Law & Order Loses Main Cast Member Ahead of Season 25

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Law & Order is down a detective.

Mehcad Brooks, known for his role as Detective Jalen Shaw in the NBC crime series over the past three seasons, will not reprise this character for the upcoming 25th season, as reported by several media sources.

Previously starring on “True Blood”, this actor stepped into the role previously held by Anthony Anderson on the Dick Wolf-produced show, taking over the part during season 22 in the year 2022.

Actors Tony Goldwyn, Reid Scott, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, and Maura Tierney are said to be reprising their roles in the upcoming season.

TopMob News has reached out to NBC for comment.

In contrast to speculations, the finale of Season 24 of “Law & Order” didn’t suggest Detective Shaw’s exit. However, during the wrap-up of filming earlier this year, Brooks made a heartfelt acknowledgment towards the show’s cast and crew.

In April, the actor posted on Instagram, “Season 24 is finished! An incredible, intense, and profound journey. It’s a joy and honor to act alongside such gifted and dedicated artists and a fearless team who genuinely invest themselves in our collaborative effort.

A few months ago, the 44-year-old couldn’t help but express his admiration for his co-star, Detective Vincent Riley, portrayed by Scott.

Brooks stated to CinemaBlend in October 2024 that Reid feels like a brother he was separated from at birth, almost as if they were long-lost siblings. He explained that he has never bonded so quickly with someone before, and Reid feels the same way.

In his discussion about their real-life friendship, he remarked, “Our humor is strikingly similar – it’s quite sarcastic and sardonic. We share numerous common interests. Coincidentally, we’re both born under the sign of Scorpio. As individuals, we simply connect on a human level, and we’re both committed to our respective careers.

Brooks continues to appear on one of television’s most discussed series. He’s currently making an appearance in season three of HBO’s “And Just Like That…” as the charming film producer, Marion, who was employed by Lisa Todd Wexley, portrayed by Nicole Ari Parker.

Law & Order‘s season 25 premiere date has yet to be announced.

In the meantime, keep reading to see more TV stars who shocked fans by leaving their hit shows.

In summer 2025, the actress who played a role on the long-lasting soap opera ended her seven-year portrayal of Sasha Gilmore.

Jax Taylor is not coming back to The Valley for season three, as fans have expressed increasing worry over his actions during the second season.

Currently, my priority lies in maintaining my sobriety, nurturing my mental well-being, and effective co-parenting. This is a crucial period for me to evolve into the best possible self, particularly for our son, Cruz. It’s essential for me to make this time count towards personal growth. (Announced in July 2025 by the Bravo star amidst a difficult divorce from his estranged wife, Brittany Cartwright.)

In the year 2025, the former star of “True Blood” astonished viewers when news broke that he would not be returning for season 25 of the NBC crime drama.

Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.

Actress Tracy Ifeachor, who shone on “The Pitt,” decided to step back from the popular HBO Max medical drama following its successful debut season.

On Instagram, July 10th, the actress expressed her profound gratitude for getting the chance to portray Dr. Heather Collins in a trailblazing season and production. She extends her heartfelt thanks to all who have watched and encouraged Season 1, and those who’ve shared their experiences with her.

Although fans might have anticipated that Pedro Pascal’s character, Joel Miller, was approaching his end given his April 2025 demise in “The Last of Us Part II,” closely mirrored his game counterpart from the 2020 video game season two of “The Last of Us,” the moment he was gruesomely impaled left viewers startled.

Meanwhile, Pascal, who met an onscreen demise in both ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, handled his frequent death with humor. When speaking to Entertainment Weekly, he quipped, “I get killed a lot… I enjoy dying.

Following what he referred to as “one exhilarating journey,” Peter Krause formally ended his portrayal of the Los Angeles Fire Department captain, Bobby Nash, in a 2025 episode of the procedural drama titled 9-1-1, marking the end of his character’s storyline.

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Krause expressed that Bobby Nash was crafted with selflessness and designed for this role. Just as first responders bravely put themselves in harm’s way every day for the safety of others, so does the narrative of Bobby Nash pay tribute to them.

The tragic demise of the troubled yet adored firefighter sparked much conversation, as showrunner Tim Minear admitted to Variety. However, after eight years, he stated that in order to create future stories with real tension and consequence, it was necessary for someone to perish.

