Even more Law & Order good news today: British broadcaster ITV has asked for thirteen more episodes of the superb UK incarnation.
They have given the green light to a fourth series of the British spinoff, which features Jamie Bamber, Bradley Walsh, Freema Agyeman and Ben Daniels (pictured). Harriet Walter and Bill Paterson also star. Law & Order: UK is currently airing its third series, with the final episode to screen tomorrow in the UK and a week from tomorrow in Canada. It began its run on BBC America on October 3.
In a press release, ITV also reveals that Juliet Stevenson and Nicola Walker, both of the hit British series Spooks, will guest star in the fourth series. The long-running Spooks is produced by Kudos Film and Television, which is also behind Law & Order: UK, alongside Dick Wolf and his Wolf Films brand.
Laura Mackie, ITV's Director of Drama, is quoted as saying: "Law & Order: UK is continuing to deliver audiences with its top flight acting and 'ripped from the headlines' storylines that captivate and entertain."
It's not yet known when American audiences will see these episodes. BBC America has only aired three episodes of the first series, and will air the second immediately thereafter, but has not made any statement regarding any episodes beyond that. Still, American fans of Law & Order: UK can now enjoy the idea that there will be thirteen more episodes of this impressive, engrossing crime drama.
For more Law & Order: UK, you can check out my review of last week's episode "Vice" and stay tuned on Friday for my review of this week's episode, "Unsafe."
Law & Order: UK airs Fridays at 9 PM ET/PT on BBC America, and recurs throughout the week.
The acting is great, but the first three episodes shown on BBC America are rewrites of original L&O stories we have already seen!
It's common knowledge that all the Law & Order: UK episodes are adaptations of Law & Order Prime episodes. The show's even been promoted as such. Personally, I find no fault with it – the adapting is very well done, and the issues are still as relevant now as they were when the episodes were originally written. I actually liked "Vice" better than "Working Mom" (its US incarnation).
BBC America stated in their original press release that they plan to air 26 episodes, so they've definitely got the rights to Series 3 and Series 4 as well. I assume we may see a break after the first two series air in the US, but hopefully not a long one.
I knew they had them, I just haven't heard anything regarding when they're going to air them. I hope you're right though, and we don't see a major gap between them – not like with Spooks/MI-5 that was there and gone, and as far as I know, still sitting in TV limbo unless you count random PBS reruns.