Nooch.5: A (not-so) Complicated Road to Nothing

The #42 Minutes:

Nice juxtaposition of KillerBrother and the Family Photo

The episode begins with the Family Court hearing where Judge Linden covers her bases and Langan plus a hand-wringing Benson are all "come on" and the whole hearing ends up being pointless because bulldog I-wanna-vacate-the-adoption Sheila backs down and claims, claims, she simply wants a relationship with her grandson. Later on, Benson decides to let her meet Noah; thus taking control of the situation rather than be burdened with court-ordered visitation.

In between, Not-Emma-Lawrence (who reminded me a hell of a lot of Ellie Porter with better teeth) shows up after sixteen years missing and is reunited with her family which gives Carisi a temporary sense of I-done-good but he gets all detectivey and runs the girl's photo through facial recognition and, oopsie! she's not who she says she is. But the Dad and Glen already knew that because they have a deep...deep...deeply (actually it wasn't so deep) buried secret which somehow a young boy managed to keep and not give away during the intense initial investigation.

SVU arrests Not-Emma and she comes clean about her past--abusive home, saw the Lawrences on television, and figured they needed a replacement daughter which was great because she needed somewhere to go. At 21 Not-Emma was relegated to dangerous adult shelters which sounded a lot like Pretend when the girl faked being a high school student because she aged out of foster care and didn't know what to do.

But that wasn't the only blast from the past...

Complicated/Merchandise

Ramblings:

I hate seeing an anguished OMB. I really do. It makes me want to jump through the screen and hug her and send Thinking of You greeting cards and puppy photos and hang-in-there memes to Olivia.Benson@nypd.org. There are a zillion actors out there but none are as good as Mariska in this role and I blame her 100% for my inability to draw the line between reality and fiction.

The court scene at the beginning gutted me and everyone else except maybe Rick and Dick and Trump but I had to laugh when Benson and Langan both stood up to remind the judge that the child abuse case had been dismissed and I kept flashing back to Benson saying "I'm the one who asks the questions" because she was about to say "fuck this," push Langan aside, and go all Barba in that drab courtroom.

Rewinding a bit, gawwwwd I love how Peter looks at his wife; even though they're playing a role his eyes betray his adoration for her and I am so here for it.

So Sheila, perhaps on the advice of her silent lawyer, realized the law wasn't on her side and went for the less severe visitation request but things with her past and Ellie's past still aren't adding up. I mean, her PI must've really sucked. She could have asked Ariel's mom who probably would've only asked to be reimbursed for travel. And Ellie apparently lied about all that foster care business...or maybe we're not supposed to remember?

Swinging over to the case...maybe it was Glen's overall demeanor but I knew he did it, whatever it was, very early in the show. The acting was good but the case? Cll me high-maintenance, but the twists were more like foreseeable gentle curves I thought maybe the whole Florida thing was, perhaps Emma's forced second identity and there actually was a Steve and, being in Florida, maybe Cassidy had something to do with it when he tried to retire there (haha) but in the end Not Emma was just another Not Heather Hallender.

But seriously--what if Cassidy did go to the dark side and use the knowledge gained undercover to start an "escort service" in the Sunshine State and OMG that service is connected to a guy who owns a swanky, oceanside resort and everyone thought he was a douche and happy to hang out on the golf course and do reality shows but ends up running for President?

Sorry--that thought got away from me...

Even though I am vehemently opposed to prolonged OMB torture I am simultaneously elated and befuddled that the whole Will She Keep Noah question abruptly went away.

In the Wouldn't It Be Nice If Tucker Were There Department...Ed coulda been feeding sick Noah applesauce and saying okay no more cartoons but really allowing him to watch all the freaking TV he wants and Ed coulda been on Face Time and WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE ALOOF TUCKER SCOWLING AT GRANDMA FROM THE CORNER OF THE LIVING ROOM?

Quotable:

The precious Barba-Benson convo...

"How do you feel about that?"
"...I'm just doubting myself at every turn."
"...You can trust your instincts."

*Clunk.

Have I mentioned I have an extreme dislike for seeing OMB upset?

Ugh.That angle.

Graciously, Benson (I'm assuming) invites Sheila for coffee and, yep, the articles were right, they both have valid points. OMB also had to recognize a parallel. She and Sheila are close in age and Benson is only a Noah away from being completely alone like Grandma and...like Mrs. Lawrence. Benson's gigantic heart has been an obstacle in the past and it certainly looms large now. I'm interested to see when and how the two of them warm up to one another especially with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas coming up and also Noah's birthday but perhaps his approximate DOB is a little detail I was also supposed to forget.

What we didn't see was the two of them arranging the visit and agreeing on the time and Benson remarking a bit caustically, "you know the address."

"Do you want to see my room?" NO! NO THIS STRANGER IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE BE---oh well, okay. Obviously Mommy spent some quality prep time with sweet Noah but I was fucking annoyed at "This is Sheila" and then Sheila saying "I'm your Grandmother" and if OMB was okay with that why didn't she say it first?

Check w/ someone RE: PA oranges

"I just wanted a family." OMB gets it, Britt.

"Was this your first day of school?" Leading much, Carisi?

Wardrobe:

Striped Benson! Glasses and striped Benson! Powder blue blouse Benson! AND SHE HAD THE NECKLACE ON AT THE END! THE ONE FROM THIGH GRAB! AGAIN! (Yes, I know it means that's what @SVUStyle gave her to wear but I'm going down swinging, y'all).

Mommy and Me framed artwork!

Is It Next Wednesday Yet?

Actually, I could use a break.

I don't see this approach sustained over two more seasons. Aside from Noahgate, these are standalone episodes which, other than the first two, lack the fiery, edge-of-your-seat, pins-and-needles, SVUness I used to love so much.

And what a disappointment to see Stranger almost exactly replicated.

Unless there's more to it and Sheila turns out to be a conniving, ill-intentioned sociopath who OMB has to arrest for stalking, I'm no longer interested enough in her role to want to see much more of the character (although Brooke Shields is awesome). Or, in a really rosy Tucksony twist, if OMB comes to realize it's okay to let people in (to her life, that is, her building is open-access) and that brings the Captain back, Sheila can be my Grandma, too.

As the show closed, Benson's expression revealed her inner torment. There she was, all alone, obviously second-guessing her decision as Noah all-too-happily led Grams to his room for story time. Hmmm. Come to think of it...I've seen that look before...

Go 'head, Liv. Call him.

Lastly...

Complicated? 

