Friday, September 25, 2009

Law & Order CI Vincent D’Onofrio Update

EW’s Michael Ausiello has provided additional information on Vincent D’Onofrio leaving Law & order Criminal Intent.

Apparently USA told Michael that Vincent will leave the show in the two-part season 9 premiere, and afterwards Jeff Goldblum will take the helm. Michael says that Kathryn Erbe should also return for that episode but details are being worked out.

A statement from Vincent also said:

“I have always been, and have always viewed myself, as a character actor, and the great opportunity that Dick [Wolf] presented to me to develop the Goren character on Criminal Intent was successful beyond my wildest expectations,” D’Onofrio said in a statement. “After eight seasons, and with the addition of Jeff Goldblum, now is the perfect time for me to explore other acting opportunities and I leave the show knowing it is in great hands with Jeff. For all my loyal CI fans, I wouldn’t be surprised if Goren pops up from time to time.”

I am sure fans will still debate whether Vincent wanted out or he was asked him to leave. For me, I felt that they have not provided a high quality level of writing and storylines for Vincent and Kathryn last season, so it would not surprise me if he felt the character had run its course and he decided to move on. Regardless of the reasons for his exit, Vincent is a fine actor, as are Kathryn and Eric, and they will all be sorely missed, and I want to thank them for the many years of entertainment that they brought to millions of viewers. The question now is, can the show survive? Based on the fan feedback that I am getting and what I’ve read on many message boards and forums, I think USA Network may have just killed the show and driven away the core viewership. And that, my friends, is a crime and a MAJOR CASE if I ever saw one.


Read EW’s Michael Ausiello’s report on Vincent D’Onofrio leaving Law & order Criminal Intent at this link.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information, on All Things Law And Order, here.

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,These Are Their Stories.

13 comments:

Sara said...

Sorry to be so blunt Chris, but this absolutely sucks. I am not a Jeff Goldblum fan. As hard as I tried to give him a chance last season, I never felt a chemistry.
D'Onofrio was LOCI. Without him, there will not be a LOCI. The multi-talented Eric Bogosian will probably move on to greener pastures, stage or film perhaps. I never understood what he was doing on a weekly t.v. show to begin with and Kathryn Erbe will also be sorely missed. I can't give you one reason why I will watch this show in the future.

Hope Bravo continues with their Sunday marathons.

alynch said...

Based on the fan feedback that I am getting and what I’ve read on many message boards and forums, I think USA Network may have just killed the show and driven away the core viewership.

I'm not so sure about that. Web forums almost never represent the core viewership of any show, and believing as much is a fallacy that many TV executives have fallen prey to over the years.

As for why D'Onofrio is leaving, there's not a doubt in my mind that it's a money issue. It always is. The viewership numbers were significantly down this season, and USA presumably decided that actors going into their ninth year on a show would be too costly. It happens all the time. They're slashing the budget in a last ditch effort to keep the show profitable. If the numbers continue to go down next year, then that'll be that.

I'll at least sample the show when it's only Goldblum. If it's good, and it did look his episodes were hitting their stride towards the end of season 8, then I'll keep watching it. I have never stopped watching a show because of an actor leaving in my life. TV is always about the writing.

TJara said...

I actually like Goldblum and his episodes. This, however, can't change the fact that what drew me into the show was Bobby Goren, and he's the one that kept me watching. Bobby turned me into a Vincent fan, too. I just can't see myself being as dedicated to Nichols as I am to Goren. Also, this whole concept of making the show more fluffy irks me, CI has always been bleak and dark. And, while the stories were quite important, the characters were, too. The stories only worked because there was such a strong tie to the lead - the Sherlock Holmes that would face off the villian in a beautiful aria every week...

I agree with the poster above - I think in the end it was a money issue. NBCU wasn't willing to give what the actors wanted. I'm not sure whether changing 4 out of 5 leads is the route to go, though. Even with the alternating schedule, CI never was an ensemble show. It was a show with alternating leads, and therefore I don't think they are as exchangeable.I don't think the casual viewers mind that much. But the hard core G/E fans certainly do.

Music Wench said...

Still alive and kicking here. Just haven't been online and quite frankly, LOCI has not been good since Leight and company left. I think it's best for Vincent and Kate to move on as quite frankly, this show is just awful now.

I enjoy Jeff Goldblum but with the exit of Goren and Eames, it's no longer LOCI. It's another cop show that's using the name.

Dick Wolf may think that people care more for the crime stories than the characters but in the case of Bobby Goren, he's wrong.

I'm sure money has something to do with it as that's pretty much all the networks and Dick Wolf cares about. Quality has not been an issue for a while now.

USA has killed LOCI and even with the vague indication that Goren may pop in here and there, I'm not holding my breath and I'll watch if I have nothing else to watch or do but quite frankly, it's not going to be worth investing the time, IMO.

It's just sad to see a good show go downhill like this. Kind of like the last season of Homicide. Only in LOCI's case, it's like the last two seasons. I say last two because I'd be surprised if it survives to season 10.

Chris Zimmer said...

