Jesse Metcalfe’s Surprise Desire to Rejoin Law & Order After Major Shakeup!

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In the 2025 TV lineup, “Law & Order” hasn’t yet aired its 25th season, which is several months away, but it appears that not all of the Season 24 main cast members will be returning. The show has been following a pattern of losing key actors during summer breaks without a formal farewell in the final episode, with another regular character departing. Although Odelya Halevi’s exit might have seemed likely given the heavy implication that Maroun shot the man who murdered her sister, it is actually Mehcad Brooks’ character, Jalen Shaw, who will no longer be part of the team.

Hearing about Brooks leaving made me recall a chat I had with an actor from Law & Order, eager to resume his NYPD character last spring. However, priorities come first!

Mehcad Brooks Is Leaving Law & Order

Actor Mehcad Brooks will not be reprising his role as Detective Jalen Show in the upcoming season 25 of “Law & Order,” Deadline reports. Instead, Brooks is choosing to pursue opportunities beyond the series, a decision unrelated to any conflicts. The original cast members, including Tony Goldwyn and Reid Scott who renewed their contracts after season 24, are set to return, while Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, and Maura Tierney have also joined the show.

With Brooks departing, Law & Order is maintaining its pattern from the revival seasons by losing a series regular after each season so far. Previously, Anthony Anderson left following Season 21 as Detective Kevin Bernard and Jeffrey Donovan exited after Season 22 as Detective Frank Cosgrove. My personal favorite departure was Camryn Manheim’s exit after Season 23, where she played Lieutenant Kate Dixon. Following the events of Season 24, it was Brooks’ turn to leave the show; he stepped into Anderson’s role when he joined in Season 22 as Jalen Shaw.

In simpler terms, they haven’t chosen an actor to play Detective Vincent Riley’s new partner in the NBC drama yet, but there’s someone I believe could take on a bigger role if given the opportunity.

Jesse Metcalfe Would “Love” To Return

In an unexpected turn of events, former Desperate Housewives actor Jesse Metcalfe made a guest appearance on Law & Order as Sergeant Danny DeLuca in an episode where Mehcad Brooks’ character Jalen Shaw was not present. This meant that Metcalfe’s scenes for the Season 24 episode were primarily with Reid Scott as Detective Riley and Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Brady. When I interviewed Metcalfe before his March episode, he expressed his hope that the character of Sergeant Danny DeLuca could be further developed and even potentially advance to become a detective.

After watching the episode, I inquired from Metcalfe about his experience working alongside Reid Scott to shoot an action-filled episode throughout Manhattan. He provided some insight into this collaboration.

Working with Reid was simply outstanding. He was incredibly friendly, encouraging, and we seemed to click right away. Many people on set, even some of the producers, noticed our immediate connection. I believe this camaraderie will be evident on-screen. The chemistry between us was exceptional.

The recently released episode titled “Folk Hero” can be streamed using a Peacock subscription. This episode emulates real-life events, with an insurance executive serving as the week’s victim. Intriguingly, New York residents intentionally obstructed the police from capturing the killer. Riley and DeLuca eventually solved the case, and it was then passed on to the legal team consisting of DA Nick Baxter (Tony Goldwyn), ADA Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy), and ADA Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi).

In other words, is there a chance that Jesse Metcalfe would collaborate with Reid Scott and the entire cast once more, considering an awkward incident during production, if the opportunity arises? Upon being asked, he responded immediately, affirming his interest.

Certainly! In my own words, here’s how I might put it:

“I can’t help but feel a strong desire to step back into this role once again. Should the chance arise, I am eager to further develop and enrich the depth of this character.

It turns out that Jesse Metcalfe had a surprising connection to “Law & Order” long before his guest appearance. This link stretches all the way back to his time working on a show with a brief run on the same network. Intriguingly, he revealed this tidbit himself.

1) I’m absolutely fond of the initial series, along with all its spin-offs too… I had the pleasure of collaborating with Kelli Giddish, known from Law & Order: SVU. We were both part of a brief procedural drama on NBC called Chase, focusing on U.S. Marshals. Consequently, I’d occasionally watch her performances. Now, being involved in such an illustrious franchise with a history of remarkable guest stars is truly exciting for me. Furthermore, I must admit that Law & Order boasts one of the most gifted and accomplished ensemble casts on television, making this a fantastic chance for me.

If you haven’t heard about NBC’s show “Chase”, it’s not unusual! This series, which aired from 2010-2011 and only lasted one season with 18 episodes, featured future TV heavyweights like Kelli Giddish before her time on “Law & Order: SVU” and Cole Hauser prior to “Yellowstone”. Interestingly, Giddish is set to rejoin “SVU” as a regular in the fall for the 2025-2026 TV lineup; could we see Metcalfe make a comeback on prime-time “Law & Order” too?

In summary, he clearly appreciated his role as a guest star and would love another opportunity to play Sergeant Danny DeLuca. Although I can’t predict how a Sergeant might collaborate with a Detective, considering my past acceptance of rank inconsistencies in SVU with Benson, Fin, and Curry, it seems reasonable to extend the same flexibility to Law & Order.

This fall, “Law & Order” is back minus Mehcad Brooks as a regular series character, leading me to ponder if NBC will make a grand gesture for the show’s impressive Season 25 milestone. It’s unlikely that NBC will replicate the massive celebration at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC like they did for “SVU” reaching 25 seasons, given that “Law & Order” doesn’t have a founding cast member like Mariska Hargitay. For now, fans can catch both “Law & Order” and “SVU” on the streaming platform Peacock.

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2025-07-19 03:12