NBC To Close The Book On ‘Law & Order’?

LOS ANGELES (March 13, 2007) — It appears NBC might be ready to give the death sentence to the popular “Law & Order” franchise – or at least, a part of it.

According to Variety, “L&O” creator Dick Wolf is expected to sit down with NBC execs soon to discuss the future of the original “Law & Order” series, as well as its most recent spin-off, “Criminal Intent.”

While no one has said for sure, in an effort to cut costs, there’s a good chance Wolf could eliminate or reduce some of the veteran roles.

The move would not only save the network on the bottom line, but could also help the series skew towards a younger demographic, something NBC has hoped to achieve, Variety reports.

But some cast tweaks might not be enough. While NBC would not likely cancel both series at once, some insiders claim that seeing one show get the ax is not out of the question.“I’m hopeful all three shows will be back,” Wolf said in a statement released to Variety.

What’s surprising in all of this, is the fact that all three “L&O” series are still financial juggernauts for the network.

According to Variety, every single episode brings in a seven-figure sum. However, it appears the move could be as much about ratings as it is about money.

“SVU” remains a Tuesday night powerhouse (and has already been renewed for next season), but the original “Law & Order” and “Criminal Intent” have struggled to bring in the numbers after being shifted to tougher timeslots.

As a result of its move from Sundays to Tuesdays, “CI” has seen a 6 percent drop in ratings, thanks largely in part to airing opposite the FOX hit “House.”

In its new Friday night slot, the original “L&O” is down a whopping 21 percent from a year ago.

So is it possible that the show has become its own worst enemy?

With reruns a plenty on USA, TNT and Bravo, fans can get their “L&O” fix just about anytime they want.

NBC even airs reruns of the popular franchise on Saturday nights.

In addition, older series aren’t as cheap to crank out as a fledgling skein. After all, veteran actors and writers command a higher price tag than a bunch of newbies.

While Wolf and NBC will begin talking about the future this week, it could be a while before any firm decisions are made, Variety concluded.