Really, Céline?

Nooch.4: A Good Final Few Minutes

The #42 Minutes

OMG this Blog...EXTRA!

For the first time in #SVU History (I think, forgive me, I'm not @notjustvawnly) Olivia Benson takes the stage to address bullying, violence, and sexual assault and harassment with group of high school kids. In one of the most brilliantly written, poignant, timely, play-over-and-over-again-and-also-steal-the-lines-for-real-life scenes, our beloved Lieutenant expertly cajoles a group of teenagers into casting aside their inherent teenagerness. By the time the camera faded out, I almost forgot there was someone named Sheila Porter because there were tears running down my face and my heart was all clenchy in a good way because it IS possible for kids to be steered down a road of empathy and recognize the value in their collective humanity.

Bravo to the writers for going for empowerment rather than victim blaming, but I shouldn't have to "Bravo" for that. Not in 2017. And not in 2007. Or 1007.

But anyway.

Oh, before that there were 37 minutes and 10 seconds of show and also some commercials.

Random Ramble:

JULIE!!! LOOK WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH ALMOST SIX MINUTES!

SVU has done bullying before and they've done passed-out rape before, but this time they zeroed in on the right age. Since I commandeered the bottom floor of my townhouse and turned it into my office (hey, my husband has 2.5 offices in our home, I deserve ONE right?), I have had a magazine article entitled The Science of Mob Aggression taped to my wall.

Teenagers are a mob. They are a partially-developed-brain-prone-to-impulses-and-following-the-crowd mob and the ability to hide behind a digital wall only exacerbates an already innate characteristic. Teenagers will not change.

Not sure where OMB ends and MH begins.

BUT! BUT! BUT! They CAN be redirected! They can be guided by caring adults to channel that natural tendency toward vicious groupthink into a "mob" favoring compassion over cruelty. But this would take a sustained, concerted, unyielding effort on the part of adults everywhere. I'm not terribly optimistic, but it can be done. I have no doubt that final scene could be recreated in real life. It NEEDS to be created in real life. Too many young lives have been ruined, cut short, or irrevocably derailed for us to ignore the devastating effects of bullying, harassment, violence, and sexual assault. Think of how many lives could be CHANGED if we all made an effort today to help at least ONE young child develop a sense of empathy.

The writers were sitting on a gold mine of a gripping, compelling episode and, sadly, the first 37:10 felt like they didn't quite know how to get to that end scene. Almost like they'd written it first and needed to fill in blanks. I was so bored for the first 37:10 I was TEXTING in addition to writing notes and occasionally Tweeting, but I was even bored with Twitter.

For the record, I never text during #SVU.

Never.

Not even during Eidteen.

But let's not dredge up the past.

I work with teenagers. The bullying, the constant, escalating cyberbullying these young people are capable of spewing was watered down and almost not even articulated because we had to interview Max and Andrew and arrest them in class and Max had to be beaten up and...

Poor baby--searching for a safe identity.

Let's consider the following alternatives:

Option A: The actual rape is solved immediately. Barba this, Barba that, court, whatever, but the focus of the ep is actually on how quickly the cyberbullying fervor can catch on in schools, even among the meek and the seemingly marginal/indifferent populations and then have the trial center on whether or not this type of peer pressure qualifies as grounds for a type of temporary mental illness and acquittal.

Option B: Barba touched on an emerging debate: how responsible are schools for what their students text/disseminate online even outside of school hours? This would've been an interesting blurred line to navigate and could also have included new single mom BFFs Benson and Rollins in a more natural BFF scenario than what was written but more about that later.

Option C: As Rollins takes the lead, she flashes back to her teenagehood (who would play the teenage Rollins?), eventually culminating in the tattoo reveal in Mandy's new, scrubbed bedroom. She mentioned a "stupid thing." Why not connect the dots in her own traumatic past back to her formative years in Loganville?

Option D: Set Andrew's allocution earlier. Do people really think 15 year-olds would automatically hear "Everyone should know you were telling the truth" and then be like "Oh, okay, sorry Mandy."  Doesn't happen that way. In real life there would be a cadre of nasty hater brats claiming his words were only to get out of more jail time. C'mon. SVU consults with doctors and lawyers and cops and shrinks. Ya'll can't get a teacher on your part-time payroll?

TIME FOR A TWITTER POLL!

Quotable:

"It's gonna be something we never saw coming." A little mom-banter results in OMB full disclosure about Sheila and thank gawwwwd PorterMama got a door shut in her face but can we get to the history already? Cuz I'm beyond annoyed. And also--so OBVIOUSLY Benson never saw Sheila coming because as Rollins so conveniently reminds us, Ellie said her parents were dead (but maybe her mom was just gone and the mom she knew was really a stepmom? Like maybe Sheila was in the Peace Corps combating HIV/AIDS in Africa for the past twenty years?). Dear Writers, remember we're smart! Please STOP REPEATING LINES WORD FOR WORD. Thank you. :-)

I'm sick of it too, Rollins.

"Magical Thinking on my part...If I don't do anything about it, it will just go away."
Ummmmmm, this is very un-OMB-like. Also, Judge Linden's on your side, sister. And also...

"Trevor?" Has she called him Trevor before? And while we're at it--Andrew DRAKE? There are like a bazillion surnames from which to choose. IDK why I'm getting all hung up with names. Unless it's Ed.

ED!!!!!!

Oh fine.

When Rollins asked if everything was okay at home why couldn't Benson's line have been:

"Yes. Noah's there with Ed. They'll finish dinner without me." Sigh. Brushes hair to the side. "Yet again."

Rollins gives her a little knowing smirk like okayy, Tucker's back. And they go to work.

IT'S NOT THAT HARD, PEOPLE!

Wardrobe:

Love OMB in stripes and I also thought it was cute that she was coming from home and they were making her look like she'd dressed in a hurry but I'm pretty sure OMB dressed in a hurry is equivalent to me prepping for hours and also paying the makeup girl at Belk to do my face.

Damn they cute.

I HEART OMB in a police jacket. Especially when hustling out of the SUV. But I wonder...does the hair go up before they leave the precinct? At a light? Oh, wait, cops don't stop at lights. Especially not on their way to a nasty apartment in Newark. I really should occupy my mind with more productive thoughts.

What's that new ring on not-Benson's-ring-finger?

At the end she was wearing the necklace she was wearing at the end of Unholiest Alliance when Tucker grabbed her thigh just sayin.

Is It Next Wednesday, Yet?

