Posted on 05/14/2010 6:56:11 PM PDT by Braak
NEW YORK (AP) -- The venerable police-courtroom drama "Law & Order" has been axed.
NBC announced Friday that the show would end its historic 20-season run on May 24, with a season finale that was never meant to bring the saga to a close.
The show starred an ensemble cast currently consisting of Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, Linus Roache, Alana De La Garza, Sam Waterston and S. Epatha Merkerson, who, unrelated to the show's abrupt cancellation, had already announced she was moving on.
Even as it issued a death sentence to the original "Law & Order," NBC announced a new drama in the "Law & Order" franchise called "LOLA" ("Law & Order: Los Angeles"). Premiering this fall, "LOLA" is described as a procedural crime drama "that will follow the theme and storylines similar to the 'Law & Order'-brand series on the streets of Los Angeles." Casting for the show is under way, the network said.
NBC will also renew "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for a 12th season.
NBC's full 2010-11 schedule will be officially released Sunday.
The sudden end of "Law & Order" could be explained by sagging ratings, production expense and creative fatigue, but its renewal had been widely expected nonetheless. Then, on Thursday, a flurry of reports declared the series to be doomed. NBC refused to confirm the reports. Negotiations were said to be continuing late Thursday.
Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television, praised "Law & Order" creator-producer Dick Wolf and said it "will continue to make an impact like no other series before."
But the cancellation denies Wolf his long-held dream of surpassing "Gunsmoke" from a generation ago as TV's longest-running drama. The two series are tied at 20 seasons each.
"Never complain, never explain," Wolf said in a statement.
"Law & Order" won a Peabody Award and the 1997 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
It also became a familiar presence on the streets of New York as it went about its on-location filming.
"Over the last 20 years, 'Law & Order' became a New York City institution," said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement. Noting that "it began filming in the city at a time when few series did," he expressed gratitude to Wolf for "helping showcase the city's depth and versatility as a setting and all of the advantages of filming here."
Thank You GOD! Now just get the rest of the spin-off’s and I may be able to flip on the TV. (I have a friend who loves those shows and watches obsesively). Now if we could canel the show Barry in the White House....I could be HAPPY! LOL
I watched it some initially. I stopped when Jerry Orbach (Det. Lenny Briscoe) left. I did enjoy Steven Hill and Fred Thompson as the DA’s too. I would catch some here and there in reruns.
L&O CI was fair but D’Onofrio wore me out fast. The few I saw with Chris Noth were better I think and maybe with Jeff Goldbloom will become better.
L&O SVU is good acting but some of the story lines really get gritty.
L&O Trial by Jury was for me ... a waste.
L&O UK was not as interesting when I watched a few online.
Living much of them as a former LEO I really don’t need the down and dirty any more ... saw enough.
Most of the really good shows, not all, are on the cable networks anyway.
Another good ridance post.
How many people have been shot on the courthouse steps?
How many people in U.S. history have been shot on the courthouse steps? It can’t be all that many.
I stopped watching when Michael Moriarty left.
I never watched a single episode.
Guess I wasn’t missing anything.
Found this and didn’t see here.
Fall 2010 TV Scorecard: Which Shows Are Returning? Which Aren’t? - Apr 30, 2009 - TV Guide News [http://www.tvguide.com/news/fall-tv-schedule-1005618.aspx]
RENEWED
30 Rock (NBC)
90210 (CW)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Dad (Fox)
America’s Next Top Model (CW)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Bones (Fox)
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Castle (ABC)
Chuck (NBC)
The Cleveland Show (Fox)
Community (NBC)
Cougar Town (ABC)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Family Guy (Fox)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Fringe (Fox)
Glee (Fox)
Gossip Girl (CW)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
The Middle (ABC)
Modern Family (ABC)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The Office (NBC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Private Practice (ABC)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Smallville (CW)
Supernatural (CW)
Survivor (CBS)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
V (ABC)
The Vampire Diaries (CW)
LOOKING GOOD
Accidentally on Purpose (CBS)
American Idol (Fox)
The Bachelor (ABC)
The Biggest Loser (NBC)
Celebrity Apprentice (NBC)
Criminal Minds (CBS)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
CSI: Miami (CBS)
CSI: NY (CBS)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Gary Unmarried (CBS)
Ghost Whisperer (CBS)
House (Fox)
Human Target (Fox)
Lie to Me (Fox)
Medium (CBS)
The Mentalist (CBS)
NCIS (CBS)
New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
One Tree Hill (CW)
Parenthood (NBC)
Rules of Engagement (CBS)
NOT LOOKING SO GOOD
Better Off Ted (ABC)
Cold Case (CBS)
The Deep End (ABC)
The Forgotten (ABC)
Life Unexpected (CW)
Melrose Place (CW)
Mercy (NBC)
Miami Medical (CBS)
Numb3rs (CBS)
Trauma (NBC)
CANCELED/ENDING
24 (Fox)
The Beautiful Life: TBL (CW)
Brothers (Fox)
Dollhouse (Fox)
Eastwick (ABC)
FlashForward (ABC)
Hank (ABC)
Heroes (NBC)
Law & Order (NBC)
Lost (ABC)
Past Life (Fox)
Scrubs (ABC)
Sons of Tucson (Fox)
Three Rivers (CBS)
‘Til Death (Fox)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
PILOTS PICKED UP
Body of Proof (ABC)
The Cape (NBC)
Chase (NBC)
The Event (NBC)
Friends with Benefits (NBC)
Love Bites (NBC)
No Ordinary Family (ABC)
Off the Map (ABC)
Outlaw (NBC)
Outsourced (NBC)
Perfect Couples (NBC)
Undercovers (NBC)
It went downhill quick when Fred Thompson left and they put Sam Waterson in charge of the D.A.’s office.
I’m glad “The Office” will be back for one more season.
It’s getting thin, but it’s one of the funniest shows on TV.
Sometimes, it’s downright difficult to watch, but it’s a funny show.
OK, it’s a SILLY show.
OK, it’s a STUPID show.
OK, it’s a MORONIC show.
But I think it’s funny.
So there.
The British shows some of ours were based on were indeed better.
Two enjoyable US comedies were based on British shows: All In The Family (1968 - 1979) and Cosby (1996 - 2001).
The Office couldn’t hold my attention, it is difficult to watch.
They have used that cliche on more than one occasion, which tells me that they should have hung it up a long time ago.
I’m so happy right now. My dear wife watch L&O, and it drives me nuts. I wish they would kill the rest of the spin-offs with fire.
Ditto. I never saw a single episode.
I love it.
That’s crap. I saw 2 reruns this week with minority bad guys.
Let’s not make a tsimiss where we don’t need one!
Some of you might find this hard to believe but after 20 yrs I’ve never watched one entire episode...And it’s not like I don’t watch TV either, I do, every night.
Bull, you didn’t watch the whole show. It starts off with a minority being suspect but in the end it’s always a white person.
Amen...GFR!
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