NBCUniveral Press Release
March 07, 2011
NBC RE-LAUNCHES ‘LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES’ WITH TWO-HOUR PREMIERE ON MONDAY, APRIL 11
Freshman Series Will Return to Regular Time Period (10-11 p.m. ET) on Monday, April 18
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – March 7, 2011 – NBC’s freshman series “Law & Order: Los Angeles” will return to the regular lineup with a two-hour original premiere on Monday, April 11 (9-11 p.m. ET). The crime drama procedural will resume in its regular day and time on Monday, April 18 (10-11 p.m. ET).
The announcement was made by Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.
“We are pleased to welcome ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles’ back to NBC’s regular lineup,” said Greenblatt. “Dick Wolf and his team have made some exciting creative changes and we can’t wait to re-introduce the show to audiences.”
“Law & Order: Los Angeles” follows Detectives Ricardo Morales (Alfred Molina, “An Education,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Spiderman 2”) and Tomas “TJ” Jaruszalski (Corey Stoll, “Midnight in Paris”) as they pursue cases through the diverse City of Angels. As members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s elite Robbery Homicide Division, Morales, a former Deputy District Attorney, has returned to the police force after he became frustrated with the system, while TJ, who grew up the son of an Oscar-winning Polish cinematographer, knows too well the dark underside that is behind-the-scenes Hollywood.
Protecting the detectives who serve under her is Lieutenant Arleen Gonzales, (Rachel Ticotin) who is driven, focused, and meticulous. She is a 20-year vet with a background in military intelligence who now oversees the Homicide 1 section of Robbery Homicide Division.
Deputy District Attorney Jonah “Joe” Dekker (Terrence Howard, “Crash,” “Hustle & Flow”) is a white knight crusader whose political ambitions often bring him into conflict with his boss. He sincerely believes in fighting the good fight. At the same time, he has never been one to turn down a high-profile case.
At Dekker's side is Deputy District Attorney Connie Rubirosa (Alana de la Garza, “Law & Order”). Rubirosa served as Executive Assistant District Attorney in New York and she recently located to Los Angeles to help her ailing mother.
Earlier this season, "Law & Order: Los Angeles" averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 9.0 million viewers overall, to improve the show's fourth-quarter time period, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET, by 56 percent in adults 18-49 versus the prior year (with a 2.5 rating vs. a 1.6) and by 64 percent in total viewers (9.0 million vs. 5.5 million). "Law & Order: Los Angeles" ranked #1 or tied for #1 versus regular programming in that slot with five of eight originals in the fourth quarter.
In addition, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” will broadcast encore episodes on Wednesdays beginning March 23 (9-10 p.m. ET).
“Law & Order: Los Angeles” is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer, Rene Balcer (“Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”), Blake Masters (“Brotherhood,” “Rubicon”), Christopher Misiano (“West Wing,” “ER”) and Peter Jankowski (“Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) are executive producers.
*********************************************************************************
Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order.
Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.
Do we have any idea if they are actually going to have an episode in which the previous ADA's departure is explained as well as the departure of Ulrich? The press release doesn't indicate that but it would frustrating if they didn't have a "chain" episode where that was explained.
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly, I find that doubtful. Maybe for one of them, but definitely not both. At most, I'm assuming we'll get a comment from one of the characters as to what happened. From what I understand, they were already done filming their last bit of episodes prior to the two being cut from the show. Alas, I could easily be wrong as well.
ReplyDeleteAlso - I think it's an interesting concept that Connie's moving west to take care of her mother. Wonder how much time in character she's been there between the mothership up until we see her. 'cause she'd have to take the bar exam and what not. And does anyone know if DDA and EADA (which I thought was just ADA honestly) have the same like rankings? Like, Connie's not getting demoted or anything? That would just suck. xD
ReplyDeleteId have thought they'd had enough of ailing mothers after Goren in LOCI!
ReplyDeleteUm. Do you realize what the odds are of someone's mother being sick in just New York City alone is? It's not that far fetched of an idea, if you think about it. Not just that, but Connie's mother is sick in California, which really heightens those odds. I find it very plausible, and I didn't even begin to think of Goren's mom when they said Connie was moving to take care of her.
ReplyDeleteEsaulm - Connie WAS an ADA - the NBC press release is wrong...well, unless somehow Connie got promoted after the show went off the air! Seriously though, Cutter was the EADA and Connie was an ADA. My understanding is that a DDA is the equivalent of an ADA.
ReplyDeleteyes but Esaul, you jump on anyone who is critical,however legitimate the criticism,as it is in this case.
ReplyDeleteI was supporting this show when most people on this site hated it. I know the value of it. The ratings were always good, the best new drama NBC has. That was never in doubt.
The problems were about character development, and the changes are to do with that. People watch because of characters. They were not seeing enough of Morales/Dekker and now they will in every episode.The appointment of an old Mothership ADA is a quick fix solution to one of those problems. You may like that, others dont.Others dont like the loss of Skeet, you may.
The "ailing mother" was a long enough narrative on LOCI.
Every critique is valid and can be presented without you feeling the need to argue with it. Just listen to differences..thats what makes the world what it is.
