Big quitter Sam Waterston departs Law & Order after measly 400+ episodes

[Shrek]

This is kind of funny:

https://www.avclub.com/sam-waterston-leaves-law-order-after-measly-400-epis-1851280668

Waterston's Jack McCoy departed his TV courthouse for good tonight after just 30 years of Law & Order

In a move we can only deride for displaying a cowardly, and frankly embarrassing, lack of gumption, Sam Waterston quit his job at the Law & Order factory tonight, after making a measly 405 episodes of television for the long-running series. (Guess somebody was paying attention on the set of The Dropout, huh?) Waterston ended his tenure on the Dick Wolf-created show a scant three decades after beginning it—and that’s counting the gap between the show being canceled in 2010 and then revived in 2022—ending what is, yes, technically one of the longest tenures as a single character in television history, and what does he want, a medal? (We just checked, and Waterston already has several awards for his run on the series, including once being designated a New York “living legend” with his late co-star Jerry Orbach, so he should presumably be good on that score.)

[hlthe2b]

1. LOL

[oldsoftie]

2. I'd bet Mariska Hargitay's "Liv" has the record for longest running character.

25 yrs with NO breaks.
I remember back in the 90s it was "Fraiser'; combining his run in Cheers & Fraiser together.
If last nite was his last nite I HATE that I missed it!

[Shrek]

3. It was an okay episode

But not really all that gripping for his finale.

At the end I was kind of hoping they might do some kind of montage of his greatest moments but no such luck. Still a great character who will be missed.

[Aristus]

4. I didn't watch it, but I'm glad they didn't do that.

If there's anything I dislike, it's "very special" final episodes. Tears, hugs, marriages, funerals, earnest sincerity; blech.

[Layzeebeaver]

5. thanks for the reminder...

...my ex sister in law ended up in a relationship with Mr. Wolf - I only know that much. two wives and many years ago - different country now. Weird.

[jimfields33]

6. I like the actor but hated his character

He won too many times. Always knew he’d find something to cause him a win in the last ten minutes.

[tanyev]

7. Wait, he was doing that at the same time he was doing Grace and Frankie?

I never watched Law and Order. I assumed when he showed up on Grace and Franke that he was no longer doing L & O.

[Shrek]

8. Law & Order had an 11-year hiatus from 2010 to 2021

I'm guessing Grace and Frankie may have been during that interim.

[tanyev]

9. Ah, thank you. Yes, most of it was.

Maybe Waterston likes staying busy, but he's at an age where I certainly would want to take it a little easier.