The Real Reason Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy Left Law & Order

Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy served "Law & Order" for a long time. He was part of the original show from 1994 to 2010 and joined the revival in 2022. However, Season 23, Episode 5 — "Last Dance" — is the last appearance in his impressive 405-episode tenure. Fortunately, Waterston left the show in amicable terms, as everyone involved felt that McCoy's departure was a natural development. 

"I think I always knew there was a timestamp, a use-by date, on the return," Waterston told The Hollywood Reporter. "I didn't want to turn on the TV and not see myself on the show when it came back, but at the same time, I knew I didn't want to be there again for the long term. It's kind of been that way from the beginning. And then before this season, it became apparent to both 'Law & Order' and to me that this would be a really good time to leave. Then Rick Eid wrote this really graceful exit."

The exit is certainly graceful. During a difficult case concerning the mayor's (Bruce Altman) rich friend (Rob Benedict), McCoy decides to remove Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) from the trial and deals with it himself. This allows him to save Price's career by drawing the mayor's wrath on himself — and audiences get to see the hard-boiled McCoy work the courtroom one final time before the character hands in his resignation. 

"The Last Dance" is a notable episode for more than one reason. Apart from being Jack McCoy's last appearance on "Law & Order," it's also the first time the character personally prosecutes a case in quite some time. This particular element of the swansong episode was especially appealing to Sam Waterston. "It seemed completely appropriate to me," he said about McCoy's big courtroom finale. "You asked me to tell you what our alternative plot was. I don't even really remember. This wiped it out."

Apart from personally enjoying the ending showrunner Rick Eid came up with, Waterston liked his brief return in the prosecutor role because he considers it a particularly sweet spot, as "Law & Order" gigs go. "It's endless fun," he said. "And it's like a little play within a play. So I was always very stimulated by it. That's why I'm smiling — because Rick gave me that back."