Post by Trublu on Feb 2, 2006 22:43:23 GMT -5
Wolf is ticked off at NBC
By Scott D. Pierce
Deseret Morning News
PASADENA, Calif. — Dick Wolf is mad, which is hardly news. He's always
mad at somebody.
Usually, it's TV critics, despite the fact that kind words about
his "Law & Order" franchise have devoured tanker-truck loads of ink
over the years.
But, at the moment, he's mad at NBC. Which isn't unusual, given
that Wolf has had some huge battles with the network over the years
because of how his shows are scheduled. And that's what has his blood
boiling right now.
On March 22, the network is going to move "Law & Order" up an hour on
Wednesdays in order to use it as a lead-in to the new series "Heist."
The move will put it in direct competition with ABC's mega-hit "Lost" and
CBS' surprisingly strong "Criminal Minds." Throw in Fox's "Bones," and
there will be three crime dramas in the time period.
"Look, I'm realistic about this time period, and we're asking
'Law & Order' to do a lot here," said NBC Entertainment president Kevin
Reilly. "But everyone knows there's no more resilient show on all of
television. And we take the long view of the brand. In the spring, we'll
figure out where this show is going to live for the next 16 years of its
life."
Mind you, he wasn't actually renewing the show for another 16
seasons. But he was promising that it will be back on the schedule next
year. (And, in all likelihood, for years to come.)
These days, Reilly and Wolf are members of one big, dysfunctional
family — the former works for the broadcast network owned by
NBC-Universal; the latter produces shows for the TV production studio owned by
NBC-Universal.
That doesn't mean it's always a friendly relationship.
Hey, Reilly is a nice guy. You can't help but feel a little sorry
for him, having to deliver news like this to Wolf. How did it go?
"You know Dick — he's a pushover. Always smiling," Reilly joked.
But he was quick to call it a "partnership" between the network and the
producer, who will have four shows on NBC later this month — "Law &
Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and
"Conviction," which premieres Friday, March 3.
"We take the long view together in the partnership," Reilly
insisted. "Would he prefer that ('Law & Order') not move? Probably."
Probably?!? Do you expect us to believe that?
"When you have four shows on a network, some decisions you're
going to agree with and other decisions you're going to violently disagree
with," Wolf said. "You've heard me violently disagree with other
decisions (and) it has absolutely no effect on the decision-making process."
I'm not sure that's true. We've all seen Wolf bully various NBC
executives into changing their minds.
Or, at least, he's been proved right more often than not when
they made scheduling moves he disagreed with.
"I've been on the air continuously at NBC for 21 years. So this
is an extraordinarily long relationship, and it's like a very long-term
marriage," Wolf said. "I mean, there are stresses and strains
intermittently, but we're kind of stuck with each other forever."
Sure seems like it.
And how violent was this disagreement?
"No blood on the floor," Wolf said.
Whew!
HAVING FAILED TO ATTRACT many viewers on Fridays at 9 p.m. to
watch either "Inconceivable" or "Book of Daniel," Reilly nonetheless said
he has "no regrets" about canceling the Dick Wolf-produced legal drama
"Law & Order: Trial by Jury." Even though he's going to be airing the
Dick Wolf-produced legal drama "Conviction" there after the Olympics
end.
"Would ('Criminal') be doing better than those shows? I'm sure it
would," said Reilly, who blamed the failure of "Inconceivable" and
"Daniel" on those shows being serialized.
"I think serials are particularly tough on Friday. And that is
one lesson I've learned," Reilly said.
I don't know. Maybe he should be feeling some regret.
deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635180538,00.html
By Scott D. Pierce
Deseret Morning News
PASADENA, Calif. — Dick Wolf is mad, which is hardly news. He's always
mad at somebody.
Usually, it's TV critics, despite the fact that kind words about
his "Law & Order" franchise have devoured tanker-truck loads of ink
over the years.
But, at the moment, he's mad at NBC. Which isn't unusual, given
that Wolf has had some huge battles with the network over the years
because of how his shows are scheduled. And that's what has his blood
boiling right now.
On March 22, the network is going to move "Law & Order" up an hour on
Wednesdays in order to use it as a lead-in to the new series "Heist."
The move will put it in direct competition with ABC's mega-hit "Lost" and
CBS' surprisingly strong "Criminal Minds." Throw in Fox's "Bones," and
there will be three crime dramas in the time period.
"Look, I'm realistic about this time period, and we're asking
'Law & Order' to do a lot here," said NBC Entertainment president Kevin
Reilly. "But everyone knows there's no more resilient show on all of
television. And we take the long view of the brand. In the spring, we'll
figure out where this show is going to live for the next 16 years of its
life."
Mind you, he wasn't actually renewing the show for another 16
seasons. But he was promising that it will be back on the schedule next
year. (And, in all likelihood, for years to come.)
These days, Reilly and Wolf are members of one big, dysfunctional
family — the former works for the broadcast network owned by
NBC-Universal; the latter produces shows for the TV production studio owned by
NBC-Universal.
That doesn't mean it's always a friendly relationship.
Hey, Reilly is a nice guy. You can't help but feel a little sorry
for him, having to deliver news like this to Wolf. How did it go?
"You know Dick — he's a pushover. Always smiling," Reilly joked.
But he was quick to call it a "partnership" between the network and the
producer, who will have four shows on NBC later this month — "Law &
Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and
"Conviction," which premieres Friday, March 3.
"We take the long view together in the partnership," Reilly
insisted. "Would he prefer that ('Law & Order') not move? Probably."
Probably?!? Do you expect us to believe that?
"When you have four shows on a network, some decisions you're
going to agree with and other decisions you're going to violently disagree
with," Wolf said. "You've heard me violently disagree with other
decisions (and) it has absolutely no effect on the decision-making process."
I'm not sure that's true. We've all seen Wolf bully various NBC
executives into changing their minds.
Or, at least, he's been proved right more often than not when
they made scheduling moves he disagreed with.
"I've been on the air continuously at NBC for 21 years. So this
is an extraordinarily long relationship, and it's like a very long-term
marriage," Wolf said. "I mean, there are stresses and strains
intermittently, but we're kind of stuck with each other forever."
Sure seems like it.
And how violent was this disagreement?
"No blood on the floor," Wolf said.
Whew!
HAVING FAILED TO ATTRACT many viewers on Fridays at 9 p.m. to
watch either "Inconceivable" or "Book of Daniel," Reilly nonetheless said
he has "no regrets" about canceling the Dick Wolf-produced legal drama
"Law & Order: Trial by Jury." Even though he's going to be airing the
Dick Wolf-produced legal drama "Conviction" there after the Olympics
end.
"Would ('Criminal') be doing better than those shows? I'm sure it
would," said Reilly, who blamed the failure of "Inconceivable" and
"Daniel" on those shows being serialized.
"I think serials are particularly tough on Friday. And that is
one lesson I've learned," Reilly said.
I don't know. Maybe he should be feeling some regret.
deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635180538,00.html