The Identity Crisis of LOLA
When Law & Order: Los Angeles (or LOLA, as the fans called it) premiered in 2010, it had massive shoes to fill. The original series had just ended its historic 20-year run, and NBC was desperate to keep the brand alive. They threw everything at the wall: a star-studded cast featuring Alfred Molina, Terrence Howard, and Skeet Ulrich, and a high-budget Los Angeles backdrop.
But the show struggled with a massive identity crisis. Halfway through the only season, the producers realized the ratings were tanking and did a massive creative overhaul. They killed off characters and moved others from the courtroom back to the police station. The result is a season that feels like two different shows stitched together.
"The plot was boring and predictable. The acting was wretched."
That's a bit harsh from the IMDb crowd, but it hits on a core truth: by 2010, the 'ripped from the headlines' gimmick was starting to feel stale. While the show tries to use the glitz of Beverly Hills and the grit of Hollywood to differentiate itself, it usually just falls back on the same tropes we've seen a thousand times. If your kid is into forensics or legal dramas, they'll find much better writing in the early seasons of the original Law & Order or even Bosch for a more authentic LA feel.
