Season 28 of NBC’s uber-popular “Law & Order” is set to premiere in October 2026. However, ahead of the new season, it’s been reported that Reid Scott, who has portrayed Senior Detective Vincent Riley, a lead character for the past three seasons, is departing the show. In his absence, actor James Badge Dale will take on the role of a new Senior Detective.
Per Deadline, Scott decided to exit “Law & Order” despite having what is believed to be one more year on his contract. He reportedly elected to depart the series due to the commute to set, given that he resides in Los Angeles with his family but the show films in and around New York City.
As for what fans can expect from Scott’s character, Senior Detective Vincent Riley, the actor is currently on set filming a few episodes intended to wrap up his story arc. It’s unclear how many episodes he will appear in before Dale debuts his new character for the show.
‘Law & Order’ Is No Stranger To Cast Changes
GettyShows don’t last 25, going on 26 seasons, without experiencing some major cast changes, meaning Scott leaving the show is unfortunate but not unheard of. Per Deadline, one of the most recent cast changes came when Mehcad Brooks, who played Junior Detective Jalen Shaw, left the show in July 2025.
Of course, Scott himself served as a replacement after Jeffrey Donovan, who played Detective Frank Cosgrove, left the show in late 2023 due to creative differences.
Reid Scott Previously Discussed Filming
Scott made his “Law & Order” debut in January 2023 during the show’s 23rd season premiere. More recently, in October 2025, he opened up about life on set during an NBC interview. According to him, “I still love our actual crime scene. There’s a certain energy. And especially this time of year, in the city, when the weather’s great, and you could be outside in the elements. You’re so happy to be shooting in New York in the fall … I get a huge charge out of those.”
During the interview, Scott also shared that his two sons, whom he shares with his wife, Elspeth Keller, were “blown away” by the set. He said, “My kids got to come visit set this past Friday, and they got to see the crime scene.
We had a whole street blocked off in Red Hook. And they were just blown away at like the level of detail and how many people were involved, and all the cop cars and the spinning lights and all of it.”
He added, “It just reminds you how lucky you are to get to be shooting on the streets in New York, doing a cool a– crime show.” Regarding Scott’s career, he’s perhaps best known for his role on “Veep.” He also appeared in “My Boys,” “The Big C,” and “Dean.”
James Badge Dale Is Replacing Him
GettyAs mentioned, Dale will join “Law & Order” for its upcoming 26th season in a new role. Per IMDb, the actor is known for projects such as “13 Hours,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Departed,” and “World War Z.” His most recent movie was 2025’s “Violent Ends,” but he has multiple films listed as being in post-production.
