The Problem Some Law & Order Fans Are Having With The Revival
The legacy of the original "Law & Order" is enormous. The long-running police procedural series, renowned for its unique format of featuring criminal investigations as well as their subsequent trials, has spawned as many as seven different spin-offs, some of which have matched and even eclipsed the original in terms of sheer popularity. Even when the original series finally stopped airing new episodes in 2010, it was clear that its torch would be carried on for a long time in the form of subsequent shows.
As it turns out, however, the old saying is true: some legends never die. The original "Law & Order" series has rejoined the current franchise slate, airing its 21st season in February of 2022, roughly 12 years after it concluded its 20th season. While having the original show back on air with brand-new episodes is certainly exciting for longtime "Law & Order" fans, a few devotees have quickly noticed a particular issue with this new revival.
The new characters aren't likable enough
Though Season 21 of "Law & Order" has seen some familiar faces make their return, such as Anthony Anderson's Detective Kevin Bernard and Sam Waterston's District Attorney Jack McCoy, there are plenty of fresh additions to the main cast as well. Newcomers include Jeffrey Donovan as Detective Frank Cosgrove and Hugh Dancy as Executive Assistant District Attorney Nolan Price. Unfortunately, many of the new characters on "Law & Order" are falling flat for veteran fans.
"They just aren't likable to me," Reddit user u/JustHere4ait commented on a discussion thread on the r/LawAndOrder subreddit. "I just didn't care what they had to say I was just looking for anything but got annoyed with them. Obviously they wouldn't click and have chemistry episode 1 but I at least wanted to like them."
Other users shared similar sentiments, with some even singling out a few particular names in their criticisms.
"I cannot stand Jeffery Donovan!" user u/baxiesmom commented on the thread. "There's something weird about his mouth, like he's talking through gritted teeth. The ADAs are awful, not invested in the job and no cojones."
The new characters have invited plenty of criticism, but some fans are holding out hope that they will soon find their footing and even become fan-favorites.
"Overall the episode was decent but when it comes to the characters we gotta give them a few episodes to breathe," Reddit user u/BMDNERD commented on a separate thread. "We not gonna love them overnight."