That's it for Jesse: "Law & Order" vet Jesse L. Martin taped his last episode Tuesday, I'm told, which is a reasonably big deal for TV's longest-running drama; I remember vividly meeting him his first week on the set nine years ago. "Vivid" because I can think of few instances where an on-screen character is so starkly different from his off; Martin was funny and a rapid-fire talker full of stories, observations, quips, and what-have-you. And now he's off to (hopefully) bigger and better things - notably the Marvin Gaye biopic ("Sexual Healing.") Meanwhile, Ed Green, errr, Martin's replacement, Anthony Anderson - another funny guy who won't likely be using his comedic chops on this show - has started on "L&O."
"He'll be terribly missed," said "L&O's" longtime (and particularly able) press rep, Audrey Davis of Martin. "He just got along with everyone." His last show airs April 23 - which is the day "L&O returns - and yeah, he'll be missed.