If you're like me (and really, who isn't?), you stopped watching Law & Order a couple of seasons back. Figuring that its best days were behind it, that the new cast was simply no good, and that the "ripped from the headlines-ness" of the show had run its course, we found better things to watch on Wednesday nights (like maybe Lost twice in a row in order to pick up all the little things we missed the first time around).
Well, Lost is now on Thursdays and the cast is far improved from what it was a short while ago, so there's no reason to not be watching Law & Order again. Jack McCoy is now the D.A. (on an interim basis right now, but he's going to run once the current term is over, I'm sure), and the new crew of folks is just incredible. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Jeremy Sisto and Linus Roache bring an edge to the series that has been missing in recent years (and, both are from the vastly underrated series Kidnapped, which was on NBC briefly in the fall of 2006).
Last night, John Pankow was on in a guest-starring role, and he too, was spectacular. I've always seen Pankow as Paul Buchman's shlubby cousin Ira on Mad About You, but in the role of a sleazy A.D.A. he was wonderful. Sure, I kept waiting for him to talk about Uncle Burt and Aunt Sylvia, but he didn't,; rather he not-so-slyly tried to put one over on Jack McCoy and got himself fired in the process.
I'd understand if you still missed Lenny Briscoe, and that's why you weren't watching Law & Order, but trust me, you'll like the new guys. The don't have the same sort of morbid humor Bristow did, but as "cops on the edge" they're good, and the cases are again interesting.
Article comments
1 - Jeffrey
Law And Order is almost more entertaining in re-runs. But I'll agree that the current cast has brought some firepower back. Linus Roache plays like Jon Stewart's violently angry twin, but he's as compelling as McCoy was back in the day.
And props to Criminal Intent for getting Chris Noth back in the flow, the episodes centered around him are more watchable than the ones with D'Onofrio. VO is excellent, but the episodes tend to lumber along to accomodate him.
SVU has sunk deep into soap opera territory, and I tuned out years ago.0
But if the choice on TV is an episode of L&O from the last 6 years, or random afternoon crap, L&O wins that shootout hands down.
2 - Krutic
I love the reruns on TNT! By the way I like the new season - I think it's slicker and so far has had decently constructed plots.
3 - cheche
this is so fucking gay