Entertainment Weekly is reporting that S. Epatha Merkerson, who has spent 16 years playing the tough-as- gravel Lt. Van Buren on Law & Order, is leaving the show after this year. With more than 380 episodes under her belt, Merkerson is the show's longest running cast member, although Sam Waterson will probably beat that record if he -- and the show -- hang around for a few more seasons.
I tend not to write about about shows like Law & Order because it just doesn't lend itself to the same kind of analysis as shows like Lost or Breaking Bad.
Still, it's never less than enjoyable, and for the past few reasons, part of that reason has been Merkerson. She's always been a likable presence on the show, a force to be reckoned with: part commander, part investigator, yet still somewhat maternal, whether she was dealing with veteran cops like Lenny Briscoe or rookies like the short-lived Nina Cassidy.
Lately they've given her character a little more depth by having her battle cancer, but to me, it seems like the lieutenant character on this show -- just like the DA -- doesn't have a lot to do.
If Law & Order really wanted to shake things up, they should've created a storyline where Van Buren was demoted back to detective. It would've been bad for the character, but much better for the actress. Still, I'll miss watching her put her detectives in their place.
Tom Coombe
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