Law & Order Multiverse '06-'07: Doink Doink!

TELEVISION Specific Shows
1

New season, new cast changes, new series of cockteases by the NBC promo monkeys. (“This…is the episode…where one detective…CROSSES THE LINE.” Cue Stabler hitting a guy.)

Law & Order: Premieres Friday, Sept. 22 at 10 pm

The mothership has become my least favorite of the three, but I have to say, it’s nice to see Jesse L. Martin finally bumped up to “Senior Partner” (the first time that’s happened in the show) with the arrival of Milena Govich, from “Conviction,” as Detective Nina Cassidy. According to Wikipedia, Cassidy’s the first female partner in the mothership’s history. We’ll see if she lives up to the awesomeness of Benson, Eames, and the too-short-lived Barek on the other shows. I kind of wish they’d bring back Michael Imperoli, though. There’s also a new ADA, played by Alana de la Garza.

Law & Order: SVU: Wendsday, Sept. 20 at 10 pm

Fresh off its Emmy success, SVU is the only Law and Order not to go through cast changes this year. The characters and the “damn, that’s fucked up” storylines make this show one of the most compellingly watchable on the air. If I had one request for this season, it would be to give Richard Belzer some more episodes where he can be awesome–Munch has become so watered down since his “Homicide” days (remember ‘I am not Montel Williams?’), so come on, SVU guys, give us a return to form!

I love Stabler, but I hope the guy catches a break with his wife and kids. Nobody wants a happy Stabler, but it would be nice–since he’s not going to be shooting up any NAMBALA meetings in the near future–to cut him a little slack.

Also, more crazy guest stars and Fake Tom Cruises, please!

Law & Order: Criminal Intent-Tuesday, Sept. 19th at 9 PM

Even though I haven’t been a fan of this show in the past like I have the others, I’m really excited for this season. Why? Two words: Eric Bogosian. Yes, Mr. Talk Radio himself is replacing Randal Flagg as the Captain in charge of the Major Case Squad. I love the actor, and apparently, his Danny Ross is going to play a more prominent role than Jamey Sheridan did. I can’t wait to see him go head-to-head with Chris Noth and D’Onofrio.

The character of Ross also brings with him Megan Wheeler, who’s going to replace Anabella Sciorra. I don’t know much about the actress, Jullianne Nicholson, but hopefully, she’ll be as great a partner to Mike Logan as Sciorra was.

There’s also a new ADA played by Theresa Randle, but I really don’t care all that much as Courtney B. Vance was good, but almost never as compelling as the detectives.

2

This is finally the season I’m gonna try and pick up the “Law And Order” shows, as I never watched them very much. Helpful notes. Is there anything else I should know going in?

3

The opening narration tells you everything you need to know, but in case you want to know it anyway:

Mothership:

“In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.”

SVU:

“In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.”

Criminal Intent:

“In New York City’s war on crime, the worst criminal offenders are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad. These are their stories.”

4

If you want to catch some older episodes, just watch TNT. I think Law & Order accounts for half of their programming. It seems like every holiday they have a marathon.

5

I like SVU. Stabler is a great character and Meloni is amazing on it. I don’t like the rest.

6

Always wanted to make sure this link got in towards the top of one of these threads for easy reference:
When is Law & Order on?

7

I’ve never watched SVU, so I’m curious. Is it really like I’ve heard, in that it seems to be demonizing a lot of “deviant” sexual activity that ordinarily wouldn’t cause any problems?

8

I would definitely second Stabler as being a very fascinating character, especially when you take into account how much of a polar opposite Meloni is to him; in interviews and such he’s really goofy and funny, like when Conan O’ Brian did the ‘Law and Orderlies’ bit; he was funny as hell as the only L&O cast member to show up for it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlmightyShmun I’ve never watched SVU, so I’m curious. Is it really like I’ve heard, in that it seems to be demonizing a lot of “deviant” sexual activity that ordinarily wouldn’t cause any problems?

Nah, typically SVU goes after child molesters or serial rapists, real or imagined, and revolves around pure nihilism; pretty much everyone involved in an average episode is completely ruined by the end of it; this rings very true to me, so I totally dig it. CSI is the one that makes fetishists, like furries and such, look bad.

You know, while I’m on this SVU kick here, I wonder if anyone else thought that some of the casting choices for that show were a little suspect: Fred Savage as a serial rapist? Dean Cain in a similar role? I couldn’t buy those for a second.

9

I watched a little SVU, and it kinda worried me. One of the detectives seemed shocked and appalled by the very consideration that pedophilia might be, y’know, an affliction, rather than just some kinky little whim.

10

I always suspected Shmun was in NAMBLA.

11

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlmightyShmun I’ve never watched SVU, so I’m curious. Is it really like I’ve heard, in that it seems to be demonizing a lot of “deviant” sexual activity that ordinarily wouldn’t cause any problems?

Nah, most of the perps are guilty of some pretty heinous things.