Music Wench, good to hear from you. I always value your feedback. I think that your comments on the fate of Goren and LOCI is probably where every D'Onofrio fan and LOCI fans' heads are at. I don't see any real optimism out there about the long term viability of the show.

Kate said...

I'm very sad about this. I am a big fan of D'Onofrio and Erbe. They are the show. They made you care about and love the characters from the start.

The shows with Goldblum were ok. (the strongest episodes were the ones that Eames was in) I didn't look forward to the next episode as I did with G/E. My impression of the Nichols character is he's just a poor man's Goren. There is only one Bobby Goren and he can't be copied. I can't see this show lasting. I hope G/E have a proper and happy (no more misery for them!) sendoff. I hope a nice farewell to "old friends". They, and the fans, deserve it.

Carla said...

Hey I need you to post a blog about fans saving CI!

http://forums.usanetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=438789

On the USA forum and NBC forum. Fans are in an uproar to save CI's Goren, Eames, Ross,and Wheeler! (D'Onofrio, Erbe, Bogosian, and Nicholson)

Post that link and spread the word please!

momandiluvbobby said...

I am going to miss bobby and alex so much. they are characters that have filled a void in my life since the show started.

I can't thank vincent and kathryn enough. They might not even understand why bobby and alex mean so much to me if i tried to explain. they are characters that I wish I could follow forever, like a song I love so much that I wish was 10 times longer.

I am shocked because I didn't know or think this was going to happen right now. But ci has been in decline (except for v & k) since they brought in Logan (though I love him and noth).

Law and Order was not the right vehicle for the talents of v&k and the characters of Bobby and Alex.

IMO the law and order franchise peaked a decade ago and CI was its swan song (a beautiful one).

CI imo was the law and order that didnt want to be a law and order because the people who built the framework could not contain the characters of bobby and alex. v&k played their characters with such depth that it was too much for a soap opera like law and order to handle. Sam Waterson and maybe a few others have been able to do that. But b&a are charaters that imo broke ground for american tv. imo we americans often think that everyone else in the world is just like us only they don't have the luck of being american. characters like b&a, house, and the sensitive intelligence of shows like the daily show have opened the door so that we can get out of this box of repetitve closed minded thought and behavior, the belief that we understand everything and that its all wrapped up in a box with a pretty bow. Bobby Goren and Alex Eames broke new ground for american tv. this show could have done anything, but because it is a l&o there are so many constraints. unfortunately, this is the end,

there are so many questions left unanswered and i think this is a disservice to the fans and v&k to just drop these beloved characters like this without a proper goodbye.

But i think the people who own and run this show began to tear it apart when they added a second team. i know i heard that vincent was exhausted and maybe viewership was down but if someone were to tell me that all of the changes they made made the show better then they are dumb (imo).

As is sometimes the case, the people who do the best work (in the arts and elsewhere) are not always acknowledged right away. I think CI was so far ahead of everything else (except for maybe house) that a lot of people who "don't like bobby" just don't get his character.

I want to thank v&k for this wonderful show that I will treasure along with my sherlock holmes stories, house, and so many other shows, movies, books, albums that have helped me through my life.

v & k i'd like to give you both a kiss on the cheek :-)

thank you so much. i love you :-)

i can't believe it is ending like this.

Chris Zimmer said...

Carla - I posted the iformation on my "These Are Their Stories" blog and on my Twitter page:

http://thesearetheirstories.blogspot.com/2009/09/law-order-criminal-intent-fans-mount.html

Katiez Furry Mewz said...

I thought I saw a CI preview with someone other than Goldblum - some other well known actor but I can't remember who...

which leads me to ask - who the heck is going to replace Bogosian? I don't get how USA or Wolf thinks they can just get rid of everyone and have a first rate show.

D'Onofrio does have some health problems which is why he lowered his work schedule... I can see his need to do something else less strenuous, but changing everyone???
That's too much at once.

That doesn't even make sense. Goldblum is decent, I happen to like him as an actor, but his character is a bit too quirky?!? Bogosian and Goldblum's partner helped make for more conflict and realism.

Anonymous said...

I think the show is going to flat line once D'Onofrio and Erbe are gone. The show is them.

The reason people dont watch as much is that the only every now and then now.

The is no CI without them, just like CSI is no the same without Grissom.

So Goodbye LOCI it was great while it last it but all good things must come to an end. Wish them the best in the future endeavors. I just hope the close all the open lines in the show...

Cherry Red said...

I have now reached the point where I want to move on from this show and look forward to the future careers of Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian, and Julianne Nicholson. I wish they had just changed the name of the show like they did with Conviction when they only used the set from L&O:Trial By Jury. We saw how even popular Stephanie March fared without any of her SVU co-stars. I just read where Julianne Nicholson is replacing Parker Posey in a new play. I just hope that all of these fine actors get new gigs that can be viewed by fans sooner than later. Please continue to keep us posted on your blog about the future careers of these fine actors. I enjoyed reading on your blog about Irishman (Vincent D'Onofrio's most recent film)

elaine said...

this is bull the show is erbe and vincent,we may be canadians but u have lost all the watchers from up here. Dick wolf is so stupid he needs to pay attention to the people,we keep his shows on the air if they leave we leave.