Post by Techguy on Mar 2, 2010 15:16:40 GMT -5
In this excerpt from Hollywood Chicago RB discusses the Mothership's success and longevity. The full article is at the link:
HollywoodChicago: How has the show changed since those first few seasons, and what is the secret to the show’s success? And how do you keep a 20-year-old show fresh, from a writer’s point of view?
Rene Balcer: The secret to the show’s success? Every week, Dick and I send a small specimen of our blood to an individual who shall remain nameless but who resides in a very very warm place. But seriously, though there have been many many factors at play over the years (not to mention a good deal of luck) you’d have to credit the show’s unique format and self-contained story-telling. Oh yes, and the terrific actors. And the life-and-death subject matter. And NBC’s support of the show.
The show’s changes have generally reflected changes in the kinds of criminality New York has faced over the course of 20 years. When the show went on the air, New York was in the midst of a crack war — street crime was rampant, neighborhoods were decimated, Times Square was a toilet. The early seasons of “L&O” reflected that — the show was very gritty, with a documentary feel; we used a lot of jittery hand-held camerawork; our cops pursued street criminals as opposed to boardroom bandits, etc. But for a variety of reasons (criminals aged out, money poured into the city, better law enforcement), the crack war ebbed. Also, what was stylistically innovative when the show began was adopted by lot of other shows like “ER” and “NYPD Blue”. And over time our show became more formalized in its look and rhythms.
A couple of seasons ago, we re-evaluated the show’s look and we started by asking ourselves what was different about New York from 1990. The obvious answer — 9/11. Though New York is in many ways a much safer city than it was twenty years ago, thanks to 9/11 and terrorism there’s much more a feeling of paranoia and “looking over your shoulder” than there was then. The city has over 20,000 security cameras, citizens are exhorted to “if you see something, say something”, IDs are required to go anywhere, pat-downs are routine. So we wanted the show to reflect this heightened sense of insecurity through its camerawork and obviously its story-telling.
It’s always a challenge to keep any show fresh, let alone a gnarly old junkyard dog like “L&O.” But thanks to man’s imaginative and unlimited capacity to inflict criminality on his fellow man, we’re never at a loss for material. And bringing in new characters allows us to explore new and darker areas of a policeman’s psyche or a district attorney’s ethics.
HollywoodChicago: When “L&O” premiered, it was the height of the “nighttime soap opera”. “Dallas ,” “Knots Landing,” and “LA Law” were still on the air, “Dynasty” and “Falcon Crest” had just ended, “90210” had just begun, and “Thirtysomething” was your competition. Now, the pendulum has swung back to the serialized drama — “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “24,” “Mad Men,” “Damages,” and the HBO/Showtime shows. Are shows with self-contained “stories of the week” things of the past?
Balcer: I think over the past couple of seasons, you’ve actually seen the pendulum swing away from serialized dramas and back toward self-contained series. The serialized dramas you’ve mentioned have seen decreasing audiences, while some are in danger of being cancelled. Even in the age of DVRs, audiences find it hard to commit to weekly viewings of a serialized drama over the course of several seasons, while some have found that “serialized” doesn’t necessarily translate to “quality”. More to the point for studios and networks, the economics work against serialized dramas — they don’t repeat well and as a result fetch low prices in syndication sales. That being said, like most entertainment media television is a cyclical business: what’s in today will be out tomorrow — or the day after. “L&O” has been fortunate in being able to ride out the cycles — and we’ve occasionally availed ourselves of serialized elements, for example this season we’ve followed Lt. Van Buren’s struggle with cervical cancer and used it as a counterpoint and poignant subtext to our main stories.
HollywoodChicago: “L&O” is notorious for using the best Broadway actors in guest roles, and has snagged even Julia Roberts and Kathleen Turner for guest shots. The late Jerry Orbach is still sorely missed by fans, and Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, and Linus Roache are indie film royalty, and known for top cable, miniseries, and Broadway roles. Have any personal-favorite episodes or moments — and actors that you’ve worked with?
Balcer: Let’s start with the present. This Monday at 10pm, Debra Winger delivers a powerful performance as a high school principal trying to keep her school afloat. In a few weeks, Amy Madigan rips Linus Roache a new one when she portrays his former law school mentor now embroiled in a life and death case. Right now, those two ladies are my favorite guest stars. As for favorite episodes, I’d have to count this season’s premiere, “Memo From the Dark Side” which took on both the Bush and Obama administrations over the issue of torture.
HollywoodChicago: There has not been a *single* A-list, top-rated and critically acclaimed new hour drama on the Big Four networks (besides spinoffs) in the last five years, except for “The Mentalist” and “The Good Wife”. Are high-IQ scripted dramas like “Law & Order” becoming an anachronism on broadcast, network TV? How has the cable drama revolution — and the aging of other top shows like “ER” and the original “CSI” — affected the landscape for shows like “L&O”?
Balcer: And for that matter, there hasn’t been a top-rated AND critically-acclaimed cable drama in a while either (there may be a show that’s one or the other on cable, but not both). There is always room for a smart drama on broadcast and cable, it’s usually a matter of execution and timing. And believe it or not, no one sets out to do a dumb scripted drama. As for cable’s impact on “L&O” — cable has been vital to “L&O“‘s longevity: without the exposure the A&E and TNT reruns gave the show — and without the revenue from cable syndication, the “L&O” story might’ve concluded a while ago.
HollywoodChicago: In closing, what would you like to say to the many “L&O” fans who’ll be reading this column?
Balcer: Thank you — and keep watching. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.
‘Law & Order’ returns on NBC on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 8pm CST. It stars Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, Alana De La Garza, and Sam Waterston from creator Dick Wolf.