One thing I have always liked about the show though is that they usually investigate both sides of rape allegations and the like. There’s a lot of grey area in some cases and it’s nice that they tackle that issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse The Mind You know, while I’m on this SVU kick here, I wonder if anyone else thought that some of the casting choices for that show were a little suspect: Fred Savage as a serial rapist? Dean Cain in a similar role? I couldn’t buy those for a second

Typical case of “clean cut, all-American actor wants to break his stereotype”. I’ve liked some of the choices though. Savage is a pretty decent actor, and Mathew Modine was aces as a psycho rapist.

I didn’t watch SVU much last season because I just got tired of Stabler being so entirely fucked up and depressed. I coulnd’t understand how they NYPD could possibly keep a cop so obviously near a nervous breakdown on the payroll.

12

The Matthew Modine episode of SVU was pure awesome

Stabler is out of options. Exhausted, at the end of his rope, and you can tell he just wants to cap Modine. So he sits down and has a chat with him.

“Tell me something, Stabler. Without controls like your family, your partner, the job..what would you be?”

A beat passes, they stare at each other, nothing else in the world matters, and Stabler answers calmly, like he’s absolutely sure

“I’d be you”

And then that fucking cool ending where Stabler beats the shit out of his locker, breathing hard and crying.

13

The Flagship is definatly not what it used to be, but I still like it best. SVU is a close second. I got board with CI, but liked it much better last year with the addition of Logan.

14

Logan is great with some really good seen it all gallow’s humor, Goren was too twitchy and weird.

15

I’m the opposite, I wish they let logan go, or if they include him have him appear in the same episodes with Goren. To me, a CI episode without Goren is not a true CI episode at all.

16

Quote:
Originally Posted by ElCapitanAmerica I’m the opposite, I wish they let logan go, or if they include him have him appear in the same episodes with Goren. To me, a CI episode without Goren is not a true CI episode at all.

I can see that,since Goren and Eames built the show. But the chemistry between Logan and Sciorra is too good. I like them mixing up the teams, but I’m bummed as fuck that Sciorra is leaving.

17

Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu Law & Order: Criminal Intent-Tuesday, Sept. 19th at 9 PM Even though I haven’t been a fan of this show in the past like I have the others, I’m really excited for this season. Why? Two words: Eric Bogosian. Yes, Mr. Talk Radio himself is replacing Randall Flagg as the Captain in charge of the Major Case Squad. I love the actor, and apparently, his Danny Ross is going to play a more prominent role than Jamey Sheridan did. I can’t wait to see him go head-to-head with Chris Noth and D’Onofrio.

That should be great. Bogosian did some nice turns as a defense attorney in the early years of the parent show, so he should fit in with no problem.

Quote:
The character of Ross also brings with him Megan Wheeler, who’s going to replace Anabella Sciorra. I don’t know much about the actress, Julianne Nicholson, but hopefully, she’ll be as great a partner to Mike Logan as Sciorra was.

Julianne Nicholson is a gifted actress. If she had a fan club, I would be the president. She is, however, approximately twelve pounds soaking wet, and resembles the juvenile Ron Howard. At first blush, casting her as a cop seems counter-intuitive. I’ll be interested to find out.

Then again, it may not matter. This may be CI’s last year, anyway, as it’s been dropped into an absolutely brutal time slot that will eventually put it opposite House and The Unit, not to mention Veronica Mars.

18

Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu If I had one request for this season, it would be to give Richard Belzer some more episodes where he can be awesome

Quote:
Originally Posted by RathBandu Also, more crazy guest stars and Fake Tom Cruises, please!

One plot I’ve heard for an upcoming episode will seemingly satisfy two of those requests. A murder is witnessed by Munch’s homeless uncle, played by, of all people…

317×398 16.8 KB

“PRETTY LADY!!!”

Man alive, between SVU, CI(which I just started getting into last season after only sticking with the other two shows), House, and ECW wrasslin’ on Sci-Fi, and being the day of the week I work a day shift, Tuesdays are personally STACKED.

Though it’s certainly lost a step due to it being the more standard show compared to the freaks and dicier themes of the other shows, I’ll actually be MORE likely to catch The Mothership with its exile to Friday.(Work again). I swear I only got to see the first half of about 90% of last season’s episodes. I never saw the end of the season finale or the one with McCoy on a hit list.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Napoleon Rodriguez Then again, it may not matter. This may be CI’s last year, anyway, as it’s been dropped into an absolutely brutal time slot that will eventually put it opposite House and The Unit, not to mention Veronica Mars.

As rough a timespot as that looks for this show, not to mention The Original Series, I try not to read too much into time slot competition before the season begins. Inevitably some debuting NBC crap show will be canned within a month and the schedule will get reshuffled a little. Also, Sunday nights will be free again once the football season ends in January. I’m completely expecting both shows will be accomodated into better slots as the season progresses.

19

Just caught a great SVU episode with Lou Diamond Phillips as a pedophile last night. Hadn’t really watched this show very much, but it is entertaining when I do catch it.

So Farina is gone after one season? I kinda liked him on the show…

20

I guess they are going to do some fucked up stuff to Benson this season on SVU. And McCoy is still going to be on Original Recipe, right? The finale last year made it look like he was going to be on his way out also.