I meant to tell you,Law and Order uk got 5.5 in overnight ratings which is an improvement on last season. However bear in mind there were no dramas for competition in the timeslot and Motorway cops,which is a factual show,was in repeats.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Jamie Bamber gave an interview where he talked about moving on, that there had been no development to his character for two seasons and he was in the business to be an actor. he is doing another pilot isnt he?
LOLA is going to get a season 2,whatever fans think of it. I have no doubt about that...so we can all say what we like without feeling we have to defend it so it gets a season 2.
ReplyDeleteIts an excellent show. Im just not interested in Mothership characters....but ill watch the episodes without them.I guess Skeet fans feel like that about Skeet too.Thats life.
@All Things - Thanks for that. I was a bit confused, wondering if the press release (which would be weird) was wrong or not.
ReplyDelete@Jane - I don't jump on anyone who's critical. I'm just pointing out that it's not far out there for Connie to have an ailing mother, which I also bet they don't have the same diagnostics, and I also doubt Connie's ailing mother will either a.) drag out or b.) become something that will effect (affect?) her. You're also not the only one who's been supporting the show either. I've been an avid fan of it, I'm excited that it's coming back, despite I don't value it as much as the mothership. The Mothership and LOLA (since they are quite alike) aren't meant to be about the characters compared to CI and SVU. It's always about the cases. As for Skeet, I've been indifferent about him. I feel no great lost that he's leaving the show. I didn't hate his character. I didn't love him. Like when Dennis Farina left the Mothership, I felt indifferent.
If all critiques are valid, and I should just listen, the same thing applies to you likewise. You had your critique about Connie taking care of her mother, and I just critiqued upon your own critique, thinking entirely differently, which is perfectly fine, to each their own.
Connie's addition should be good, taking care of one's mother doesn't sound that reliable, but can be accepted still., old plot though..... Better than the current DDAs.....
ReplyDeleteThat explains it then, esau...you want a Mothership look alike and i dont, so we differ.
ReplyDeleteI saw LOLA as a show in its own right.If i knew it was to be a variation on a copy i wouldnt have bothered.
The argument about cases versus character is an old one and plagued LOCI for years. I think you all debate it on SVU too.It seems to be an issue in all the shows.
"ailing mothers" is a repetitive plotline,not creative innovation.But then these procedurals are endlessly repetitive and recycled.
I never said I wanted it to be a Mothership look alike, did I? I'm rereading what I said, and I'm not seeing that anywhere. I simply said that's what it is. I didn't make the show, if it were up to me, I would've done it a bit differently, so it would differ from the original. Both shows focus on the cases, both shows used the first hour cops, second half lawyers. LOLA has gone a tiny bit into the lives of the two lead detectives, but not a lot. I've been saying that SVU should be more about the cases, less about the leads, because it's a procedural drama. We still don't even know how big of a part the 'ailing mothers' bit will play in the show or for Connie. It was just a very plausible idea and explanation that tells the viewers why she, from L&O in New York moved to California. *shrugs* I buy it. I'd move from one state to another to take care of my mother, and start a new life there. That's just me, personally. Again, I doubt it will play that big of a role, it could be so small, we won't even remember having this conversation at all. Then again, you could easily be right, which we won't know until it comes back.
ReplyDeleteCareer move would have been enough then,if its just perfunctory.Less said the better if character isnt important,and cases are. But obviously character is important enough for them to make these changes to character...important enough to bring Goren back to his rightful place too.
ReplyDeleteThis is the "balance"Greenblat is talking about. Greenblat was involved with "Six Feet Under" which was creative and surreal and innovative and full of character.
Anyway Im off to catch Al Jazeera..apparently Gadhaffi is about to speak about standing down! i wonder if thats real enough.
or is it just part of a drama...
ReplyDeleteDude, who cares if the ailing mother plotline is repetitive. It's quick, it's easy, it gets the character to Los Angeles with no awkwardness in the canon. It's not like the rest of the season will feature regular check-ups on her progress or anything.
ReplyDeleteAnyway the only episode of this show I truly enjoyed was Ballona Creek.
Actually when I read the whole 'ailing mother' business, my first thought was of Det. Curtis' mother... XD. Hey, it's still plausible for Rubirosa, and moves the character in a new direction :D
ReplyDeleteEveryone has mother issues on L&O
ReplyDeleteGoren and his ailing mother, Logan and his abusive mother, Benson and her drunk mother, Stabler and his bi-polar mother. Freud would have a field day with Wolf and Co. I think we need some daddy issues to balance things out a bit.
@Anonymous 8:51: Hahaha! Agreed!
ReplyDeleteThe plot about how Connie came to LA is not a big deal, the real big deal is how can they explain this "DDA Morales turns to a cop" story.
ReplyDeleteTerrence Howard won award for "Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series" in NAACP Image Awards.Dekker is certainly an interesting character to develop. I like Howard. He is problematic.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to him anyway.
Looks like the opening two episodes involve Skeet so they will turn up in numbers.
Jeri Ryan guest stars in an episode of LOCI final season.
ReplyDeleteSo what happens to all the extra episodes that were shot with the old actors. Is NBC just cutting their losses and starting with a whole new 2-hour episode?
ReplyDeleteI'd say moving to take care of ailing mother is more plausible with Hispanic characters. After all, family tends to be pretty strong among Hispanics than ordinary white people. :p
ReplyDeleteNot that I'm one of Hispanics. I'm half-Irish by the way. ;)