Law & Order: CI is undergoing yet another staffing change.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio has been cast as the show’s new captain, sources confirm to me semi-exclusively. She replaces Eric Bogosian, who is the latest CI vet to depart as the show shifts its focus to Jeff Goldblum and new partner Saffron Burrows.
As I previously reported, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, and Bogosian will exit after appearing in the show’s two-part season 9 premiere. Rumor has it one of the three will be carted off in a body bag.
Thoughts on Mastrantonio as the new boss? Sound off below! (Additional reporting by Keith Staskiewicz)
PHOTO CREDIT: Bogosian: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC; Mastrantonio: John
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I will continue to say Goodbye to this show after the 2 part premiere. I adore Jeff but I’m gone. No Vincent no show and I predict the ratings will hit rock bottom. Goodbye to a great show I followed from NBC To USA.
I won’t be watching again. I’ll remember them as they were. I like JG and MEM, but they won’t replace KE and VDO. And I’m not about to watch either of the two stars get killed off. First the move to USA and now this, it is a literal death march, only they seem unaware of it.
I agree with you, why fix when it’s not broke. They have a good mix but, now it looks like it’s going to sour.
I continued to watch L&O:CI because of the dynamic between Goren and Eames. I still think Jamie Sheridan was the best Captain on the show and was pissed that they let him go. Now that D’Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, and Bogosian are leaving and “Maid Marion”, Sorry that is what I see her as and cannot get it out of my head, is joining, there may be another L&O that I will stop wataching.
Come on NBC! Why change a good thing….
Dick Wolf is the producer of these shows, not NBC. He’s the one that insists on the staff changes. And, in my opinion, that’s what keeps the franchise alive. In real life, staff changes.
Jamey Sheridan wasn’t let go, he quit because he was sick.
Actually, JS signed on for 5 years only and left when his contract expired.
One of his reasons behind leaving was that He and his family lived in California and Jamey commuted to New York for filming.
well, she is also an oscar nominee. I’m glad she’s back working.
At least they have the same hair.
Yup, I’m out after Goren and Eames go.
Me too. When Goren & Eames go, so will I.
Agree totally
Me too. No Goren & Eames, no me.
No Goren, Eames, or Ross = No Me! USA Network has murdered LOCI !!
eames
This is totally unbelievable. USA Network is gutting Criminal Intent. Why don’t they just start from scratch? This is disgraceful and just shows there are no brains at all at USA Network. Vincent D’Onofrio built Criminal Intent along with Kathryn Erbe. No Goren and Eames, no Criminal Intent. Don’t ever trust USA with your favorite show. They’ll screw it up. Idiots!
Good point. If they are going to do all of this, they might as well start over. Regular fans aren’t likely to stick around, so why throw the new folks into an almost-guaranteed loser?
NBC owns USA, enough said.
I’m out too. I only watch the episodes with Goren and Eames. I’m sad that we will only have two more episodes left with them. There will be so much left unfinished.
Sorry but L&O has stuck around because of cast changes. It can get stale and was getting stale with Goren and Erbe. New cast means new stories and ways to tell them.
I’ll be checking it out
I completely agree. I’m putting some trust in USA here and hope to see some unique story lines coming up.
The show was created around Goren. It’s like getting rid of Dr. House, basically.
The show was created around the concept of knowing who the criminal was to start off and following the police trying to get inside their heads. Those of us who’ve watched L&O from the very beginning (Chris Noth and George Dzundza) have seen the characters come and go and the format stay solid. With CI, you got more into the heads of the criminals and the cops. But the format is solid and they’ve been looking for a change. I’ll give it a chance like every other round and hope Logan will come back from time to time, although I’m loving Chris Noth on The Good Wife!
twman is right – Dick Wolf created the show with D’Onofrio in mind for the part. It was the first L&O created around a specific character, not just the stories.
Exactly! You can’t have House without Dr. House. You can’t have L&o CI without Goren. I mean, really! He was the whole reason I watched!
Oh, and my Mother is completely in love with him and is really upset! And I have to hear it all the time. Pray for my sanity.
Congratulations to NBC for managing to kill a Law and Order series, that it NOT an easy thing to kill!! But with the departure of D’Onofrio and Erbe, every single fan seems to be departing too. The sad thing is, USA/NBC (whatever) MUST know this and still are not taking steps to prevent it by keeping the stars that people tune in to watch. I hate to tell you this network execs, but WE DO NOT WATCH FOR THE STORY LINES, WE WATCH FOR GOREN AND EAMES!!! Goodbye to L&O:CI I’ll miss you! Because EVERY person with a brain knows that this will be the last season without our stars
Well, I won’t be watching, so makes no difference to me. After Vincent is gone, so am I.
They keep sinking further and further. L&OCI will be nothing more than crap by the time they’re finished with it.If they’re trying to get the show off the air, well they’ll do it. It will be a big joke after Vince and Kathryne leave.
Wow, I can’t believe all the love the outgoing cast is getting here. All BS of course, or their ratings wouldn’t have sent them to USA in the 1st place. Good riddance to D’Onofrio’s bloated Columbo ripoff and Erbe’s blank-faced standing around. Begosian’s a loss, but Goldblum and any partner is a total upgrade.
