Law & Order: LA

...and from the reviews, not a welcome one.

I looked through the reviews - I am currently watching the show on DVD. Some mention the opening dialogue not there - on the DVD, it is. Some mention the different music - it's the same music on the DVD.

Because the show is based in Los Angeles, the look is glossier, as opposed to the grittier L&O, SVU, CI, and even the UK version, which was marvelous. Later on, they attempt to make it grittier, which is partially successful. The main problem for me is that I can't relate to the police detectives of this series as I could in other franchises.

And of course, the big faux pas - I'm not sure if this is on the televised series or just the DVD, but a dead male character comes back to life in later episodes, and Alfred Molina, moved to one job, is suddenly back at his old job. Obviously on the DVDs the episodes are out of order. I am wondering if it was the same on television. If so, it just shows how much attention was paid.

One other thing: Most of the women in the smaller roles look like models, which makes the casting uninteresting. Hudson Leick, whom I know, was an extremely gorgeous top model who landed a role in Xena: Warrior Princess. She had a minuscule part in one of the episodes as a store clerk. So even the store clerks are knockouts!

I'm not sure what there is about it - I enjoy it, but somehow it doesn't draw me in as other L&Os.

I have to admit, the 1st episode left something to be desired, but I have stuck with it and now enjoy the show -- give it a few episodes, get to know the characters, and it will be another L&O you will enjoy. The detectives have their own quirkiness that is enjoyable. I did like the episode where the one detective's wife was the arresting officer on a case that involved a woman that lost her kids to a fire -- where she said the woman admitted it -- and it was not true. I do like the setting of Los Angeles, because it does leave open many ideas for shows. Furthermore, the L&O seems to get back to the basics, where you see the police part, as well as the court room part -- whereas some recent L&O focus more on the police work nowadays.

I began watching this show expecting it to be pretty bad based on what I read here. The first episode did seem a bit too LA, what with starlets and the goings on in Hollywood and all. After a few episodes, the series did pick up steam and find its direction. I must admit, after Molina and Stoll became partners it really all came together.

If I have to find some criticism it would be the complexity of the crimes. I've watched all the L&O franchises but this one seems to have the most outlandish twists and turns. By the time the episode ends you are typically miles away from how it started. Not a bad thing but at times way too contrived.

Finally, did the episodes air the way they are arranged on the DVD? A major character is killed off midway only to re-appear in subsequent episodes. Really odd way to arrange the shows.

How in the world did this program replace the original Law and Order. The acting is weak at best, the story lines are even weaker. The original was on all those years because it was a QUALITY program with OUTSTANDING Actors and Actresses. Even when people left and were replaced the replacement was usually very good. Please wake up and smell the coffee and bring back the Original Law and Order. I will never waste my time again watching another Law and Order LA. It really is a shame that such a long running program as LAW and ORDER was canceled for such a weak and program like this. We always looked forward to watching the weekly series, now we'll have to look for a different program to watch in that time slot

At first I was sad to see Skeet Ulrich go, but the new lineup is working much better. It's grittier, more suspenseful, more like real L&O should be. I like the switchup of Alfred Molina's character, it adds some depth to the story. The UK Version is still my favorite now that the original is off the air, but I plan on hanging in there with this one. They took the ratings and feedback seriously and made changes. I'm not sure why Skeet was apparently part of the problem, I thought he was good and there was good chemistry with his partner, but the new mix works also. We don't see much of the Lieutenant anymore either. But I'll take any chance to look at Terrence Howard on a weekly basis!