Law & Order Boss Explains How Anthony Anderson’s Det. Bernard Will Be Written Out of Season 22
Law & Order vet Anthony Anderson will not be back for Season 22 (premiering Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8/7c) and now we know how the Dick Wolf procedural will write out Det. Kevin Bernard. (As TVLine previously reported in November 2021, Anderson had signed on for just one year of the NBC revival.)
“It’s a little mention,” showrunner Rick Eid told TVLine as part of our upcoming, in-depth Fall Preview. “It’s in the time-honored tradition of Law & Order where it’s very brief and it’s like, ‘Moving on. Here we go. We’ve got to solve the case.’”
Bernard’s exit will be mentioned in the second episode of Season 22, following the three-way crossover with Law & Order spinoffs SVU and Organized Crime, which spans the series’ Sept. 22 premieres. According to Eid, incoming detective Jalen Shaw (played by Supergirl alum Mechad Brooks) will transfer over to the precinct after working with Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) during that crossover.
“You get the idea that Cosgrove liked working with him, and then we find out that the character Anthony [Anderson] played has moved on,” he explains.
The new season will see the rest of the core cast return, including Hugh Dancy (Hannibal, The Path) as senior prosecutorial assistant Nolan Price, Oldelya Halevi (Good Trouble) as ADA Samantha Maroun, Camryn Manheim (The Practice) as Lt. Kate Dixon, Jeffrey Donovan as Frank Cosgrove, and Sam Waterston as DA Jack McCoy.
Additionally, Grimm’s Claire Coffee will appear in at least one episode this season, as a lawyer.
What do you hope to see in Law & Order Season 22? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Want scoop on any of the Law & Order shows? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.
Love Mechad Brooks! So happy about his casting!
I half expected Anthony’s mother to grab him by his ear and walk him out of the precinct.
LOL
Good one.
I started watching because of AA role. It just upsets me when networks start something they can’t finish!!
Anthony Anderson said from the beginning he was only doing one season.
And they should have told him never mind!!
What? They brought almost everyone back and they left. AA had other priorities Mainly his family. In Hollywood, that is rare. So, good for him..
But Mechad Brooks is a really good actor. Anthony Anderson WANTED to come back for one season. Apparently they respected and wanted him bad enough to accept that. Sometimes, it’s just like that.
I kind of figured AA only came on to act as a transition from the old series to this new one. Since the timing for him was best with Blackish just ending.
S. Epatha Merkerson and Jeremy Sisto are both tied up doing other Dick Wolf series. And Sam Waterston is acting as the carryover for the DA’s office.Th
I was hoping they’d say something like he was promoted to Sargent and was placed in another precinct or something. I thought it was a little sad that he was still a Detective in the revival.
Lots of detectives stay detectives through the end of their career because it’s the job they want.
Very true… they never make a big deal out of cast changes. However, I am still disappointed Claire Coffee is just going to guest star… I was hoping she’d be a regular or at least reoccurring.
Just hope Cameron Manheim turns down the temp of her character.. too much “taking this personally “ stuff for me. I have watched EVERY SINGLE L&O from the beginning multiple times.. I found her portrayal of a precinct Lt too too emotionally involved with each case
Really? I only remember once or twice where she took it personally.
Really. I have been watching since the beginning and the character of Jack McCoy as a prosecutor and then DA took a whole lot of cases personally. Anita Van Buren did also as captain a few times I can remember. Maybe you just don’t like Cameron Manheim but I think she was a great addition to the cast. Sad to lose Anthony Anderson
Poochie had to return to his home planet.
Please please bring back M.E. Rogers…LeslieHendrix
Absolutly bring her back! She would be a plus for the show!
Please bring back M.E. Rogers…Leslie Hendrix. Should be the head ME now. And please bring Annie Lebovitz back as a judge. She was always wonderful in her little appearances. Thank you.
Fran Lebowitz…Annie Leibovitz is a photographer. 😜
I want to see Elisabeth Rohm (Serena Southerlyn), Michael Imperioli (Nick Falco), and Tovah Feldshuh(Danielle Melnick) as defense attorneys, although Falco could be an ADA.
Falco was a detective
I’m disappointed Anthony is leaving! He makes the program worth watching!😟
I agree!! He’s the main reason I watch the new Law & Order shows. At least Jack McCoy’s still on it, but i wish they could bring back some other characters from old shows. I’m not sure I’ll continue to watch it other than the crossover shows. We’ll see how it goes.
I was so excited to see Anthony Anderson again on the show. I don’t like Cosgrovr. I think Anthony Anderson should’ve joined the lieutenant of the present.
