EW’s Michael Ausiello has posted the character profiles for the new Law & Order LA team. Here they are:Detective Rex Winters: A handsome, rugged ex-Marine in his early 40s, Winters has the intuition of a natural cop. His experience during the Rodney King Riots — which occurred during his second month on the job — shaped his philosophy on policing. Basically, the world is chaos and people are either good or bad. He’s currently married to his ex-partner. Seeking a Caucasian, African-American, or Hispanic actor.
Detective Tomas “TJ” Jaruszalski: A mid-30s Hollywood native, TJ possesses a cynical view of the entertainment industry. He’s affable, smart, and confident. In contrast to his partner’s black-and-white view of things, TJ sees all shades of gray. He’s also a health nut with an active social life — which is typically code for major hottie. Seeking a Caucasian actor.
LT. Park: Captain of the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division, the fortysomething Park is a cool professional who keeps his/her private life private. He’s also a passionate advocate for his/her detectives. Seeking an Asian actor or actress.
ADA Peter Morales: An offspring of a political family, Morales — who is also in his 40s — is a “battlefield general” in the courtroom yet “coarsely sardonic and self-deprecating” in real-life. Seeking a Hispanic actor.
DDA Eva Price: This brainy and drop dead gorgeous assistant prosecutor doesn’t take crap from anyone. Seeking a Caucasian or African-American actress in her 20s.
Michael Ausiello made his own casting suggestions, which you can read on his article here: Armchair Casting Director: Law & Order: Los Angeles
My general opinion is that these profiles are like horoscopes – they paint a rather abstract picture and really boil down to shallow traits that could fit anybody. (The line “drop dead gorgeous assistant prosecutor doesn’t take crap from anyone” earned an eye roll from me. This is probably code for "needs lots of cleavage.") I don’t have a real preference to whom they cast – although when I first heard about Law & Order LA my mind first landed on Enrique Murciano (from Without A Trace). Otherwise, my mind is a blank on casting, and now that I’ve read these character profiles I still don’t have any strong opinions. All I know is that if they cast it badly, the show may flop quickly. I’m trying to keep an open mind about who they cast, but will be the first to criticize if they screw it up, after all, it’s what I do best!
Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order, here.
Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.
Still seems strange to cancel a show that seemed to be on the upswing and replace it with something that hadn't even been cast at that point.
ReplyDeleteThe LA concept is interesting, but like you say, it could go either way.
40-year old sardonic & self-depracating male ADA... check.
ReplyDeleteYoung gorgeous female in the 2nd chair... check.
Woman from an ethnic minority holding the captain's chair... check.
A by-the-books cop working alongside a shades-of-gray cop... check (x2)
Question: Are those from the casting call for L&O:LA... or for the Mothership?
I wish they wouldn't be so formulaic. I would've liked for them to mix it up a little. For instance, an all-male COPS first half followed by an all-female LAWYER second half. It would make for a much more interesting dynamic, IMHO.
Reading through this list certainly doesn't make me wish the show premiered tomorrow. Hopefully once they cast these characters and we see them interact, it'll all gel and be better than it reads. And I agree All Things.... "drop dead gorgeous" does probably mean "cleavage"... lol...
ReplyDeleteBut I have an idea. Instead of doing another L&O, why not just bring The Closer over from TNT. One of their divisions is already Robbery Homicide, and that cast already gels and "does" LA perfectly. Of course, if that happened, NBC would probably find some way to screw that up too.... sigh...
Thanks for posting All Things...
These are so vague that you could have transplanted the Mothership characters from NY to LA, change the names and voila new show. However, perhaps that's the idea.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that struck me was there's no DA role listed. I wonder why.
As for the drop dead gorgeous female ADA, I guess when it's a bunch of men in the 50s (I'm guessing here) running the show, it doesn't get old. It earned an eyeroll from me as well.
Thanks for the info, ATL&O.
Hey, ATL&O, do you have any information on the possible renewal of the Mothership? Or Dick gave up?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update on LOLA.
Not strange at all. If they kept the old show going, they'd have to keep all those high salaries.
ReplyDeleteThis is equivalent to recasting the old show with younger, cheaper actors.
Leo, I've seen a few articles here and there that say Dick is still not giving up on the show, but nothing definite as to whom he's been talking.
ReplyDeleteOsiris: I'm not sure salaries was so high. Maybe for McCoy and Van buren but all other are very new in the show.
ReplyDeleteIt's in SVU that actor have a very hign salary
Where is Benjamin Bratt/Det. Rey Curtis in this?! I thought that was the whole point of his appearance in "Fed"... to set up "LOLA." Maybe he wanted out... :S
ReplyDeleteP.S. Still not giving up hope on this show! Rene Balcer and Blake Masters will make fine showrunners... fingers crossed...
ReplyDelete@gahks
ReplyDeleteI too thought Bratt's appearance in FED was to setup LOLA, but even though he isn't in the main cast he could still be a recurring character, just like Det. Tony Profaci from the first seven seasons of the mothership. If that's the cast, there's always room for him to be a main cast member when one of the main stars leave. But that's just if he's going to be in LOLA, which I doubt.
Blech! Sorry...L&O not in New York is well, criminal.
ReplyDeleteInfoBee-yotch: It's absolutly what I feel.
ReplyDelete@InfoBee-yotch, lilou: Blame NBC! Nothing But Crap!
ReplyDeleteI don't see why some people are turning down LOLA. Even though I think it's because the original series is canceled - rebels.
ReplyDeleteCI on the other hand - no one would give a horse's pattoot if it was canceled.
NCIS, Law & Order, and soon CSI will be in Los Angeles.
I'm guessing Lt Park will be brought out as gay.
ReplyDeleteIm confused.
ReplyDeleteAre Balcer and Masters jointly showrunning LOLA now?
Originally Blake Masters was named as co- creating the series with Wolf, much as Balcer co-created LOCI with Wolf.
So are they both involved now or did Masters go?
Isnt that going to be very expensive, having two people at that level to run the show?
ReplyDeleteBoth are showrunners in their own right.
jane, the NBC media site lists the producers as follows:
ReplyDelete"The series from executive producers Dick Wolf, Rene Balcer ("Law & Order"), Blake Masters ("Brotherhood") and Peter Jankowski ("Law & Order") is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios." So it looks like they will have a few execu producers but I suspect that Balcer may be "top dog" in the bunch considering his longevity with the L&O brand. I would imagine this may cost the more $ but I suspect they want the show to get out of the gate with a great start.
I'm almost positive California doesn't have "ADAs".
ReplyDelete