There's an old saying. If it's not broken, don't fix it.
Somehow, Dick Wolf ignored this time-honored proverb, and so did the
suits at ABC, which allowed him to remold his revival of Dragnet into
yet another clone of his "Law & Order" franchise over on NBC. The
result? "LA Dragnet" was cancelled less than two months into the
season. Last I knew the show was still running on USA in late night,
so here's an option that can be explored.
USA was contracted to "repurpose" eps of Dragnet when the series
returned a year ago come Monday. Since ABC has given up on the show,
why not just restart production (not all of the eps for this season
were completed, I believe), and move the show into prime time on USA,
so they don't have to shove "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
repeats down our throats? Seems like there's a L&O:SVU marathon every
other night.
What hurt "LA Dragnet"? Here's a few reasons.
1. Low ratings. The usual excuse.
2. Moved from Sunday to Saturday, to appease David E. Kelley (The
Practice).
3. Aired opposite another Wolf show (The District).
4. Broke the format by switching to more of an L & O style ensemble.
5. Not heavily promoted by ABC, which should've known better.
I grew up with the 60's revival with Jack Webb & Harry Morgan.
Recently, I purchased a DVD of episodes from the 50's (Webb & Ben
Alexander) and a 3-CD set of radio shows from the same period. I don't
know if Universal is going to release the 1967-70 series on DVD, but
if they haven't already, they should. Someone posted here that plans
for a DVD of last season's revival (Ed O'Neill & Ethan Embry) have
been scuttled. Boo, hiss! I watched every one of those shows. Ed
O'Neill, IMPO, shattered the perception that he was forever typecast
as Al Bundy. People forget that he played cops in a number of movies
before, during, and after "Married...With Children". He redefined the
role of Joe Friday by injecting more intensity & energy into the part.
Jack Webb would've been proud.
This goes out to the suits at USA, which I guess is now linked to NBC.
Please pick up what's left of "LA Dragnet", and put it back on the
air. Like, yesterday.
And to think Embry left to work on that movie "Timeline". Couldn't
they have come up with a "reimagined" Bill Gannon?
J. C. Gilbert
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