By TELLY DAVIDSON
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodChicago: How has the show changed since those first few seasons, and what is the secret to the show’s success? And how do you keep a 20-year-old show fresh, from a writer’s point of view?
Rene Balcer: The secret to the show’s success? Every week, Dick and I send a small specimen of our blood to an individual who shall remain nameless but who resides in a very very warm place. But seriously, though there have been many many factors at play over the years (not to mention a good deal of luck) you’d have to credit the show’s unique format and self-contained story-telling. Oh yes, and the terrific actors. And the life-and-death subject matter. And NBC’s support of the show.
The show’s changes have generally reflected changes in the kinds of criminality New York has faced over the course of 20 years. When the show went on the air, New York was in the midst of a crack war — street crime was rampant, neighborhoods were decimated, Times Square was a toilet. The early seasons of “L&O” reflected that — the show was very gritty, with a documentary feel; we used a lot of jittery hand-held camerawork; our cops pursued street criminals as opposed to boardroom bandits, etc. But for a variety of reasons (criminals aged out, money poured into the city, better law enforcement), the crack war ebbed. Also, what was stylistically innovative when the show began was adopted by lot of other shows like “ER” and “NYPD Blue”. And over time our show became more formalized in its look and rhythms.
A couple of seasons ago, we re-evaluated the show’s look and we started by asking ourselves what was different about New York from 1990. The obvious answer — 9/11. Though New York is in many ways a much safer city than it was twenty years ago, thanks to 9/11 and terrorism there’s much more a feeling of paranoia and “looking over your shoulder” than there was then. The city has over 20,000 security cameras, citizens are exhorted to “if you see something, say something”, IDs are required to go anywhere, pat-downs are routine. So we wanted the show to reflect this heightened sense of insecurity through its camerawork and obviously its story-telling.
It’s always a challenge to keep any show fresh, let alone a gnarly old junkyard dog like “L&O.” But thanks to man’s imaginative and unlimited capacity to inflict criminality on his fellow man, we’re never at a loss for material. And bringing in new characters allows us to explore new and darker areas of a policeman’s psyche or a district attorney’s ethics.
HollywoodChicago: When “L&O” premiered, it was the height of the “nighttime soap opera”. “Dallas ,” “Knots Landing,” and “LA Law” were still on the air, “Dynasty” and “Falcon Crest” had just ended, “90210” had just begun, and “Thirtysomething” was your competition. Now, the pendulum has swung back to the serialized drama — “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “24,” “Mad Men,” “Damages,” and the HBO/Showtime shows. Are shows with self-contained “stories of the week” things of the past?
Balcer: I think over the past couple of seasons, you’ve actually seen the pendulum swing away from serialized dramas and back toward self-contained series. The serialized dramas you’ve mentioned have seen decreasing audiences, while some are in danger of being cancelled. Even in the age of DVRs, audiences find it hard to commit to weekly viewings of a serialized drama over the course of several seasons, while some have found that “serialized” doesn’t necessarily translate to “quality”. More to the point for studios and networks, the economics work against serialized dramas — they don’t repeat well and as a result fetch low prices in syndication sales. That being said, like most entertainment media television is a cyclical business: what’s in today will be out tomorrow — or the day after. “L&O” has been fortunate in being able to ride out the cycles — and we’ve occasionally availed ourselves of serialized elements, for example this season we’ve followed Lt. Van Buren’s struggle with cervical cancer and used it as a counterpoint and poignant subtext to our main stories.
HollywoodChicago: “L&O” is notorious for using the best Broadway actors in guest roles, and has snagged even Julia Roberts and Kathleen Turner for guest shots. The late Jerry Orbach is still sorely missed by fans, and Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, and Linus Roache are indie film royalty, and known for top cable, miniseries, and Broadway roles. Have any personal-favorite episodes or moments — and actors that you’ve worked with?
Balcer: Let’s start with the present. This Monday at 10pm, Debra Winger delivers a powerful performance as a high school principal trying to keep her school afloat. In a few weeks, Amy Madigan rips Linus Roache a new one when she portrays his former law school mentor now embroiled in a life and death case. Right now, those two ladies are my favorite guest stars. As for favorite episodes, I’d have to count this season’s premiere, “Memo From the Dark Side” which took on both the Bush and Obama administrations over the issue of torture.
HollywoodChicago: There has not been a *single* A-list, top-rated and critically acclaimed new hour drama on the Big Four networks (besides spinoffs) in the last five years, except for “The Mentalist” and “The Good Wife”. Are high-IQ scripted dramas like “Law & Order” becoming an anachronism on broadcast, network TV? How has the cable drama revolution — and the aging of other top shows like “ER” and the original “CSI” — affected the landscape for shows like “L&O”?
Balcer: And for that matter, there hasn’t been a top-rated AND critically-acclaimed cable drama in a while either (there may be a show that’s one or the other on cable, but not both). There is always room for a smart drama on broadcast and cable, it’s usually a matter of execution and timing. And believe it or not, no one sets out to do a dumb scripted drama. As for cable’s impact on “L&O” — cable has been vital to “L&O“‘s longevity: without the exposure the A&E and TNT reruns gave the show — and without the revenue from cable syndication, the “L&O” story might’ve concluded a while ago.
HollywoodChicago: In closing, what would you like to say to the many “L&O” fans who’ll be reading this column?
Balcer: Thank you — and keep watching. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.
‘Law & Order’ returns on NBC on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 8pm CST. It stars Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, Alana De La Garza, and Sam Waterston from creator Dick Wolf.
By TELLY DAVIDSON
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
Patrick Roy, 2006 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame
