Anthony Anderson, who starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will not be returning for Season 22.
Anderson returned to the cast when the original series was picked up for Season 21 last year, despite having left his role, Detective Kevin Bernard, in 2010.
According to sources close to Anderson, he returned for the relaunch as a favor to series creator Dick Wolf, intending to offer the reboot some original cast star power in order to boost viewership.
It was widely known that Anderson had only signed on for one season, which should've given us a signal that he wasn't intending on returning.
With Anderson's departure, another member of the cast's Season 22 return is in doubt, as Sam Waterston only signed a one-year agreement. Waterston's destiny on the show is still unknown.
The show follows the best and brightest detective and prosecution teams in New York City as they set out to solve each week's new case.
While the police units are tasked with apprehending individuals and piecing together the mystery surrounding the often fatal crimes, the prosecution teams are responsible for ensuring that justice is served within the courtroom's walls.
When it first aired in 1990, the series became an instant hit thanks to its well-crafted stories, which frequently featured exaggerated versions of real-life crimes.
Anderson's final performance in Season 21 did not raise any red flags and provided no closure to his character.
Bernard's story will be written off, with other characters explaining how or why he left, or if Anderson will make one final cameo to say goodbye to the Law & Order universe.