Let's not ever do this again. Kay?

On a lighter note, they're turning Rollins into a tryhard. What's with the sudden switch? She and Benson have too much in their past to just all of a sudden transition to this. Usually I'm cool with off-screen implications, but not in this case.

For the love of God can we get Judge Linden to deny all of Sheila's motions and tell her to go the fuck back to the Granite State? Does anyone really think she can afford to pay a reputable shrink to contest what Lindstrom says? And also...LINDEN GAVE NOAH TO HER! But Lindstrom if you go all ethical and professional I will fucking kill you (is he even casted? Is Linden in the next ep? I need her to rule in OMB's favor and then Shelia will plead with her to at least let her see him and OMB has a big heart and we know where that goes.)

But don't let that kid outta your sight, Benson. FYI--he's the older, taller, moppier-haired version.

Sorry, this whole thing is:

A) aggravating
B) nonsensical
C) taking energy and creativity away from developing a more intriguing SVU-related story
D) NOT MAKING TUCKER COME BACK

Yes I'm into multiple choice lately and yes if Tucker comes back I'll just...well...I'm tired of making these speculative promises.

But I can't help it.

Captain Tucker is such a BabeSoda

Nooch.3: Suffering Enough?

The #42 Minutes:

Fin and Carisi arrive at the Skyline Hotel answering a call and quickly pivot from childhood candy memories to their best WTF faces because that's not ice in that ice bucket.

At the hospital the purported victim, Jason Karr, only claims to remember having drinks and going to his hotel room with a woman named Angela. The squad agrees there must be more to the story after all it's not everyday someone turns up castrated in a hotel stairwell (but it has happened fairly regularly on SVU).

Onward.

Who would say no to this face?

A 911 call, a Visa transaction, and a charmed steakhouse hostess later, they have three suspects who are actually victims, but Karr can't or won't identify his attackers. Carisi shows off his vocabulary to Barba's veiled delight (Yummy!) and suggests they arrest the three women for obstruction, Olivia agrees because given the nature of the injury there's a sexual motivation (duh), Rollins is annoyed, and the women, particularly the aptly-named Evelyn Bundy confess to the setup and the crime. Evelyn accepts a four-year sentence for assault, but Benson lets slip Karr won't have to pay for his crimes due to the statute of limitations on statutory rape BUT HOLD ON! Evelyn subsequently recounts an instance of forcible rape which is incredibly convenient since the clock doesn't run out on that charge. It's a head-scratcher for Rollins, though, because Evelyn's a little tardy with the accusation, and Rollins doesn't say it but she's thinking her boss fucked up a little bit but just like last time she questioned OMB's judgement (last week), everything turned out just fine at least as far as the case is concerned. (Insert weekly Rollins-for-Sarge plug here).

He did it.

A forcible rape conviction seems doubtful until Karr's wife shows up in the squad room with an old student literary journal which sort of corroborated Evelyn's account and also another conch shell which she pointedly produced from her bag and placed on the desk. Cue the eye roll counter (I was at nine).

Since the wife's testimony would be damning and the poem (cork)screwed any chance of fact-based acquittal, Karr's lawyer uses her closing argument to try and convince the jury that justice had already been overserved and it was therefore fair to give Karr a pass, a suggestion which infuriates Barba. He scribbles furiously only to crumple the paper in favor of an ad-libbed verbal counter-punch for the eventual KO.

Karr is found guilty in a case that in real life probably never would have gone to trial. All is right with the world. Especially since Benson can go home and read to Noah without that nagging DA's investigation hanging over her head, but complacency is short-lived. Put the gloves, on, OMB, time for Round Two (btw if the plan is to go a full twelve, I'm out).

Random Ramble:

The case wasn't very interesting. SVU has done years-later revenge before, predatory teachers are definitely not new, and the whole thing too closely mirrored Control (SVU5.09). The suspense of the last two episodes never showed up in this one, even when Langan showed up but maybe I'm already desensitized to everyone on the planet torturing OMB. Additionally, the fairly seamless back-and-forth between #Benoah and cop business disappeared. The flow was off and Director Mister Jean de Segonzac employed some weird angles and jerky cuts which didn't help and as I've mentioned before I've never set foot in a film school and I'm not even confident I'm using the correct terminology, so this could be solely my problem.

Since Fin's spent most of the past couple of years whining about how annoying Carisi is, I found it odd they were all buddy-buddy as the show opened but maybe they're both lonely since #34B hasn't been heard from and neither has Fin's grandson. Even more off-base and flirting with OOC was that Fin knows A Streetcar Named Desire well enough to use "Stanley Kowalski" in a snarky remark, and Carisi isn't familiar with Contrapasso.

Fin, did you just say "sketch?"

You know what? In Gone Fishin' I almost got teary-eyed when Liv connected with the rapist's wife over their children. Like, FINALLY, she can do that. She's a mother. So not only did she "get it" before, now she has the "mom cred" to sincerely and completely empathize on this level. But just like her asking Noah if he invited someone over was cute the first time and hackneyed the second, the scene with young Mrs. Karr crying about not having a family and then Benson (who by this point knows Karr's a monster) tacitly suggesting the Karrs could one day adopt made ZERO sense and was a trite reminder that OMB is once again distracted by the #Benoah-in-peril thread Nooch insists on weaving through this season.

The year is 4015 and OMB is still fighting to keep her son.

Did Langan and Liv ever agree to disagree on who's at fault in what will go down as the least twisty of the latest #SVU twists? If it matters? Trevor said there is no legal basis for the motion, so maybe Grandma will settle for petitioning for visitation?

No, OMB does not need a man but COME ON PEOPLE who doesn't want to see grumbly, pissed off Tucker be her rock through this?

How many of ya'll Googled "New York Adoption Law" last night? I did.

More on this later.

Benson reassuring the women at the beginning of Barba's closing was kinda hilarious.

I hate to nitpick but why were all three of the women at their 20th reunion when one was a year older?

Quotable:

"Rafael. Rafael. Rafael."  Maybe I just prefer hearing Mariska Hargitay pronounce Barba, but for old time's sake let's go back to using the surname. Say what you want about evolving relationship, but hasn't their friendship evolved about as much as it's going to? Maybe he finally came out to Liv? But still....he's BARBA! And shut up, Barson shippers who are about to fire back at me with "But she called Tucker Ed in Collateral Damages, rememberrrr?"

"Rabbits don't eat sushi!" Does that mean you do, Noah? If so, I'm going to need a #Benoah sushi date scene ASAP.

