» Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in the Media Options

[harmony60]

I just filled out a viewer forum questionnaire on the three L&O shows last night. It was mainly about SVU.

Quite a few questions about Beach's appearance and this week's episode. Last question was whether I'd watch the show more or less if Beach was a regular. Others included how much the others add to the enjoyment of the show and how much I'd watch if Munch was no longer around. I get the feeling Beach might be replacing Munch. I sure hope not!

[Brandon]

I think Beach is a little to high profile to be replacing Munch. He's got a halfway decent movie career going for him, so I think he'd most likely be a replacement for one of the leads.

Yeah, I can't imagine Beach taking a second string role on a cop show if TPTB are considering bringing him in.

Personally I'm beginning to wonder if this is an attempt to put some pressure on the Hargitay and Meloni camps regarding contract negotiations. Perhaps NBC/Ironbone is trying to force their hands with news of potential replacements being cast.

[yankee kitten]

http://www.bluecorncomics.com/newsrock.htm
Adam Beach's big news
On Tuesday, Adam Beach attended the Western
Indian Gaming Conference at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in
Temecula, Calif. There he was overheard to say he's signed a 6-year,
$12 million deal to appear on Law & Order: SVU. His Chester Lake
character will become a regular, replacing Fin Tutuola (Ice-T), and
will develop a romance with ADA Casey Novak (Diane Neal).

This
is big news in the world of TV Indians. Native actors have had
recurring roles before: Elaine Miles on Northern Exposure, Michael
Horse on Twin Peaks and Roswell, Larry Sellars on Dr. Quinn, Medicine
Woman, Graham Greene on Wolf Lake, John Redcorn on King of the Hill.
But this may be the first time a Native actor has had a starring role
on an American network TV show. For the next six years, Adam Beach will
be solving crimes and portraying a modern Indian on a weekly basis.

Congratulations
to Adam for snagging this plum assignment. No doubt he got it because
of his fine work in Flags of Our Fathers. Now he won't have to worry
where his next paycheck is coming from

:( :( :( It's not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[docred]

Six years?
Wow - I wouldn't have thought a network would commit for that long for a show in it's 8th season. If he is replacing Fin, at least Munch will have a lot of fun with him. I'm trying to imagine Munch's response to "my father built this city". Not sure if it would involve the men in black or his ex-wives.....

[siggy26]

wow...and here I expected that either Meloni or Hargitay would be leaving. I didn't hear anything about Ice-T possibly moving on. I'm a little suprised.

[vengeful iago]

removed because I realized it didn't actually fit under media

This post has been edited by vengeful iago: Jan 20, 2007 @ 2:03 am.

[nameless slob]

Wow - I wouldn't have thought a network would commit for that long for a show in it's 8th season.

I think NBC is probably figuring Meloni and Mariska will stick around for two more seasons tops and they wanna make sure they have a familiar face as a back-up for the future.

I sense they are probably going with SVU the same as the others from the franchise, long runs, cast changes... The usual. But, oddly enough SVU hasn´t had big cast changes in its 8 years run and I personally wouldn´t watch if they change a lot of the cast.

And this romance with Casey. Wolf is really putting all his money in the personal stuff of the show. Maybe in the long run the show´s main leads will be Casey and Beach? That´s a scary thought.

Well, if Ice-T is indeed the one leaving, I am pretty bummed. But is actually better then Belzer leaving. It´s hard, I adore all the cast and I think they all balance each other pretty well. I actually love seeing Benson/Finn episodes, I think they work okay.

There he was overheard to say he's signed a 6-year, $12 million deal to appear on Law & Order: SVU

Well, if NBC is devoting so much money for the show, meaning they are betting on the show as their money maker, I hardly think they will not renew Mariska and Meloni´s contract.

This post has been edited by nameless slob: Jan 20, 2007 @ 6:44 am.

[zuzubailey76]

Wow. I'd never heard of Adam Beach before, but he was so awful last week that it just made me cringe. I'm pretty sure I couldn't watch him on a weekly basis.

[coffeegrounds]

Wow. I'd never heard of Adam Beach before, but he was so awful last week that it just made me cringe. I'm pretty sure I couldn't watch him on a weekly basis.

Me either, zuzubailey76. Never heard of the guy to start with, and after watching this last episode with his grating character, I know I couldn't watch him on a weekly basis, and won't.

On tv shows, first impressions pretty much set the tone concerning if you like a character or not, and for me this was, as you said, pretty awful.

Finn and Munch together have always been a treat for me with this show, and one of the main reasons I can still watch it. Take one of them away, and I've lost a good friend on tuesday nights.

[bella1013]

Maybe this is the first block in a gradual cast change.

They start with one character, and each year, the bestest new guest star gets a long time recurring role replacing one of the veterans of the show.

Also, I am sort of glad Casey gets to date and not Olivia.

[nowhat]

I think he's a pretty decent addition to a show that has had Ice-T as one of the regulars. To me, Fin is the weakest character on the show.

[TryingHarder]

Wow. I'd never heard of Adam Beach before, but he was so awful last week that it just made me cringe. I'm pretty sure I couldn't watch him on a weekly basis.

No,no, not on a weekly basis. That would be awful.

Adam Beach's big news
On Tuesday, Adam Beach attended the Western
Indian Gaming Conference at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in
Temecula, Calif. There he was overheard to say he's signed a 6-year,
$12 million deal to appear on Law & Order: SVU.

6 years and 12 million,,what the?? I really find that hard to believe.

[yankee kitten]

6 years and 12 million,,what the?? I really find that hard to believe.

Well not really. I mean Belzor and Ice make about, I'm gonna say 100,000 an episode, so that rounds out to about 2 million a year. I think that Beech would make about the same amount if he signed on.

[mtlchickie]

Wow. I'd never heard of Adam Beach before, but he was so awful last week that it just made me cringe. I'm pretty sure I couldn't watch him on a weekly basis.

It will be interesting if Beach manages to score an Oscar nod this week for "Flags of our Fathers." Right now he has at best an outside chance, but if he does land one, it will certainly raise his profile and this something that NBC would want to promote. However based on his acting this week, I hope they retool his character as he BUGGED.

[fifty8th]

Well not really. I mean Belzor and Ice make about, I'm gonna say 100,000 an episode, so that rounds out to about 2 million a year. I think that Beech would make about the same amount if he signed on.

He probably makes less that 100,000 and episode since there are like 23-24 episodes a season. It's like 85,000 an epsiode if he is in all of them. Anyway 100,000 an episode for someone with oscar buzz on an established show does not seem like a heck of a lot on money.

I don't think he is really lead material though, taking over for Ice-T makes more sense than taking over for Merloni. He is more an group player.