• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Favorable Verdict in for 'Law & Order'

Posted on: Monday, 14 May 2007, 06:00 CDT

By Gary Levin

NEW YORK -- Law & Order will return to NBC this fall for an 18th season after a last-minute reprieve for the endangered series, but spinoff Criminal Intent is headed to USA Network, with repeats due later on NBC.

The move marked the last piece of NBC's fall lineup, to be unveiled to advertisers here today. Both shows will return this fall following significant budget cuts, but producer Dick Wolf promised no cast moves as a result, saying "the changes taking place will not in any way be visible" to viewers. Law & Order is expected to shift from its low-rated Friday home.

NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker called the Criminal Intent move an investment in its No. 1 cable network, noting "it will only make USA that much stronger."

But NBC, finishing its third consecutive season in fourth place, will go heavy on new dramas: The network has ordered five -- some for midseason -- and just one comedy.

Among other current series, Medium and struggling critics' favorite Friday Night Lights will return, and Scrubs is due back for a shortened, 18-episode seventh season, but Crossing Jordan is gone.

Key to NBC's turnaround is finding a companion to Heroes, its only new hit, rebuilding the network's Wednesday and Friday lineups, and retaining a toehold on Sunday once the NFL season ends.

While Sunday Night Football boosted NBC's fortunes in the fall, NBC is down 9% this season and 7% among its young-adult target audience, and suffered record lows in recent weeks.

Newcomers vying for a rebound:

*Life stars Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers) as a falsely imprisoned cop who rejoins the force and uses an unconventional approach to crime-solving.

*Chuck stars Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect) as a computer geek by day who becomes a reluctant comedic action hero after downloading the CIA's database into his head.

*Journeyman stars Kevin McKidd (Rome) as a time traveler who recalibrates events in the past while trying to manage his own hectic life.

*The Bionic Woman, with Michelle Ryan reprising Lindsay Wagner's 1970s action hero.

*Lipstick Jungle, about three rich, power-hungry friends bent on maintaining their New York City social status. Stars Brooke Shields and Kim Raver (24).

The comedy, probably for midseason, is The IT Crowd, about a company's computer-support team. NBC also plans more reality series, including Great American Singing Bee, a game show in which contestants must fill in the blanks with missing lyrics. (c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

More News in this Category