WINTER 2014: ORIGINAL CAST MEMBER DANN FLOREK EXITING 'LAW & ORDER: SVU'

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is about to lose another veteran this season.

Dann Florek, who has portrayed Captain Donald Cragen since the show's inception 15 years ago, as well as six seasons on the flagship Law & Order show, announced he is leaving the procedural drama. The revelation occurred Monday via Twitter with Florek confirming the taping of his last scenes last Friday. No details were given regarding Capt. Cragen's final episode but it is scheduled to air in January on NBC.

Earlier this year, veteran Law & Order actor Richard Belzar became a recurring player after his character, Sgt. John Munch, retired.

FALL 2013: AFTER 21 SEASONS, RICHARD BELZER RETIRES JOHN MUNCH; DEPARTING 'LAW & ORDER: SVU'

Well nothing lasts forever...even on television. After 21 seasons on TV, Sgt. John Munch will be turning in his badge.

On Wednesday night's episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, it was revealed that Munch will be submitting his retirement paperwork along with his badge. The character will become recurring as actor Richard Belzer has decided to depart the long-running procedural drama. The move isn't too much of a surprise as Munch's role has diminished on the show in the past couple of years. The show is currently airing its 15th season and Munch has been a staple from its beginning back in 1999 when he was a senior detective.

Prior to joining Law & Order: SVU, Detective John Munch was a central character on Homicide: Life on the Street for all seven seasons. The police procedural centered on a Baltimore Police Department's homicide unit. Though Belzer's acting was still green during his run on Homicide, the show became critically acclaimed for its grittiness and ever-increasing portrayals of African-Americans on primetime television. Homicide had numerous cross-over episodes with the original Law & Order thanks to both being on NBC. John Munch became known in the Law & Order universe thanks to these cross-overs.

When Homicide ended its run in May 1999, Detective Munch retired from the Baltimore PD, taken his pension, and moved to New York to join a sex crimes investigation unit. By the fall of 1999, he was part of SVU.

Aside from the shared universe by the two crime dramas, John Munch has also appeared in numerous other TV shows as either a guest or cameo. He appeared in an episode of HBO's The Wire, which was also set in Baltimore. During the fifth season of The X-Files, Munch made a cameo in the episode "Unusual Suspects" where he was based out of a Baltimore police department. After relocating to New York City, Munch made an appearance on UPN's short-lived one-season wonder The Beat, which focused on the day-to-day occurrences of NYPD officers. Other shows that Detective, and later Sergeant, John Munch appeared in were Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Arrested Development, 30 Rock, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! It is interesting to note that the character crossed genres by appearing in several comedies.

Richard Belzer made television history with John Munch. The character has appeared in more television series than any other fictional character, and has also beaten the record for longest running character with 21 seasons. The record was previously held by Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane and James Arness' Marshal Matt Dillon.

It is speculated that Sgt. Munch's last episode of Law & Order: SVU will air on October 16.

FALL 2013: 'SNL' LOOKING AT NEW TALENT FOR NEW SEASON

Saturday Night Live is attempting to fill some very big shoes thanks to the departures of several long-time cast members. With the show's 39th season just around the corner and on the heels of Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Jason Sudeikis' exits, as well as Seth Meyers' impending mid-season departure, SNL is on the hunt for some new not-ready-for-primetime players. This time around, the show's producers are looking at some members of the improv and sketch comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade. Last year's influx of new cast members were all former Second City performers. The show is specifically eyeing four members of the comedy troupe: Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Noel Wells, and John Milhiser. Readers can search YouTube for videos of these talented comedians and impressionists. Our money would probably be on Beck Bennett...a.k.a. the AT&T guy.

Saturday Night Live starts its new season on September 28.

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FALL 2013: LAURA PREPON EXITING 'ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK'

Netflix's hit comedy-drama Orange is the New Black is losing one of its leading stars. Laura Prepon won't be returning as a series regular for the second season. Prepon portrays Alex, the on-again, off-again romantic interest to lead character Piper. Though Netflix has been coy about a possible future return, Prepon is scheduled to return next season to wrap up her character's storyline. No date has been given for the start of the 13-episode second season.

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FALL 2013: OH CHECKS OUT OF 'GREY'S' SEATTLE GRACE HOSPITAL

Sandra Oh has given her notice. She and her character, Dr. Cristina Yang, will be exiting the long-running ABC drama at the end of the upcoming 10th season. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Grey's Anatomy star stated, "Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go...We have to start the process, story-wise, for the Grey's writers to think of why she's going to go."

Speculation regarding most of the original castmembers status on the show came into question after Patrick Dempsey's comments last month. The two-year contracts, which were extensions from the actors' original contracts, for Oh, Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, James Pickens Jr., and Chandra Wilson are up at the end of the 10th season. While Oh is the first castmember to announce a decision for this upcoming season, it can't be ruled out that we'll hear future updates on the status of her co-stars. Grey's Anatomy has also gained famed for its revolving casting door and has had no difficulties in writing off major characters.

Oh announced her decision to cast and crew at Tuesday's table read for the 200th episode. Creator Shonda Rhimes is taking the departure personally since she has stated that she sees much of herself in the character of Cristina Yang. It's definitely too early to tell how Dr. Yang will be written off the show.

Grey's Anatomy returns with a two-hour premiere on September 26. Here is the link to The Hollywood Reporter article.

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FALL 2013: TWO SERIES REGULARS TO EXIT 'THE MENTALIST'

As the Fall 2013 television season approaches, we've begun getting more insight into casting changes within long-running shows. Today's blurb looks at the impending exits of two series regulars on CBS' The Mentalist.

Original castmembers Amanda Righetti and Owain Yeoman, who play special agents (and on-again, off-again lovers) Van Pelt and Rigsby, will depart the series towards the end of its season. No word yet on how the duo will written off the show but this upcoming sixth season promises to finally reveal Red John, which has been the primary mystery for the show's entire run. Whether Van Pelt and Rigsby are casualties in the unveiling of the mystery remains to be seen but the creator has indicated that this sixth season would be a game changer in moving the show into a new direction. Additionally, two new series regulars will be introduced at the beginning of 2014 to fill the upcoming vacancies.

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