NBC may soon be out of 'Order'

Nothing lasts forever, Lord knows, but multiply that little platitude by a billion and the history of prime-time TV suddenly comes into focus. Shows come. Shows go. Like puffy little clouds drifting on a nice summer day, they all eventually succumb to audience and especially network indifference, then - poof! - no more nice little summer cloud.

But come to think of it, there has been this one show that has flirted with immortality. Bound by an ironclad formula that has made it resistant to change, this formula has also made the show resistant to decay. One key actor decides to go off to pursue a career in opera? No problemo: Stick someone else in his place. Some other high-steppin' thespian decides the show could not possibly go on without him/her (and therefore he/she requires a huge raise)? Fire the blighter and - repeat after me - hire someone else.

So, really, who can blame "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf for assuming that he was the Atlas of prime time, who needn't bother himself with the concerns of mere mortals. "Law & Order" would continue forever. Atlas shrugged Sunday, when confronted with the news that "L&O" will move to 9 p.m. opposite "Lost" on March 22: "It's like a long-term marriage," Wolf told The Associated Press during the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. "There are stresses and strains intermittently, but we are kind of stuck with each other."

But then, what else is he going to say? The move to 9 opposite "Lost" isn't like getting the divorce papers; it's like getting the death warrant. You can already see the cloud start to evaporate.

They jumped the shark PR-wise when it was reported a year or so ago that Vincent D'Onofrio was crying on the set because of the Iraq war and they had to stop shooting.

Barf-o-rama.

L&O was better with Det. Lenny Briscoe around. Some interesting quips from the new DA Fred Thompson. Otherwise lawyering getting old, mundane and predictable. L&O CI is spoiled because of D'Onofrio's "acting out" (acting not much better. I like it better now with Det. Logan and his partner.L&O SVU is good with Munch, course he was good in 'Homicide: Life on the Street'.L&O Trial by Jury, couldn't stand it even with Lenny Briscoe. Just a poor show. Then there was L&O Crime and Punishment, it sunk like a rock if memory serves.

Maybe one of those rotating shows like years ago. L&O on week 1, L&O CI on week 2 and L&O SVU on week 3. Much like the Universal TV rotating shows when we were much younger like Mystery Movie [McCloud/Columbo/Bancek/McMillan and Wife], The Bold Ones [The New Doctors/The Lawyers/The Protectors], or The Name of the Game w/Gene Berry, Tony Franciosa and Robert Stack.

Less fatiquing on D'Onofrio. Course you know eventually the three CSI's will follow suit. Or we could add CSI: Poughkeepsie.

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