Sam Waterson Ready for "Law & Order" Change

Sam Waterston admits he thought about not returning to "Law & Order" for its 18th season, soon to begin shooting for midseason launch. However, he adds, "I've had that thought every single year I've done the show." Waterston shows off his formidable acting skills as a man apparently afflicted with amnesia in the "Masters of Science Fiction" movie anthology premiere episode, "A Clean Escape," this Saturday (Aug. 4) on ABC.

Sam Waterson Ready for "Law & Order" Change

He found it "a joy" to work Judy Davis as the psychiatrist trying to get to the bottom of his character's mysteriously missing memory. "I'm fascinated by the whole idea of the cunningness of madness," he says. Esteemed filmmaker Mark Rydell directed the adaptation of John Kessel's award-winning short story, which Waterston considers "very smart."

Meanwhile, Waterston moves up from prosecutor to New York district attorney, with Linus Roache filling his old post, on "L&O" next season. Jeremy Sisto is coming aboard as a new partner for Jesse L. Martin's detective character.

"I don't know how it's going to play out, but I'm looking forward to doing the same thing while having it be all different at the same time," Waterston tells us. "There is supposed to be a lot of structural change," he adds. "While I loved doing what I was doing and I've never been bored, I think maybe I've explored it as much as anybody can, and now there is a chance for more fun of a different kind -- more brain teasers and new problems to solve."

FOR HIS NEXT FEAT: Former circus performer Mark Ivanir has moved from the big top to the big leagues as he's soon to get up close and personal with screen legend Robert De Niro in their upcoming flick "What Just Happened?" "De Niro is playing Art Linson, who is a well-known Hollywood producer, and I'm playing this Israeli producer, who's gotten money from shady characters and I bring it to De Niro to make a movie," explains the Russian-born actor, who grew up in Israel. "I based my part on what some Middle-Easterners are like, though not all of us, but things like invading the personal space of whoever they're talking to. I asked him about it beforehand because you don't just invade Robert De Niro's space. He didn't mind, so I was in his face throughout the movie. I think he liked it because it did what it had to do to create the conflict between the characters."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: Former CNN political analyst/host Carlos Watson confirms reports he's "talking to each of the major networks about doing a daytime talk show next year. I want to explore the notion that a talk show can be a broad place where you could talk to, say, Halle Berry comfortably, but also at the same time talk to Sen. Barack Obama." Watson doesn't foresee mounting the talker before next fall, and for now he says his new quarterly Hearst-Argyle TV specials, "Conversations with Carlos Watson," are "really my focus and heartbeat." He's excited about the diverse group he's lined up for the Aug. 13 special. "If you like Joss Stone the singer, she's absolutely going to tear it up," he says. "If you're a football fan, you'll love star quarterback Jonathan McNabb, and if you're a presidential junkie, you get to see Sen. John McCain."