"Let's get her some medical attention, please." Uh, ya think, Judge? Evelyn's hand is kinda bleeding all over the fucking place. IDK about ya'll but this was a little too close to the Jenna Miller "loving her body" on-the-stand meltdown in Heightened Emotions (same judge, too). 

Wish I woulda known sooner that castrated was the night's drinking game word. C'mon, writers, I need to be aware of these things ahead of time. It affects my drink selections.

This quote from Julie-42Minutes-Martin was truncated. The entire version was "Whatever the case, she might have to move in with Tucker." Nice attempt to try and joke your way out of a fuck up.

Wardrobe:

My love for Benson Blazers is not exactly a state secret, but the Best Blazer Award for October 11 goes to Amanda Rollins for the cutout-sleeve black number she wore at the beginning of the episode I have already been tracking one down for myself I'm sure you all care.

I really hate that the first trench coat to appear appeared on the body of Brooke Fucking Sheila Porter.

My co-workers and I look just like this.

Is It Next Wednesday Yet?

What's with this every-crime-has-three-victims/OMB-is-distracted-and-Rollins-notices-and-questions-her pattern we have developing? I've said it before and I'll say it again. Targeting Noah is the easy way out. It's way more difficult to create a season (or more) long recurring story line similar to Yates/Rudnick or the Johnny D sex trafficking ring or even that escort-service-war stupid ass Cassidy was involved in.

Instead the writers are now making up shit to fill in the blanks so it seems plausible that Sheila Porter would have a shot at taking Noah. Ok, so, Ellie lied about her parents and her mom was in New Hampshire anyway; was Langan supposed to vet every Porter in the United States? And another SO WHAT to Judge Linden fast-tracking the adoption. She's the fucking judge. And Noah was, as far as everyone knew, an orphan.

Why are you at my fucking door?

Ellie's story was that she was in and out of foster care and, as a teenager, sold to Little Tino. Was she lying about foster care? Did she instead voluntarily run away? I sure as fuck hope so because if Brooke Shields was such a shitty parent that her daughter was taken from her for SEVERAL YEARS then a) hiring a PI to find said daughter seems a little off and b) why would any judge even consider granting her request?

I do not see Olivia Margaret Mommy Bear Benson willing to open her life and Noah's life to this stranger even for the sake of "family." Please writers do not have her go through some sappy bout of soul-searching and agonizing about how she never had extended family and wants to take a chance and give that to her son in the form of visitations with this woman.

Or, hell, let's do it! And invite Simon along for the ride, too!

Lastly, let's get real, people. I (and everyone else with a brain) already questioned this at length on Twitter but how in the hell does Grandma know where Olivia resides and why does Benson's building have apparently the only open-access policy in Manhattan? You need a code to use the restroom at Starbucks, but the person trying to make Noah Porter Benson Noah Porter again can waltz right up the elevator and knock on the door?

Nooch.2: Mood Killers: Inhalers and Cassidy

The #42Minutes:

As soon as Savannah Ross shows up at SVU to report a rape, we know who did it. HELLO? Detectives? It was the guy with the black gloves! The opera-loving, punctilious, time-conscious RAPIST who left Mrs. Burns counting to sixty as he retraced his steps and fled her apartment with a diamond tennis bracelet but without her inhaler which turns out to be the incriminating piece of evidence. GET HIM!

But poor Mrs. Burns spends the two days curled up in bed and during those two days the detectives uncover evidence which works more to discredit Savannah's account than it helps nail the perp. Savannah spent her childhood shuffled in and out of foster homes and has a history of reporting rapes when facing adverse circumstances.

Benson, under pressure and distracted, sides with Savannah until Rollins tells her politely to wake the fuck up but Benson's instincts are proved correct when Mrs. Burns misses and appointment and finally comes forward. The squad figures out, with the help of inhaler DNA, the victims have all signed petitions for various causes. THE LINK! THE LINK! Remember the speed dating ep? Same concept. Earlier in the squad room, Benson pointed out that people with traumatic pasts sometimes invent fairy tales to survive, but as it turns out, Prince Charming-mask-wearing rapist Tommy Williams coped with mommy issues by stalking and raping women with whom he experienced a connection during street canvasses. Fin and Carisi get an address, Fin pulls the whole "may I use your restroom" trick, Carisi gets reprimanded for getting crumbs everywhere but the job gets done because Mommy Williams is wearing the tennis bracelet and Fin returns with a clipboard full of names with three names starred. They hightail it to the home of the third victim and stop the assault in progress. A rainy day chase ensues, Rollins tries to go Holden March on him but Tommy slips away...literally...it must really suck to go through all that trouble to be neat and clean and orderly only to go splat in an alley.

Rollins, to be nice and also maybe feeling guilty for doubting her (but of course Benson actually did all the face-to-face dirty work), treats Savannah to a buddy-buddy lunch and Benoah ignore interruptions in favor of watching cartoons and we fade to black as pleasant, S17 Finale-esque music plays, but Nooch and Company do not think for one second you have us lulled into thinking all is well on the Benson homefront.

Rambling Reactions:

Mary Poppins. Okay, that was funny. But the rest of the Michelle interview? WYD, ALISON? Not only is OMB pissed that the State has the nerve to accuse and investigate HER of all people but she has to verbalize and relive Lewis again this time with someone she doesn't trust at fucking all and fuck, he's still haunting her. As much as that scene made my throat dry and my entire body tremble, I...wanna watch it over and over? What the hell is wrong with me?

THE AGONY!

A clip from that scene will be played on Emmy Night. Mark my words.

The obviously distracted Lieutenant telling the squad to go find the mask seller. Everyone knew there would be a bazillion of them out there and foster care, foster system, wishing for new light bulbs, OMB patiently and professionally listening to Savannah's story which could have been Noah's story and...worst case scenario COULD BE AGAIN. (Sorry, that hurt.)

Jameson's, wherefore art thou?

Speaking of...Rollins, I have to hand it to you, sister. That took some courage to saunter into the office and tell OMB she was possibly thinking like a victim. And then later relaying the deets on Cassidy's treachery...brave but also a welcome sign of their burgeoning friendship and...we're getting father and farther away from "I don't trust you."




Benson tells Savannah she has to leave Sacred Haven and the whole time probably thinking this is wrong, this is wrong, but at the same time realizing her personal life really could be clouding her judgment because on the surface it appeared Rollins was right. At that point, the deck was stacked against Savannah.