Before the start of the third season for “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Reneé Rapp declared that she will depart from the show’s cast in the upcoming series.

She shared on social media in July 2023 that her college friends had relocated her to Los Angeles, where they introduced her to some of her dearest companions. Now, more than two years later, I owe them the friendships I have here and this community.

The co-creator of the show, Mindy Kaling, also confirmed Rapp’s departure, expressing their affection for Renee Rapp and acknowledging they will miss Leighton Murray in the show. On her Instagram Stories, Kaling wrote, “We adore @reneerapp so much and it’ll be hard to see her go, but we can’t wait to catch our friend on tour!

In the summer of 2024, I, as a lifestyle expert, shared the exciting news that Kevin Costner had officially confirmed his decision not to return for the final season of the hit Paramount drama, after being away from the series for more than a year following speculations about his sudden departure during its fourth and a half seasons.

Ellen Pompeo, who had been portraying Meredith Grey for 19 years, bid farewell to her role as a series regular on the ABC drama in February 2023 after her final scrub-in.

On The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022, Pompeo expressed the need for a change, stating, “I need to shake things up a bit.” At age 53, she explained that her brain is like scrambled eggs and needs fresh challenges. In other words, doing the same thing every day, such as solving The New York Times crossword puzzle, isn’t enough for her anymore.

In a recent update, it was disclosed that Henry Cavill, who played key roles in “Batman vs. Superman,” is parting ways with Netflix’s fantasy series after its third season. Liam Hemsworth has been chosen to take over the role of Geralt for season four and possibly future seasons.

In October 2022, Henry Cavill shared on Instagram that his time as Geralt of Rivia has been a mix of monsters and thrilling experiences. Sadly, he’s going to retire the medallion and swords for Season 4.

2022 saw the departure of original cast member Jesse Lee Soffer, who relinquished his role as Detective Jay Halstead following a decade-long tenure, bidding farewell to a cherished character.

In his statement following his last performance on the NBC procedural, Soffer expressed that crafting this hour drama each week was a heartfelt endeavor for everyone involved in the production. He remains deeply satisfied with his tenure as Detective Jay Halstead and will carry those memories with him always.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

Back in August 2021, news broke out that Emily VanCamp had decided to retire her medical tool (stethoscope) permanently, as she had parted ways with the medical drama series “The Resident” on Fox.

Following three captivating seasons as Macy, the eldest sister character on the reboot of Charmed, Madeleine Mantock expressed her departure prior to season four in 2021. In a heartfelt statement, she acknowledged the immense privilege she felt in playing this role and expressed gratitude for working alongside our talented producers, creatives, cast, and crew.

It transpired that Elizabeth Keen wouldn’t discover Raymond Reddington’s true identity, as Megan Boone decided to depart from NBC’s The Blacklist at the conclusion of season eight. Consequently, her character was terminated before she got to read the letter that would have disclosed all secrets. In 2021, Boone concluded Liz’s journey with an Instagram post where she referred to it as a “dream.

In the second installment of Bridgerton, one ducal role was missing. Rege-Jean Page, who gained massive popularity with Netflix’s period drama, left fans heartbroken when it was revealed that he would not reprise his character for the 2021 season.

Later on, he clarified to Vanity Fair that he had agreed to take on a task, completed it, and then went on to do some additional tasks. In essence, that’s the entire narrative. He wishes there was more excitement or glamour associated with it.

In 2018, Ruby Rose first appeared in an Arrowverse crossover event and subsequently starred as Kate Kane (also known as Batwoman) for one season on the CW drama. This marked a historical moment as Batwoman, a lesbian superhero, became the first to headline her own show following her coming out on TV. However, two days after the season finale in 2020, Rose announced her departure from the role. Subsequently, Javicia Leslie stepped into the character’s shoes for season two, playing a new character named Ryan Wilder who will assume control over the Batcave.

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

America Ferrera chose to part ways with the show Superstore at the conclusion of season five in 2020, which left Cloud 9 without a manager and the series without its main character. However, due to the pandemic, she made appearances in the first two episodes of season six. When it was announced that season six would be the final one, she came back for the series finale to provide Amy and Jonah (Ben Feldman) with a satisfying conclusion.

