Yeah, I'm looking forward to this as well. Looks like Dick is loosening up on the personal lives of the characters and opening up some new stories. Here's hoping.

I'm ready - anyone know how many episodes have actullay been filmed for the season?

Not a big L&O fan but I might give this a try.

Here's hoping not. That's what drove me away from SVU.

I think there are 12.

I read the exact opposite. One of the conditions for L&O coming back was to tighten up the purse strings. Sam was part of that. I also read that he wasn't too happy about it. And personally, I didn't have a problem with Green's partner last year. I just hope Jesse doesn't go anywhere.

And after watching about half of TNT's L&O marathon two days ago, I wish Jerry was still around.

I don't like the new ADA.

Who is the actor playing the Kevorkian like character? I am not sure about the new guy yet.

Is ADA Cutter the lovechild of Jack McCoy and Patrick Bateman?

SVU has been the most consistent show in terms of quality. In fact, some of the more personal shows in the past two years have been the best. Most specifically Olivia's brother storyline and Fin's son's storyline.

SVU initially turned me off because it dealt more with Stabler and Olivia than the actual crime(s).. but over a season or two, they finally figured out a way to blend both personal lives of the detectives and the crimes evenly and that brought me back.

Brad Dourif (from Deadwood & LOTR)

It was very consistent for some time but then it went overboard with the personal stories and then the final straw for me was when they started doing those obvious showcase-for-the-Emmy episodes. Ugh. The same thing also drove me away from CSI.

There's just certain shows where I want the story to be the driving force and not the characters so much. L&O is not NYPD Blue and I'd rather they not try.


I was hoping there was a scene where Jack grabbed his fucking Blackberry and dropped it in a glass of scotch. Then again it was the Blackberry who broke the case in the first episode by miraculously discovering that she signed an anti-death penalty petition.

The 2nd episode was much better than the first. It was a nice twist how the dad unwittingly contributed to his wife's murder.

I wish for the 1st they had addressed assisted suicide straight on because to the best of my recollection, they've (surprisingly) never done an episode on that.

And Alana De La Garza looked fantastic I might add.

I went into this thinking it was one long episode so I was a bit disappointed. I thought they were both pretty good though. I like the cast now better than recent years.

Thanks man.

Sisto seems like a good fit for Martin, but I was underwhelmed with Roache as the new ADA.

I thought the new ADA was pretty good. Certainly not a horrible choice which is fine, the rest of the cast can carry him until he improves.

The first episode wasn't so great, but the second one I really liked. Great writing on that one.

I'll second that!

As for Linus Roache, I think he has the ability to do just fine. He was great as Thomas Wayne in Batman Begins. Still, it was strange not to see Waterston in the courtroom after 13 years of it.

Really like the new cop.
Really hate the new ADA - get rid of him ASAP.

The first episode was a decent season premiere, but the second episode was much stronger.

This isn't Law & Order at it's best, but it's pretty close. This has been one of the best Law & Order casts in a long time. First off, Jeremy Sisto is terrific on Law & Order, and not since Jerry Orbach has there been someone good for Det. Green (Jesse L. Martin). At first I wasn't too sure about Linus Roache as Cutter, but in the second episode, he won me over. I don't think Waterson has quite got into his new role as DA yet, but I think it was a good move to bump him up. Alana de la Garza is really the only weak link on the show. It isn't that she's a bad actor or anything, it's just that her character isn't as interesting as everybody else's. S. Epatha Merkerson doesn't get much screen time (none of the Lt./Capt. on crime dramas get much screen time anymore), but her parts are short and sweet. I still think that Dann Florek should've been on as capt. of the original Law & Order for longer, but Merkerson was an alright replacement.

I think that this might be the season that rejuvenates Law & Order.

I actually liked both of them. Sisto was good as was Linus Roache. Specifically, he was more of a take risks kind of ADA. I liked it.

I liked the new ADA. The new cop didn't stand out, but maybe he will after a while.

I thought the opposite. I didn't necessarily hate the new ADA, but i'd still rather see McCoy. Who know? After he serves out Branch's term, maybe Branch will come back (since he won't be president) and McCoy can take his old position.
I guess that was Dick's way of bringing Law & Order into the future?

AND how.

Episode 396: "Misbegotten"



First Aired: January 9, 2008
.....................................
Hopefully this episode was a good as the first two. This season has a great cast.

Glad to see Jeremy Sisto in another series. Loved him in Kidnapped last year, what a waste that NBC was the network that aired it though.