According to press reports -- ie, interviews with Jeff Goldblum -- Season 8 filming starts in September, just weeks from now -- and no replacement has yet been announced for Warren Leight.

What's the problem?

TV series don't run themselves -- at least not ones with a future, and with so much at stake financially for Dick Wolf, it's mystifying as to why there's been no announcement yet of a replacement for Warren Leight.

Who's working with Jeff Goldblum to develop his yet-unnamed character?

Who's mapping out Season 8 story arcs for LOCI (G/E) and LOCI/alt (X/W)? Developing episode ideas? This stuff doesn't happen -- and just happen to be good -- overnight either.

If not the return of master storyteller Rene Balcer, then who? Can't Wolf find anyone?

I don't mean to be a downer but this is very serious -- a show without a showrunner -- and seems to imply trouble behind-the-scenes at Wolf Films.

And why haven't we heard yet that VDO and Erbe have been re-signed for next season? I don't think they'll go the way of Chris Noth but why such a big delay in a happy announcement? With Noth leaving, the show could use some upbeat press.

Anyone know anything?

I volunteer. I don't know what a show runner does, but I'm good at organizing and I'll study REALLY, REALLY hard. What's that you say? Studying the cast is not part of the job, well darn. Okay never mind, but as long as I'm here I'll just keep studying them a bit more. SIGH!

Here comes Vince, and Kate and ERIC and Julianne, and that new guy. Okay guys line up and, um, wave hi to the people on the USA forum.


Alright, Alright, I'm leaving. You security people can be such kill joys. Bye, guys. See you in season 8.

I volunteered months ago, Hey I was fan of the week, what better qualifications do you need? I get most of the trivia questions right. I can order people around. Keep the stars happy. Keep the writers happy too. Hell they just have to pay my expenses. I can work cheap. They just might have to fly in some cajun food once in awhile, cause northern food sucks. Sorry northerners.

Oh, crap the bed! Go on wicha bad self! Hell, I didn't know he was leaving either? I should be fan of the week, I'm your twin, remember?

Well, a show without a showrunner doesn't bode well, but no announcement about a permanent replacement for Leight doesn't necessarily mean that no one is acting in that capacity.

Maybe they're having 'try outs'? Maybe it'll be Dick Wolf himself, it's been a long time for him, maybe he's got the 'itch' again? Bonnie Hammer seems to be very hands on - maybe she's going to do EVERYTHING herself? Run a network, run a show - no difference. More than plenty of time, there are after all 24 hours in a day.

Ok, I"m joking because I don't have any information or sources to be able to speculate in any meaningful way. But it is worrisome and I hadn't particularly been thinking about. Now I'm not going to be able to think about anything else.

Oh, this obses... I mean overly intens... umm, focused interest is soon going to be responsible for me having as much gray in my hair as my favorite actor.

It's possible that Actors and others are not yet willing to "formally" (in writing) commit themselves to anything until SAGs Contract is settled.

Start filming/taping in September doesn't necessarily mean Airing in early season. It could be that they are "pushing" the writing and taping schedule. If much of the Season is already on tape, the editors and technicians can keep working on post-production editing even during a (I hate to say it) Strike. And, when the Strike ended, the "finishing touches" could be quickly added to make the Episodes ready for Airing. So, the Actors would be free to pursue outside projects, instead of taping all Spring and Summer as they did this year.

Just because they haven't announced doesn't mean they don't have a short list or aren't in contract negotiations as we speak. I'm sure it's not because they have no qualified candidates.

Good point. Still, there's so much prep work for a new season -- especially one featuring a new, major character.

When Balcer left it reportedly was after a year (or more) of grooming Leight to take his place. This transition -- if it can be called that -- implies more chaos than planning.

I thought it was going to be Eric Overmyer (consulting producer for the last several episodes) but now I read that he's taken the job of showrunner for a new, New Orleans-based HBO series.

Given the production timeline, Wolf is cutting it pretty close, don't you think?

Worrisome, very worrisome.

Here's a thought....Dick Wolf and USA know more than you do.

Just because there hasn't been an 'official' press release, doesn't mean there isn't a new showrunner. They're still filming season 7 (Noth's last episode) Perhaps they're waiting for the season to end before making an announcement.

And really.....Who knows when Warren Leight got the itch to leave? For all we know he's been 'training' someone.

I expect this new season to start this October, and by now before the season premiere...leaves a whole gap of knowing who could be the showrunner?

I think other veteran writers should get a shot, Diana Son or Peter Jankowski, as EP.

If not, I can be it...I already gave out ideas for a fictional season 8 in the CI fan fiction thread.

Could be. Or maybe he's too busy fighting over money with NBC (per the recent Wall Street Journal article) to pay attention to business at LOCI.

Did Warren Leight quit or was he fired?

Welcome Mothernight! He is going to be working on a new show--on HBO I think, but I'm not sure I'm remembering correctly.

He's going to run "In Treatment" on HBO. As far as we know that was his choice.

Warren got a really great offer from HBO to run 'In Treatment'. So he took it.

HBO pays people pretty well from what I have heard but then I would suppose they have to as they are a subscriber service and to get people to pay for their programming you need to put on programming worth paying for which means you need to pay the people who make your content decently.

No official word as yet on who the new CI showrunner will be. I have heard a few rumors from a variety of sources but I have a policy of only posting that which I know to be solid information. So that's all I have to say on the matter at the moment.

As soon as I know something definite I'll post what I know.

The Vault

Thanks for the information and the welcome.

I know this is completely off-topic but I can't figure out where to go to find this out: I'm trying to load my avatar from a Photobucket album, and try as I may to paste in (repeatedly) the url nothing happens.

Would one of you nice people tell me what I'm doing wrong? I know the file isn't too big -- it's been scaled down for message boards.

Help!

Hi mothernight. Welcome to the forum. I am very technologically "challenged" but I believe this will work. Once you log in, go to the blue section on the top of this or any forum page and click on "My Controls". On the left side of the "My Controls" page are various options to choose, one of which is "Edit Avitar Settings". If you click on that option it will allow you to input your avatar from Photobucket. Good luck.

Welcome to the boards =)

Is your image a gif, jpg ,jpeg, or png? Those are the types that will work. You can reply on the Off-Topic thread.

That's interesting. I'm not familiar with either name, but it says they are both L&O veterans. So that sounds good.

Umm....I know I'm not always playing with a full deck. But did I imagine that post by Tessluvsv?

2 Showrunners - intriguing. Now I can go worry about something else, I have no control over.

Well my interview is next week. I don't know what to wear.

You can borrow something from me? Maybe nice fitting pants, with thongs!!! Maybe no panties or bra! Show them some sex appeal!

I hear employers LOVE that look!

I think having 2 showrunners is a great idea! Both men have a lot of experience, they've written for L&O, SVU, ER, Walon Green has also written for Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue, and they both worked on Dragnet with Dick Wolf.

There have been some comments about Green's age (He's 72) I'll admit, at first that troubled me, but then I realized that he's the same age as John McCain. He's running for President (not that I'd vote for him. Not because of age, but because I don't agree with him) Warren Buffett is 77 and he rules the world, he has more energy and drive than most 27 year olds.

Bottom Line....Age doesn't matter. Passion for CI, Great writing, and a good working relationship with Vincent, Kate and Eric, that's what it's all about.