I believe it was Mark Twain who once said: "Cast shake-ups are like Transformers — there is usually more to them than meets the eye." And I was reminded of how true those words were this week following my back-to-back exclusives that CSI and Law & Order: SVU would be losing Gary Dourdan and Diane Neal, respectively. Initially, I reported that the actors were leaving for the most mundane of reasons: Both of their contracts were up, and they had decided to move on. But in the hours that followed the posting of those stories, new information came to light that now calls into question my original sources the exact circumstances surrounding the exits — specifically, whether the stars were leaving of their own accord or if they had been shown the door. In the case of Dourdan, an insider at the show insists that he and CSI execs "mutually agreed" to part ways for "creative reasons." However, a CBS mole claims the 41-year-old actor was essentially fired, adding that producers ...
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Man, they're dropping like flies this week on the procedurals. Less than 24 hours after I reported that Gary Dourdan and CSI would be parting ways by season's end, word comes that Diane Neal has given notice at Law & Order: SVU!A show spokesperson confirmed the actress' departure, saying, "Diane spent five years on SVU and was a tremendous addition to the SVU team. She is looking forward to new opportunities and she will be missed."Neal, who will make her final appearance in next month's season finale, joined SVU in 2003 as ADA Casey Novak, replacing Stephanie March. She had previously appeared in a Season 3 episode as a different character, a female rapist by the name of Amelia Chase. The search for a new ADA is already under way, and, sadly, bringing March back doesn't appear to be an option. Word is that Dick Wolf is looking to fill the void with an up-and-comer. No disrespect to Neal, but, for my money, SVU is unlikely to ever find an ADA as arresting as Alex Cabot.
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For all you bloggers who want L&O:SVU to go back to investigating sex crimes I think we can all agree that the rape of a young boy is going to qualify.Now since Olivia was the featured detective in last week's episode it was pretty obvious that we'd be treated to a little Elliot Stabler tonight. But lo and behold who is that dapper chap standing next to him? Well if my eyes don't deceive me I do believe it's our long lost conspiracy minded investigator Det. John Munch. Haven't seen too much of Richard Belzer since NBC sidelined him at the beginning of this season. NIce to have him backWonder what came first though? Did the Orthodox Jew storyline logically dictate Belzer's presence or did they figure: well we're committed to putting Richard in one episode this year so let's throw his religion into the mix? If that's what its going to take I guess we won't see Munch again until SVU starts investigating hate crimes or someone defaces a synagogue. Shame. They even dumped him ...
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As Law and Order: SVU's ADA Casey Novak, Diane Neal has spent nearly a year throwing the book at bad guys. Sometimes this TV legal eagle's so carried away with herself, she feels like she is an attorney. A real judge recently had to give her a reality check.
"I was in court testifying about a woman who lives in my building," she chuckles. "At one point, the judge actually yelled, 'Ms. Neal, just because you play a lawyer on TV does not mean you have license to speak whenever you feel like it in my courtroom!' It was a humbling experience."
In tonight's episode (10 pm/ET), the pretend prosecutor goes up against one tough adversary — a corrupt judge who threatens to sabotage her. "I'm asking him to recuse himself," explains the actress, who often runs plot lines by her father, a real-life federal attorney. "When I told my dad, he's like, 'Oh, you're screwed. You never ask the judge to leave a case unless it's unbelievably clear he's never
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