In the finale of the Syfy series “The Magicians” during its fourth season in 2019, Jason Ralph’s character Quentin embarked on a mission to rescue Eliot (Hale Appleman), which he ultimately accomplished, but at the cost of his own life. Although the show often brings back deceased characters, Ralph was absent for the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I have a strong bond, but starting from day eight, we’ll be taking our leave from you,” she penned down.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

In 2018, after extended contract discussions, Lauren Cohan said goodbye to The Walking Dead. She was present in a few episodes of season nine, but following a six-year time leap, her character Maggie Greene mysteriously disappeared. The producers were optimistic she would reappear in some form for season 10, and when her series Whiskey Cavalier on ABC ended prematurely, their wish came true. Cohan made a triumphant comeback in the 16th episode of this season, which was broadcast in October 2020.

Following the departures of Cohan and Andrew Lincoln from the zombie drama, Gurira also announced her exit. She initially joined the AMC series during its third season, portraying the katana-wielding character Michonne. Her final appearance on the show was in a season 10 episode that aired in March 2020.

As a main cast member in both season one and series regular in season two, Nicollette Sheridan portrayed the legendary character Alexis Carrington. In preparation for season three in 2019, she chose to step away from the CW reboot to devote time to her ailing mother.

George Eads parted ways with the CBS remake during the third season in 2019, opting to focus on spending more time with his loved ones instead.

The TV show Lethal Weapon, starring Fox, has had its fair share of behind-the-scenes drama. Actor Clayne Crawford was let go from the series following the second season, and in October 2018, Damon Wayans, his co-star, announced that he would be leaving the popular drama after completing the initial 13 episodes of its third season. Wayans stated, “I’m planning to quit the show in December when we finish the initial 13, so I don’t really know what they have planned, but that’s what I plan to do.” At 58 years old and a diabetic, Wayans explained, “I’m working 16-hour days… Murtaugh said, ‘too old for this.’

There wasn’t any necessity for producers to devise a substitute plan as the series came to an end after the third season.

During the ninth season of Shameless, Cameron Monaghan’s character was imprisoned. In real life, however, after spending nine years on the show, Monaghan was eager to pursue fresh opportunities. Interestingly, despite his readiness to move on, he agreed to return for season 10 and was back when the series resumed for its eleventh and concluding season in December 2020.

After nine seasons as Fiona Gallagher, Emmy Rossum announced plans to leave Shameless in 2018.

Executive producer John Wells declared that Emmy Rossum will remain an integral part of the ‘Shameless’ clan. Her portrayal of Fiona, leadership on set, and direction of several episodes have significantly contributed to the show’s success. As we craft a season nine finale for ‘Shameless’, our aim is to create a fitting Gallagher-style farewell for Fiona that acknowledges Emmy’s exceptional work. Leaving an ensemble member is never easy, but our door will always be open for Fiona to revisit or move back into the house. We’re excited to continue telling the stories of this unpredictable family and we’ll miss Emmy and her captivating Fiona.

Chelsea Peretti initially featured in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” during its debut on NBC, but she didn’t stay throughout the entire series. In a string of tweets in 2018, the actress disclosed her intention to depart from the comedy, although she hinted at a possible return. Interestingly, she modeled her farewell message after Emily Rossum’s departure letter from “Shameless.” Peretti gave birth to a son with husband Jordan Peele in 2017. Her character was on maternity leave and missed several episodes during season five.

Lincoln departed from the gore, labor, and grime of the zombie apocalypse on The Walking Dead during season nine. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2018, he shared, “These individuals have been the ideal stand-in family for me. However, I also have a genuine family waiting at home, and it’s time for me to return.

15 years after, Pauley Perrette chose to take off her lab coat and depart from NCIS in 2018. In her own words, “I have such strong faith in God and the universe, and it became strikingly clear that now was the right moment.” After careful consideration, she opted to share the news on Twitter herself, as she didn’t want it to be sensationalized. Abby’s departure is not just a TV drama twist.

This version maintains the original meaning while using simpler language and providing more context for Pauley Perrette’s decision to leave NCIS.

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2025-07-21 18:51