New character is a mystery

LOS ANGELES — The newest member of "Law & Order" — Dennis Farina — isn't talking much about the character he'll play. And don't expect to find out a whole lot about him when the show returns in the fall.

Which is, of course, par for the course when it comes to the procedural crime drama.

"I like to say he's going to be the type of guy that you wouldn't want to play poker with and that you really never know too much about him," said Farina, best known to TV viewers for his starring role in "Crime Story." "He's a little bit of a mystery. There's some rumors surrounding him — that he's a single guy and he might dress a little better than some policemen are supposed to and have a little bit more cash than some policemen (do). There might be some theories about that, but I'm not going to give anything away."

Which, once again, is what the various "Law & Order" shows have always been about.

"Every time on these shows, which are procedurals, that you go home with somebody, you're off story," said creator/executive producer Dick Wolf. "It's distracting and it doesn't do anything for the storytelling. And that's not going to change."

While some actors (including George Dzundza and Paul Sorvino) have chafed under playing a character who has little character development, Farina insisted it's no problem for him.

"I often think more is said with just one line or a look than a whole explanation about everything," he said. "And I love mystery. I don't want to know about everybody. I don't want to know what you do in your private life or anything."

Despite the fact that he's replacing the popular Jerry Orbach on the show, Farina also insisted he's not feeling any pressure.

"No, I don't feel any pressure about replacing Jerry Orbach because I don't think it's a replacement. It's a reassignment," he said, adding that he leaped at the chance when it was offered to him.

"Dick and I have been talking about doing something for a while — a couple years. And when Dick said to me, 'Jerry is leaving and he's going to do another show. Would you be interested in coming on?" To me it was a no-brainer. I mean, it's the best writing on television.

"When you look at a script or an episode of 'Law & Order' . . . it's like biting into a real good steak or a good forkful of really good pasta. You know it immediately. . . . I feel very fortunate to be here."

TRIAL BY JURY: Jerry Orbach is gone but not forgotten. Actually, Orbach and his character, Lenny Briscoe, aren't really gone. At least not far.