Mekhi Phifer is coming to Law & Order!
While there’s no word yet on who he will play, TV Line reports that this is doubly exciting news because he will interact with several other ER alums, including Maura Tierney, who plays Jessica Brady, the new head of the homicide department.
While there is a definite connection between ER and Dick Wolf Entertainment, this is not an ER reunion, and Phifer’s guest role on Law & Order is good news for far more important reasons.
The Connection Between Dick Wolf Entertainment and ER Explained
Whether by coincidence or design, there have been many ER alums who have shown up on Dick Wolf shows.
Most famously, Mariska Hargitay was on ER before landing the role of Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU.
Hargitay played hospital desk clerk Cynthia Hooper during ER’s fourth season, who was airheaded and unqualified for the job.
She also had an affair with Mark Greene (the ER version, obviously, not the idiot on Days of Our Lives.)
Michael Beach is another ER alum who appears often on Dick Wolf shows, and Eriq La Salle directs.
Plus, new Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald wrote for ER, which helps explain why it’s been so easy for him to take over the One Chicago medical drama.
Mehki Phifer Played Dr. Gregory Pratt On ER
Considering the role he played on ER, Phifer’s appearance is definitely exciting.
He was in the show for several years, playing an at-first cocky intern who grew into an accomplished doctor before his untimely death in an ambulance explosion.
(As a side note, if you’re a Chicago Med fan, you might be interested in the fact that, like Med’s Archer, Pratt turned in his letter of resignation after being passed over for ED Chief in favor of a young female doctor who had just arrived, but changed his mind later.)
Pratt was an interesting character who started during the most painful time in ER’s history — Dr. Greene’s death. This allowed Phifer to demonstrate his acting chops right away. Given his history, he’ll likely get a meaty role on Law & Order, as well.
Still, it irks me that all the buzz seems to be about Mekhi Phifer being an ER alum as if his reunion with his ER cast mates is the only thing that is important about his guest appearance.
Mekhi Phifer Is An Accomplished Actor Who Shouldn’t Be Identified With Just One Role
I have to admit that I knew very little about Mekhi Phifer before learning he was guest a guest star on Law & Order.
Unfortunately, what I did know was that he played an unpopular and annoying character on Torchwood: Miracle Day, which was the BBC’s attempt to Americanize Torchwood.
I’d love to forget Phifer’s Torchwood character, who spent ten episodes insisting that everyone was lying about Jack Harkness being immortal, only to accidentally get the same superpower at the end, so the two of them were stuck with each other for eternity.
Yuck.
But just like it would be ridiculous for me to be angry that Phifer is on Law & Order because I hated his character on Torchwood, it’s silly for people to be excited merely because he’s reuniting with his ER alums.
It’s an interesting coincidence that so many ER stars are popping up on Dick Wolf shows, especially Law & Order.
However, Mekhi Phifer has played a ton of other roles, and it’s not cool to associate him with only one role he played almost 20 years ago.
Mekhi Phifer Has Played A Wide Variety of Roles, So He Could Be Almost Anybody On Law & Order
The cool thing about Phifer joining Law & Order as a guest star is that he has the acting chops to play almost any role.
He’s no stranger to either crime dramas or Dick Wolf shows, which is a definite bonus.
Phifer played a gang member on Homicide: Life On The Street who set off a war by stealing a gun and, in one of the series’ most pivotal episodes, shot up the squad room while under arrest. Four years later, he was playing a doctor on ER.
He’s also had roles on Chicago PD and New York Undercover, and as mentioned, he crossed over to sci-fi when he was on Torchwood.
This range of roles makes it hard to guess who he will play this time, but I’m hoping he plays a defense attorney.
Defense attorneys tend to become recurring characters, so if Mekhi Phifer plays one, he’ll be able to return to Law & Order in the future, maybe even on a semi-regular basis.
That’ll help me forget about that image of him from Torchwood and give this talented actor more work to do.
Defense attorneys also tend to aggravate the prosecutors and cops, so he’d get to have a lot of meaty, dramatic scenes involving multiple cast members, which would be fun.
Law & Order Can Be Trusted To Give Phifer A Worthwhile Part
The focus on Phifer being another ER alum is also annoying because it doesn’t matter who is on the show if the writing isn’t strong.
Phifer wasn’t chosen just for the gimmick of having ER actors work together.
He was the best actor for whatever part he was given.
The good news is that Law & Order usually doesn’t go for gimmick-based writing.
While there have been a few clunkers, the long-running police procedural usually delivers strong stories, often featuring ethical dilemmas.
Thus, the series can be trusted to have chosen him for a reason, and whatever part he plays will be talked about for a long time.
Still, his role on ER, along with his other roles, prepared him well for this moment. ER was one of the first shows to feature gritty, realistic storylines, which is Law & Order’s bread and butter.
Plus, Phifer reportedly orchestrated his character’s brilliant death scene when he was ready to leave ER, so he clearly has good dramatic instincts and the clout to gain some control over the types of parts he plays.
Over to you, Law & Order fanatics.
Are you excited about Mekhi Phifer’s upcoming guest appearance on Law & Order? Who do you hope he’ll play?
Hit the comments with your thoughts.
Law & Order airs on NBC on Thursdays at 8/7c. It returns with all new episodes on January 16, 2025.
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