There are a lot of TV shows based on crime that pass away into oblivion while Law & Order has come into the 20th season successfully with many strong episodes. The show has gather a big following over the past 20 odd years and it has done it with cast changes that would have killed off any other show.

This drama tonight will be talking on a topic on which it has already been before and that is abortion and more, the killings of the doctors who do them but this episode is more of a moral debate that challenges prosecution of the killers with the beliefs. After talking to the executive producer and the head writer Rene Balcer on this episode among other things that include Lt. Van Buren’s storyline and the decision that NBC took on their reality shows while Balcer who also created Law & Order Criminal Intent which is running on USA Network presently informed us that this episode quote will turn the conventional wisdom on its head

This issue has definitely been talked about to death but what about the decision NBC took to put on Jay Leno every night on prime time and the reply was that NBC and Universal are two companies with competing interests, it is studios against networks and for studios it is much better to remain in the drams category then the other and they are these shows which keeps the money coming in even after a long time of being stopped. Reality and talk shows once off air are closed and that’s it, there is no market afterwards. The network has to pay license see and make it back in advertising when it is broadcast so many the Jay Leno is profitable for them.

The question was also asked if Balcer felt nervous about the changes and the reply was that no not really as prime time is not what it was 5 years ago and for the producer the take is small but from the creative side as long as you remain in prime time TV you are able to find something for your ideas.