'Law & Order' Cop Stays on Beat

Zap2It.com | June 18, 2007

Share:

Jesse L. Martin
Jesse L. Martin
Discuss this story now

Jesse L. Martin signs for ninth season on show

Amid a flurry of cast shakeups, NBC's "Law & Order" is keeping one of its longest-serving detectives around for next season.

Jesse L. Martin will return for his ninth year playing Detective Ed Green on the venerable series, the showbiz trade papers report. He'll appear in at least 13 episodes next season, which will be his ninth. He'll be joined on the "Law" side of the show by Jeremy Sisto, who's replacing Milena Govich as Green's partner.

With "Law & Order" getting an 11th-hour pickup for next season -- it will return on Sunday nights in January, after NBC's NFL commitment ends -- there was some question whether Martin would be back with it. He has a couple of film projects in the works, including the lead role in "Sexual Healing," a biopic about Marvin Gaye.

The new deal ensures that he'll be around for at least part of the season, and there's the possibility that he could appear in more than 13 episodes.

The series, which is entering its 18th season, has gone through a number of casting changes in recent weeks. Govich and Fred Thompson, who's preparing for a likely run at the Republican presidential nomination, are out, and Sisto, who starred in NBC's "Kidnapped" last season, is in.

Meanwhile Sam Waterston's character, Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy, will reportedly move up to district attorney to replace Thompson's Arthur Branch. There's no word yet on who might fill Waterston's prosecutorial shoes alongside the returning Alana de la Garza.
TV Listings  & Movie Times
Find it fast
What's On Tonight