Jeffrey Donovan aka Cosgrove is a good match for Law & Order. He was good in Burn Notice on USA network as a former spy who got “burned” from the federal agency he worked for. Check it out.
Get him gone. Worst detective ever, a clown at best, just unwatchable really. Mr Stink. Yuck.
I totally agree. Well said.
Want 2 c Benson and Stabler start dating
When will they replace Dancy????
I feel the same. He is overacting and hard to watch.
Yes, When Will They Get Rid of Dancy? Don’t think he belongs on L&O.
Love this franchise. I watch new ones and old ones. Well done. I’ve watched so many come and go. Loved Mr. Orbach, mr. Noth, Mr. Sorvino, not to mention Sam Waterson, Marisa, everyone. Great shows. Oh yea, Dan Florik all Law and Order s. Incredible entertainment and acting on all . Munch, Ice T, I can keep going.
I am so glad he’s leaving…no chemistry with the other detective. His character was a know it all with a minority chip on his shoulder, not something I want to see when I’m enjoying TV.
I agree about the minority chip. But! His partner made him go there with his little snide remarks. I really don’t think they liked each other or had any chemistry in real life. As a viewer I felt and seen the tension between those two. I think AA did the right thing by leaving.
I totally agree! So loved watching Anthony Anderson really hate to see him written out especially so soon! Hope he returns soon!
Very happy to see Anthony Anderson gone. His character changed significantly since the previous run of the show. Never appeared that his focus was on the show but instead was to push an agenda. Right or wrong, it just wasn’t appreciated. The show and the city should take center stage and not Anthony Anderson.
Agree. I like Cosgrove aka Jeffrey Donovan. I have been following him since Burn Notice in 2013 on USA Network. Great series!
I hope to see Linus Roche in season 2!
I agree with you. However,I miss my favorite det. Dennis farina… Who was a real cop in Chicago… Turned out to be a great actor…
Yes he was great! Had no idea he had been a real cop! A great actor and he should come back to L&O.
Since Dennis Farina is dead, there’s not much chance he’ll show up again on Law & Order.
It’ll really be L&O when they bring back Lorraine Toussaint as Defense Attorney, “Shambala Green.”
I LOVD all the Law & Order franchises! Any hope to bring back Criminal Intent with Goren/Eames/Vance?
Vincent D’Onofrio nearly lost his mind doing that series. They replaced him with Chris Noth and it was not nearly so good.
I totally agree that Goren/Eames period “writers” were much more impacting. The approach made the viewers think much more about what all was happening during the cases. The 2 actors were outstanding delivering theat times stunning approach. You could almost relate personally to Goren’s thoughts and actions..often could b alittle scary
Bernard should get transferred to d.a. office as a investigator. Then he can do a recurring role.
Love Law and Order. As so many have commented, watched from beginning and will continue watching . Seen re-runs over and over and still enjoy the. Dick Wolfs shows are the only decent ones on TV, and that includes streaming etc. Will miss Anthony Anderson character, but the show has always been great no matter who is in the caste.
TOTALLY AREE with Paula’s statement. I watch ALL of the L&O programs and really still enjoy watching the reruns of SVU and the newest series with Elliot Stabler in It! Organized Crime is great, but I’d like to see more crossovers with Liz and Elliot showing up in each other’s cases and time slots. I hope these programs NEVER END!
I did not like the racist attitude of Anthony Anderson. I am glad he is leaving. We hear too much about racism everywhere in our lives everyday, in every show. I just want to be entertained…not being given social issues constantly.
I liked Anthony until he played on law n order. His only concern is about the whites are against blacks. Even on the show to tell the truth he n his mom are the same way. I have no problems with the blacks n have friends I adore that are black. Enough is enough about us always picking on blacks. Let’s move on n try to get along. I agree 100% tks
The Jeffrey Donovan character is the racist one, AA just called him and the system out when it was appropriate in the rich, privileged, white upper west side of NYC.
Did she just say “ with the blacks”??? That says it all right there!
Yes, that’s what she said. SMH
I love Anthony Anderson, he proved he can do both comedy and action/drama. I’m also glad they chose Mechad Brooks, I think he’s an underutilized actor and has done quite well in all of the roles I’ve seen him portray. I will be tuning in because of him and Jeffrey Donovan (loved his show “Burn Notice”). Jeffrey’s an ass on this show, but for some reason, I like it!
I love Jeffrey Donovan, too. His character fills the role that Lenny Brisco had: The smart aleck comments. That was the best thing about every episode of the old L&O. Miss Jerry Ohrbach.
Its a shame because he is the best actor on the show.