Insane Reason Why One NBC Franchise Was a Step Away from Getting Canceled
It took the team four years to fix their mistakes.
By 2023, both the television and film industries made great strides toward fair representation of minorities.
It's fair to say that the goals we've achieved today would not have been possible without the changes the industry had to make nearly three decades ago. These changes were necessary for television to be realistic in its portrayal of women rather than perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Today, however, we can admit that some of the measures were a bit too radical.
For example, NBC's most popular franchise, Law & Order, created by Dick Wolf in 1990, was on the verge of being canceled after only three seasons because of its persistent lack of female characters. The problem was present from the beginning, as the show had an all-male cast, but the pressure from NBC gradually grew over the years (via Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion).
Trying to figure out how to add more characters to the show without losing its unique format, the series’ creators added Dr. Elizabeth Olivet, portrayed by Carolyn McCormick, to the cast. Her name also appeared in the credits from season 2 to season 5 of the show, but in reality it was impossible to include her in every story.
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After season 3, it became clear that having a "token" woman on the show and giving her space in the credits would not be enough to stop the pressure from both viewers and the studio. Not only were the creators of Law & Order afraid of losing their audience, but they were also threatened with cancelation and removal from their Friday time slot.
At that time, Dick Wolf had to make the difficult decision to fire two cast members, Dann Florek, who portrayed Captain Donald Cragen, and Richard Brooks, who portrayed ADA Paul Robinette. This change was heartbreaking, but allowed the show to evolve and grow into the massive franchise we know and love today.
All of the Law & Order series were renewed by NBC for their respective upcoming seasons earlier this year. Be sure to keep an eye out for news and updates on their premiere dates.