Can 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent' Be Saved, by NBC?

USA Network, character's welcome? I think not. I know of at least over 4 million fans averaged got their dreams shattered on July 15, 2011 when USA Network announced they were done with Law & Order: Criminal Intent due to the ratings being low, not equaling out the budget. "CI is expensive" basically compared to light weight comedy-dramas Royal Pains, White Collar, Fairly Legal, and Suits - which in my opinion, Fairly Legal and Suits shouldn't have made it to their pilot's being green-lit!


USA Network Promo: Vincent D'Onofrio & Kathryn Erbe portrayed Detectives Robert Goren & Alexandra Eames from the show's inception in September 2001 until April 2010 and again in May/June 2011

Let me briefly go down Law & Order: CI's rocky history:
Green = Good
Yellow = Caution
Red  = Danger

• Law & Order: CI premiered September 2001 on NBC, high rated, renewed 5 seasons.
• Starring: Vincent D'Onofrio (Det. Robert Goren), Kathryn Erbe (Det. Alex Eames), Jamey Sheridan (Capt. James Deakins), & Courtney B. Vance (ADA Ron Carver).
• D'Onofrio had health issues mid season 4. Chris Noth joined the cast with Annabella Sciorra, alternating episodes with Vincent D'Onofrio & Kathryn Erbe.
• Season 5 ratings good for season 6. Annabella Sciorra, Jamey Sheridan, & Courtney B. Vance depart.
• Season 6 moved to Tuesday night's 9/8c, ahead of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
• Warren Leight takes over as show runner. Co-creator/show runner Rene Balcer departing back to the flagship Law & Order.
• Julianne Nicholson (Det. Megan Wheeler) & Eric Bogosian (Capt. Danny Ross) join the cast.
• BOTH Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent falling in the ratings.
• USA Network offers to take L&O: Criminal Intent a 7th season. TNT seeking L&O as well. NBC keeping L&O season 18.
• L&O: CI becomes one of the highest rated shows on USA Network, Summer 2008. USA Network renewing it an 8th season!
• End of season 7: Warren Leight departs with star Chris Noth.
• Season 8: Chris Noth replaced by Jeff Goldblum (Det. Zach Nichols). Warren Leight replaced by Walon Green (Goren/Eames episodes). First Robert Nathan and later Ed Zuckerman & Michael S. Chernuchin (Nichols/Wheeler episodes).
• CI still high rated in season 8, Jeff Goldblum praised. Renewed 9th season.
• Julianne Nicholson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, and Eric Bogosian depart the cast.
• CI moved to Tuesday's 10/9c; during 2009-2010 broadcast network TV season.
• Walon Green show runner of all episodes of Law & Order: CI. Jeff Goldblum show lead, Julianne Nicholson/Kathryn Erbe replaced by Saffron Burrows (Det. Serena Stevens), Eric Bogosian replaced by Mary Elizabth Mastrantonio (Capt. Zoe Callas).
• Ratings slowly decline after "Loyalty (Part 1)", decline sharply mid-season.
• USA Network shaky about Criminal Intent season 10. Jeff Goldblum, Saffron Burrows, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio don't sign contracts to return.
• USA Network renews CI 10th and 8-episode final season, due to season 9 decline.
• Vincent D'Onofrio & Kathryn Erbe return. Show runner Walon Green replaced by Chris Brancato.
• CI ratings bounce back from season 9 decline. Possibility for 11th season renewal. Creator Dick Wolf/Chris Brancato plan to end the series in a way it could be open to return for another season.
• CI finales on June 27th, 2011; without word of renewal.
• USA Network announces Law & Order: Criminal Intent is done on USA Network.

You can pretty much see what lead to Law & Order: Criminal Intent's decline on both NBC and USA Network. The quick timeslot change on NBC (due to them taking on Sunday Night Football). And the whole 9th season pretty much had an effect on the 10th season on USA Network. But the $1,000,000 question is: "Can Law & Order: Criminal Intent be Saved/Revived by NBC again.?"


Det. Alex Eames (Kathryn Erbe) in the 9th season premiere episode, "Loyalty". Erbe has many notable episodes in the series, more recent ones would be "Amends", "Smile", "Purgatory", "Frame", "Lady's Man", "Loyalty", and "The Last Street in Manhattan"

The answer: yes it can. Law & Order: CI is probably the one off-air L&O show able to make a return, how:

• A strong bombardment of letters, emails phone calls, postcards, etc. towards NBC.
• Follow: @reviveNBCLOCI (Twitter) & "Like": Renew Criminal Intent (Facebook).
• They have contact information for NBC. Bob Greenblatt included.
• Law & Order: CI is the one L&O show without the "canceled" label.
• LOCI's ratings/popularity did a turn around in the 10th season. Plus NBC has slightly bigger budget to take LOCI back.
• NBC needs some more programs for 2012-2013.
• Dick Wolf wants to do more LOCI.

BE SURE TO INCLUDE THIS TO ANYTHING SENT TO NBC ABOUT "SAVE LOCI":

• If it was to make a return, Kathryn Erbe would have to be in the lead-role. D'Onofrio is doing another project titled "Blue Tilt" (created by Chris Brancato, season 10 LOCI show runner). But the Goren character must stay alive/open for D'Onofrio to return, esp. if "Blue Tilt" flops. Meanwhile recommend a good/younger/strong/compelling actor is partnered with Erbe's Eames.
• A good show runner would be a good idea to include, probably should mention Rene Balcer. Since Warren Leight is on Law & Order: SVU and Brancato has "Blue Tilt". DO NOT SAY: Walon Green, if you do, might as well not even bring the show back.
• A damn good time slot: again, should probably be with Law & Order: SVU, I can't see the show perform well in season 11 without SVU with it, this time.
• NBC needs to be reminded how they are declining in the ratings, how they are canceling [crappy] shows, & how the L&O franchise helped give them the ratings they had years ago! Persuade them to want to revive Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

If everyone (Law & Order, SVU, LOLA, etc.) was to do this, not just LOCI fans, I'd bet NBC would be willing to consider a revival of Law & Order: Criminal Intent!

But in the meantime, new episodes of Law & Order: SVU air, Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC!