Law & Order

I watch way too much television.
You know you watch too much TV when you can tell the time by the show that's on. Okay, maybe I'm not that bad, but I do spend time in front of the ole tube. And yes, I still have a tube TV. I was looking at the LCD and plasma sets, but I don't think I'm ready to step up to the plate yet. I only have basic cable.
The television is on as I write this. It's background noise for the most part, but if something catches my attention, well, it catches my attention. I blame it all on Law & Order. In fact, Law & Order is what's on right now. Sometimes it seems like it's always on.
I believe I have seen every episode of Law & Order ever made. More than once. Sometimes more than twice. Thanks to USA Network, that includes CI and SVU. I'm excited to see how Jeff Goldblum does this season, though he still gives me the creeps after seeing The Fly.
Besides being a well written, well acted show, there are other factors that keep me watching Law & Order. I like to see how many actors I can spot in different roles. They may appear as judges or lawyers on one show only to be victims or witnesses on others. Mostly I like to watch the criminals. I mean, if you can get Robin Williams to play a psycho or Roy Schieder to play a serial killer it means the show has some big draw. Maybe it's like a cult thing with actors. You have to have appeared on at least one episode of Law & Order or you haven't really arrived. DeNiro is DeNiro but has he ever been interrogated on the stand by Jack McCoy? Julia Roberts has been on the show for Pete's sake!
While I like all the main characters, my favorite by far was Lennie Briscoe. Jerry Orbach is missed by me and I would suppose legions of other Law & Order fanatics. By the way, I'm not a Law & Order fanatic. I just happened to have watched every episode ever produced.
I also enjoy the rotation of assistant D.A.s. Angie Harmon is my favorite. I don't think I have to say why. If I did there would by just too many things to list but let me just say that I wouldn't mind if she read me bedtime stories every night. Jill Hennessy would be second as I have a fondness for brunettes. I didn't like her so much in Crossing Jordan.
Chris Meloni also gets a nod as cast favorite, especially after his role in the movie Bound where he played a whacked out mobster and that movie where he played the kookie gym teacher. The guy has range and a fondness for quirky roles that I admire.
Vincent D'Onofrio has got to be one of the all time creepy TV detectives of all time. CI also has Courtney B. Vance. I liked him in Hunt for Red October, and he also played a criminal in the original Law & Order.
As you can see, I'm not at all obsessed or fanatical about Law & Order. It just happens to be on all the time and besides Chuck(that show rocks, I hope it's back next season), it's about the only thing network television has going for it. Conan is off the air for now so I can't really count him.
I have to hand it to USA network, they are truly evil. If I know one networks programming it would be USAs. I can't wait to see the last season of Monk, and continuing episodes of Burn Notice, and Psych. Oh and did I mention USA shows Law & Order all the time?
There are a couple of other shows I like too, like The Closer and In Plain Sight. The one show I am really digging though is AMC's Breaking Bad. Unfortunately it sometimes runs opposite Law & Order so it's a difficult decision for me to switch stations. Seems like once Law & Order starts, it's against the law to change the channel.
If Law & Order was on everyday all the time, maybe I wouldn't spend so much time on eBay.