(Photo: Peter Kramer/NBC)
Law & Order is losing one of its stars. Per Deadline, Jeffrey Donovan is not returning for season 23 of the NBC crime drama series.
Starring Donovan, Sam Waterston, Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, and Mehcad Brooks, the series follows the police and district attorneys who work to take down criminals in New York City.
Donovan was tapped to lead the revival of the series as Det. Frank Cosgrove in 2021 and is reportedly leaving the series for creative reasons after two seasons.
Anthony Anderson signed on for one season of the revival as Det. Kevin Bernard from the series’ original run. Anderson was replaced as Frank’s partner by Mehcad Brooks as Jalen Shaw in season 22.
It is not yet known when in 2024 the NBC series will return. The abbreviated 23rd season will likely have 13 episodes, and production is set to begin later this month.
What do you think? Are you shocked that Donovan will not return to Law & Order for season 23? Are you disappointed by his departure?
It’s a crying shame Law & Order is even still in production. Shame on you Sam Waterston. Surely you don’t need the money THAT badly.
I liked him on Burn Notice, but his accent bothered me on Law & Order. I also didn’t like the constant fighting every episode between him, and his partners on racial issues which got old real quick.
I didn’t like that on the very first episode when the new Law and Order started. It felt incredibly forced to me, even as a black man. Didn’t feel authentic at all.
Such a shame, he’s half the reason I watch the show (the other being Hugh Dancy). But I hear it’s for creative reasons and that’s understandable. Law and Order mothership series wasn’t ever known for rich character development and it doesn’t look like that’s changed at all since it came back.
They gave him some interesting stuff with his teenage daughter, but I get if he wasn’t feeling creatively fulfilled ‘cos I wasn’t feeling very fulfilled with his part on the show, either. Hopefully he’ll find some interesting new project to pursue and we get to watch it.
I don’t know why he is leaving bc he was really good.