LEGAL SURROUNDINGS

The set for 'Law & Order: Trial By Jury' has not been struck, even though the show itself was struck down. It's getting a new lease on life now that the network is developing a new series from Dick Wolf about assistant district attorneys in New York.

The 'Trial By Jury' set will remain standing for at least a year in New York to be used in the production on the planned ADA series, which was pitched to NBC brass late last week.

"I fully expect to be in production within the time period" of the agreement on keeping the sets up, Wolf said.

Wolf said the new show would be much more character-driven with closed-end story lines and less of the procedural format of Wolf's 'Law & Order', and its offshoots 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent'. He said the show also would be part of a youth movement at the franchise, with the average age of Manhattan assistant district attorneys being 28.

"It will be much more of an ensemble than the other shows, with time spent not necessarily on their personal lives but how they're driven, what made them, who they will become," Wolf said. "It's a very transitional age."

Yeah, not necessarily personal.... but maybe there'll still be some sex in the offices. Hey, it's time to bring back that 'L.A. Law' licentiousness!

But still, just having the set alone works for me in making a crossover for this un-named show. And what I'd like to see would be the return of Amy Carlson as ADA Kelly Gaffney.

I suppose at - what? 38 by then? - the other ADAs would be calling her Granny......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby