According to Deadline, Jeffrey Donovan, a series regular on NBC’s Law & Order and had learned in November that Donovan wouldn’t be returning for the upcoming season. It was revealed in the Season 23 premiere a new series regular in replacement of Donovan. Reid Scott (Venom, Why Women Kill) as Det. Vincent Riley will be replacing Donovan in the upcoming season.

According to TVLine, For seasons Twenty-One and Twenty-Two, Donovan played the rigid Frank Cosgrove, a detective of the New York Police Department with traditional methods of thought. Donovan’s last time on the show is during the Season Twenty-Two finale.

Riley and Mechad Brooks’ Det. Shaw (A Fall From Grace, Supergirl) had a brief talk in which Donovan’s Frank Cosgrove’s departure was explained. In the episode, titled “Freedom of Expression” half way through the episode Riley asks Shaw about Cosgrove, his former partner.

Riley mentions that he knew Cosgrove and describes him as a great cop. “Great cop, just got jammed up”, Shaw retorts and adds “Being too honest about things people aren’t too honest about these days”. Giving the viewers some closure on Donovan’s departure.

Scott’s Det. Riley asks “Yeah, it’s not a great time to have an opinion, is it?

According to Deadline and TVLine, Jeffrey Donovan’s reason for his departure was due to artistic reasons after being chosen to spearhead the NBC season comeback. After news broke about Donovan’s departure Scott had been announced shortly after as a new series regular.

Hugh Dancy (Hannibal, Elle Enchanted) as Nolan Price, the senior prosecutorial assistant, Sam Waterson (Oppenheimer, Grace and Frankie) as DA Jack Mckoy, and Camryn Manheim (The Practice, Ghost Whisperer) as Lt. Kate Dixon are also members of the Law and Order cast.

Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, a branch of Universal Studio Group, produce Law and Order. 

Law and Order can be streamed on Peacock.