I totally thought Tommy would be going for a Mommy defense because...creeeeeperMOM....reminded me a little of Scavenger, but #42Minutes constraints kick in, and...Barba who?

Kidding, kidding.

Raise your hand if you thought OMB was going to punch Cassidy in the face after she marched up to him outside of his building. I'm reading between the lines a bit here but bear with me. Cassidy returned to New York perhaps planning to resume his friendship and maybe more with Benson and was disappointed to learn she'd moved on. So in his effort to find a new niche, he gets all buddy buddy with people in his office, like Michelle, and gets carried away one night after a few too many after-work drinks. When the show cut to commercial I pictured a more malicious scenario, but as it turns out Cassidy is just an inconsiderate idiot, no surprise. He truly did seem remorseful and wishing he could take back what he'd done...just like he probably wishes he would've agreed to try the new bistro.

For the record, AGAIN, I have always hated that guy which is why I could not bring myself to jump on board the I'm-cool-with-Bensidy-as-long-as-OMB-is-happy train. He's not good enough for her! He never was! And he doesn't even have sense enough to keep his fucking mouth shut about the most traumatic thing she's ever had to endure.

Knock his lights out, Liv.

Quotable:

"Maybe that's why you're supposed to call us."
I love how the skeptic Rollins kinda gets the detective's point and OMB just keeps repeating essentially this same suggestion.

"Maybe your eyes aren't as clear as they usually are...maybe you're seeing yourself as a little bit of a victim right now."
I still can't believe Rollins said this!

"Next time, Brian, don't help me."
It'll be interesting to see if this is the last of Cassidy or if he's going to play an active role and maybe ignore her and try to help her out. Either way, I wouldn't bet on OMB making good on that coffee. Also, off-camera in real fake life she actually said "fuck you."

"I just feel so alone."
"You'll never understand how I felt."
"You were traumatized through no fault of your own."
Gawwwwwd the irony is KILLING ME. It's almost like OMB is talking to herself in  these scenes. The empathy is palpable, but it's MORE than empathy, and I'm envisioning her rushing to the car or the stairwell or an abandoned interview room and sobbing hysterically for a few minutes before putting on her Lieutenant's face again and braving the world.

"Because they stop seeing themselves as victims, so they stop being victims." At first I blinked. Wasn't sure how to take this quote. But what OMB said next added context. Yes, Savannah, your life is far from over.

Carisi, I don't see the Brad Pitt resemblance, either.

Wardrobe:

Is it too late in the year for me to copy the white blazer gray shirt? I already have the green blouse and an assortment of dark blazers and pants.

Fin cracks me up in his jacket and dress shirt...reluctantly fitting in with everyone else.

IDK about y'all but I'm ready for trench coat season.

Is It Next Wednesday Yet?

Why mention the dog walker rather than Jesse's nanny?

Will Carisi struggle with memories of Tommy falling to his death?

When will Lucy get her turn in the interview room? If the investigation is going to heat up to the point of "crazy lady" wouldn't they want to talk to the nanny?

And to Tucker? 😊

Didn't think I was going to let a post go by without mentioning him, didja? But seriously, when's OMB gonna recall the whole "I trust you" thing and give the Captain a call? Or the other way around? Please tell me I wasn't the only one who thought maybe that was him on the phone?

I still steadfastly stand by my original statement. A season-long custody battle and fight (again) for Noah is anathema to me and I'm baffled how that would play out since, other than the bruise, there really isn't anything there. Yeah, yeah, all the Lewis horror is in the file, but there is no link between what happened to OMB then and her parenting now. And considering Institutional Fail, surely there are kids in way more dire situations than Noah Porter Benson who, by the way, better be careful. No knocking into ANYTHING Noah...just stay on the couch with your blanket, kay? Wouldn't it be perfect if he was injured (not seriously) while under Smiley's watch? Now THAT is a parent-teacher conference I want to attend!

So next week Brooke Shields and Langan come to further fuck up Benson's life.

Or maybe they've fooled us all and the two of them have nothing to do with the C___ A____ investigation.

Whatever it is, they'll face a Benson who is on the offensive, and you know what else? I don't have to work next Thursday.

Party at my place!

Nooch.1: And the Truth Shall Set You...

Free? Except when your child shows up at school with a suspicious-looking bruise?

The #42Minutes:

After some astute stalking, er, checking of jazz websites, Fin discovers a post from a man he suspects is a rapist who has eluded capture for six years, so the not-yet-sergeant heads down to Cuba, kidnaps Byron Marks, and triumphantly escorts the perp back to NYC and into the 16th Precinct. Skepticism abounds, but, hey! The ends justify the means, right?

Errrr. Not exactly. At least not at first.

Initially, three of the three victims refuse to cooperate, but one eventually comes forward and agrees to testify. However, the case quickly spirals out of control. Was the arrest illegal? Was international law violated? Does Cuba have the right and the will to exploit the tense political relationship with the U.S. (veiled middle finger to Trump?) and bring this guy back to their country?

Turns out, it's all good. Benson's a little ticked because, after all, any malfeasance ultimately muddies her reputation which Fin doesn't quite seem to comprehend.

Before trial, Marks is released. Barba predicts he'll flee. He does.Via a diner bathroom (shocker) and in a "Where's Doctor Rudnick?-esque" moment of panic, the squad locks down the city while Benson frantically tries to get in touch with Karla, a woman Marks raped and a woman who probably would've blown the motherfucker's brains out if Benson hadn't shown up in the nick of time.

Marx's wife still poses a trial problem though, because as Rollins said, Marks is charming and his spouse is resolutely in his corner.

Until Benson takes Karla's statement.

With the wife in the room.

See ya in double digits starting with a two, Byron.

While this plays out, Noah's teacher notices a bruise on his arm and he tells the adults his mom did it which is true but as OMB so gently reminds him before bed one night it's sometimes helpful to tell the whole story especially when it involves potential scrutiny by social workers and we all know how much fun Benson had with the last one.

Rambling Reactions

Dear police officers everywhere,

How in the hell do you not unload and knock the lights out of someone like this smug asshole? 

Bravo, Will Chase. You nailed the creepy, contemptible-yet-charming rapist persona. But you're not going to get the better of Lieutenant Benson who's all like "nah, nah, squad, I got this" when Marks gets in her face and then... 

"You done?"

After Marks lawyers up it's time to re-interview the women he attacked and the three, Joyce, Keisha, and Karla represent a heart-wrenching cross-section of six-year-later survivors. One is irrevocably crushed; another refuses to allow Marks to steal any more precious time.

