Jeff Goldblum made his debut as Detective Zach Nichols on USA Network’s Law and Order: Criminal Intent last night. Goldblum is replacing series regular Chris Noth for the show’s eighth season. Detective Nichols embodies all of Goldblum’s characters’ usual quirks. He is odd, funny and charismatic all at the same time.

The episode, about a group of Brooklyn based band members who turn out to be killing each other in order to secure a spot in the most buzzed about band of them all, premiered to solid ratings. The season eight debut earned 4.58 million viewers which is good for the cable network.

Its too bad Goldblum won’t get much time with his new on screen partner, Julianne Nicholson. Nicholson is pregnant on screen and in real life. Her pregnancy has been written into the show, giving her an out for the eighth season finale.

“Julianne Nicholson was supposed to finish the season,” says the show’s executive producer Peter Jankowski at the NBC press day Friday (April 24). “She’s pregnant and she couldn’t finish the the last episode and a half. So Katie [Kathryn] Erbe is going to come in and play his partner for an episode and a half, which is kind of exciting.”