Cybil’s Alicia Witt has signed on to star in Law & Order: Criminal Intent next season playing a detective.

Witt will play police detective Nola Falacci, who will be partnered with detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth). She’ll be a temporary replacement for Julianne Nicholson, who is on maternity leave.

Original episodes of “Criminal Intent” this coming season will air first on cable’s USA network and then later, with no date yet specified, on NBC. “CI” reruns have ranked among USA’s most popular shows.

No word if there is a chance she might stay on after the maternity leave or not, we’ll keep you posted!

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Looks like some of the cast of the show Law & Order: Criminal Intent aren’t all that keen on signing back on the series without raises. The stars Vincent D’Onofrio, Chris Noth and Kathryn Erbe have only until 5pm to accept the offers to return next season sans raises.

As you recall, Law & Order: Criminal Intent was moved off NBC this year to the USA Network in an attempt to keep the show on the air.

Of course, with Sex and the City movie now reportedly a go, maybe Chris Noth isn’t too anxious to sign anyway.

Hmmm… do you think Cashmere Mafia is looking for a Mr. Big?

Law & Order: Criminal Intent will be back with a full season of 22 episodes, but those episodes will air first on the USA Network instead of NBC. The unusual deal means that L&O: Criminal Intent will stay on the air for its eighth season, and won’t make the rumored move to TNT.

After some brief conversations about shifting “Law & Order” to Time Warner Inc.’s TNT, the decision was made to keep “Criminal Intent” for USA, said Jeff Zucker, chairman of NBC Universal.

NBC and USA are corporate cousins within NBC Universal, and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” reruns make up some of its most popular programming. Now USA will be able to premiere a full season’s worth of 22 episodes of what had been an established network series, a first for the business.

The series is entering its seventh season.

“This was a strategic decision by us,” Zucker said. “We are really taking USA to a new stratosphere.”

It’s not clear when “Criminal Intent” episodes will air on NBC; they will probably be used to fill a hole when a new fall drama fails.

An interesting move, but I am sure CI fans will be happy to watch it wherever it airs, whether that is USA or NBC.

Law & Order was also picked up for its 18th season by NBC.

Looks like another show or two might be jumping from network to cable. Law & Order as well as Law & Order: Criminal Intent are on the NBC chopping block for renewals for next season. But TNT, which already airs Law & Order reruns, might pick up the low-rated series since the series does perform well for TNT in reruns.

NBC Universal and Wolf Films, the producers of the long-running, franchise-spawning prime-time stalwart, are in talks with the basic cable network to pick up either, or possibly both, Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

“Negotiations are ongoing regarding Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent and, as always, we do not comment on negotiation,” Dick Wolf said in a statement.

A rep for TNT, meanwhile, says, “We don’t comment on speculation.”

The move appears to be a last-ditch effort to keep Law & Order from being canceled. Now in its 17th season, the formerly dominant procedural has struggled ratings-wise in recent years. But Wolf is apparently willing to make concessions to enable his brainchild to surpass Gunsmoke’s 20-year run to become the longest running show in prime-time history, one of his oft-repeated desires.

The pickup, should it occur, would come with a price—a much, much lower one.

TNT is apparently targeting a truncated 18th season—13 versus the standard 22—to cut production costs. The basic cable network would also require Wolf & Co. to dramatically reduce other per episode expenses to make the pick up a more economically viable option. In exchange, TNT would offer producers more creative freedom.

But have no fear, Law & Order: SVU fans… that has already been picked up by NBC for next season.

Vincent DOnofrio ruffled plenty of feathers when he reportedly told an Australian journalist at the end of last month that he plans on leaving Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

These are the reasons, he says in shock news, that he’s walking away from Criminal Intent.

“I’m at the age where I’m having a pretty good time in life and I want to do some directing now, stay away from acting just a little while,” D’Onofrio explains.

“I haven’t sorted the actual departure date out yet, but I won’t be there (Criminal Intent) much longer.

You know, to me, that sounds pretty definite. But since then, there apparently has been some fancy backtracking going on by his handlers. Now, according to Ausiello:

“I am not leaving Law & Order: Criminal Intent and have every intention of fulfilling my contractual obligations on the show,” he said in a statement issued by his rep. “I still find playing the role of Robert Goren interesting and enjoy working with the writers, cast and crew of Criminal Intent.”

Once more with feeling, buddy?

This all may be a moot point anyway, since the chances of CI seeing another season are iffy at best. Which brings me to my next question: Would anyone miss it?

Doesn’t sound so much like Ausiello believes him. Now I wonder if the show will get renewed for next season or not.

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Remember 80s teen celeb Martha Plimpton who had us chasing pirates in Goonies? She will be showing up on Law & Order Criminal Intent this week in a guest starring gig.

When the body of a former Ambassador’s daughter is found brutally murdered in her uptown home, Detectives Goren (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Eames (Kathryn Erbe) question a jealous ex-boyfriend. But when another body shows up with a similar crime scene, Detective Goren’s old mentor (Guest Star John Glover) and his daughter (Guest Star Martha Plimpton) suddenly return to warn of a past serial killer back on the loose. The search gets personal as a member of the Major Case Squad is kidnapped. Eric Bogosian also stars.

The episode, titled Blind Spot, airs February 3rd, 2007 at 10pm on NBC.

Doris Roberts, who played Marie Barone on the long-running sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond will guest star in an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The episode, which will feature Goren and Eames as the investigators, follows the murder of a socialite’s granddaughter… cue Doris as the prominent socialite.

The episode is titled Privilege, and is scheduled to air on January 9th, 2007.

I am looking forward to seeing Doris in this kind of role, especially since her character on Everybody Loves Raymond is so engrained in everyone’s minds still.

Don’t forget in the midst of the Halloween hoopla, that tonight is the night that Lisa Minnelli guest stars on Law & Order: Criminal Intent as the mother to a slain child actress on tonights episode titled Masquerade. Here is some promo goodness.

Minnelli is getting some great reviews of this performance, despite all the weird news items that pop up about her lifestyle. She really is a talented actress.

TV.com also has some video from when the episode was shot.

You gotta love the sweeps when the shows pull out the stops and nab high profile guest stars to draw in added viewers.  And Law & Order: Criminal Minds is following suit by bringing on Liza Minelli to guest star in an episode that parallels the John Mark Carr / Jon Benet case. 

Zap2it reports:

Minnelli, who had a recurring part on FOX’s “Arrested Development” the past few seasons, will play a woman named Beth Harner in the episode, which is filming now and will air sometime in November. The character is a former beauty queen whose child-actress daughter was murdered 14 years ago.

The unsolved case returns to the spotlight when a pedophile confesses to the murder.

No specific airdate has been given, other than it will air during November sweeps.