Why was now the right time for Pino to leave the show?
Warren Leight: It's hard because I'm a hoarder and I adore Danny. But we explored a lot of facets about him and the reality is that the anger he's occasionally been unable to control has put him in a bad place at the NYPD. [Benson] is looking for a No. 2 and he wants it -- Finn doesn't want it, Rollins doesn't -- and he got shot down very quickly. These days, there is so much attention to police abuse of power that a guy like Amaro, who has crossed a line a few times, is basically dead-ended. The best that could happen to a detective like him right now is that they let him play out the string with no possibility of advancement and that didn't seem like something his character would want. His marriage has also fallen apart, but his daughter has moved out West, this other son of his from a prior relationship has moved out West, so there's not much keeping him [in New York]. It seemed to be, in a strange way, right for Amaro to start fresh somewhere else. It's not to say any of us enjoys it, but it seems like that's where the story was going and I think all of the actors felt like the exit was honored.
Will his exit be addressed in the premiere next season?
Leight: It's noticed, but as is usually the case, the first episode of the season has such a pace to it that you don't have a lot of time to dwell on it. The season starts with a pretty dark episode, a two-parter, in pursuit for a bad guy with a lot of resources. But there are moments when you feel his absence.
Will we learn who is replacing Benson as sergeant right away?
Leight: Not in the first couple of episodes, but then it will come more into focus and play out. While we're hunting [the premiere's bad guy], we're not worried about succession, but I think we'll see [Benson] stepping up to lieutenant as the season goes on.
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