Law & Order: Los Angeles given 13 episode pick-up, other L&O News

[The Borgified Corpse]

If this truly is the end of Lt. Van Buren, I hope they go with that idea someone suggested of moving Munch to the original series and putting him in charge. Munch in charge of something would be funny.

BTW, I know that, considering the high volume of new guest characters on every episode, recycling actors is inevitable. Still, I wish they wouldn't recast old Homicide regulars in new roles, since the shows are supposed to be set in the same universe. It was especially disturbing in an SVU rerun I saw recently where Zeljko Ivanekplayed a city councilman who was having a sexual relationship with his own daughter. It was especially awkward since this was one of the few SVU episodes that Munch was actually in. I kept expecting him to cry out, "Danvers, how could you?!?!"

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If this truly is the end of Lt. Van Buren, I hope they go with that idea someone suggested of moving Munch to the original series and putting him in charge. Munch in charge of something would be funny.

We already saw that on SVU once. Munch had just made Sergeant and he found himself running SVU after Cragen was being grilled by the top brass. Munch said he hated being in command and would never do it again.

 

[Andonagio]

Also the 21st season next year is supposed to be the finale, for real... really.

Really? Where did you hear this? The beauty of L&O is that it's procedural instead of character-driven, so it's one of those shows that stays fairly consistent in the ratings and could continue for decades.

I think LOLA will succeed if it follows the same format as the original L&O instead of trying to be more character-driven like SVU or CI. That said, I wish these shows would choose locations aside from the usual LA/NY/DC triumvirate. Why can't we get more crime dramas in Atlanta or Minneapolis or Seattle? (At least CSI was willing to tackle Las Vegas and Miami.)

 

[bigdaddy]

They have been saying "This might be it" for L&O for years. This year was supposed to be a final 13 episodes to end the show with 20 seasons. Jay Leno sucked and L&O was so good they gave it several more episodes. Now next year is really really supposed to be the end.

I'll look for the link to where I saw it, however none of this info will be confirmed for like a week.

 

[ATimson]

BTW, I know that, considering the high volume of new guest characters on every episode, recycling actors is inevitable.

Less inevitable for L&O:LA, though - they'll be drawing from the Hollywood actor pool, not the Broadway one.

 

[Marc]

If this truly is the end of Lt. Van Buren, I hope they go with that idea someone suggested of moving Munch to the original series and putting him in charge. Munch in charge of something would be funny.

We already saw that on SVU once. Munch had just made Sergeant and he found himself running SVU after Cragen was being grilled by the top brass. Munch said he hated being in command and would never do it again.

With some-one like Stabler under your command surely you could understand why Munch didn't like it.

 

[Aragorn]

BTW, I know that, considering the high volume of new guest characters on every episode, recycling actors is inevitable. Still, I wish they wouldn't recast old Homicide regulars in new roles, since the shows are supposed to be set in the same universe. It was especially disturbing in an SVU rerun I saw recently where Zeljko Ivanekplayed a city councilman who was having a sexual relationship with his own daughter. It was especially awkward since this was one of the few SVU episodes that Munch was actually in. I kept expecting him to cry out, "Danvers, how could you?!?!"

Seeing Dean Winters (SVU season 1) as a completely different and dirty cop on CI was a bit jarring.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If this truly is the end of Lt. Van Buren, I hope they go with that idea someone suggested of moving Munch to the original series and putting him in charge. Munch in charge of something would be funny.

We already saw that on SVU once. Munch had just made Sergeant and he found himself running SVU after Cragen was being grilled by the top brass. Munch said he hated being in command and would never do it again.

With some-one like Stabler under your command surely you could understand why Munch didn't like it.

No, it wasn't that, Munch didn't like being in command of *anyone*.

Less inevitable for L&O:LA, though - they'll be drawing from the Hollywood actor pool, not the Broadway one.

God help them.

 

[MichaelDornFan]

If any Law & Orders have to be canceled, then count me as another person who would prefer to see the original kept alive indefinitely!

 

[Star Wolf]

If any Law & Orders have to be canceled, then count me as another person who would prefer to see the original kept alive indefinitely!

Just storywise the original does the occainsional sex crime or child victim/witness. And sometimes the ripped from the headlines story is so hot it begs the question just what does it take for a case to qualify for the Major Case Squad?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If any Law & Orders have to be canceled, then count me as another person who would prefer to see the original kept alive indefinitely!

This.

As of the current (20th) season, L&O has already tied Gunsmoke's record for longest continuously running drama series. Let it *double* that record.

