Are Gary Dourdan And Diane Neal Departing Their Hit Series For Mutually Disagreed-Upon, Shitcanning Reasons?
Posted by Seth at 8:30 AM on April 18, 2008
Noting that two cast members from TV's highest-rated procedurals—CSI's Gary Dourdan and Law & Order: SVU's Diane Neal—would be leaving their series at the end of their contracts, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello has reexamined the evidence, and concludes that these seemingly friendly departures were more likely the result of some less-than-amicable shitcannings:
In the case of Dourdan, an insider at the show insists that he and CSI execs "mutually agreed" to part ways for "creative reasons." However, a CBS mole claims the 41-year-old actor was essentially fired, adding that producers are trying to be "as supportive and protective" of him as possible by portraying the departure as mutual. That same mole wasn't willing to share the specific reason for Dourdan's ouster, except to say that it involves an "ongoing problem personal to Dourdan." [...]
Over at SVU, the situation surrounding Neal has become equally suspicious. On Tuesday, a show spokesperson confirmed to me exclusively that the actress would be vacating her role as ADA Casey Novak in what appeared to be a mutual decision. However, shortly after I posted that story, a show insider says an emotional Neal gathered the crew together on the set and informed them that she had just been fired.
Of course, more definite clues could arise once we get a better look at how the show's writers choose to dispatch their series regulars. We're reminded of a similarly acrimonious parting of Prison Break's Sarah Wayne Callies, whose gruesome demise involved the discovery of her character Sara's decapitated head in a box. Should we tune in to the season finale of CSI to find Marg Helgenberger running a black light over Dourdan's battered, limp body to get a better look at the tell-tale semen stains left after his fatal gang-raping, we'll know producers were not entirely broken up about the actor's departure.
- Exclusive: Were Dourdan and Neal (Gulp) Fired [TVGuide.com]
Tags: cbs | csi | gary dourdan | law and order | nbc

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
hughman
Posted 9:52 AM 18/4/08
"ongoing personal problem" = rehab soon to come
hughman
jasonelias
Posted 9:25 AM 18/4/08
Both departures aren't exactly helpful. Dourdan is a good actor and CSI's getting more grizzly so I'm actually wary of how they're going to tie those loose ends.
Neal, well, it's L&O, Dick Wolf loves replacing actors, even when it's not especially needed.
jasonelias
jasonelias
Posted 10:10 AM 18/4/08
@TurdBlossom: "Dourdan left to spend time with Neal's family..."
jasonelias
TurdBlossom
Posted 10:07 AM 18/4/08
I'm surprised neither camp used that olf gem, "left due to creative differences", or is that only in cases where the actor and producer hate each others guts?
TurdBlossom
secretagentman
Posted 9:57 AM 18/4/08
Other than the leads, Peterson, Sinise and Caruso, all the CSI's have replacable casts. If only the other cast members would realize this and keep their shit together. Of course being on those shows does nothing to advance a career, they are just money makers.
secretagentman
CakeAndDeath
Posted 12:22 PM 18/4/08
I'm proud to say I've never watched a single episode of CSI. Ever. Long live Law and Order. East coast, mothafuckas!
CakeAndDeath
MisterMuggles
Posted 11:52 AM 18/4/08
@jasonelias: Methinks you meant "grisly." Though it would be more interesting if the new teammate was a grizzly. The grizzly could gracelessly work with Grissom on crimes both gruesome and gross.
MisterMuggles
jasonelias
Posted 1:23 PM 18/4/08
@MisterMuggles: Wow, I can't type or think correctly. You know what would be interesting? Warrick attacked and killed by a grizzly. Nice...
jasonelias
Magister
Posted 1:13 PM 18/4/08
While a corpse might mean something on CSI, the last SVU ADA "died" in a hail of bullets only to reappear at the end of that episode (or maybe it was a two-parter), then she had to come out of hiding for an ep, one or two seasons later.
Magister
gwendemarco
Posted 1:08 PM 18/4/08
Nothing makes a writer happy* like coming up with ways to kill the annoying, aging, unimpressed or reasonless egomanic actor who fails* them. Or gets a better parking place even though their IMdB is non-existent. Or doesn't know their name even though they've shared coffee oh, like a dozen times. Or flirts with the new younger, hotter writer's assistant with cow eyelashes and 90 IQ. Or just merely breathes through a straighter nose. Half hugs and toothless smiles at the wrap party.
*happy and fails are, of course, subjective
gwendemarco
Mswhiskers
Posted 3:16 PM 18/4/08
Diane Neal was just not that special -- and female ADAs never last long on the L & O's.
Mswhiskers
mockingbird
Posted 3:02 PM 18/4/08
@Magister: Even a head in a box means nothing these days- Sara's supposed to be back on Prison Break next season.
mockingbird
Miss d
Posted 4:40 PM 18/4/08
Pity - as both are easy on the eye...
Miss d
xint
Posted 10:40 PM 18/4/08
They better start throwing money at Gary Dourdan...
How many years has it been?
Him leaving wont be OK...
xint
secretagentman
Posted 10:31 PM 18/4/08
@CakeAndDeath: With you!
secretagentman
hellodarling!
Posted 1:09 AM 19/4/08
I think the real question here is who the hell did Jesse L. Martin piss off? No more Lennie Brisco, now no more Detective Green? LE SIGH.
hellodarling!
nick_r
Posted 1:55 AM 19/4/08
@secretagentman: It's too early in the morning for me to be able to tell if you were kidding about Caruso not being replaceable.
nick_r
jasonelias
Posted 4:01 AM 19/4/08
@Det. Philangie: He's like Falsone 2.0
jasonelias
Det. Philangie
Posted 3:41 AM 19/4/08
I can't believe they're dumping Diane Neal and keeping Adam Beach.
Det. Philangie
cozymoses
Posted 5:20 AM 19/4/08
Remember the ADA that got fired on L&O and said "is this because I'm GAY?", thus giving us the fine tradition of firing an actor AND injecting a non-existent plot line at the same time? Ah, those were the days...
cozymoses
Wendy_Kroy
Posted 6:02 AM 19/4/08
@hellodarling!: He's leaving to star in a Marvin Gaye biopic - definitely wasn't fired.
Wendy_Kroy
jasonelias
Posted 1:21 PM 19/4/08
I bet Jesse was canned or they reached a "mutual agreement." L&O probably thinks it's in the clear with Jeremy "Rolling With My Homies" Sisto and Linus Roche but I find both of their characters terribly annoying.
jasonelias
Kitten_Witawip
Posted 5:03 AM 19/4/08
by Det. Philangie at 10:41 AM
Diane Neal refused to let her hair get any lighter
Kitten_Witawip