Last month, we reported that USA Networks was considering cancelling its long-running Law & Order: Criminal Intent series. After a number of different scenarios were supposedly bandied about, the cable channel has made up its mind — or has it?
The spin-off series follows investigations of high-profile cases. The show moved from NBC to USA Networks in 2007. Up until last year, it starred Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. This past season starred Jeff Goldblum, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Saffron Burrows.
Due to the TV show’s uncertain future, Goldblum decided to exit. The rest of the cast’s contracts expired over the summer.
USA has now decided to both renew and cancel Criminal Intent. It’ll come back for a 10th and final season of eight episodes. This will bring the series total to 195 installments.
On the positive side, D’Onofrio is returning as Detective Goren, a character he’s played in 133 episodes. Other castmembers are still in negotiations to return.
Executive producer Dick Wolf said, “Only time will tell if this is a fond farewell or a renaissance for Detective Robert Goren but everyone is ecstatic about going back to work on a show that’s a passion for all of us.”
Interestingly, Jeff Wachtel, president of original programming for USA, doesn’t sound totally committed to ending the show. He said “We have been the fortunate caretakers of this legendary series, and we plan to give it the world-class farewell it so richly deserves. Dick and his team promise to create a major event for television with incredible surprises. The plan is for this to be the series finale, but with a Dick Wolf franchise, one really never knows until it’s over.”
The 10th and final (?) season of Law & Order Criminal Intent is expected to air in 2011.
What do you think? Are you happy there will be some closure for the series? Do you think Criminal Intent should continue and return for season 11?
Image courtesy USA.
Why do great shows continually get cancelled so that they can put yet another stupid reality show on. All the Law and Order shows were great. I just don’t get it.
Please keep L & O CI and LA.. We love both. Keep Goren and Eames.
Please do not cancel L & O Criminal Intent. I love this show. Keep Goren and Eames. Please let the show go on.
There’s no reason that this show should be canceled. I’ll admit that it seemed to be getting a bit tired in season 8, but this season has been SO good! D’Onofrio seems refreshed; Kathryn Erbe is still strong and a delight to watch; the chemistry between the two is better than ever. And I can’t rave enough about Julia Ormond and what she brings to the mix! The character development and new avenues opened up with Goren in therapy are so promising, the crimes are still fresh and interesting… they just CAN’T quit now!
Add me to the Law & Order franchise as being a junkie also..You can’t take Criminal Intent off and you have to resurrect L & O L.A…bring it back….
It’s hard to believe the USA owners don’t feel they have enough money.
That’s what its about, right? The poor billionaires want to be multi-billionaires.
Greed knows no bounds.
So, an excellent show is given the boot in favor of…what?
USA’s new series’ are real crap by comparrison: crappy plots and crappy acting apealing to idiotic brains.
That’s right. Many of us out here still know that the emperor has no clothes, and no amount of slick marketing will convince us otherwise.
I think taking Law and Order Criminal Intent is a big mistake and has made me seriously rethink my favorite channel. I used to watch TNT all the time but when Law & Order came back I switched back to USA. IF Law & Order Criminal Intent does not come back then I will NOT continue to watch USA. The new shows that are airing on USA are absolutely ridiculous and not worth watching. Almost all SVU shows are re-runs and now boring. Will go back to TNT and watch their new shows.
I love them! Bring them back on for future season. This is a great show!!!
Please do not cancel L & O Criminal Intent. Keep Goren and Eames. Please let the show go on.
What are you doing Dick Wolf???? I love Goren and Eames. I was saddened when you took them away and disappointed by the way they returned, not enough excitement. Please reconsider cancelling this show for all the viewers sakes or we will bombard you with emails begging for their return just like in the past.
I think its a shame such a good show and the actors I love them both I have watched Law and Order CI ever since the first episode this show has out lived a lot of other shows. You get to know people and look forward to watching it every week and all you all want to do is replace it with one of those shows that won’t make a 6 months. Please think twice about taking this show off the air for ever.
Law&Order Criminal Intent has to be one of the best series I have ever watched. It is very saddening to know the may not be anymore episodes after season 10. Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe are the best team of investigators outside of Athens original CSI Las Vegas team members. I don’t know what I will watch, other than the reruns of the show, if it doesn’t continue! The world will be a sad place without Detective Robert Goren and Detective Eames.
This is not the only show that keeps changing the cast and threatening to be cancelled. I am tired of liking characters and then have some ridiculous story about why they left when it was in fact a salary negotiation that failed. I stopped watching House a long time ago when they brought in those silly characters. Getting back to Criminal Intent, you are right it isn’t as gory as other shows and I don’t care if the cast isn’t straight out of a fashion magazine, I love them. I actually pay attention to what they say because there is… Read more »
I’m so upset that they are cancelling this show. It’s bad enough that Law & Order was cancelled along with Law & Order Los Angeles. All the good shows are being cancelled and soon we won’t need a television because there will be nothing showing but talk shows.
Very sad that CI being cancelled! I was so excited to see Vincent and Kathryn had returned! Law & Order CI has been the best of all by far! Such a shame to see the series go especially after watching the 10th season! Heartless TV stations. If it goes, I will never watch USA again. Bummed!
I am a Law & Order junkie of all the franchises (the original, SVU, LA, CI and even Trial by Jury). I was crushed to learn the original series was cancelled. I was excited to learn Criminal Intent was going to return only to be traumatized all over again with the news it was renewed and slated to be canceled after 8 episodes. Law & Order is killing me on this roller coaster ride. I ‘m still not over the cancellation of the original. I absolutely love anything Law & Order. Vincent D’Onofrio & Kathryn Erbe are a dynamic duo.… Read more »
Please do not cancel L & O Criminal Intent. I love this show. Keep Goren and Eames. Please let the show go on. Ten more seasons……..
The show should remain. The characters are awesome. Vincent and Kathryn are a great duo.