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! 
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18 Comments on "Law & Order and Criminal Intent: NBC Renews Dramas"
EVERY Law and Order show suffers from the same overly loud background music. This has gone on for years! I know the intent of the droning music is to set a mood of suspense and anxiety but it drowns out the dialogue. Why!!!!
Have given up trying to reduce the sound level of background music of Law and Order.
It drowns out the voices and it ahs existed for years.
Was good content but whoever has their hand on the music volume control should be terminated!
I’ll watch other programs for no responses provided to those in charge.
My husband and I never miss a Law & Order episode but we are ready to STOP watching!! The background music is so loud that you cannot hear the dialogue. It becomes frustrating to the point where we just decide to watch something else. This is one of the best shows on television today and yet I’m sure they lose a significant portion of their audience because people just can’t tolerate the noise!!
We watched Law and Order tonight with the sound on “mute” most of the time because of the OBNOXIOUS music. Who needs THAT?
Art Johnson
Potsdam, NY
I USED TO ENJOY WATCHING L&O SVU BUT SEVRAL THINGS MADE ME STOP WATCHING: THE BACKGROUND MUSIC IS AWFULLY LOUD, MOST OF THE TIME YOU CANNOT HEAR THE DIALOGUE.
THEY ALWAYS PORTRAY CHRISTIANS AS CRAZY, STUPID PEOPLE WHO GO AROUND BLOWING UP EVERYTHING.
AS A CHRISTIAN I AM HIGHLY OFFENDED; WHY CAN’T THEY PORTRAY A CHRISTIAN AS A MORAL AND UPSTANDING CITIZEN.
WHAT ABOUT A STORYLINE ABOUT A CHRISTIAN WHO GETS SHOT BY A GAY ATHEIST? OR ARE THEY AFRAID TO OFFEND THE GAY & ATHEIST POPULATION?
What is with the music that drowns out the critical dialogue on Law & Order, Criminal Minds, SVU, CSI’S. Is there some musicians union that dictates how much music is played on an episode? We are ready to stop watching those programs. It is so maddening. Do those producers ever sit down and watch them? It is crazy to drown out the important parts.
Background music on Law & Order is too loud—–cannot hear the dialog. I have watched this series for many years and none of the older shows have the loud music in the background….seems just the most recent episodes have the exceptionally loud volume on the background music…….
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
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?
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
THE BACKGROUND MUSIC ON LAW & ORDER IS TOO LOUD. REDUCE THE VOLUME, PLEASE.
I agree completely! It drives both my husband and I insane and we end up giving up and switching channels. I thought it was just us but I now know that heaps of people feel the same.
The comments about the music being too loud go back years and yet it continues without abate. Must be falling on DEAF EARS!!!!