I'm an SVU fan, an it's the stories that draw me in. Let me throw it out there, I'm not much of an original L&O fan...(Although, Angie Harmon, Carey Lowell, Alana de la Garza were pretty interesting...lol...and it's cool seeing Anthony Anderson in a serious role). Anywho, if either Stabler (usually called 'Un-stabler') or Olivia were to leave, they can easily do something different. There is still Fin, there is still Munch...and, like the original L&O, they can bring new blood into the picture... Now that Jeff Goldblum is joining the Criminal Intent cast, I'm now going to have to catch up with that show. (I never really watched the show in it's entirety). Side-question: I came into an episode where the ADA Casey Novak portrayed by Diane Neal was being carted away in custody. What happened? (Wiki gives a light description, but if someone could elaborate).
Goldblum joined the CI cast last year. And after the season premiere, he WILL BE the CI cast. I actually only watched the Chris Noth episodes on CI.
The only L&O show I ever bother watching anymore is SVU. The format of the L&O shows has long gone stale for me, and I mainly watch SVU for Benson & Stabler....and Munch, who has been playing the same character for so long now (I watched him long ago on Homicide: Life on the Street) that he feels almost like a long-lost relative, at this point. I think Meloni and Hargitay are smart to make themselves a 'package deal'. The thing that makes this show the only L&O worth watching anymore is the fact that it is more about their characters as people than any previous L&O show was about it's characters.
Me too. I've tried watching the D'Onofrio episodes, and Goren just annoys the shit out of me. I'm disappointed that Eric Bogosian is leaving. Yeah, the captain is a nothing role, but I love his stage work, and it was nice to see him getting more exposure.
So what's up with the lady that plays Van Buren? Does she really have cancer? I know alot of times they will write that into the show if the character is sick...
It's sad that Meloni is leaving after next year; I hope they give him a proper send-off. And I can see this going the way of The X-Files if they give Benson a new partner...just let the show die instead. The original flavor, the "Mothership" is still going strong...great story lines and excellent chemistry within the cast. I think once Sam Waterston decides to leave, they should call it quits. It's the only L&O I'll make a point to watch. And yes, Van Buren has been battling cancer this season; don't know how it's going to turn out for her. But I don't think S. Epatha Merkerson really has cancer, just her character on the show.