Controversy brews over "Law & Order: CI" exodus

The USA network announced earlier this month that "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will do some major house cleaning for season nine, dumping the show's original stars Vincent D'Onofrio (Detective Goren) and Kathryn Erbe (Detective Eames), as well as Eric Bogosian (Captain Ross) and Julianne Nicholson (Detective Wheeler).

That's right. Every actor in the photo below is leaving except for Jeff Goldblum (far left).



Even more troubling, now there are reports that one of those characters will be written off in the most final of ways. According to Showbiz411, "L&O: CI" just taped an episode in which one of the departing characters is murdered.

Presumably, Goren isn't the character killed off, since D'Onofrio said at the time of USA's announcement, "For all my loyal 'CI' fans, I wouldn't be surprised if Goren pops up from time to time."

Showbiz411.com also says that Erbe is ticked about the way things have turned out. The website, which claims to have insider scoop, doesn't give away any other clues. The death of Erbe's character (should she prove to be the unlucky one) could be the final undoing of Goren, who has endured an unprecedented amount of tragedy over the past few seasons. Goren's departure from the squad after losing his longtime partner and friend would seem pretty natural. But perhaps that's too obvious.

Fans of the show are understandably upset. One very organized campaign to save the characters has created a Saving Goren and Eames website, a blog (complete with media and NBC Universal "hit list"), and a Twitter account.

Stephanie Fox, who runs the "Saving Goren and Eames" website, told us that she feels the network has forgotten the fans and that her goal of saving the characters has had to shift with this latest news.

"Since the network has obviously made up its mind to gut the show we have come to know and love, our original goal of Saving Goren and Eames has shifted to simply getting them a proper send off."

But it sounds as though D'Onofrio for one is leaving voluntarily. USA announced that the actor had decided to "transition out of the idiosyncratic role he created to explore new acting challenges in film and television."

D'Onofrio's Detective Goren will appear in the two-part opener of season nine and then the show will be turned over to Jeff Goldblum, who came on to share detective duties in season eight.

Nicholson, who plays Detective Wheeler and is normally paired with Goldblum's  Detective Nichols, is also leaving voluntarily. Her character departed near the end of last season to deliver a baby (Nicholson was pregnant in real life) and the actress opted not to return. 

Nicholson will be replaced by Saffron Burrows ("My Own Worst Enemy," "Boston Legal"), who will become Goldblum's partner.

There is no word yet on whether or not D'Onofrio and Erbe will be replaced, or if Goldblum and Burrows will carry the show alone.

"Law & Order" shows are well known for their prolific cast changes. It's certainly not the first time one of Dick Wolfe's shows have lost major characters, but never before has so much of a single cast departed at one time.