Longtime Law & Order: SVU castmember Dann Florek had one stipulation when discussing his exit from the series with showrunner Warren Leight. On Wednesday's episode (9/8c, NBC), Capt. Cragen will retire from the force after 15 seasons of SVU and three seasons on the original flagship series - all of which makes him the longest-running character in Law & Order history. Cragen is the second member of the squad to retire from the force in one season, following Sgt. John Munch's (Richard Belzer) festive farewell in October. The exits of longtime Law & Order characters are usually given far less pomp and circumstance. Meloni's sudden decision not to return was a big part of why the Munch and Cragen characters stuck around past the point when they hit the NYPD's mandatory retirement age. Leight says the farewells have been emotional both on-screen and off for the tight-knit cast and crew, especially in the post-Meloni era. "Mariska [Hargitay]'s acting partner was gone as well as her character's partner, and she looked to Dann for some stability and guidance," Leight says. [...] I think its good dramatic timing Shortly before Leight joined the drama for Season 13 and before Meloni decided not to return to SVU, reports surfaced that Olivia would be promoted to a supervisor position and that a new female detective would be brought in. "The social order of her work life will be changing, but I don't think she's ever going to be a behind the desk all the time," Leight says.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 18 hours ago.
↧