It’s being reported by many sources that Adam Beach, who played Detective Chester Lake on Law & Order SVU, will be leaving at the end of this season.I’m happy for two reasons. First, Beach was just plain awful in this role and really was a drag on the show. Second, maybe this means that the rumor that Richard Belzer (who plays Detective John Munch) was going to leave are not true.
Either way, this is one cast change that makes me very happy.
Here’s the news release from E!Online:
SVU Loses Another Caseworker
By Natalie Finn
Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:02:25 PM PDT
The pickings are getting a little slim over at the Special Victims Unit.
Just days after the pending departure of longtime castmember Diane Neal was announced, relative newcomer Adam Beach confirmed he would be leaving Law & Order: SVU at the end of this season.
"I very much enjoyed my year on Law & Order: SVU," Beach, who after guest-starring as Det. Chester Lake toward the end of season eight became a series regular, said Friday. "Now I'm looking forward to new adventures."
The 35-year-old actor had an option in his contract to stay on for another year, but he and NBC mutually agreed to call it quits, per trade reports.
"Adam is a superb actor," series creator Dick Wolf said. "From the first day I met him on the set of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, I was knocked out by his commitment, dedication and total immersion in the film's most crucial role. He did a terrific job this season on SVU, and I look forward to working with him again in the near future."
Wolf produced the Emmy-winning HBO movie, in which Beach played doctor and author Charles Eastman, who penned two memoirs about growing up as a child of mixed white and Native American heritage.
The Canadian-born Beach, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for the role, is of Saulteaux Indian descent. His big-screen credits include the World War II-themed dramas Windtalkers and Flags of Our Fathers.
During his SVU tenure, Beach's character partnered with Ice-T's Det. Fin Tutuola after Fin's longtime partner, Det. John Munch, played by Homicide holdover Richard Belzer, started putting in more acid-tongued hours at the office and fewer on the street.
But perhaps Munch has decided he has spent enough time pushing papers, because Beach's role isn't expected to be recast.
Wolf & Co. are looking, however, for another bright young thing to fill the soon-to-be vacant Assistant District Attorney's chair. Neal played ADA Casey Novak for five seasons.
Meanwhile, in further restructuring of the natural Order of things, Jesse L. Martin's last Law & Order episode airs Wednesday, and it's being teased as a real doozy.
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Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry but I agree he was just so bad in this role. I am glad he is leaving, I hope Belzer stays on, he is such a GREAT actor and Munch is just AWESOME! I wish they would have Belzer come on L&O for an episode or do a crossover on L&O. That would be cool. I'm glad you posted this,now I'm really excited about SVU next season.
ReplyDeleteHi, I disagree with you - I liked his character.
ReplyDeleteBeach is certainly not a poor actor, and I liked the levity his character brought to a show that otherwise - AT TIMES - takes itself too seriously.
I'll miss him! And Diane Neal.
Weren't there rumors also going around that Ice-T would be leaving, in addition to Richard Belzer? But instead, we get Beach and Neal leaving???
What do you mean bad? His character was the closest thing to normalcy that show had. Not to mention he's gorgeous.It was also a rare opportunity for First Nations to have a role model on prime time TV
ReplyDeleteYeah, its 5 years later, i know. bad acting is bad and this guy couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag, or onto anything other than these over wrought crime dramas. He is terrible. He shouldn't have even been in "joe dirt". He's bad. Probably a nice guy, but flat out bad at what her did to this show, which to be honest, is no prize pig itself.
DeleteAdam Beach was one of the only good things about season 9. Lake was supposed to be a relatively ordinary, laid back, down-to-earth detective who didn't take his job quite as seriously as the Bensons and Stablers of the world (that's not to say he was a slacker or anything like that). I enjoyed the character (a nice break from the constant E/O dumbassery) and thought Beach did a fine job with him.
ReplyDeleteBeach was scapegoated because the writers mailed it in. His sendoff should've been more open-ended, he would have been cool on the mothership.
I've been watching the recent eps on USA Network with him in it and I cringed every time he was on the screen. He was just a bad fit for SVU and in all honesty, the writers didn't give him very much to work with, either. (Some of the worst dialog ever written on SVU was written for Chester Lake!)
ReplyDeleteMy opinion of svu has changed drastically since my last post. Its a great show. however i have to reiterate, this Adam beach guy is a turd. He's an awful actor. Is it me or is he always squinting? I could literally sit here and list all the ways he sucks, but i just don't have that kind off time. Good riddance. And a personal message to Mr. beach... don't quit your day job of stating at the sun and speaking in a terrible raspy voice. You suck.
ReplyDeleteHe was fantastic, and I still miss him on the show. Just because some of you aren't used to Native accents, and are unfamiliar with his talent, doesn't mean he was bad in this role. Goody for you that you are happy he left. There are many of us who miss his gorgeous face, awesome Native accent, and the unique flavor he brought to such a formulaic program. Ice T and he had a good chemistry on the show, in many ways better than T and Munch because of AB's relative youth. In fact, the more I watch the reruns, the more taken I am by his role. Beach never wants for a role, so thankfully the acting gods don't give a rat's behind about the "never have beens and never will be's" posting anonymously on the internet.
ReplyDeleteI love the native accent and am familiar with his roles. Bad actor? So unfair. I watch season 9 over and over because l love the season and this show not so great. I love this show.
ReplyDelete