So the detectives take a crack at Karla who (the writing implies) was, pre-assault, probably a tenacious, independent young woman with a disposition not unlike OMB's, but the rape cast doubt on the reliability of her innate qualities and ironically she eventually found comfort by marrying a domineering spouse--the oafish, sweaty, beer-swilling Frank who is quickly tossed in the "screw 'im" pile when Karla decides she wants to nail the sonofabitch.

"I love you."

What kid hasn't said something like "I want Lucy to be my Mommy?" Shit, that line's tame compared to some of the vitriol I spewed my mother's way during my formative years (for which I am eternally remorseful, btw). OMB seemed genuinely nonplussed. Sorry, dude, you're stuck. Ahhhhhhhbviously Benoah is strong⇒⇒

Can't wait for #SVU29 when Noah's a teenager!

Nevertheless...warning signals abound. Noah talks about Lucy at school and not about Mommy other than the tiny little detail about it being her fingerprints striped across his arm. OMB effectively hangs up on whoever was calling from the school. Letting go of Noah in order to answer the phone...something parents do all the time, right? But these little things add up and will be magnified and scrutinized. Noah's getting older. Parenting is more compli--rather, more layered? Hectic? Fast-paced?  Hell, OMB can't even keep strawberry ice cream and syrup in the house. Shit's getting serious.

TV doesn't make me cry, but TV came close when a frazzled OMB spills her coffee and ROLLINS TO THE RESCUE. Amanda has your back, Liv! I love it! I would also love Fin saying "fuck it" to the promotion and Rollins taking the exam and then they're BFFs and also #BFBadasses. Pretty, pretty please Mr. Noochy? I've made many intriguing yet sincere promises in exchange for fulfilled requests....Oh. That sounded bad. 

Minds outta the gutter people.

"Imma call them and tell 'em to fuck off, Liv"

For a second though I forgot Mr. Noochy was in charge. Wouldn't it have been so Eid-y to have OMB say something like "I don't know what's going on...considering his DNA...who knows what he's thinking." ???????

Thank gawwd those days are over.

Oh, almost forgot, backing up a bit to the unconvinced Mrs. Smiley. When she asked about Noah's father and said she was sorry to hear he was deceased? Give Mariska a fucking Emmy and a Presidential Medal of Freedom and another Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just for this expression:

 So...Cassidy hated retirement (did he take Tucker's job?) so he's back which isn't news to Benson because apparently upon his arrival back in New York they were supposed to meet for coffee but didn't because if you don't have time to keep the Bensons' fave ice cream in supply who has time to meet with Brian fucking Cassidy? In a not-insignificant move, OMB does not invite him in and is it not a conflict of interest for her former live-in boyfriend to investigate the child abuse accusation?

And, yeah, @Noochone, I can barely write child abuse and OMB in the same sentence...I woulda thrown a hell of a lot more at the TV in addition to the shoe but my husband woulda fucking killed me. He's already mad that I shushed him as soon as I heard the words "In the criminal justice system..."

*eye roll
You would think he would know better by now.

After Cassidy left I'm pretty sure OMB put Noah to bed and called Tucker.

On the not-so-positive side...

I'm ambivalent about whether or not Fin would actually do what he did...take it upon himself to track a perp down in Cuba. He's a pusher....remember?

At times, there was glaring awkwardness when Benoah was together, particularly in the strawberry ice cream scene. I think it's intentional...like OMB is still trying to figure out this mothering thing and overthinking...or maybe she's significantly less self-assured in that role than she is as Lieutenant.

Also, ummm, OMB...helllo? You don't remember your kid almost getting killed?

Despite my vehement objections to the new Noah, I must admit Ryan did a good job being almost five.

 Quotable

You could drag him by the hair over a street of rusty razor blades for all I care...as long as he ends up in Sing Sing. Rollins is in prime, familiar form. STFU and be a cop is right, Carisi. Speaking of Sonny, is it his character evolving or Nooch going a little OOC...but the old annoying-yet-adorable Carisi struck me only as annoying...and a little too bitter and hostile and angry. Maybe a bad breakup with #34B?

Counting breadcrumbs...KARLA I WANNA HUG YOU (but I'm sure the OMB hug was better).

Barba and Dworkin going all highbrow law-school in their verbal tȇte-a-tȇtes. I couldn't keep up. Damn. I'm still dizzy.

Rafael. Yes, OMB, you and me both were floored that you told Karla to point a loaded gun at you. That was weird. A tense, powerful scene...but damn you're gonna risk your life for Marks? It's not like Karla would've received less prison time for killing a cop instead of a rapist.

I'm the one who asks the questions. Along with everything else Mariska Hargitay said. Damn. We all know she's good, but this #42Minutes showcased her range. The toggling back and forth between Mommy and Lieutenant could have been a gigantic clusterfuck but she poured her heart and soul into this one and the result was an excruciatingly wonderful display of compassion and empathy, confidence and experience, anguish and incredulity, skepticism and remorse, invincibility and pissed-offness...because who in their right fucking mind would accuse Olivia Benson of harming a child?

Wardrobe

Patterned blouse! White blazer! Octopus PJs! Cuban Casual Fin!

And I give an A+++++++++++ for OMB's hair. I spent all morning trying to replicate that but it's humid as fuck here and also I'm not her.

 But can we not comb Ryan's/Noah's hair to the side like it was in the last scene? Nerd.

Is it Next Wednesday Yet?

So...the grueling slog through the Chernuchinwoods begins. Liv operates with a certain degree of (deserved) entitlement, but the professional courtesy she's used to doesn't apply to parenthood. Big sigh. Deep breath. I can't stop watching now.

Another thing I can't believe as I'm typing these words is what I'm about to type Dear God and a certain friend of mine please forgive me, but OMB having to prove herself in uncharted waters? I think I'm here for it even though this means enduring the torture of Benson parrying blows from the wrong side of the interrogation table...so I better be prepared for Thursday morning wine hangovers.

What other incriminating evidence will the investigation exhume? How can one bruise and a miscommunication on the part of a preschooler erupt into...THIS?

A season-long fight to maintain custody makes me cringe. I hate to repeat sentiments from my last post, but constantly knocking Benson to the ground will get old quickly no matter how much we like to see her fight back.

Shaking up her world...not obliterating it...right Mike?

I do wonder if Brooke Shields is the new Child Services czar harboring a vendetta because of what happened in Institutional Fail...when they were told to back off but didn't?

