broken up by viewings of the other series, it's not so bad. I agree, Vincent D'onofrio almost seems a parody of himself... but he's still less annoying in his quirkiness than David Caruso on CSI:Miami.

And yes, thank god Elizabeth Rohm is leaving. Considering the last few actresses to cycle through, though, I'm half dreading who they'll find to replace her.

[NemesisVex]

More updates from Zap2It:

• Briscoe will be a DA investigator. Kirk Acevedo plays his partner, who's reassigned to the DA's office after an injury on the job.
• Amy Carlson plays an ADA under the supervision of Bebe Neuwirth's character.

Two more words to fortify my like (not necessarily love) of SVU: B.D. Wong. Oh, is that man the hot.

Sometimes I wish some of Munch's old colleagues would make cameos -- Bayliss, Howard, Lewis ...

[helen]

One thing I like about the original Law & Order is at the beginning of an epsiode. 99% of the time you have a couple of New Yorkers talking about this, that and the other thing and the next thing you know they stumble across a dead body. Of course last night's epsiode it was the other 1% where the dead body fell from the sky.

[NemesisVex]

So, uh, is it because I'm a lesbian?

[Miulang]

For those who don't know, Jerry Orbach died from prostate cancer about a month ago. No one realized how sick he was when he retired.

Miulang

[helen]

Saw a promo for Law & Order: CI and it looks like Chris Noth will be on one episode. I think this for this Sunday (2/13).

[malia]

Saw a promo for Law & Order: CI and it looks like Chris Noth will be on one episode. I think this for this Sunday (2/13).

I read that Chris Noth is supposed to appear in half the season (11 episodes), and Vincent D'Onofrio in the other 11. For a while, D'Onofrio was being admitted to the hospital frequently, due to "exhaustion" so I think Dick Wolf made it so Noth can help alleviate some of the "stress of being the lead" of CI that Vincent D'Onofrio had.

By the way, any thoughts on Borgia? They've always been young and pretty females, since Robinette left. So far, I don't think she's as annoying as Serena was...but I'll have to keep watching to see...




ETA: Article here, under "Order Restored"...oh, it says it's for next season...maybe the 2/13 appearance is to ease him in?
http://www.tvguide.com/news/entertainment/050209.asp

[helen]

Has anyone seen Trial by Jury? It's on Friday night so it kind of conflicts with Sci-Fi Friday.

[alohabear]

I kind of like the new Trail By Jury....BTW, this fall Chris Noth returns to L & O.
He will be on Law & Order CI reprising his Mike Logan role.

[helen]

It seems that Law & Order: CI will have two seperate detective teams that will alternate each week. I think even the starting credits are different.

[pzarquon]

I like Vincent D'Onofrio a lot, quirky and somewhat predictable though he might be. But, I (and especially my wife) always lamented the loss of Chris Noth on L&O: Original Recipe. So, seeing a new team working on L&O: Criminal Intent is somewhat refreshing, especially because it's continuing threads from elsewhere in the L&O universe (i.e. Mike Logan seeking redemption after exile to Staten Island).

Still not sure about Det. Carolyn Barek (Logan's partner, played by Annabella Sciorra). Instead of one of them playing the "straight man" to the other's eccentricities, it seems both are aiming for deeper characters.

[helen]

I kind of prefer the episodes with Logan and Barek, but I do like the format where they alternate the teams.

[pzarquon]

Anyone catch the last few episodes of L&O:CI this season? They were:

• Logan & Barek vs. evil foster mother (Whoopi Goldberg).
• Goren & Eames vs. step brother that wasn't.
• Logan & Barek vs. crooked art dealer.

They were all linked via a subplot involving Capt. James Deakins (Jamey Sheridan).

The foster mother (Whoopi) storyline was left unresolved (which surprised me, since it had a very 'to be continued' feel), and at that point it seemed like Logan was on his way out. But by the season finale, someone else ended up leaving the show.

I still like the Logan & Barek/Goren & Eames mix. Seems both Goren's character and Eames were toned down a bit from their quirky roots, though.

[helen]

I saw the last two on Sunday night. I take it the one with Whoopi Goldberg (which was last week and I didn't watch it) is the episode that Logan shot someone which was the topic of the meeting at the start of the episode that had Goren & Eames in it?

[helen]

Seems that NBC is moving Law & Order: CI to Tuesday night at 8pm, followed by Law & Order: SVU at 9pm (all times are at HST).

[blueyecicle]

I like them all specially because they play them 24/7 in reruns so I don't actually have to watch the regular season! I can watch all my other shows then in the off-season catch up on L&O!