Law & Order UK

JP Liz

ITV has unveiled an impressive British cast for its remake of the long-running US crime show Law & Order including Coronation Street's Bradley Walsh and Battlestar Galactica actor Jamie Bamber.
The UK version of Law & Order, which follows the work of police on the street through to legal action by the Crown Prosecution Service, starts filming this month.
ITV1's 13-part series stars Walsh, who has also featured in Torn and The Old Curiosity Shop, as Ronnie Brooks, "a real East End copper's copper".
He is partnered by Bamber, perhaps best-known as Apollo from Battlestar Galactica, as Matt Devlin, who tackles crime using "part seduction, part force".
The pair report to Detective Inspector Natalie Chandler, played by Harriet Walter, whose credits include Atonement.
Law & Order's legal side, featuring the workings of the CPS, is led by the Doctor Who and Torchwood actor Freema Agyeman as the "hard-working, strong-willed" prosecutor Alesha Phillips.
Senior crown prosecutor James Steel, a "man on a mission for justice", is played by Ben Daniels, who has starred in the BBC dramas The State Within and The Passion.
Bill Paterson, who has appeared in Little Dorrit and Criminal Justice, takes the role of CPS director George Castle, "a man trying to balance his ideals with the bigger picture".
The lead writer on the UK show, Chris Chibnall, has credits including Life on Mars and Torchwood.
ITV1's Law & Order is based on the highly successful US version, created by Dick Wolf, who has also worked on Hill Street Blues, and will be co-produced by the UK company Kudos, Wolf Films and NBC Universal.
"Kudos have put together the perfect cast to deliver a quintessentially modern British take on a highly successful crime format," said Laura Mackie, the director of drama at ITV.
Law & Order UK will be produced by Richard Stokes, who has worked on Torchwood and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.

"have put together the perfect cast" :eek:

JP Liz

Filming starts this month on the new 13-part drama series for ITV1 based on the enormously successful US format created by two-time Emmy award-winning producer Dick Wolf. It will be co-produced by Kudos Film and Television, Wolf Films and NBC Universal.
Ex-Corrie star Bradley Walsh (pictured) is DS Ronnie Brooks, a real East End copper’s copper, friend and partner to the charming DS Matt Devlin played by Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica, The Last Detective, Ultimate Force) whose approach to policing is part seduction, part force. Both report to DI Natalie Chandler played by Harriet Walter (Broken Lines, Atonement).
Meanwhile, the CPS team comprises Freema Agyeman (Dr Who, Torchwood) as hard-working, strong-willed young prosecutor Alesha Phillips along with Ben Daniels (Cutting It) as dedicated Senior Crown Prosecutor James Steel, a man on a mission for justice and Bill Paterson (Criminal Justice, Sea of Souls) as their respected boss, CPS director George Castle.
ITV Director of Drama, Laura Mackie says: "Kudos have put together the perfect cast to deliver a quintessentially modern British take on a highly successful crime format. The breadth of the acting talent involved will build on the strength of Chris Chibnall's lively and complex scripts."

mike65

Has the feel of Cookie Cutter tv.

Mr E

JP Liz, please post your sources. Also please comment on the pieces you rip from other sites. As I said to you before, this is primarily a discussion site, not a 'recycle news from other sites' site.

For the person who reported the post for having no sources, just pick a phrase from the first line and google it (put the phrase in quotes).

I used "drama series for ITV1 based on the enormously successful" and got these hits.

Elmo

Mr E wrote: »

JP Liz, please post your sources. Also please comment on the pieces you rip from other sites. As I said to you before, this is primarily a discussion site, not a 'recycle news from other sites' site.

For the person who reported the post for having no sources, just pick a phrase from the first line and google it (put the phrase in quotes).

I used "drama series for ITV1 based on the enormously successful" and got these hits.

I had heard about this a few months ago. ITV is going to hell. BTW ITV Law & Order UK is called The Bill.

Both should be axed to make room for original, innovative and quality drama.

Mossy Monk

Law & Order UK. I can see this being a load of balls but I'll give it a go.

The Bill should be axed? Wash out your mouth.

Elmo

Mossy Monk wrote: »

The Bill should be axed? Wash out your mouth.

20 + years ahhhhhh! do something new a new Bill that might be better.

anotherlostie

Well The Bill is being dropped to one night a week, post watershed, so maybe it's to make way for shows such as this.

I just want to see the episode where a Sontaran appears in the dock and tries to take Freema Agyeman out.

Elmo

anotherlostie wrote: »

Well The Bill is being dropped to one night a week, post watershed, so maybe it's to make way for shows such as this.

Meh! so they aren't going to try something original or innovative and they have forsaken quality over quantity

JP Liz

starts on ITV tonight at 9pm

sillyputty

Just saw the cast - Bradley Walsh - why oh why?
I enjoy the whole format of Law and order - SVU being my favorite but i think this may be a bad spinoff.
There other spinoff of the brand Law and Order- Trial by Jury didn't last long - when will they learn audiences want some new ideas?

icdg

Same show is airing on TV3 tommorow night under the slightly different title of Law and Order: London, oddly enough.

