Law & Order and Criminal Intent: NBC Renews Dramas
In a last minute deal with series creator Dick Wolf, NBC has decided to keep all three Law & Order series in primetime — though one in a very unique way.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the most popular of the franchise, was renewed in January for a ninth season so its fate has been secure for some time. Not so, for the other two L&O series.
Law & Order was believed to be on the shakiest ground but it will remain on the peacock network for an 18th season. It’s unclear if L&O will return in the fall or will be held until midseason. L&O’s ratings have dropped this year but this was expected as a result of the series’ move to Friday nights. There had been talk of moving the crime drama to TNT but execs decided instead to move Law & Order: Criminal Intent to the USA cable channel. NBC and USA are both owned by NBC Universal.
Reruns of Criminal Intent are very popular on USA and now, in a groundbreaking deal, the cable channel will be able to premiere the seventh season of first run episodes. Chairman of USA Universal Jeff Zucker said, “This was a strategic decision by us. We are really taking USA to a new stratosphere.”
This deal is also unique because encore airings of Criminal Intent will be run on NBC. The episodes will presumably be used to replace any failed new dramas or to fill in other programming holes.
Wolf will have to make some budget cuts on all three series but has said that the cost reductions won’t result in any noticeable changes for viewers.
Law & Order is the longest-running crime drama in TV history and is second only to Gunsmoke as the longest drama. (Gunsmoke ran for 20 seasons, from 1955 until 1975 on CBS.) Wolf said, “We are now one year closer to my ultimate dream — to become the longest running drama in the history of television, beating Gunsmoke.” Though L&O may match Gunsmoke in a season count, it will be a tough to match the latter’s episode count. Gunsmoke ran for 635 episodes while, if L&O runs 20 regular seasons, it will have fewer than 460. Could Law & Order run for 29 seasons and beat Gunsmoke’s episode total? We’ll see. Stay tuned! 
December 24th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Last night I watched Law and Order CI from 6 p.m. until midnight. I even watched one twice. There is so much junk on nighttime TV, these repeats are much enjoyed. Thank you and thank NBC
November 16th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
I’m glad that Law and Order didn’t get cancelled. I’ve been watching this show for the past 14 years. Any news when the new season will actually start?
October 28th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
I’m getting mixed information about the return of the original Law & Order. Is it returning in 2007? If so, when? I think it is the best of the 3 shows, and in fact I don’t like the story lines of SVU, or the acting in Criminal Intent. I’ve been watching the origingal since the start. It must have lost a lot of viewers after being moved to a Friday night…
October 21st, 2007 at 7:54 am
I am glad they are going to renew the L&O series. With all the reality shows taking over, the three L&O series and the CSI series keep me entertained much more, since I am not a fan of so called reality shows>
L&O, keep them coming.
October 9th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Utmost respect for all the L&O cast members especially Martin, Merkerson, and Wanamaker. Was a little worried until I found out they were coming back. Must see TV for me.
October 4th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I’m thrilled to learn that the original L&O has NOT been canceled! I was very unhappy when it didn’t appear in my fall lineup! I’m glad to know it will be coming back for Season 18, even if it is delayed.
July 15th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
I really loved this show BUT as of lately I’m not sure I want to continue to watch as they appear to reguarly portray Chistians as Crazy. This is very distressing to me as a Christian and very proud to be called one of God’s own.
July 8th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
THE BACKGROUND MUSIC ON LAW & ORDER IS TOO LOUD. REDUCE THE VOLUME, PLEASE.
May 17th, 2007 at 7:54 am
I really hate that this show is off the air, I truly looked forward to my Monday nights and followed the show for the full two seasons. It was a great story line - to bad the network did not want to see it go another season. I feel that it was cut too short.