Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish In 'Law & Order: SVU': Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay Replacements Cast

Sexual deviants and murderers, beware: there's a fresh pair of detectives ready to hunt you down.

With the sudden departure of star Christopher Meloni and the planned reduction of screen time for Mariska Hargitay, NBC set out on the hunt for two new star detectives for "Law & Order: SVU," and Monday, they announced their choices: joining the show will be former "Cold Case" supporting star Danny Pino and "Chase" star Kelli Giddish.

"Kelli and Danny are two great actors who will join a proven cast headed by Mariska Hargitay as this exceptional series heads into a very promising 13th season," said NBC Entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt in a statement announcing their casting.

Pino, an Emmy nominee who starred in 151 episodes of "Cold Case" and saw his character, Scott Valens, cross over into an episode of "CSI: NY," also had a run on "The Shield" and starred in a TV movie called "NYPD 2069." So, clearly, he's no stranger to the cop genre.

Giddish also has plenty of relevant experience, including a guest star appearance on "SVU" in 2007, and one on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" that same year. She had a short run as star of "Chase" last season before its cancellation, and before that, she worked the medical side of the crime genre as the star of the short-lived drama, "Past Life."

At one point, it was speculated that Jennifer Love Hewitt might take the place of Hargitay, who is getting a promotion to a supervisory role in the show, meaning she'll work less hours on screen. Hewitt, however, will not be joining the show.

Meloni just signed on last week for a major role in the upcoming Superman reboot, "Man of Steel."

Comments

[kannita]

08:15 AM on 06/30/2011

Alas, I will also retire from watching. This will be the show ending. I say they should have just featured Munch and Fin. Their featured shows were always great. No wonder Ice-T went the Ice and Coco route.

[Katbird]

12:42 AM on 06/30/2011

We can start the countdown to cancellation.

[not an emu]

11:44 PM on 06/29/2011

Who?

[Rosalee Harris]

11:03 PM on 06/29/2011

Yep this show wont be around for much longer.

[rabiddog6708]

08:56 PM on 06/29/2011

Won't be long before this show is cancelled.

[JRsNana]

04:28 PM on 06/29/2011

Say goodbye to SVU. Big mistake. Big. Huge.

[Raboom1]

03:42 PM on 06/29/2011

Exactly. SUV will be going straight to the grave. What was once the favorite show of so many is now going to the trash bin. Will no longer watch. Mariska and Chris are the show and without them there is no show. Stupid NBC once again. Good riddance.

[oceanofconsciousness]

02:00 PM on 06/29/2011

SVU RIP

[sisterdebmac]

12:43 PM on 06/29/2011

Who??? I'm done with this show.

[stopnlisten]

10:54 AM on 06/29/2011

I was holding out for Charlie Sheen.

[bezarkobarbie]

05:07 AM on 06/29/2011

This show is doomed.
I liked Pino on Cold Case, but I don't think that combo is strong enough to carry that show.

[VelveteenLady]

10:22 PM on 06/28/2011

Television shows, like people, have liftspans. SVU is in the throes of death, which is expected with any television show. Even the best have to end. It won't last, after Meloni leaves and Hargitay spends less time on it. Belzer is an okay actor; but, Ice-T is a freakin' joke.

The only reason that I watch the show is to watch Meloni. I hope that he continues to act so that the public can get more of him. I don't care for Hargitay. Her acting seems forced.

It was great, while it lasted.

[grailknight]

06:58 PM on 06/28/2011

Why does this article have a picture of Meloni and not of the new cast members?

[Catherine Young]

06:17 PM on 06/28/2011

Pull the plug now. Though Belzer and Ice-T are great, there's no show without Meloni and Hargitay. But is it too late to have them get rid of some of their sexual tension?

[obamasOHangel]

05:20 PM on 06/28/2011

Kelli Giddish couldn't make "Chase" work so I suspect she will kill SVU also (no pun intended). Besides that, NBC is airing a new cop show featuring a blond gritty detective (who also played Olivia's drug-addicted half sister on SVU last season), much like Kelli's Chase character. I don't get it, I think that NBC just hates Law & Order. And viewers.