There’s a lot of strong ‘Law & Order’ types

I object to the snippy Dec. 17 editorial, “Justice on the small screen,” attacking the TV show “Law & Order.” The show and its spinoffs have earned their popularity with tough, well-written, well-acted, hard-hitting crime dramas that frequently reflect breaking news and the dilemmas facing real law-enforcement officials -- particularly the ongoing clash between successful prosecution and due process. If the episodes seem similar, that’s because real crimes and police operations also fall into pretty regular, repetitive patterns. The “Law & Order” shows are the only series television I watch regularly because I like the gritty neo-noir atmosphere and the creative ways the writers refract ongoing news into compelling fiction. My only criticism is that to fill up an hour’s running time, the scripts often get melodramatic and farfetched, but that’s a minor blemish on what’s otherwise first-rate entertainment.

May “Law & Order” and its spinoffs run another decade.

MARK GABRISH CONLAN

San Diego

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Hands off “Law & Order.” Its routine is what is so comforting about the show and all its variations. When I’m stressed, I search for it on TV, and as soon as I hear one of the theme songs I relax. Please don’t give any network the idea that the franchise is past its prime. It is the best opiate out there: calorie free, alcohol free and drug free.

CATHY LASCOLA

Santa Monica