Ahira's Hangar

For me, the original Law & Order series was the best drama on television. It was purely through the random luck of late night channel surfing that I got to know the series, through reruns. I'm sad to hear the franchise is in trouble, but I can't say I'm surprised. I'm more surprised that it's lasted as long as it has. I think the problem was that Law & Order became a "franchise" - it spread itself too thin. I never really cared for the spin-off shows. I caught just one episode of Criminal Intent, but it didn't hook me the way the original LaO did. Also, I simply could not be bothered to try and keep up with all the cast changes. That sort of thing does not inspire viewer loyalty - not mine, at any rate.

So for me personally, yes, LaO has outlived its usefulness. I hate to say that, because in the beginning it was so superb in every way. LaO had a formula that worked beautifully - simple yet capable of so much variety. But then they had to run the whole thing into the ground.

I have never seen West Wing, so I can't comment on it. But I do like Spider Robinson's cheeky opinion of it.

Thanks for your comments Moonwatcher. LaO has been such a fixture over the 1990s and 2000s it would be very sad to see it go. (Change is the one constant) NBC Universal needs lots of help, the Conan-Leno debacle of early this season was a clear indication the whole house is not in order, and I wonder how their Olympic coverage did? Wonder if GE would ever consider selling the whole mess, the Universal family, to anyone and does Rupert Murdoch covet these properties (SCary image, O'Reilly, Oberman, Maddow, Hannity all working for Murdoch)?