Dick Wolf, NBCU, and Oxygen Discussing Crime-Themed Rebranding @NBCUniversal @oxygen

According to Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, Dick Wolf and NBCU are in talks with Oxygen to rebrand the network as all crime, all the time. Oxygen has already begun programming some law and order programming, which speaks to the popularity that other networks (Discovery, A&E) have recognized that these kinds of shows continue to have among U.S. viewers. Currently, Oxygen programs several "true crime" shows, such as "Snapped," "It Takes a Killer," and "Homicide For the Holidays."

More Lawyer Shows To Make Debuts This Fall

Come fall 2016, Dick Wolf will have another series on air. This one will be called Chicago Justice, yet another one of the "Chicago" franchise, and will focus on the attorneys that criss-cross the hospital and police department scenes of Chicago Med and Chicago P.D.

The series will star Philip Winchester, Nazneen Contractor, Joelle Carter, Carl Weathers, and Ryan-James Hatanaka.

Meanwhile, CBS is headed toward putting a Good Wife spinoff in production, with Christine Baranski (Diane Lockhart) again in a starring role, but this show, title as yet unannounced, will air first on the network and then move on to CBS' All-Access streaming service (right now priced at $5.99 per month). Interesting proposition.

A New Legal Drama From NBC

NBC will be offering up another law-related drama, perhaps for the fall. This time, it's a soap (sorry, I should probably call it something else, like a legal relationship drama--LRD). Miranda's Rights (get it?) will center on a nearly thirty-year-old attorney who needs "redemption" after some sort of "sex scandal" and thinks she'll get it by partnering with some other (maybe younger) lawyers in a new firm. I can't quite tell from the limited information available from The Hollywood Reporter whether Miranda Coates, the "Miranda" of the title, is Hollywood's version of "ancient" at 28 compared to the "millennials" who are starting the firm. If so, that would be really sad.

NBC is also picking up Chicago Law, a fourth spinoff from Dick Wolf, as a scripted legal show, so legal series mavens may have a lot to choose from this coming year. 

Dick Wolf Returns To Prime Time TV

The New York Times discusses Dick Wolf's new series "Chicago Fire." Here's a link.

Good Bye To Nearly All That

Alessandra Stanley provides a look back at yet another series in Dick Wolf's venerable franchise, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which aired its last first-run episode this week.