Elmo

icdg wrote: »

Same show is airing on TV3 tommorow night under the slightly different title of Law and Order: London, oddly enough.

AFAIK the series is called Law&Order: London not Law&Order: UK,

sorry seems to be just called Law&Order !

http://www.itv.com/Drama/copsandcrime/LawandOrder/default.html

credits going with Law & Order UK

Our man in Havana

Shaky cam is terrrible.

Nightwish

I remember this episode in the original series. It was better then. In Law and Order, the city of NY plays a huge part. The characters, the atmosphere, the neighbourhoods. In this, London really doesnt feature. The Bill captures the essence of the city much better.

Mossy Monk

I enjoyed it. Will watch again.

mike65

Wheres the proper music?

Trouble with these tightly formated shows is that its all a bit too "efficient". 45 mins of actual screen time is half what a good detailed script needs. So we have a simple script.

Elmo

I don't see much point in this adaptation. They treated the LAW side like the US LAW, AFAIK the British have solicitors too, AFAIK they are the middle men.

Law&Order: With the Middle Man or Law&Order: WTMM.

It was ok but then why adapt something that is only ok and is getting old?

Basq

I was contemplating watching this..

But then I tried to figure out the last time ITV made a television show I actually enjoyed - answers on a postcard!

Elmo

basquille wrote: »

I was contemplating watching this..

But then I tried to figure out the last time ITV made a television show I actually enjoyed - answers on a postcard!

Cracker or Prime Suspect perhaps the early days of Frost !

mike65

You didn't watch Whitechapel then?

Basq

Elmo wrote: »

Cracker or Prime Suspect perhaps the early days of Frost !

Enjoyed Cracker occasionally (if just for Robbie Coltrane).. but Frost and Prime Suspect never appealed to me.

mike65 wrote: »

You didn't watch Whitechapel then?

Nope.. but I did hear terrible things about it.

mike65

It was shlocky fun.

Elmo

basquille wrote: »

Enjoyed Cracker occasionally (if just for Robbie Coltrane).. but Frost and Prime Suspect never appealed to me.

You didn't like Prime Suspect have you seen the early episodes? Frost is alright it is on to long now, I think the still make some episodes of it.

JP Liz

Starts on TV3 tonight

I will watch the premiere just to see the gorgeous Jamie from BSG

sillyputty

I'm planning on watching this tonight - i love the franchise.
How was the acting? Like i said already i cannot stand Bradley Walsh.

Mossy Monk

The acting was very good, even Bradley Walsh.

humanji

I wasn't too impressed by it. The shaky-cam was horrific and the fast paced nature of the Law and Order shows just doesn't seem to fit in in London. It was almost like it was meant to be un unfunny piss take of the show. The acting and story were grand and what you'd expect from the show, but it just doesn't seem to work right.

icdg

Elmo wrote: »

I don't see much point in this adaptation. They treated the LAW side like the US LAW, AFAIK the British have solicitors too, AFAIK they are the middle men.

It was ok but then why adapt something that is only ok and is getting old?

That's something I've never got about Law and Order (the original's) title sequence. Why does "LAW" appear before the police and then "ORDER" before the DA's office? Surely the courts are Law and the Police order? Why do they have it the other way around....

As for the British having solicitors - yes, they do. But the Crown Prosecution Service (slightly equivilant to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions here) do employ BLs directly, in fact the DPP himself is a barrister.

gimmick

This gets a big fat "MEH" from me anyway. It was just The Bill with different actors.

Elmo

icdg wrote: »

As for the British having solicitors - yes, they do. But the Crown Prosecution Service (slightly equivilant to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions here) do employ BLs directly, in fact the DPP himself is a barrister.

Ah but I was talking about the Defendents Lawyer, he should have had both a Solicitor and a Barrister AFAIK.

Yeah I was thinking about the Law and Order credit alright when I was watching. I think it just the format, Order happens before the Law in the show you really couldn't call it Order and Law.

This gets a big fat "MEH" from me anyway. It was just The Bill with different actors.

Yeah I was thinking that to begin with. But it should suit many of the people on boards who all seem to think the Bill is great. Mike65 and Mossy are both fans AFAIK

Mossy Monk

I don't see the link to The Bill. How often does The Bill have the court case?

Why is it called Law & Order UK when shown on ITV and Law & Order London on TV3?

Elmo

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I don't see the link to The Bill. How often does The Bill have the court case?

Why is it called Law & Order UK when shown on ITV and Law & Order London on TV3?

I think the opening scene was very Bill-esque, but after that it became more like Law and Order.

I think TV3 have made a mistake in the TV listings unless they also changed to open sequence. Remember Sky and Five changed the opening sequence for L&O, SVU and CI.

Mossy Monk

Elmo wrote: »

I think TV3 have made a mistake in the TV listings unless they also changed to open sequence. Remember Sky and Five changed the opening sequence for L&O, SVU and CI.

The opening sequence also said Law and Order London.

Our man in Havana

TV3 boobed on the first sequence and left the UK bit in. For the ad breaks and the end they had London in place.

icdg

Elmo wrote: »

Ah but I was talking about the Defendents Lawyer, he should have had both a Solicitor and a Barrister AFAIK.

