Having a sense for an appropriate mix of story strands is one of the characteristics that make Dick Wolf's team so successful. We have ongoing romantic tension, particularly between Brett and Casey, but that is really secondary to the ongoing family atmosphere, centred around the obvious father of the house, Chief Boden, but including his actual family, the Herrmann family and now the Cruz family. As I have said in other reviews, I believe that it is the successful incorporation of the aspect of family that results in a world-beating TV series. Law and Order: SVU, Bones, Castle, The Mentalist, they all fall into that mould of a suspenseful storyline peopled by actors who successfully present a family group. UK productions such as Silent Witness, Vera, and the Endeavour/Morse/Lewis series hold to that model. I have to think that there may not have been such a family aspect in the original Law & Order series., and that it why it didn't survive, while SVU is soldiering on to series ?23? The UK series of Silent Witness is now heading for its 27th year. As for present viewing, the suspense of individual episodes keeps us viewing these individual episodes, but it's the ongoing family that keeps us viewing long-term. Then again we have the comedy aspect, with the swaddling contest, and the Veronicat storyline concluding later. It all keeps us coming back for more!
Review of Don't Hang Up
