Law & Order returns

[broadway joe]

Back-to-back episodes with the new cast last night. Overall, I'd say it was an improvement over the last few lame years. Both the new additions -- Jeremy Sisto as the new cop and Linus Roache as the new ADA, were solid. The show had a grittier feel, with some hand-held camera work and lawyers' offices that had a more realistic, messy and cramped look, for instance. I like Jack McCoy as the DA. Interestingly, his attitude seemed to be, "they forced me into this job, but I'd rather be trying cases," which is probably similar to Waterston's attitude as an actor. Still not crazy about the writing, although the first episode at least tried to come up with the old L&O twist at the end, but overall, it looks like they've breathed a little life back into the show.

 

[Batman]

I turned on the first one halfway through and was drifting in and out of sleep during the second, but I kind of liked what I saw of McCoy's mentoring role with the new DAs. For somebody who's been on the show as long as he has, it's a good way to breathe life into the new cast.
More importantly, THANK YOU GOD for showing NBC the light and moving this show back to Wednesday night. I hadn't seen it in a couple years since they gave it the Friday night death sentence.

Also, did they ever explain why/how McCoy became the new DA? Did he run for the office? Did Branch resign or get fired? I've been away from L&O a while now, and the DA cast changes were never really well-referenced. Hell, I still don't know what happened to Adam Schiff and he's been gone for years.

 

[broadway joe]

They referred to McCoy finishing out Branch's term, so he wasn't elected. They didn't say why Branch left, or if they did, I didn't catch it. And Schiff's character left to work on a Holocaust project with Elie Wiesel, I believe.

Agree completely with getting it off Friday nights. I think the move back to Wednesdays might have been a sign that NBC liked the changes in the show and didn't consider it a dying warhorse anymore.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I thought the second episode was far stronger than the first. Roache is a great addition and McCoy's dissatisfaction with his new gig is going to make for some fireworks.

 

[DanOregon]

The second episode reminded me of those stories that started off with one thing (kidnapping) and ended up being a totally different thing (energy price fixing).
I did like Linus Roache, reminds me a little more of Ben Stone than Jack McCoy (liked the line about "you had Woodward and Bernstein, we have Geraldo" in the first ep) Sisto is good. Wish they explained why Green's previous partner bailed and what happened to the guy he was working with before Lupo arrived.

 

[User 4755]

I'm as happy as anyone the show is back on Wednesdays and I hope the changes will keep it on that night. But duly note the only reason it is back on Wednesday is because NBC had nothing left in the tank due to the writers' strike. It was supposed to air on Sunday nights once the NFL telecasts ended. But thanks to the strike and the lack of any new episodes for any shows, NBC moved it to a better time slot, and, as well, moved new episodes of L&O Criminal Intent back from USA over to NBC again on Wednesdays as well, to air before Law and Order. And that starts next week -- so it'll be Criminal Intent at 9 EST and plain old L&O at 10 EST. There was a story about all this a month ago.

 

[broadway joe]

I'm as happy as anyone the show is back on Wednesdays and I hope the changes will keep it on that night. But duly note the only reason it is back on Wednesday is because NBC had nothing left in the tank due to the writers' strike. It was supposed to air on Sunday nights once the NFL telecasts ended. But thanks to the strike and the lack of any new episodes for any shows, NBC moved it to a better time slot, and, as well, moved new episodes of L&O Criminal Intent back from USA over to NBC again on Wednesdays as well, to air before Law and Order. And that starts next week -- so it'll be Criminal Intent at 9 EST and plain old L&O at 10 EST. There was a story about all this a month ago.

That's true, I forgot it was originally going to air on Sundays. But any move out of the Friday night cemetery could be seen as a vote of confidence.

And how about the medical examiner going blonde? You know Lenny Briscoe would have had a smart-ass line about that.

 

[Cansportschick]

Out of the whole franchise this year, I still prefer watching Law and Order SVU. The pairing of Stabler and Benson (Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hagarty) is the best. This season, the writing has been phenomenal.

