Dick Wolf says Skeet Ulrich's exit from 'Law & Order: L.A.' was 'very painful'

Dick Wolf, the creator of the "Law & Order" franchise, has seen more than his share of actors come and go from his dramas. But his decision to remove Skeet Ulrich from "Law & Order: L.A." was particularly hard.

"Sometimes someone has to die so that everyone else can live," Wolf said during a conference call to promote the April 11 return of the drama, which has been off NBC's schedule since last November. "It was a very, very painful call to make."

Wolf continually praised Ulrich, who was the first actor cast for the Los Angeles version of the landmark police/legal drama. Ulrich, who played a homicide detective, was one of the leads of the ensemble series.

But Wolf and Bob Greenblatt, NBCUniversal's new president of entertainment, agreed that the series was not living up to expectations, and that changes had to be made. Greenblatt told Wolf that the first half of the hour, which concentrates on the police investigation of the crime, was "not clicking."

Part of the problem was the rush to get the series on the air in time for the fall schedule. Wolf said some hasty decisions were made.

Greenblatt was also concerned about the handling of Terrence Howard and Alfred Molina, who appeared in alternating episodes as deputy district attorneys. Greenblatt was bothered that "we had two world-class movie actors who we were only seeing half the time."

When "LOLA" (the informal name for "Law & Order: L.A.") returns, Molina, who plays deputy district attorney Ricardo Morales, will return to the police force as a detective. Molina and Howard, who plays Jonah Dekker, will now appear in each episode.

Wolf said the rhythm of the series "is different and better." He added that he would gladly work with Ulrich again in a situation that was a better fit for the actor. 

Said Wolf, "When something isn't working, it's my fault."

--Greg Braxton

Comments

[joy]

ARE YOU PEOPLE ON DRUGS? I thought that we were going to find out that they were protecting him and his family, by saying he was dead.
I like Molina, but ulrich and partner were best part of this show.

[karl]

The one reason that I watch the new show was because of skeet. Now I won't have to watch it anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tina]

You killed off my man Skeet!!!!!!!!!!! He was the reason I watched the show!Well I'm done.

[Teresa Custer]

I only watched the show because of Skeet Ulrich. Guess I'll find something else to watch.

[SHERRY]

BIGGEST MISTAKE MAKE WITH A NEW SHOW.SKEET ULRICH MADE IT CLICK.WILL JUST STICK NOW TO THE ONLY ONE HIT SHOW LEFT NOW "BLUE BLOOD" WITH TOM SELLECK.HOPE THIS CHANGE DOESN'T HURT THE OTHERS IN THE SHOW THANKS TO A VERY BAD DECISION

[SHERRY]

thanks alot for a bad decision about skeet ulrich

[Brian K]

You made a big mistake. HUGE!

[Nance' T]

I loved the show! Skeet is an awesome actor & good eye candy.
I will NOT be watching it anymore.....

[Justin]

Wow another network that can't get there act together. Sounds just like syfy..... You guys are stupid to think that getting rid of one of your best acters would help improve the show's ratings. Heres a hint pay attention, read your fans comments it might help to save your as s's when it comes to your rating. Look at SYFY their rates took a nose dive when they started to get rid of their best shows that they had going for them. Please!!! "PAY ATTENTION", to what the fans say if anything else does work out... Oh ya don't rush things you lose fans that way.

[ernie pearl]

Never really cared for the past Law and Order type shows. My roomies used to T-Vo it and I would watch some but lose interest. Now that we have the L.A. version.......I LOVE LOLA !!! Been watching it since the launch episode. Yes it was sad to see Skeet Ulrich go but from the latest episode but I can see what needed to be done. I am hooked on this series now. I felt LOLA with more intense and drama now. I also enjoy seeing the neighborhoods/cities of great Los Angeles

[B McCowan]

You also killed the show by killing Skeet!

[NurseLC]

Agree with other comments, Skeet and the other detective are the ONLY reason I was watching the show...sometimes I enjoyed Terrance Howard but I was totally obsessed with Skeet and his character, as were many of my female friends. Alfred Molina is horrid on the show and when he is on it I usually SHUT IT OFF! Now I will just cancel it from DVR...Sad-

[Karma]

What a huge mistake. I've never watch any of the other L&O's and only started watching LA because of Skeet. The second half of the show was always the most boring for me so make that last longer is a waste of an hour. I won't be watching any longer.

[Mary]

I tuned in because I wanted to see Skeet in LOLA. I'm abhor you killed him off! Oh well, there are other shows I could watch. I hope Skeet Ulrich will be on one of them soon.

[Drew]

No more Skeet? Time to remove this from my DVR...

[bobbie]

I will not be watching Law and Order LA. Skeet Ulrich was the reason I watched the show in the first place. What were you thinking in deleting his character? Who cares about the other actors; Skeet was the star and heart of the show. One less fan for your show, I guess... Oh wait, count in my husband, too... Two less fans.

[charles clancy]

I thought Ulrich was the best part of LOLAA, but you are right something just didn't click, but I don't think it was Ulrich.

[doubledoseofkarma]

I LOVE COREY STOLL!!!! I mean, Skeet Ulrich!!! I love both.

So many bad things that NBC did in 'retooling' this show. First, and quite obviously, killing off Winters. I'll expand upon this later. Second, I actually preferred TJ with the mustache, now he has too much skin going on and considering how pasty he is in LA, it will just be more obvious. I love Corey he is a brilliant actor , sexy and very engaging on screen and I always maintained that the first part of the show with the detectives was the best part.

Molina switched to cop was just very bad writing, unbelievable and Molina was much better suited to the DA position. He looks out of place as a detective and is too intense for that role. Detectives are usually calm and laid back with witnesses and perps as not to rile them up. Intensity is suited for the DA role, not the cop. Which leads me to why so many people are Skeet Urich fans.

Yes, Ulrich is a handsome guy. But he is engaging because he is REAL and not hammy on screen and I think people intuitively pick up on that and it is fresh. On tv all you see are characters running around and yelling at people or sobbing uncontrollably or on the verge of tears every moment (I'm looking at you Howard) . Skeet is real and he and Corey were both fantastic in how they played off each other. I could actually believe that they had been a team for a few years before the show started. You forgot who the actors were and saw the characters they portrayed.

All of this is irrelevant now as I will no longer watch LOLA. Not worth my time.

[Zappy]

LOLA was boring at best. The L&O franchise is best delivered in the New York territory. With story lines weak and trite, they tend to lose my interest (much like CBS's NCIS LA) The only reason to watch it was for Skeet Ulrich (Though I do love Corey Stoll ,as well). Hopefully someone will get Skeet a show of us own. Lord knows, the man deserves it. It's obvious he has a BIG female fan base. Won't be watching LOLA again. You're better off Skeet.. there's a better show out there for you!

[Pamela]

I'm a big SVU fan and really didn't care to add another procedural show to my programming, but decided to give LOLA a shot only because of Skeet Ulrich. I do believe tptb are correct and something wasn't clicking. But it was defnitely not the cop work that wasn't clicking, it was the legal/courtroom part where it totally fell flat and I lost interest.

Add me as another one that will no longer be watching now with Skeet gone. But I guess you won't really know that anyway since I don't have one of those magic little boxes that tell you that I'm not watching.