JamesG
11-24-2010, 09:42 AM
Shake Up at "Law & Order: SVU" as Showrunner Neal Baer Moves to CBS
by Catherine Lawson
posted Nov 24th 2010
After 11 years with the drama, it's been reported that showrunner Neal Baer is leaving "Law & Order: SVU" at the end of this season.
According to Variety, Baer has been lured away from the NBC drama by rival network CBS, who offered him a lucrative three-year development and production deal.
His move to CBS seems like a natural fit because he's had long working relationships with senior CBS executives Nina Tassler and David Stapf.
"After more than a decade on 'SVU' I felt it was time to take a breath and say 'What's next? And those people who were there for me at the very beginning said 'We're next,'" Baer said.
He added, "I've loved every moment of 'SVU', and I am deeply grateful to Dick Wolf for giving me the opportunity to work on a show of such depth and profundity."
There's been no word yet on who will replace Baer at "SVU".
The police procedural has suffered from falling ratings in recent years, with Season 11 sliding right out of the Top 40.
The contracts of stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni are up at the end of this season and, although no one's mentioning the "C" word right now, coming after NBC canceled the mothership back in May, it's just possible that Baer's departure may be signal that the end is nigh for the drama.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/11/24/law-and-order-svu-showrunner-neal-baer-lured-away-by-cbs/
by Catherine Lawson
posted Nov 24th 2010
After 11 years with the drama, it's been reported that showrunner Neal Baer is leaving "Law & Order: SVU" at the end of this season.
According to Variety, Baer has been lured away from the NBC drama by rival network CBS, who offered him a lucrative three-year development and production deal.
His move to CBS seems like a natural fit because he's had long working relationships with senior CBS executives Nina Tassler and David Stapf.
"After more than a decade on 'SVU' I felt it was time to take a breath and say 'What's next? And those people who were there for me at the very beginning said 'We're next,'" Baer said.
He added, "I've loved every moment of 'SVU', and I am deeply grateful to Dick Wolf for giving me the opportunity to work on a show of such depth and profundity."
There's been no word yet on who will replace Baer at "SVU".
The police procedural has suffered from falling ratings in recent years, with Season 11 sliding right out of the Top 40.
The contracts of stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni are up at the end of this season and, although no one's mentioning the "C" word right now, coming after NBC canceled the mothership back in May, it's just possible that Baer's departure may be signal that the end is nigh for the drama.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/11/24/law-and-order-svu-showrunner-neal-baer-lured-away-by-cbs/