‘L.A. Law’ Co-Producer Patricia Green Resigns

Buffeted by a drop in ratings and harsh critical reaction from the news media, Patricia Green has resigned as co-executive producer of “L.A. Law.”

Steven Bochco, the show’s co-creator, and former executive producer David Kelley, who left the show at the end of last season, will oversee scripts for the remaining eight episodes of the NBC drama’s sixth year. Rick Wallace, who oversees production, will remain as co-executive producer.

Although the legal series still ranks No. 26 among the 120 prime-time series that have aired this season, its average rating is off nearly 1 million households a week from last season.

“The scripts have lacked the sense of humor, sexuality and quirky, fascinating character development they used to have when David (Kelley) was here,” said a source who works on the show, which has won the Emmy Award as outstanding dramatic series in four of its five previous years.

Before resigning, Green, who served under Kelley on the writing staff last season and previously worked as supervising producer on “China Beach,” told a reporter this week that “if people are going to insist on comparing us with David, it’s going to be hard.” She could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Warren Littlefield, president of NBC Entertainment, who had been actively involved in trying to fix the show, said: “With the team of David Kelley and Steven Bochco in their active roles as executive consultants, along with executive producer Rick Wallace and the ‘L.A. Law’ staff and studio, we’re in excellent hands--and we’re confident that the quality of the show will continue to improve throughout the season.”