I cannot wait to see Benson unleash her fury and direct it at Cassidy and I hope he tries to finesse her a little and wants to have that coffee and Benson mentions they really shouldn't since he's investigating her and all and he snidely says something about Tucker and she swipes back in Ed's defense. (FYI...Tucker appears in all blog posts)

Nooch.1 was a pleasant surprise...a mix of personal and professional (see you Eidiot it can be done)...and dare I say...maybe, almost, never mind, I'm not gonna say it...ok, I will...I thought there was a teeny tiny bit too much Noah...

I have pep in my step today...

It might be...

Good.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep...

HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Note: I am writing as if I haven't already read the episode. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, trust me. Don't read Spoiler TV's "preview."

FYI: I hate repetitive punctuation to convey emotion but I do it anyway and I also balk at y'all but I type it often though I rarely say it unless I'm at a bar in Albany, Georgia researching for a thesis but never mind this is about #SVU19 and also I must warn you I love run-on sentences, no, I take that back, I love MY run-on sentences because I am literally talking as I type and I talk really fast because I'm not originally from the South, a fact I point out more than I need to and without prompting. Especially lately.

So the story is...I stumbled upon Fanfiction.net because I loved #Tuckson and I thought, Hey! I can write a few stories. So I did and people liked them and then I wrote this little series called Truce which I love and wish was canon and started including author's notes which turned into brief reviews of the episodes I included in the stories which led me to the idea that I would start a blog and review S18 eps in my grammatically incorrect, profanity-laden style.

Disclaimers:

I love #Tuckson. Unabashedly. Steadfastly. For some...annoyingly.
I love 2.0 (Until 2.0, SVU marathons were merely reliable hangover-weathering companions)
I never liked Stabler and I do not wish for his return.
Eidteen...more about that later.

Current #SVU19 Mood:

I wish I could be cautiously optimistic since I do generally tend to look on the bright side of things. But I can't get there. Know why? Because I was LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. So I'm really prepared to live in the world where Heartfelt Passages was the series finale and never watch the show again. Can you believe I actually thought I would like R---E--? There's a tweet somewhere to prove it. @LariskaPargitay called me out on it once :-)

I did. I had MAJOR hopes. Because who could take the threads Mr. Leight left and fuck them up?

*raises hand

"I know! I know!"

Good luck, Chicago.

Instead of the teased  "bigger, badder, Benson" (I STG I did not dream this) leading a shell-shocked yet resolute squad we got a different Lieutenant each week (also wildly different weather patterns and double backs on dates but who pays attention to that shit, right?). One day she says take the money the next day, don't; the job was her life then it wasn't then it was again; and I could go on and on or you could read last year's recaps and then there was Eidteen's version of "gray areas" AKA victim blaming and it was excruciating to watch survivors portrayed as "deserving it" for whatever reason.

To add insult to injury, nothing else made sense. I still can't figure out why exactly Tuckson broke up other than it was the C-word (more about that in a minute). I'm also not sure about Fin's Army Ranger stint or Carisi's 34B, or Kim or How Involved is Declan? or Baby Ken-and-Alejandro or the threat to Barba's life...

The barrage of guest stars both returning and new has excited everyone; however, let me remind you that the Joe Biden teasers were more exciting than his actual appearance. In fairness Belzer's cameo wasn't so exciting either but I love Warren and hate Rick and this is my blog so there. But remember, "Bye Munch" ???? GAHHHHHHH! I miss Jack-as-Noah already.

While I'm on that subject I'll start with one concern and that's the recasting of Noah...to a kid three years older than actual Noah should be. And of course I immediately followed the new kid on Instagram and Twitter, but it's going to take me a minute or a few drinks to swallow the jump from "another story" and Lucy and Day Care to what? Second grade? And actual conversations? Certainly they won't try and pass him off as four...can they do that with creative camera angles and poor new Noah altering his speech? Have we time hopped three years?

So Brooke Shields is there to fuck with Benoah, and I'm nowhere near others' levels of excitement at the return of Jack McCoy. Philip Winchester is no Raul Esparza and I hope we're not trading one for the other.

Then there's Cassidy.

I fucking hate him. I have hated that character from the beginning. What a fucking immature ass. As far as his relationship with Olivia goes, he is someone who she thought she had to settle for...and then he ends up essentially telling her what she wants is not what he wants. Now I know Mr. Noochy has said that he hasn't watched a bunch of episodes, but the writers have (and wrote some), and my argument is this:

How can you watch the Leight years and think, at 17.23 that Benson and Cassidy should be a couple? Really?

I concede however, that the Cassidy exit wasn't neatly done so I'm cool with some closure, but pairing him with Benson...again...with a kid...I'm not buying it. And presumably he's IAB? So the conflict of interest thing all over again?

And for those of you screaming, "HEY! YOU WERE COOL WITH TUCKER CHANGING, MAYBE CASSIDY HAS CHANGED AS WELL?"

Touché. But I still don't see it. Let's agree to disagree.

Plus, Bobby Burke is way hotter than Dean Winters, and I will fight you to the death on that point.

We'll see if Tucker's name is mentioned. I'm guessing it will be...but the relationship between Tucker and Benson was too artfully crafted to be dismissed the way it was in S18 and I hope this season, at the very least, gives me some closure because going from we're going to Paris and probs exchanging fucking wedding rings to "it's complicated" without the in-between is cruel and stupid and not all that creative.

Want to know my Tuckson thoughts? Read here.

Finally, I am so not looking forward to Benson being "dragged through the woods" on a regular basis. Sure, most humans have to weather some protracted storms at certain periods in their lives, but using this tactic as a regular plot line will get old fast. I hope I'm exaggerating, but Mr. Chernushowrunner boasting about how neat it will be to see OMB in constant personal and/or professional peril already makes me want to start gobbling Xanax and chasing it with Jameson. First of all, hasn't that been done? Season 16? Meanie Social Worker Ms. Jackson? Demanding Chief Dodds? Second of all, it seems like an easy way out. What's wrong with a confident sagely Benson who imparts her wisdom and experience to her squad (maybe do that as she grooms Rollins to take over because I've said it before--I want Amanda as Sarge; the rank just doesn't seem Fin-ish). I'm not asking for corny unicorns and rainbows, surely the very essence of her job results in certain degrees of constant angst and I'm sure she worries every second about every decision she makes regarding Noah, but can we not alternate human punching bags? Why does OMB have to keeping taking it on the chin? This better not turn into Rollins, Fin, and Carisi solving crimes and Benson alternating between Family Court and Lindstrom's couch.

