Here's How "Law & Order" Writes Detective Bernard In Season 22

After four seasons (three on the original series and one on the revival), Anthony Anderson's time as Detective Bernard is coming to an end. The actor is said to have signed on for just one year of NBC's "Law & Order" revival, according to Entertainment Tonight, and this upcoming season will see the release of his fan-favorite character.

In an effort to make the character's exit as seamless as possible, the show producers have found a way to write Detective Bernard in a way that isn't too shocking to viewers (although his presence will be missed inevitably). Showrunner Rick Eid told TVLine exactly how the show plans to handle Anderson's exit, including an acknowledgment in the second episode of Season 22.

"It's a small mention," Eid explained. "It's in the age-old tradition of 'Law & Order' where it's very brief and it's like, 'Let's move on. Here we go. We have to solve the case.'" According to Eid news, following the big three-way crossover premiere between "Law & Order", "SVU" and "Organized Crime", a new detective named Jalen Shaw (played by Mehcad Brooks) will join the compound. He works with Jeffrey Donovan's Cosgrove during the crossover episode, and his arrival is what the writers hope will help mask Detective Bernard's absence.

"You get the idea that Cosgrove liked working with him, and then we find out that the character that Anthony [Anderson] played evolved," he said. Luckily, with the exception of Anderson, you can still expect to see every other member of the original "Law & Order" cast this season, including Hugh Dancy as Nolan Price; Oldelya Halevi as Samantha Maroun; Camryn Manheim as Kate Dixon; Jeffrey Donovan as Frank Cosgrove; and Sam Waterston as Jack McCoy.

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