And keep it character-proof. That's what I like about L&O: its relative lack of characterization. TV shows these days have too much character. Too much whiny emo angst. A show that is not at all concerned with characters - that's a breath of fresh air. I've always viewed L&O as the Mr. Spock of tv shows.

Oh, and one other thing.

KEEP.
IT.
IN.
NEW.
YORK.
CITY.

The occasional spinoff set in another city (such as London or L.A.) is fine, but never let the original deviate from NYC. Not only is it set there, it's bleeding well FILMED there! You don't get much of that anymore. When was the last time we saw a show that was not only set in New York, but shot there? L&O will always hold a special place in my heart, for that reason alone. (shit, why do you all think I love the US Life on Mars so much? )

 

[Christopher]

BTW, I know that, considering the high volume of new guest characters on every episode, recycling actors is inevitable. Still, I wish they wouldn't recast old Homicide regulars in new roles, since the shows are supposed to be set in the same universe.

On the other hand, a number of L&O lead characters have been played by actors who'd earlier appeared in different roles, such as Jeremy Sisto, who played a defense attorney before being cast as one of the cops. So they've recast actors within the same franchise. Which is bound to happen with any long-running series (just look at Star Trek and its frequent uses of Vaughn Armstrong, Suzie Plakson, Jeffrey Combs, and others).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I think Jeremy Sisto has the record, though, since he played a defense attorney in one episode and joined the cast (as Detective Lupo) in the very next episode. Of course the eps in question were separated by a season break, but hey, who's counting.

(in fact *all three cops* on the current L&O are played by 'repeat' actors...)

 

[Andonagio]

And keep it character-proof. That's what I like about L&O: its relative lack of characterization. TV shows these days have too much character. Too much whiny emo angst. A show that is not at all concerned with characters - that's a breath of fresh air. I've always viewed L&O as the Mr. Spock of tv shows.

Hear hear! I second the opinion that too much of contemporary television is filled with angsty or otherwise offbeat characters. Sometimes we just want a straight-up, no-frills, episodic story that's not weighed down with seasons-long story arcs or character development, and the original L&O serves that beautifully. Here's hoping LOLA continues that tradition.

 

[doubleohfive]

The occasional spinoff set in another city (such as London or L.A.) is fine, but never let the original deviate from NYC. Not only is it set there, it's bleeding well FILMED there! You don't get much of that anymore. When was the last time we saw a show that was not only set in New York, but shot there?

Gossip Girl.
Ugly Betty.
Rescue Me.
The Daily Show.
The Colbert Report.
Rubicon.
24.

TV shows aplenty still lens in New York.

 

[Christopher]

Sometimes shows not even set in New York are filmed there. Fringe was shot in NYC in its first season, though mostly set in Boston. However, it moved to Vancouver for S2.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

24, AFAIK, did very little actual on-location New York filming. Most of it was greenscreen. L&O, on the other hand, filmed it ALL in New York. Even the "Judgment In L.A." three-parter from many years ago (which really cracks me the fuck up ) .

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

BTW, I know that, considering the high volume of new guest characters on every episode, recycling actors is inevitable. Still, I wish they wouldn't recast old Homicide regulars in new roles, since the shows are supposed to be set in the same universe. It was especially disturbing in an SVU rerun I saw recently where Zeljko Ivanekplayed a city councilman who was having a sexual relationship with his own daughter. It was especially awkward since this was one of the few SVU episodes that Munch was actually in. I kept expecting him to cry out, "Danvers, how could you?!?!"

Seeing Dean Winters (SVU season 1) as a completely different and dirty cop on CI was a bit jarring.

Then there's Ritchie Coster (the Chechen mobster from The Dark Knight). He's been on the various Law & Order shows a total of 7 times, and nearly every time, he's always the killer. I guess, when you've got that look, it's hard to not be the killer. Although there was one episode I recall where he wasn't the killer; he just helped dispose of the body.

 

[doubleohfive]

24, AFAIK, did very little actual on-location New York filming. Most of it was greenscreen.

Do you have a source for this tidbit? Because if you do, I'd love to see it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Then there's Ritchie Coster (the Chechen mobster from The Dark Knight). He's been on the various Law & Order shows a total of 7 times, and nearly every time, he's always the killer. I guess, when you've got that look, it's hard to not be the killer. Although there was one episode I recall where he wasn't the killer; he just helped dispose of the body.

Is that last episode you mentioned, the two-part they did with Trial By Jury? 'Cos he was on the original L&O once and wasn't the killer (he was a corrupt DEA agent). In fact he *got* killed in that episode.

24, AFAIK, did very little actual on-location New York filming. Most of it was greenscreen.

Do you have a source for this tidbit? Because if you do, I'd love to see it.

You thought I was making that up, didn't you? Hardly.