AND THE MOST GLARING CONCERN AWARD GOES TO:

"Broken Woman."

Look. The cast and writers and everyone seem happy and they're tweeting and morale is high and fans are once again engaged...at least my sector of the fandom is...I hear there were some who were never disheartened or disillusioned last season...

This approach is unnerving. It implies a weakness and a desperation antithetical to the character. Olivia Benson rose in the ranks and commands one of Manhattan's elite units. She is a survivor, imperfect at times, but dogged in the pursuit of justice and devoted to being the mother she never had. She may be too stubborn, too insistent on doing things her way, too independent, and too "I'm fine." 

She may have let Tucker walk out of her apartment too easily. 

But Broken?

I'll keep an open mind and, well, the people running the show have slightly more writing credits than I have; maybe something happened off-camera between seasons. Maybe the Noah-drama will prove insurmountable. Maybe she'll get a little too friendly with the booze again. However, we were assured she'd emerge a better person...

But I have trust issues now.

Happy SVU Eve!

Despite all of the above, I may have worked up a little optimism! 

If all else is hopeless, I'm looking forward to the Benson blazer game. I've been saving all summer to copy her new duds.

With knock-offs of course.

Nooch to the Rescue?

It seems like the finale aired years ago. So eager was I to forget #SVU18, I wasn't going to bother with a post like this one. The switch from Leight to Eid (sorry to use your name and his name in the same sentence, Warren) nearly destroyed the show, or, at least, almost permanently tuned out a significant portion of fans. After seventeen seasons, #SVU's staying power had already been proven, what I didn't expect was the ability of one incompetent asshole to so easily deface characters, discount their stories, and crush the core premise of the show.

Seriously, did Rick save Dick Wolf's life at some point? I don't get it.

I suspect I gave Eid too much credit because of articles like this one in which he seemed to have his finger on the pulse of Leight's creation. Season seventeen ended in such a way that it could have been the series finale, there weren't many loose threads, but there were enough unanswered questions for Eid and the writers to roll with new story lines while simultaneously tackling those unfinished stories. To re-read this article now is both depressing and amusing, particularly the segment below.

Frankly, I think he's a psychopath.

Throughout the interview, Eid used the verb "explore" multiple times. We're going to explore this. Explore that. Something I'd like to explore. Except, either he did not understand what explore actually means, or he was neither smart nor clever enough to actually bring his vision to fruition. If the latter is the case, then he also wasn't humble enough to trust the talent in @SVUWritersRoom to take care of it. And we got the most disappointing season in the show's history! Thanks, jerk.

Michael Chernuchin's Summer Agenda:

I. Very carefully watch 2.0. I cannot stress this enough. Take notes. In fact, watch some 1.0s to get the full essence of Olivia Benson. Because we almost lost her in #SVU18.

II. Trust this tweet. 

Nooch is already winning in my book. At least he can be normal on Twitter.

Since we are so smart, there is no reason to abandon "show not tell." One of the dumbest things Eid allowed  was to give Benson and others schoolyard lines such as "let's catch him in a lie" or waste screen time chasing down leads they were only going to rehash in the squad room anyway. Even worse was the apparent insistence on ignoring core issues and conflating victim blaming with "gray areas." Yet another sin was refusing to give us an earnest glimpse into the characters' lives (other than dropping token lines and seconds-long scenes). So...

What not to do:

a. Please refrain from taking the easy way out (crime, arrest, trial, verdict). Rarely does life play out so neatly. Examples: Great Expectations (the hockey hazing one)--a perfect opportunity to explore the increasingly pressure-filled world of youth sports and the potential for permanent damage when adults insist on living vicariously through their children. The same goes for that ridiculous ep where the woman sleeps with the dude who she thinks is the admissions director at Hudson University. Aside from her inability to Google, isn't the broader issue the outrageous hoops we expect high schoolers to jump through in order to attend decent universities? If they can afford them...

b. Why Rape and Trauma Survivors Have Fragmented and Incomplete Memories

Rick took the easy way out and made almost every victim an outright liar, so let's not do that anymore, kay?

c. Nothing pissed me off more than a preview clip teasing a character's background info and then getting maybe a twenty-second glimpse into whatever was mentioned. Remember how deeply Fin connected with Captain Williams since they were both Rangers? Yeah, me neither. Remember when that Barba secret left us in limbo for a few weeks? Hahahahahaha....

Pretty Please?:-)

d. Speaking of the characters....let's work the following into #SVU19 scripts: Fin as grandpa, Declan Murphy (even a mention would be good, can you believe Eid produced a script with a character named Declan and Rollins HAD NO REACTION WHATSOVER ARE YOU KIDDING?), Rollins' evolving relationship with her sister, Barba's threats, Barba's political aspirations, Carisi's lawyer aspirations, we can forget about Carisi's #34B, the weirdness surrounding Fin's promotion (feel free to promote Rollins instead), multi-ep arcs a la Gregory Yates and William Lewis (but if you sic another Lewis-like perp on Benson the fandom will explode), and I seem to remember being promised a "bigger, badder Benson" in one of the #SVU18 articles but that didn't exactly develop...I think that's enough for now.

e. Y'all didn't think I was going to forget #Tuckson, didja?

We all know the break-up was clumsy and abrupt and a little nonsensical since OMB had "never been happier" and then all of a sudden things were "complicated" for a few eps and then a nanny kidnapped Theo which somehow meant Benson was a bad mother and she let Tucker (temporarily?) walk out of the apartment. This was unfair (Leight sorta spent several seasons gradually shifting Tucker into a likable character) and sucked....because I can't get WL's words out of my head....

It was a black and white character thing before…He's a real man. There's a lot of man-boys that we've had in various incarnations. I think he's the real deal and solid as a rock. He's a human being who has learned some lessons too. Again, we've gone more from a black and white conception of Tucker to [shades of gray.] That's part of the way how the show has changed. On what planet does someone as appealing as Olivia Benson not have a spouse in her life?

  

So there is no closure and my heart is still broken, and there is room every once in a while for some #Tuckson and if you would like further reasons why, please click here. 

f. Twitter is not the enemy.

g. If you're unsure about her role, Julie is the official timekeeper. #42Minutes

You haven't deactivated and reactivated your account multiple times, so you're apparently of sounder mind than your predecessor. 

At the moment, that's enough to get me through the summer.

#SVU19