Criminal Intent is good too, even better since they brought Chris Noth onto the show.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I'm as happy as anyone the show is back on Wednesdays and I hope the changes will keep it on that night. But duly note the only reason it is back on Wednesday is because NBC had nothing left in the tank due to the writers' strike. It was supposed to air on Sunday nights once the NFL telecasts ended. But thanks to the strike and the lack of any new episodes for any shows, NBC moved it to a better time slot, and, as well, moved new episodes of L&O Criminal Intent back from USA over to NBC again on Wednesdays as well, to air before Law and Order. And that starts next week -- so it'll be Criminal Intent at 9 EST and plain old L&O at 10 EST. There was a story about all this a month ago.

That's true, I forgot it was originally going to air on Sundays. But any move out of the Friday night cemetery could be seen as a vote of confidence.

And how about the medical examiner going blonde? You know Lenny Briscoe would have had a smart-ass line about that.

I think Rogers looks very weird.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Missed the episodes. Rogers as a redhead is milfiriffic. Hope I'll have a chance to judge the blond look. And canchick, the writing on SVU has been in latter-day ER land, and that's not a compliment.

 

[slappy4428]

Missed the episodes. Rogers as a redhead is milfiriffic.

And she's not afraid, so be very afraid.

 

[Cansportschick]

Missed the episodes. Rogers as a redhead is milfiriffic. Hope I'll have a chance to judge the blond look. And canchick, the writing on SVU has been in latter-day ER land, and that's not a compliment.

dooley, I disagree with you on SVU so we can agree to disagree on this. ER is a lost cause now and I would never put it in the same breath as SVU by a long shot.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

"This will hoist your colors."

-- Rogers to Mike Logan, back in the day.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Missed the episodes. Rogers as a redhead is milfiriffic. Hope I'll have a chance to judge the blond look. And canchick, the writing on SVU has been in latter-day ER land, and that's not a compliment.

dooley, I disagree with you on SVU so we can agree to disagree on this. ER is a lost cause now and I would never put it in the same breath as SVU by a long shot.

But do we agree that Rogers is milfiriffic?

 

[broadway joe]

Missed the episodes. Rogers as a redhead is milfiriffic. Hope I'll have a chance to judge the blond look. And canchick, the writing on SVU has been in latter-day ER land, and that's not a compliment.

dooley, I disagree with you on SVU so we can agree to disagree on this. ER is a lost cause now and I would never put it in the same breath as SVU by a long shot.

But do we agree that Rogers is milfiriffic?

I don't know, a woman who's had her hands inside dead bodies all day doesn't exactly hoist my colors.

 

[wickedwritah]

I gave up on the show about five years ago, when Carmichael got on my nerves, McCoy seemed stale and Curtis bailed. (Bad career move, Mr. Bratt.) I work Wednesdays, so I won't get the chance to see the show for a while.

 

[Cadet]

I am addicted to the show, but I hate **** Wolf's casting couch. On CI, what's up with back-to-back redheads who don't look old enough to babysit, let alone be a major case detective? I know, hotness factor, but it's just not believable anymore. Not two in a row, anyway.

And with the shakeup on the original, they could have moved away from the stereotype of old, crotchety DA, frat boy as lead chair and hot chick as second chair. But no, we get another loose-cannon frat boy.

That said, I'm liking the new detective and thought Wednesday's second episode was heads above the first. Thank god for DVR!

 

[BigSleeper]

I gave up on the show about five years ago, when Carmichael got on my nerves, McCoy seemed stale and Curtis bailed. (Bad career move, Mr. Bratt.) I work Wednesdays, so I won't get the chance to see the show for a while.

I stopped when Carmichael left. No reason to continue after that. Mmmmmmm, Angie Harmon ...

 

[HC]

Is it just me, or are more and more Brits playing Americans on TV these days? "Oz" had several, "The Wire" has McNulty and Stringer Bell, there's the lead on "Journeyman" and now Linus Roache is having his turn.

I have a feeling there's less of this happening the other direction.

 

[Batman]

Is it just me, or are more and more Brits playing Americans on TV these days? "Oz" had several, "The Wire" has McNulty and Stringer Bell, there's the lead on "Journeyman" and now Linus Roache is having his turn.

I have a feeling there's less of this happening the other direction.

Don't forget Hugh Laurie on "House." I guess it's harder to fake a convincing British accent than it is an American one.