My Other Self

It doesn't sound like he was pushed out. An article I read yesterday made it sound more like Belzer just wanted to move on. I will miss him, though. He was one of my favorites.

Has any other character in television ever transplanted franchises like that?

mrhan

It was cool they gave a nod to Homicide last night and showing a few familiar faces from that show.

RocShemp

I also like that they kept the character active so he might pop up as a guest star sometime in the future.

It's a shame they didn't get Christopher Meloni to cameo during this episode.

Charlie Goose

Any CSI show need a proven detective?

mrhan

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't he taking the same job Lennie Briscoe had after retiring.

superdeluxe

Detective Munch bringing together the universes of the X-files, The Wire, Homicide and Law and Order into one world.

Awesome.

RocShemp

That's what it sounded like to me.

They should add him to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and have him replace all the useless characters. Just a show with him, Clark Gregg, and Ming-Na Wen.

lisadoris

I loved that Clark Johnson was there to rep Homicide, I loved the flashback and the fact that Munch said Homicide when he answered the phone. Good sendoff and maybe we'll see Munch again.

mikehunt

He's really been MIA for years other than background and an occasional episode with more than a line or two

wz42

This. He seemed like background noise to me for it's entire run.

I loved Homicide and would have been down with catching up with Munch but whenever I flipped by the show and saw him after a few great Munch lines he was gone and it was all about that woman and bald guy from OZ.

My Other Self

That's because it was never "his" show. It had always been focused on Benson and Stabler. The first 4 or 5 seasons, though, Munch was more a co-star than a background character. He was relegated to background status when the cast started getting too bloated a number of years ago.

lisadoris

Yeah I think the writers would have been better served to not add the two new characters a couple years ago and just give Belzer and Ice-T more to do. They had really good chemistry together and I think Benson, Munch, Fin, and the Captain could have sustained the show just fine.

My Other Self

I agree. The problem was at the time, though, that Hargitay was going to leave the show. When Meloni didn't renew his contract she wasn't go to either. They added Pino and Giddish in anticipation of her exiting midway through Season 13 by accepting a higher promotion (the position Munch took on now), which is why Harry Conick, Jr. was written in as a love interest. I guess she had a change of heart or the bag with the dollar sign on it was heavy enough.

mikehunt

finally watched the episode
even his going away was mostly background. and my dvr stopped recording just at the start of the final scene with him at his desk and the captain leaving for the night

DJariya

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethe...r-episode.html

There will be a Law and Order SVU/Chicago PD crossover episode early next year.

Chicago PD if you didn't know is the spinoff of Chicago Fire and is a new midseason series. All 3 shows are produced by Dick Wolf.

RocShemp

Except it's not the first time the writers/showrunners had sidelined Munch and Finn in favor of new characters. For instance, when Hargitay got pregnant and they had to temporarily write her out. Instead of giving Munch and Finn more to do, they added a new partner for Meloni and practically made her the focus of the show. Similarly, when Adam Beach was added to the cast, Munch and Finn remained mostly background noise.

Are Belzer and Ice-T so expensive that they have to limit their screentime?

mikehunt

so that guy from band of brothers who's voice I can't stand was on two NYC shows in one week, he was in person of interest too
wonder if he filmed his stuff for both shows at the same time

mikehunt

wasn't expecting to see a vibrator, let alone see it get turned on

Tom Creo

You must've missed the one with the fleshlight.

DJariya

http://tvline.com/2013/12/10/law-ord...lorek-leaving/

Dann Florek (Captain Cragen) is leaving the show. This past Friday was his last day on the set.

My Other Self

That sucks. They hinted at it a few weks ago, so I'm not surprised. He's been in the L&O canon for 20 years now.

With all of these veterans leavng, you have to wonder if Hargitay is next.

Evan Meadow

He's leaving based on the NYPD's real rules of mandatory retirement at a certain age.

The long term idea is Hargitay will take his seat.

My Other Self

Maybe eventually, but the article I read the other day said they're bringing in some one else to fill in the Captain position.

I don't get why they couldn't have just kept Belzer on and have him take the spot.

jjcool

Agree on Belzer. I would love to see Yaphet Kotto in the role, but he is too old at this point.

lisadoris

Since L&O exists in the same universe as Homicide, Kotto couldn't be on SVU without causing some serious continuity issues.