Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Election Year Politics Force Law & Order Changes
By
Jen Chung
Published May 31, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published May 31, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Now that Law & Order has been renewed for four more seasons, shakeups to the cast have been expected. And the most notable one is that Fred Thompson, who plays District Attorney Arthur Branch, is leaving the show to pursue a presidential campaign. We hope the writers work that in!
Law & Order producer Dick Wolf said, "I've spoken to Fred today, and although he told me he has not made a firm decision about his political future, he felt that given the creative and scheduling constraints of the upcoming season, he asked to be released from his responsibilities to the show. I will sincerely miss working with him on a regular basis, and I obviously wish him the best of luck with whatever the future holds." Hmm, this sounds more like a brilliant way to leave the Law & Order cast - though having your last episode be the one where you reveal to viewers that you're a lesbian is even better.
As for cast changes, the Hollywood Reporters says that Sam Waterston's Executive ADA Jack McCoy might take over as DA (whoa!) and that the detective played by Milena Govich may not come back. God, we miss Jerry Orbach. Our idea: Make McCoy the DA and bring back Paul Robinette, as played by Richard Brooks, as Executive ADA! Our second choice for EADA: Carey Lowell's Jamie Ross.
Tagged
Arthur Branch
As
best of
Carey Lowell
dick wolf
District
district attorney
Fred thompson
hollywood
jack mccoy
jerry orbach
law
Lowell
Milena Govich
Politics
presidential campaign
Richard Brooks
sam waterston
television
the future
tv
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .