Christopher Meloni leaving Law & Order SVU

[Groo The Perverted]

This show is officially going to end next year, I predict.

Not only is Meloni reportedly leaving the show due to a contract dispute, but Hargitay will only be in a "supervisor" role in show (perhaps a captain or something?) and rumor has it they're bringing in Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Yep. Next year will probably be it's last, if those things happen.

Personally I always envisioned the perfect ending to this show (prior to them cancelling the original L&O) as such:

Stabler ends up beating a pedophile to death in interrogation or wherever, and ends up going on trial. They could have done a cross-over with the regular L&O show/cast as he's being prosecuted.

That would have been a cool way to end the show, in my opinion.

There has been some chatter in recent weeks about whether or not Chris Meloni, known for his role as Detective Stabler on Law & Order: SVU, would be returning for the show’s 13th season. It has been reported by TV Line that he is in fact leaving the show. This would mean the show would be losing one of it’s most beloved characters, and one that has been around since the show’s inception in 1999.

It has not been a good year for the Law & Order franchise. The original series was cancelled after 20 seasons, falling just short of breaking the record for longest running scripted show. Law & Order: Criminal Intent was announced to be ending after its current season (which airs on USA Network). NBC cancelled Law & Order: LA after just one season after poor ratings and questionable cast decisions. Now SVU, which currently is the most popular of the franchise, is losing a lead character.

There has been no further developments regarding if the show will give him a proper send off or if he’ll appear at all in its 13th season. Given the ending to this season, it can very well work with him not appearing, but obviously fans will be missing him. Then again, turnover on these types of shows is not out of the ordinary. How many cast changes did the original series go through?

Fear not though fans, as earlier this year Warren Leight signed on as showrunner for next Fall. For the unaware, Leight was the showrunner of such shows as Lights Out, In Treatment, and also Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He signed on after the cancellation of Lights Out by FX to replace Neal Baer. The news regarding Meloni has not been confirmed by NBC but you know how this goes.

What do you say fans, will the loss of Stabler lose your viewership? Warren Leight knows how to a run a show properly, so chances are it will recover. Sound off below.

[Tyger]

This is what NBC gets for canelling the original; the crumbling of the entire franchise.

[Groo The Perverted]

Originally Posted by Tyger

This is what NBC gets for canelling the original; the crumbling of the entire franchise.

While I hadn't watched L&O (original) in a long time, I still was frustrated at the fact that they cancelled it ONE YEAR before they would get the record for longest running scripted drama. That is just a slap in the face, I think. They could have moved it to USA (like CI), but they just threw it away, and the history with it.

[Tyger]

I'm right there with you. I didn't watch it, it was the weakest, but it deserved to go on that one more year.

[ForEver Blu]

The Mothership should've been renewed from a 21st and final season.

Breaking the current record, held by the CBS Western Gunsmoke.

Then given the proper sendoff it truly deserved, EPIC FAIL by NBC.


Nothing

But

Clueless

[Alexias_dad]

He was the best part of the show.Sucks that he's going to leave.Oh well still have Ice-t

[Groo The Perverted]

Originally Posted by Alexias_dad

He was the best part of the show.Sucks that he's going to leave.Oh well still have Ice-t

Maybe they can bring back Ryan O'Reilly.

[Alexias_dad]

Originally Posted by Groo The Perverted

Maybe they can bring back Ryan O'Reilly.

I enjoyed him on the show, im all for it.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by Tyger

This is what NBC gets for canelling the original; the crumbling of the entire franchise.

Agree although they lost me as a regular viewer once Jerry Orbach was gone.

For so long they just plugged people in and it was a seamless transition, but past season 14 it was just hard to watch for me

[Agent Bond]

I LOVE SVU. It breaks my heart to see him leave the show.

[PrivatePixel]

What do you say fans, will the loss of Stabler lose your viewership? Warren Leight knows how to a run a show properly, so chances are it will recover. Sound off below.

Not only will Stabler's departure end my viewership, I see this as an irrecoverable mistake on the part of NBC (just keep digging that hole, NBC.... ). Whenever you lose a primary character on any long-running show, some loyal viewers will be lost. I have always viewed both detectives, Benson and Stabler, as inseparable: remove either, and it's an inevitable downward spiral for the series. You may as well sound the death knell if Jennifer Love Hewitt is (rumoured to be) brought onboard.

[Kizzo]

I will miss Chris.. he is a great actor. But with the current viewership... there is no way they could reach his salary demands.

[ForEver Blu]

Originally Posted by Kizzo

I will miss Chris.. he is a great actor. But with the current viewership... there is no way they could reach his salary demands.

Wonder how much more $$$$ Meloni was asking for?

Both he and Hartigay got a huge raise a few yrs ago.

[Groo The Perverted]

Well both of them get 395k an episode, just shy of the highest earner on TV, Hugh Laurie, who gets 400K.

at 23 episodes, that'd be about 9.2 million per season.

Not sure what they are wanting though.

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by Groo The Perverted

Well both of them get 395k an episode, just shy of the highest earner on TV, Hugh Laurie, who gets 400K.

Not sure what they are wanting though.

I'm under the impression that contract negotiations weren't in tandem with Mariska's, that Meloni was hoping to increase his own pay structure.

I think Meloni is a far more integral part of this show than Mariska. When she took maternity leave from SVU during the latter part of 2006, I was disappointed by her absence, but I didn't object to her replacement, Connie Nielsen, who did a decent job of filling the void. I think viewers can cope with an absence if they know that an actor will be returning, but knowing what awaits us for the next season, following Mariska's leave after episode 13, the show is pretty much dead in the water.