'Law & Order': Anthony Anderson's Replacement Revealed

06/15/2022 10:26 am EDT

The Law & Order revival has found a new detective for the show's upcoming 22nd overall season. Former Supergirl star Mehcad Brooks will play Jeffrey Donovan's new partner in solving New York's toughest crimes. A detective slot opened up after Anthony Anderson decided to move on from the series.

No details about Brooks' new character were revealed, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Brooks' only past Law & Order experience is the 2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Personal Fouls." He most recently starred as James Olsen in The CW's Supergirl and was also seen in Necessary Roughness, True Blood, My Generation, The Game, and Desperate Housewives. Brooks played Jax in Warner Bros.' 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.

The original Law & Order returned for its 21st season in February. Anderson was one of two Season 20 stars to return, alongside Sam Waterston. Both only signed one-year deals. While Anderson decided to leave, Waterston agreed to return. Anderson played Det. Kevin Bernard and Waterston played his now-iconic character Jack McCoy.

Brooks will join Donovan, who plays Det. Frank Cosgrove, and Camryn Manheim, who stars as Lt. Kate Dixon, on the "law" side. The "order" side includes Waterston, Hugh Dancy as Executive A.D.A. Nolan Price, and Odelya Halevi as A.D.A. Samantha Maroun. Rick Eid, who also works with Law & Order creator Dick Wolf on FBI and other L&O shows, serves as showrunner.

All three Law & Order shows will return for new seasons this fall on NBC. The main series airs at 8 p.m. ET, with SVU following at 9 p.m. ET and Law & Order: Organized Crime at 10 p.m. ET. The shows are also available to stream on Peacock.

Law & Order Season 21 saw a few notable guests sprinkled throughout the season. Carey Lowell made a surprise return as A.D.A. Jamie Ross in the season premiere. Dylan Baker returned as defense attorney Sanford Rems in one episode. SVU star Mariska Hargitay popped by for a scene in the season finale as Capt. Olivia Benson.

Last month, Angie Harmon told Entertainment Tonight she "would love" to return to the franchise. She played A.D.A. Abbie Charmichael on the original show and SVU but hasn't appeared on either since she left in 2001. Harmon said Wolf did approach her about coming back. "I was like, 'Look, guys. I mean, I would love to maybe do an arc or something,'" Harmon recalled. "I would love to revisit Abbie. She was just so fun and wonderful."

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