NBC only has so many hours in a week, but Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" franchise is spreading overseas, with a deal to create a localized version of "L&O: Criminal Intent" for the French network TF1.

"I think if it bears fruit in France, it's a pump-primer for the rest of the world," Wolf says.

In other words, we're talking world domination here, folks. Maybe even bringing a crime show-ridden galaxy to its knees.

Oh, sure, NBC canceled "Law & Order: Trial by Jury," but Wolf would have us believe that's just a blip on the Wolfian radar.

Yeah, he's bummed -- I thnk he used words like "incredibly disappointed" -- but he and NBC have an understanding about these things.

"This is much more like a long-term marriage with no possibility of divorce," he says. "We're stuck together."

But it's not the lack of sizzle in his business marriage that's behind that chip on Wolf's broad shoulders.

Asked to explain why a guy whose shows generally get well-reviewed so often seems to be annoyed with TV critics, he suggests that "what makes me angry is the lack of sophisticated business reportage."

In other words, as we rave about the "Desperate Housewives"-fueled comeback of ABC, we're apparently failing to mention, at least often enough to suit Wolf, that his NBC "shows generated $1 billion in revenue last year."

Other than that, "I'm not pissed off. I'm a very happy guy who has three shows on the air."

Well, that's a relief.