You don't have to (in England) any more - they have introduced direct instruction of barristers by clients - but I believe it is still the norm for a solicitor to instruct counsel, so yes they probably should have.

aidan_walsh

I have to admit to enjoying it as well. It might have helped that it was based on an episode of the US series, but some original episodes might help us get a clearer picture of how it will go.

marie_85

I quite liked it. Although the title cards announcing each new place and date got a bit annoying, especially near the beginning when the scenes in between were just a couple of minutes long each.

I was wary about Bradley Walsh, and am still reserving judgement somewhat, but he didn't do a bad job in the pilot. Freema Agyeman was much better than she's been lately in Doctor Who as well.

Elmo

aidan_walsh wrote: »

I have to admit to enjoying it as well. It might have helped that it was based on an episode of the US series, but some original episodes might help us get a clearer picture of how it will go.

Did they not suggest that it was based on one of the scripts from the US series during the start credits?

Also they didn't have to show the dead baby, I think that is a very insentivative thing to show TBH.

aidan_walsh

They did, thats how I knew it was I'm saying the true test of it will be when they don't have US scripts to work off and need to build originals from the ground up.

Elmo

aidan_walsh wrote: »

They did, thats how I knew it was I'm saying the true test of it will be when they don't have US scripts to work off and need to build originals from the ground up.

Remakes generally don't get re-scripted rather they just get a London kind of slang to it.

ITV did a version of "Who's the Boss" and kept all of the scripts just tidied it up for an English audidence. They did the same for That 70's Show.

So it is unlikely that they will move away from the amount of work already done for Law and Order.

Really it should just have been a spin off.

Mossy Monk

Elmo wrote: »

Also they didn't have to show the dead baby, I think that is a very insentivative thing to show TBH.

There was a warning before the show on ITV at least

Davei141

aidan_walsh wrote: »

They did, thats how I knew it was I'm saying the true test of it will be when they don't have US scripts to work off and need to build originals from the ground up.

+1

Just seen the first episode right there and it's just a remake of a L&O episode from season 4 if i recall. It has potential to be decent but if it's just remake's ill give it a miss.

Aidric

Only saw last night episode, it's a winning format and should do well.

Our man in Havana

Good to Supt Adam Okaro doing well now that he is a high court judge.

JP Liz

ITV1 has commissioned Law & Order: UK for a 13-episode second series, it has announced.

The first series, starring Freema Agyeman, Jamie Bamber and Bradley Walsh, opened its seven-episode run with strong ratings earlier this year. The second half of the series is yet to air.

Series two will see the return of the original cast and will go into production later this year.

"This new commission brings our total order to 26 episodes, which demonstrates our commitment to series that have concepts and storylines that can run long-term," said ITV's Laura Mackie.

"Audiences clearly loved the first series, which featured the cream of British acting talent with gripping 'torn from the headlines' storylines, and this will again be at the heart of the new series."

Series creator Dick Wolf added: "This is a great day for the Law & Order brand. On the heels of the original Law and Order tying Gunsmoke's all time drama series record of 20 years, and Law and Order: SVU's renewal for season 11, it's wonderful to have pick-ups on both sides of the Atlantic."

I still prefer the US shows in the series

norbert64

has ITV (or heck, even tv3) shown the remaining part of S01 then or what's happening with the show.

IMDB says more eppys have been airing nearly every month since July, yet I haven't seen any promos/trailers about it on ITV?

last episode I recall viewing was ''Alesha''

JP Liz

Monday, 11 January 2010, 9:00PM - 10:00PM

The cream of British acting talent are back together for the second series of the hugely successful ‘Law & Order: UK’.

Ep1 Samaritan

A tragic communication error between police officers leaves young PC Nick Bentley caught in the cross-fire of armed drug-dealers with no back-up. DC Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) and DC Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber) investigate, following the lead of the drug gang to small-time dealer, Theo Carson.

However, Theo’s story shakes the officers and their boss, DI Natalie Chandler (Harriet Walter). He claims a second police officer, Ray Griffin (Jamie Foreman) was standing nearby, doing nothing, whilst his partner bled to death. A partner who was gay.

Could Theo be telling the truth? Could there be any connection to an extreme religious group within the force which seems to discriminate against homosexuals?

James Steel (Ben Daniels) and Alesha Phillips (Freema Agyeman) of the CPS feel the case has to be pursued. Director of the CPS, George Castle (Bill Paterson), thinks otherwise. To pursue such a case would be institutional suicide, damaging the delicate relationship they have with the uniformed police beyond repair.

How far should they go to hold one person accountable for a drop in the standards of public office? How far will the force close ranks to protect their own? Will it be enough to shift the foundations of the CPS’ “rock solid case?”

From itv.com

Elmo

JP Liz wrote: »

Monday, 11 January 2010, 9:00PM - 10:00PM

The cream of British acting talent are back together for the second series of the hugely successful ‘Law & Order: UK’.

From itv.com

Yeah!

JP Liz

Anyone know when TV3 or 3e will be showing this?

Mossy Monk

Didn't realise this was back. I do hope it appears on my hard drive at some point.