In Moscow, the premiere scored a 20.5 share /8.1 rating, placing the series #1 in its timeslot and winning the night over all. A second original episode aired March 13, scoring a 23.2 share/8.9 rating, also winning its timeslot and the night overall. The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Russian format airs on prime time on Mondays and Tuesdays on NTV at 7:45 p.m. A Russian format version of Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered March 14, on NTV in the same timeslot, scoring a 23.1 share/9 rating.

The Russian format versions of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: SVU are co-productions of Russian production company 2V and Global American Television. The deal was first announced in May 2006 by NBC Law & Order Universal International Television Distribution, Wolf Films, and Russian broadcaster NTV. The announcement marked the second and third international format deals for the Law & Order brand, the most successful in the history of US television prime time. A French version of Law & Order: Criminal Intent was announced in July 2005 and is scheduled to premiere on French network TF1 later this year.

Leslie Jones, VP of International Sales and Format Production for NBC Universal International Television Distribution.

The unprecedented agreements mark the first time in Russian history a US prime time drama series would be remade for a local audience. The Russian versions of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: SVU adapt the original US scripts, taking into account language, culture and the local justice system. 

Law & Order

Both series are produced by 2V and GATV, on behalf of NTV, in association with NBC Universal and Wolf Films. In order to adapt the series for a Russian audience, 2V’s Pavel Korchagin and GATV’s Ed Wierzbowski consulted with the Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: SVU creative teams, including Dick Wolf, the shows’ writers and producers, along with Leslie Jones, Vice President of International Sales and Format Production for NBC Universal International Television Distribution. “We’re thrilled that our first Law & Order formats to premiere have performed so well out of the gate and we look forward to seeing Law & Order become as much of a household name in Russia as it is here in the States,” said Leslie Jones, Vice President of International Sales and Format Production, NBC Universal International Television Distribution.

“The fact that audiences have quickly embraced these series is testament to the quality of the productions, as well as the global appeal of the Law & Order brand and its stories.”

 Law & Order (Russian version)