I never liked Goren… I never watched this show until Goldbloom came along. I don’t like the Captain (Bognosian) nor Erbe.
I actually watch and like this show now!
You are so correct
There’s no BS about it. The majority of fans love Goren & Eames. The show didn’t go to cable because of ratings. NBC was going to can the original L&O and Dick Wolf made a deal to keep it on the air so he could equal Gunsmoke’s 20-yr record run. NBC felt they couldn’t support all three L&Os — probably because they’re the fourth network and can’t command as high an advertising dollar. USA actually asked for LOCI because it was so popular. Dick Wolf made the deal so as not to jeopardize his number one.
Dick Wolf is an idiot. He just wanted the recognition of having the longest running show on tv. Well, I hate to inform him, but there is a big difference between a 20 year show with numerous cast changes throughout the run and a 20 year show that had virtually the same cast (minus one or two people) for the entire run. The whole L&O franchise needs to go away. LOCI was the only one I liked and it got the worst treatment.
Finally! someone making some sense on this comment board. These two actors aren’t gods gifts and they aren’t the best on tv. Just cause they are leaving doesn’t mean the show is going to go down the tubes – it might even be better! Saffon Burrows and Goldblum will make a great team I think. If you all are that upset about these 2 leaving the show – go outside and play, there is more to life than tv…
Uh Kendra, that’s kind of the point. You said if we don’t like it leave…and that’s what we’ve been saying all along. Many fans watched the show because they liked Goren and Eames. They will stop watching when they leave. End of story.
this show IS Goren & Eames, bye bye from me and YUK @ the replacement detectives.
I am so over Goren’s antics, I can’t describe how happy this makes me feel. Maybe I’ll actually watch the show now.
I definitely
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
I still like Jeff Goldblum though.
I love D·Onofrio, he is the best and L&OCI, is not the same whithout him. Carmen.ARGENTINA
I refuse to watch Saffron Burrows. What a stupid decision, to cast her.
I’ve been a fan of L&O:CI, and loved the pairing of D’Onofrio and Erbe. Jamey Sheridan was a great captain and Courtney Vance made a great DA. Those familiar with the Dick Wolf universe should understand that he’s notorious for cast changes (Look at the original Law and Order and the many MANY changes over the years). Although I am incredibly sad that D’Onofrio and Erbe are going out, I will still pretty much watch the show. Goldblum added some much needed flavor (Wasn’t a fan of Noth AT ALL), so I’m curious to see what happens next.
I followed Law and Order from NBC to USA and have watched every Goren and Eames episode. With the addition of the new cast, and the exit of the old, I will no longer be watching the show. Sadly, I Tivo all of my shows due to my hectic work schedule, so my “views” won’t count in the ratings.
I love this show and am very excited about the new cast members..Great……………
Boooooooooooooooo!!!!
Kathryn Erbe is one of the most underrated actresses on TV. It was a shame she always was overshadowed by D’Onofrio (who always got the know-it-all role.) And now she won’t even be around at all anymore. THAT’S the real loss here.
On the plus side, it opens up her schedule for other projects. I think she’s great and expect her to do some fine things with her career after she leaves the show.
My thoughts exactly.
Me too! Can’t wait to see her in something else.
P.S. Looks like you haven’t “fallen back” yet here, at least based on the time stamps of the comments.
there better be no body bag departure for any of them. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!. i like the jeff goldblum character much better than i thought i would, but enough is enough. don’t push it dick.
Are they kidding? USA Network is trying to take a critically acclaimed, beautifully acted DRAMA and turn it into dumbed down drivel – tastless slop! No D’Onofrio, no Erbe, no Criminal Intent. Nice move NBC/Universal/USA – you’ve made yet another gigantic mistake!
DIck Wolf should be ashamed of himself!
All these nay sayers who will never watch this or that show ever again……..get real. They will continue to sit on their couch munching potato chips and guzzling down their Bud….. don’t believe anything…..unless the writing gets so ridiculous they will have their dates with the boob tube as usual
You are right I will continue to date my “boob tube” but once Goren and Eames are gone L&0:CI will be dumped
The only thing I hate more than greasy, disgusting potato chips is beer. Yuk.
But I do love Goren & Eames. I haven’t liked Goldblum’s character all that much, and I think Burrows is a crap actress. So I will be leaving L&O:CI when Goren & Eames leave.
If Dock Wolf wants to change the cast of a L&O, he should make changes on L&O:SVU.
That’s really depressing. I like Jeff Goldblum’s character but not enough to keep watching with all the other changes going on. No Goren or Eames, no show.
That is the end of Criminal Intent for me–nothing against Goldblum and Mastrantonio, but it seems there’s little point to watching anymore. I could have even withstood Goren’s leaving, but him AND Eames? They’ve lost me.
Campainging to move to FOX, with a chance to re-hire VDO, KE, and EB!!
Vincent D’Onofrio leavinf is the best thing to ever happen to TV.
However why don’t they just give Jeff Goldblum his own L&O spinoff?
D’Onofrio’s character was really getting to be tooooooo much of a all knowing type. Image he can answer questions at the the snap of this fingers concerning all kinds of subjects history no proplemo, physics no problemo, chemistry no problemo, forensics no problemo, medical no problemo. And the Erbe’s character tagging along like a loyal poodle. It really needed a change……..period………