Jeffrey Donovan's Replacement on 'Law & Order' Is Unexpected But Perfect

By Dustin Rowles | TV | November 24, 2023 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | November 24, 2023 |

We still don’t know why Jeffrey Donovan exited Law & Order, other than the “creative differences” that were cited, but the long-running series has found a replacement to fill the spot vacated by Det. Frank Cosgrove. The addition comes from the world of comedy, but honestly, the assholes he often plays on television are not that distinct from a New York City detective.

The actor is Reid Scott, best known for his long-running role as an obnoxious cad in Veep and a slightly less obnoxious cad in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The veteran television actor has appeared in guest roles on too many television shows to recount. He also plays the fiance of Michelle Williams’ character in the Venom movies.

Put that man in a cheap detective’s suit, and he’s perfect, isn’t he? He has that dry, sarcastic wit that recalls the best in L&O history, Lennie Briscoe. While I liked Donovan in the series, particularly in his second season, the series may be moving away from Det—Frank Cosgrove’s whole “anti-woke vibe,” which was often a disruption to the series.

Meanwhile, Law & Order is such a well-oiled machine that the entire L&O franchise will be among the first television series to return after the Hollywood strikes. Law & Order, SVU, and Organized Crime will all return on January 18th.

In the meantime, they might also consider ditching Hugh Dancy’s prosecutor. I like Dancy, but his character’s bleeding-heart liberal shtick is annoying.