( CNN ) -- After 21 years of arrests with a side of wisecracks , Detective John Munch will retire Wednesday night on `` Law and Order : SVU . '' Richard Belzer debuted the role in January 1993 , with NBC 's `` Homicide : Life on the Street . '' Never the star , but usually the character with the best lines , Munch survived the cancellation of that show -- and much more . Between the reprisal of the role on various `` Law and Order '' spin-offs and his many guest spots in character , Belzer parlayed Munch into one of the longest running roles in TV history . As Munch , Belzer appeared on FOX 's `` The X-Files '' in 1993 , HBO 's `` The Wire '' in 2002 and shows like `` Arrested Development , '' `` The Beat '' and `` 30 Rock . '' Munch appeared in nine different television shows , and that does n't even include the time `` Sesame Street '' turned Munch into a muppet to solve alphabet-related crimes in the Special Letters Unit , or when he popped up on `` Jimmy Kimmel Live ! '' Of course , the irony is if you were to design a character who would run for more than two decades on television , you probably would n't create someone like Munch . The original character , like much of `` Homicide , '' was at least partially based on a real-life detective , but Munch was given an edge by comedian-turned-actor Belzer . The always anti-establishment Belzer brought a counterculture element to the police precinct with the offbeat detective . The romantically challenged , conspiracy theorist , temperamental Munch was a cop concerned with civil rights and a penchant for self-deprecation . Not your typical TV fare . Which is probably why he endured all these years . Belzer has been enjoying the attention his character 's retirement is getting . He 's been tweeting out his thanks , saying , `` Am I one of the luckiest actors in the world or what ? Between my loving fans and an adoring press-I am virtually speechless . '' Though he 's not sure he 'll be able to watch Munch 's retirement episode because he 'll be too emotional , he 's helpfully suggesting his fans play a drinking game in which they take a swig every time someone says his character 's name during the show . Fear not , Munch fans , this is n't completely the end of the line . Belzer is expected to have a cameo or two on `` SVU '' and another crossover opportunity could present itself down the road . ( FOX 's police comedy `` Brooklyn Nine Nine '' seems like a great choice , and it stars former `` Homicide '' castmate Andre Braugher ) . At least for one more night , the streets are safe .
Detective John Munch will retire on `` Law and Order : SVU '' Richard Belzer debuted the role in January 1993 . The character has appeared on multiple TV shows .