I enjoy Law and Order, but not so much this season. Somehow it seems lighter this year, not so gritty. Is it just the new personnel or is there something more essential that is different?
Or is there just something being slipped into my Diet Pepsi while I’m not looking?
It aint just you brotha.
From what I’ve seen, the first half of the show is as good as ever. Maybe even better than ever. Especially the season premiere with the crazed dog.
However, the second half is leaving something to be desired, which is new to say the least. I used to really look forward to the court part of the show, especially Jack. Jack is still great, natch, but Selena “Ponytail” Sutherland is leaving me consistently unimpressed. Her lines are unconvincing at best.
And don’t get me started on Nora. Adam Schiff’s abscence is by far the most glaring. He rocked. Nora just plain sucks - which is confusing because I’ve always like Dianne Weist in other roles.
I know it’s a different show, but I have a major complaint about the new Law and Order: Criminal Intent.
It can all be outlined in one sentence that those producers should know by now: “SHOW, DON’T TELL!”
I watched the first episode, and about 10 minutes of the second ep. Almost 90% of that screen time was just the leads narrating the story for me. I can’t believe they managed to take a series like L+O, add a great new concept, fantastic cast, and still make it one of the most boring crapfests of the season.
Oh well, at least it’s not as bad as UC.
I think Slacker is on to something. This week the first half was action-packed and well paced. That used to mean they were winding up to a big finish. But I almost fell asleep at the end.
For me, a big part of it is Ponytail. Why don’t they save some bucks on budget and just use a manequin? Frequently these criminals are ruthless - there needs to be a tough corresponding ADA. I get the feeling that, while standing there talking to one of these hardened felons, with her paperwork in her hands, that if they were to yell, “Boo!”, it would send her briefs flying everywhere.
I don’t think Nora sucks… but unexplicably her performances become more trite as time goes by. I do miss Adam. Is it just me or when Shiff ‘hinted’ at a course of action, everyone scrambled and when Nora does they have this ‘roll their eyes’ look?
I’d just like to recommend the insightful review of Law & Order (all versions) in this week’s TV Guide. Makes many of the points addressed here, including the failure of Elisabeth Rohm as the new A.D.A.
My favorite line from the review:
I think Dick Wolf has spread it way to thin. I was okay with the L&O:SVU, even if it only meant that I would get to see all my Oz favorites parade through (what is up with that anyway?). I have only watched a little of L&O:CI.
One thing that grates on me is the constant “You’ll never believe the ending!” or “A story so powerful you’ll fall of the couch in awe!” type of hyping they do. Give it a break, guys! I remeber when watching L&O was a real headturner sometimes because you just didn’t see the end coming. Now my husband and I have a guessing game in the first five minutes to see which “twist” it will end with. And we usually nail it. Sad.
And yes, I have noticed that Nora doesn’t carry the air of authority that Adam did.
Somebody bring back Carrie Lowell!
I can’t believe that I’m begining to miss Anige Harmon (that’s how badly this new one sucks). One of the neato things about L & O, has always been it’s abiltiy to bounce back with new staff. I think that started going when Ben Bratt left the show. I’ve just never warmed up to the new cop, seems to me that they may have different writers writing for him from week to week, since even after this long, I don’t have a clear idea of ‘who’ he is. And Diane, I agree - can’t figure out how she got elected.
and now this absolute bunny of a DA.
It’s really quite sad, since I have no problem watching rerun after rerun any time of the day or night.
I would just like to state, for the record, that Lenny has some great writers working for his character. He gets the best lines in the show.
That said, I’m in agreement on the lack of “oomph” in the court side of the show.
I have enjoyed how the previous ADAs have interacted with McCoy, but I can’t find anything to latch onto with Serena Southerlyn. Claire Kincaid had the idealistic streak. Jamie Ross was experienced and could go toe-to-toe with McCoy. Abbie Carmichael was such a hang-em-high personality that it was fun to watch McCoy, who could be a tough customer, actually serve as the “Hey, let’s not go too far” voice. But when I watch Southerlyn, I just think, “Do those pearls go with that outfit?” But it has been just a couple of episodes, so we’ll see.
I liked the old cast in it’s entirety. I don’t see a big difference between the cops, but the DAs- Bleh. Bring back Adam Hill, Moriarty, and the like!
As I said in the other thread – given the turnover ratio for ADAs, she’ll be gone in a season or two anyway. 
(It figures – I get hooked on L&O and then the new season gets off to a slow start… :p)
Yeah, well, if it doesn’t get cancelled first!
I think the ‘bounce back’ effect goes back to Noth.
And I’ll probably get rained on for this, but I actually enjoyed Abbie.
I liked Abby too, but Jaimie was by far the best of the female ADA’s they’ve had on the show. Damn, but I would not have messed with that woman.
Nora is a kinda flat character, particularly when compared to Adam. Adam was very smart, lazy and a first class jerk without being rude. I know lots of lawyers like him. Nora is a non-entity, and a waste of Weist’s talents.
The new ADA is also a non-entity. The writing for Lenny is fantastic this year!
My favorite ADA was Clair. Idealistic, (pretty seems to be a requirement). My second favorite was Abby, a cold, bloodthirsty you know what. But she was a really interesting character.
L&O has always been one of my favorite programs and one reason for this is that occasionally the bad guy won. In the rare situations where they couldn’t convict some clever criminal this (to me) made the show more realistic and reflective of real life.
Where it jumped the shark was in last year’s series where they brought back the comedy club owner that got away with having his wife whacked several years ago just so they could have another go at him and see that justice was done. That entire show was so contrived you could practically see the signs flashing “must have closure… must have closure” in the background. If the show has fallen to this level of pandering nonsense then they are truly on the downward slope writing and creativity wise.
I agree. I was so excited to hear that Katherine Moennig was going to be on last week’s episode as Melissa, the murderer’s daughter, that I actually rearranged my schedule to be home. I found her performance to be excellent as always, but the show itself was lackluster at best. Did anyone ever even question whether her mother was guilty or not? I certainly didn’t.
Although I don’t watch every week, I have been watching on a sporadic basis for quite some time. I never thought I’d dislike anyone more than Angie Harmon (although she grew on me after a while), but the Ponytail is just depressing.
I’ve begun to find the show predictable and prosaic.