'L&O' Births International Series; 'CSI' To Follow?

Despite the cancellation of the third Law and Order spin-off, Trial by Jury, the producers of the franchise are looking to create a new L&O. This time, however, set abroad.

Series creator Dick Wolf recently unveiled his plan to develop a Law and Order series set in France. The new French series would not be a spin-off on its own, but an adaptation of the popular Criminal Intent, with French actors portraying the existing characters. The French version of Criminal Intent is set to premiere in 2006 on the broadcaster TF1.

"It's an enormous accomplishment. By creating a localized French version, the potential to grow that audience becomes limitless," Wolf told Daily Variety. "It's practically never happened that a current U.S. drama has been formatted abroad, certainly not while it's still airing on TV."

It's never happened before but it might become common, as Law and Order isn't the only American television show ready to expand internationally. The popular Desperate Housewives is looking to create Spanish adaptations of the series in Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Argentina, on the grounds that the popularity of sitcoms has declined south of the border.

And of course, the CSI franchise isn't staying behind. Creator Anthony Zuiker has already toyed with the idea of taking the series' concept abroad. CSI: London is the top contender if the franchise were to birth a localized version.

"I just don’t see the rhyme or reason to do a CSI four domestically," Zuiker said back in April. "I just know from doing the third show, it’s hard to be creatively different and have different ideas to do a fourth show. But I do think this is a successful formula in an international arena."

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