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May 26, 2013

Will AMC Save 'Law & Order'?

by Nick Zaino, posted Jul 8th 2010 2:20PM

AMC has reportedly considered picking up the original 'Law & Order' seriesIt may be faint, but New York Magazine's Vulture blog is reporting that there may be hope for the original 'Law & Order.' According to the report, AMC, home to 'Mad Men' and 'Breaking Bad,' has contacted NBC Universal about producing new episodes of the crime procedural, which NBC canceled in May after a 20-year run.

The cancellation reportedly was over money -- 'Law & Order' costs about $3 million per-episode to produce, and according to Vulture, producer Dick Wolf had been asked to reduce his per-episode producer fee to help offset that. NBC wanted him to cut the fee from $350,000 to $150,000 per episode, and when he refused, NBC canceled the show.
Wolf has said he hoped to revive the show. But with prospects looking grim, what would 'Law & Order' look like on AMC? Would Wolf accept the cut? Would the show keep marquee stars like Sam Waterston?

It will all come down to money. Vulture cites a per-episode cost of about $2.5 million for 'Mad Men' and 'Breaking Bad.' Would it be willing to pay more for a warhorse like 'Law & Order,' which is ubiquitous in syndication?

The cornerstones of the show are Sam Waterston, who showed some real fire in the season finale, and detectives Cyrus Lupo and Kevin Bernard, played by Jeremy Sisto and Anthony Anderson. Sisto and Anderson have been a joy to watch, and season 20 had possibly the strongest cast in the history of the show; and after 20 years, the word history actually seems appropriate.

If 'Law & Order' does get picked up, it will be interesting to see how it compares to the upcoming 'Law & Order: Los Angeles,' which recently cast Skeet Ulrich as one of its main detectives. New York City is an important part of the original show's feel, and a 'Law & Order' set in Los Angeles may seem a little off, at least at first. Barring some major buzz for the new edition, new episodes of the original 'Law & Order' might draw more viewers, wherever it lands. If it does land, anyway.

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Karen

I hope L&O goes quickly off into the sunset. Never liked Jack. Hasn`t been a decent show since Steven Hill and Michael Moriaty left!

July 12 2010 at 7:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Anne

I would be absolutely thrilled to see the original L & O picked up my AMC. The cast the past two seasons was the best in years. Too bad Linus Roache has already signed onto a new HBO show. If it's do-able, I would definitely watch. Frankly, a L & O LA doesn't appeal to me in the least.

July 12 2010 at 11:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cathy

I Love Law and Order, please save it, why did NBC cancel it just to put on such crap that they do, they should pay them what they want and leave it on, but at least there is a chance with the other station, which I watch all the time and so do most of my friends, Law and Order has the best actors in all there shows

July 12 2010 at 4:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
carol

Wolf is very rich from this. He complained he wanted it to make history longest running drama, but greed took over.
Not sure what show the writer was watching, Anderson and Sisto were awful and the writing lost a lot of what L&O was. They need to get a good casting director and writers who watched the show from the inception and know what an L&O twist is.
This show was my fav for years and the early ones still are.
In LA, I don;t know NYC is one of the starts.

July 10 2010 at 1:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BONNIE HOLMES

LOVE LAW & ORDER BEEN WATCHING IT FROM THE BEGINNING
HOPE THEY PUT IT BACK ON TV THANKS

July 09 2010 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David S.

Geez, a 20-year run of any TV show is amazing. Law & Order will live on forever in reruns. Nothing to whine about here. NBC has every right to move on -- the show got too expensive to produce.

July 09 2010 at 2:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to David S.'s comment
Sallly G

It may be expensive, but when you consider the royalties from reruns, it has to make it up in the long run. And to stop short of making TV history for longest-running show? I would think that Dick Wolfe would negotiate a cut to have that feather in his cap, and keep his cast & crew working for another year-I know I would have!

July 10 2010 at 11:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
eileen

I am thrilled that Law and Order is being saved. I am so absolutely hooked on this series. I come home fro work and watch it for hours. It is amazing how this program can touch places in a person's life. Thanks Channel 5 (NBC)

July 09 2010 at 1:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Wes Eustice

I've watched L & O since its inception and have enjoyed it thoroughly except for the seasons with Milena Govich as Jessica Rossi. That woman couldn't act her way out of a paper bag and had no idea what to do with her mouth when she wasn't speaking. I would like to know who cast her on that show and on that show and what it cost them in dignity.

July 09 2010 at 1:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
AmericanPatrick

Enjoy Law and Order but going to AMC may or may not work. Watched a movie on AMC last night and was disgusted on how many commercials there was. It seemed like about every 5 to 7 minutes AMC was running commercials. AMC used to be conservative with commercial play. Paying the "watch TV bill" and still having to watch that many commercials is a rip. Plus the commercials are always louder.

July 09 2010 at 1:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kimmie

Barry:

I like Charmed AND I can appreciate Law & Order, Royal Pains, Mad Men, The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy
and Chopped.

So, what do you have to say about me?!

July 09 2010 at 1:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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