A U.S. take on the premiere of L&O: UK in an article to run in this Sunday's
Los Angeles Times.
Boldfaces mine.
Comments may be e-mailed to the author, greg.braxton@latimes.com. I think I may write to remind him that "Rumpole of the Bailey" had quite a nice run on PBS stations here in the States. I don't think NBCU's Angela Bromstad remembers that. Or realizes we're not all salivating for more in the vein of "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal." (See her comment, last graph below).
AL
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'Law & Order' and a stiff upper lipby Greg Braxton
The Los Angeles TimesMarch 8, 2009
Excerpt:
"Pitted against edgy procedurals, trendy reality shows or ensemble dramas, NBC's "Law & Order" for nearly 20 years has persevered as one of TV's most recognizable and durable brands. And if it lasts a few more seasons, the hybrid cop-and-lawyer series would eclipse "Gunsmoke" as television's longest-running drama.
But even as the franchise remains a popular draw for viewers -- the so-called mother ship, along with its two satellite series "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," air as many as 90 times a week between first-run episodes and repeats in syndication -- "Law & Order" is facing a new trial across the Atlantic, where it is being judged by a new jury: the British television audience....
..."I wanted to demonstrate that no matter what the system of justice is, 'Law & Order' works," said the franchise's creator, Dick Wolf, during a breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel's Polo Lounge. "The biggest difference is that there's not as much plea bargaining there as there is here. And the bottom line is our own legal system is based on English common law."...
..."I love it because it feels the same," said Wolf. "But yet it's totally different."
Producers were pleased with the tune-in for the first broadcasts. "Law & Order: U.K." attracted more than 6.3 million viewers to ITV1 and won its 9 p.m. Monday slot, beating out the popular BBC series "Who Do You Think You Are?" in which celebrities trace their ancestry. The second week declined to 5.8 million viewers.
Brit crits weigh inInitial critical reaction in Britain to the series was generally positive. Said Matt Baylis of the Daily Express: "Even though it's not exactly new -- it feels like a breath of fresh air." And the "We Love Telly" column of the Daily Mirror wrote, "It's all highly professional and heroic."
But the Guardian's Sarah Dempster was less enthusiastic: "There is the original series' clipped dialogue and caffeinated camera work, but trying to affix the same razzle-dazzle principles to the British crime drama is like trying to fit a rain cloud into a tuxedo. Fiddly. And wrong."
Much of the U.K. version of the show remains the same -- most notably its format and no-nonsense tone. The first half-hour is the investigation of a crime by two detectives. Then, just as in its American cousin, the focus switches to the legal arena in the second half-hour as prosecuting attorneys tackle the case....
... [T]here are inevitable differences, particularly in language and cultural references. Said Wolf: "They are fraternal, not identical twins. There are subtle differences." Whereas the original version gives personal information about its characters sparingly, the U.K. version delivers slightly more: about eight lines per episode. One detective eats sushi on the go rather than grabbing a snack at a food cart.
"There's also a different rhythm in the drama," said Wolf. The British "don't like the crashing, speedy pace of dramas that we have here. Characters there like to take their time when they talk," resulting in scripts that are two scenes shorter than the American counterpart.
TV historian Tim Brooks said the flashy sensibilities of American shows usually don't lend themselves to adaptation for British audiences.
"American shows are much more violent, louder, with more special effects," said Brooks, who co-wrote "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows." "They have flashy sidekicks. They can run there in Britian as curiosities, but their dramas are much more methodical, more about the intricacies. But maybe 'Law & Order: U.K' is a portent of things to come."
Perhaps the most immediate difference to U.S. audiences would be the famous opening pronouncement that precedes the first scene. In the American version, the announcer says, "In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories." But in the British version, it's the Crown Prosecution Service that prosecutes the offenders.
There and back?In the world of TV, there's no end to borrowing, cutting and pasting. If the show proves successful overseas,
Wolf hopes the U.K. version can then cross back to America. "I would love 'Law & Order: U.K' to run over here," said Wolf. "I think it would be perfect programming for Saturday night," referring to the period when most networks, including NBC, program reruns or unscripted programs.
NBC Universal executives appear open to the idea. "It's definitely something we're having a conversation about," said Angela Bromstad, who manages NBC's studio and network program development. "It is a really great show."
But Bromstad, who had been running a production unit for the company in London before taking on her current duties last year,
also wondered whether American audiences would have trouble grasping the series. "It's very British," she said. "It might do much better on BBC America than for us. Still, the show is completely reinvented, and it beautifully showcases London."
The full article at
www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-ca-law8-2009mar08,0,1195893.story
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