Full Article Text
It's a Big Apple
showdown when
"Law & Order"
faces off against
"CSI: NY" (left).
'i' J 1/0'( Wolf, 57, insists he wasn't trying 'Law & Order" has been to malign the Jerry Bruckheimer-
,; fighting off the competition produced sneh hits.
~ for 15 seasons -constantly "I hope it didn't sound like I was By MICHAEL GILTZ
lI:~datin . g itself as it picks up and coming out swinging," says Wolf.
s~eds a string of talented actors "Jerry [Bruckheimer] and I have
froIll Michael Moriarty to Jerry known each other since we were
Orbach to Jill Hennessy to the lat-in advertising."
est addition, Dennis Farina Then he repeats the zinger.
But it doesn't get any easier. "We have a brand; they have a
Thmorrow night "L&O" face franchise," he says. "I didn't see it
its toughest opponent yet -as a negative or a positive for
"CSI: New York," starring Gary either show. With 'CSI,' you know
Sinise -in what is shaping up as what you're getting. It's the No.1
the-biggest heavywe ight show-drama in the country. Clearly they
down in recent memory. know what they're doing."
,"This is the biggest competition Clearly, "L&O" knows what it's
~qfour shows have ever faced," doing as well. Farina - a former
s~n&O" creator Dick Wolf. cop whose big break was the '80s
~The closest was ["Law & hit "Crime Story" -steps in
Order] Criminal Intent" versus tonight as Det. Joe Fontana for
"The Sopranos," Wolf recalls. Orbach's Lennie Briscoe.
"But that was' broadcast versus "Dennis Farina is going to
cable. This is two major networks amaze," says Wolf, who jokes that
with their biggest shows. It's Farina is quite convincing as a
going to be interesting." cop.
This fight has been brewing for "This is completely self-serv-
months. Wolf got in the first shot ing," says Wolf, "but it's the best
by calling "Law & Order" a brand work he's ever done. It's as seam
and "CSI" a franchise -meaning less a transition as when we went
that his shows were each different from Michael Moriarty to Sam
but linked by the "L&O" style, Waterston. He's either the 19th or
while "CSI" was simply a single the 20th cast member.
formula with a new cast and a "Jerry said six or seven years
new city for each spin off. ago, if it was the same ongoing cast, the show wouldn't still be on
the air." '
Facing "CSI: New York" -with
its own star power -Wolf wanted
to keep some familiar faces, espe
cially since Orbach would be gone.
"Liz Rohm [who plays Assistant
DA Serena Southerlyn] will be
leaving sometime during the sea
son," says Wolf. "She really helped
us out of a jam because her movie
career has taken off. With Dennis
Farina coming here, I told her, 'I'd
really love to have you here [at the
start].' I said, 'Please stay here for
part of the season.' "
No matter how the ratings bat
tle turns out, there is no chance
there won't be a few versions of
"Law & Order" on the air into the
forseeable future.
Next up, "Trial By Jury," may
be the most different of the four
"L&O" shows yet, says Wolf.
Unlike the others, which focus
strictly on law enforcement and
the prosecution, this show -set
to debut sometime after New
Year's with Orbach in a supporting
role -will, for the first time,
include the point of view of the
defense. "I shouldn't be telling you
this," says Wolf, "but I already
know what the fifth one is going to
be. I can't wait to do it."
showdown when
"Law & Order"
faces off against
"CSI: NY" (left).
'i' J 1/0'( Wolf, 57, insists he wasn't trying 'Law & Order" has been to malign the Jerry Bruckheimer-
,; fighting off the competition produced sneh hits.
~ for 15 seasons -constantly "I hope it didn't sound like I was By MICHAEL GILTZ
lI:~datin . g itself as it picks up and coming out swinging," says Wolf.
s~eds a string of talented actors "Jerry [Bruckheimer] and I have
froIll Michael Moriarty to Jerry known each other since we were
Orbach to Jill Hennessy to the lat-in advertising."
est addition, Dennis Farina Then he repeats the zinger.
But it doesn't get any easier. "We have a brand; they have a
Thmorrow night "L&O" face franchise," he says. "I didn't see it
its toughest opponent yet -as a negative or a positive for
"CSI: New York," starring Gary either show. With 'CSI,' you know
Sinise -in what is shaping up as what you're getting. It's the No.1
the-biggest heavywe ight show-drama in the country. Clearly they
down in recent memory. know what they're doing."
,"This is the biggest competition Clearly, "L&O" knows what it's
~qfour shows have ever faced," doing as well. Farina - a former
s~n&O" creator Dick Wolf. cop whose big break was the '80s
~The closest was ["Law & hit "Crime Story" -steps in
Order] Criminal Intent" versus tonight as Det. Joe Fontana for
"The Sopranos," Wolf recalls. Orbach's Lennie Briscoe.
"But that was' broadcast versus "Dennis Farina is going to
cable. This is two major networks amaze," says Wolf, who jokes that
with their biggest shows. It's Farina is quite convincing as a
going to be interesting." cop.
This fight has been brewing for "This is completely self-serv-
months. Wolf got in the first shot ing," says Wolf, "but it's the best
by calling "Law & Order" a brand work he's ever done. It's as seam
and "CSI" a franchise -meaning less a transition as when we went
that his shows were each different from Michael Moriarty to Sam
but linked by the "L&O" style, Waterston. He's either the 19th or
while "CSI" was simply a single the 20th cast member.
formula with a new cast and a "Jerry said six or seven years
new city for each spin off. ago, if it was the same ongoing cast, the show wouldn't still be on
the air." '
Facing "CSI: New York" -with
its own star power -Wolf wanted
to keep some familiar faces, espe
cially since Orbach would be gone.
"Liz Rohm [who plays Assistant
DA Serena Southerlyn] will be
leaving sometime during the sea
son," says Wolf. "She really helped
us out of a jam because her movie
career has taken off. With Dennis
Farina coming here, I told her, 'I'd
really love to have you here [at the
start].' I said, 'Please stay here for
part of the season.' "
No matter how the ratings bat
tle turns out, there is no chance
there won't be a few versions of
"Law & Order" on the air into the
forseeable future.
Next up, "Trial By Jury," may
be the most different of the four
"L&O" shows yet, says Wolf.
Unlike the others, which focus
strictly on law enforcement and
the prosecution, this show -set
to debut sometime after New
Year's with Orbach in a supporting
role -will, for the first time,
include the point of view of the
defense. "I shouldn't be telling you
this," says Wolf, "but I already
know what the fifth one is going to
be. I can't wait to do it."