Law and Order: Los Angeles heading for cancellation

Troubled crime/legal drama Law and Order: Los Angeles looks to be heading for cancellation after its revamp failed to lift ratings. In fact since the show returned from hiatus its ratings have fallen even further.

NBC placed Law and Order: Los Angeles on hiatus after 8 episodes in order for the latest spin-off in the once mighty Law & Order franchise to undergo a “creative revamp”. It was hoped the reboot would help boost the shows somewhat disappointing ratings which had been ebbing away since the pilot episodes figure of 10.6 million viewers. The last episode before the show went on hiatus, Playa Vista, had 9.1 million viewers which was the highest since the pilot.

As part of the revamp of Los Angeles actors Skeet Ulrich, Regina Hall and Megan Boone were written out with Terrence Howard made a regular on the show and Alana la Garza brought in to reprise her role from parent series Law & Order. A crossover with fellow spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was also devised to help boost its ratings and profile. Law and Order: LA returned to NBC in April with new episodes but its ratings have been lower than for the first half of its series.

The drama returned on April 11th with its first new episode of 2011, Zuma Canyon, which had just 6.1 million viewers and since then ratings fallen even further to a low of 4.8 million viewers for the most recent episode on May 2nd. It’s unsurprising therefore that many are now predicting, which such low figures, that NBC will cancel LA. What’s interesting though there are some rumours claiming the idea of producing a final season for parent series Law & Order is once again on the drawing table.

NBC was initially expected to order a 21st and final series of Law & Order in 2010 but talks broke down and the drama was cancelled. However, now these reports claim that the idea of one final series has been resurrected and that talks are on-going. The final season of Law & Order would be shortened one but would allow the series to be tied up neatly. At this stage though it is just rumour but it does look increasingly likely Law & Order: LA will be cancelled.