NBC RENEWS 'LAW & ORDER,' 'LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT' AND 'LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT' DRAMAS FOR 2006-07 SEASON

BURBANK, Calif. -- April 27, 2006 -- NBC has renewed "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" for the 2006-07 season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment.

"Since 'Law & Order's' inception 16 years ago, these well-crafted series have come to define quality dramatic television," said Reilly. "All of us at NBC are grateful to Dick Wolf and his amazing team for producing these extraordinary shows, and we're glad they'll be back again next season."

"We are thrilled that we are continuing to do what this remarkable team has done so successfully for the past 16 years -- create episodes that excite, educate, disturb and sometimes, even infuriate our audiences," said Dick Wolf, creator and executive producer of the "Law & Order"-branded series.

Entering its 17th season this fall, the venerable and Emmy Award-winning "Law & Order" drama is the longest-running police series and the second longest-running drama series in the history of television. Filmed entirely on location in New York City, the drama takes a realistic look at crime, justice and the criminal justice system from the dual perspective of police investigators and prosecuting attorneys.

This season, the original "Law & Order" series (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) is averaging a 3.5 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 11.1 million viewers overall. "Law & Order" is building on its 18-49 lead-in by 38 percent in the Wednesday (10 p.m. ET) hour and is delivering the #3 most upscale audience for any primetime network drama this season (in concentration of homes with $100,000-plus incomes in its 18-49 audience).

"Law & Order" is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Dick Wolf is creator and executive producer; Nicholas Wootton, Matthew Penn, Peter Jankowski and Walon Green are executive producers.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is in its seventh season and the pickup will mark its eighth season. The series chronicles the life and crimes of the elite Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department and is also filmed entirely on location in New York City and New Jersey.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (Tuesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) is averaging a 5.0 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 and 13.9 million viewers overall. For the season, "SVU" is NBC's #2 drama in adults 18-49 behind only "ER," and is the network's #1 drama in total viewers. "SVU" is matching its highest 18-49 rating ever for original episodes at this point in the season (a 5.6) and is winning the Tuesday (10 p.m. ET) hour in 18-49 by an average 35 percent margin.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Wolf is creator and executive producer; Neal Baer, Ted Kotcheff and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (Sundays, 9-10 p.m. ET) is in its fifth season and celebrated its 100th episode in January. In true Sherlock Holmes fashion, the series takes viewers into the minds of criminals while the squad employs psychological approaches to solve the crimes. The drama is averaging a 3.2 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 10.9 million viewers overall. "Criminal Intent" is building by 41 percent on its 18-49 lead-in for the season in the Sunday (9 p.m. ET) hour.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is a production of Wolf Films in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Wolf, Rene Balcer, Fred Berner and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.