Most people would be wary to begin a series in its 13th season. Most people would be nervous to join a cast after the exit of a high-profile star. Kelli Giddish is not most people.
"I couldn't feel better about it. ... There's no intimidation," Giddish tells TVGuide.com of jumping onboard Law & Order: SVU. "What attracted me was the prospect of re-invigorating a franchise that's been so well-known and so well-liked, and then to be the shaker and mover."
Giddish is one of two fresh faces in the 16th District's SVU team this season, which also sees the departure of longtime showrunner Neal Baer and the exit of star Christopher Meloni. "They've lost a close family member and that's very, very obvious. The writers are not...
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Adam Beach is leaving Law & Order: SVU at the end of this season, as he and the producers have mutually agreed not to extend his option for a second season on the NBC procedural. "I very much enjoyed my year on Law & Order: SVU," Beach tells the Reporter. "Now I'm looking forward to new adventures."Says overL&Ord Dick Wolf, who also worked with Beach on HBO's acclaimed Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, "Adam is a superb actor. He did a terrific job this season on SVU, and I look forward to working with him again in the near future."Beach's news caps a wild week in which the departures of Gary Dourdan (CSI), Diane Neal (SVU) and Khandi Alexander (CSI: Miami) from their respective shows have been scooped by Ausiello. — MWMRelated:• Exclusive: Khandi Alexander Departs CSI: Miami• Exclusive: Were Dourdan and Neal (Gulp) Fired?• Exclusive: Diane Neal Bails on Law & Order: SVU• Exclusive: Gary Dourdan Leaving CSI
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Well at least Mariska didn't look as orange this week so that's good but when Erika Christensen introduced herself as a Special Agent with the F.B.I. I had to smile. She looks like a kid to me. And maybe even worse...she sounds like one. Now the Traffic and Swimf@n star is 25 years old so I guess its possible for her to run an investigation in the hunt for the serial killer The Woodsman...no wait...it just seems kind of dumb. Tell me: am I alone here? Does everyone on this show HAVE to be young and beautiful?? That scene at the strip club was just embarrassing. I don't think the owner could have been any more stereotypical. Asking if she "wanted to get her freak on"...What? For the second time this season I thought I was watching a bad 70's TV series. Something is seriously a bit off this year since I never feel that way watching the reruns.A stylistic change I've also noticed this year is the use of voice overs. In this case we hear Dr. Huang describing the killer's prof...
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I have more news on the Richard Belzer front. I spoke with the actor himself this week and he is very grateful that you guys all miss Detective Munch and it turns out we weren't imagining things: Belzer’s contract this year was reduced from 22 episodes to a measly 13. No word on why this happened. Belzer is as mystified as we are but the 63 year old's character was pretty much replaced by 35 year old Adam Beach this season. Nobody is saying its ageism and maybe I am just as conspiracy minded as Detective Munch but you do the math and tell me what you think.Executive Producer Neal Baer would not comment further. Although he told me last week Munch wasn't going anywhere, they have sure found screen time for Adam. I think every episode this season. Personally Munch is one of my favorite characters. He is funny, cynical and real. If you want to see more Munch let your voice be heard. Write to NBC or send a letter to TV Guide Magazine and let the show’s producers know ho...
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This Sunday at 9 pm/ET, HBO premieres Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, a wrenching adaptation of Dee Brown's history of the hardships the Indian nations suffered in late-19th-century America. In it, the quirkily charismatic Anna Paquin plays Elaine Goodale, the wife of a Dartmouth-educated Sioux (SVU's Adam Beach) who devotes her life to the tribe. The Oscar winner spoke with us about the film.
TV Guide: How would you describe Elaine? Paquin: She's strong and modern. Most people weren't interested in working with native populations at that time, but she spoke the language fluently and lived on the reservation. She knew the culture from the inside.
TV Guide: Wha
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