The problem with SVU is that the creators think the show is all about Olivia and Elliot.

Tamara Tunie and B.D Wong episodes are amazing, when they are allowed to shine.

Alex Cabot (2-5) and Casey Novak (5-9) were the centrepiece of the show, really. They had that awful Michaela McManus, Cabot back for two minutes and then Sharon Stone.

Remember the good old days where they had Angela Lansbury, Robin Williams and Cynthia Nixon come in and deliver knockout performances?

However, I am very depressed about the cancelation of the original L&O. The last couple of seasons (with the introduction of Cutter, Lupo, and Bernard) have been some of the best episodes since the glory days of Briscoe and Logan. I respectfully disagree about the characterizations. The main thrust of the story is and always has been the procedural aspect of the show, but the characters have always felt three-dimensional. Despite the fact that personal details were revealed slowly in drips and drabs, it was always clear that the backgrounds and motivations for each player were completely worked out behind the scenes.

By the way, although it would not have been very obvious if you haven’t been watching many episodes, but there have been over-arcing stories in the past couple of years: like Jack McCoy butting heads with and eventually taking down a corrupt governor, and this year’s Lt. Van Buren cancer storyline.

I would gladly have given up SVU to keep the original series. I’m a little wary of the upcoming L&O: Los Angeles that is supposed to replace it. New York City is such a vital element of all the shows in the franchise. L&O:LA sounds suspiciously like the Dick Wolf remake of Dragnet from a few years ago. It was none too successful.

It also used to be back in the day, they had episodes where the suspect was found not guilty and we’re left with an empty feeling. But hey that’s how the justice system works sometimes.

After awhile though, they seemed to have too many episodes that then end up with the suspect murdered anyway after the trial. A little too nicely wrapped up.

Nothing beats the L&O: TOS season finale where they broke format to get the characters’ reactions to a state execution. They never topped that episode.

Although SVU did have the episode where it was more about the ambiguity and starred the Outrageous Okana. The episode pointedly ended before we could hear a verdict.

I watched the first three episodes of “Justified.” I really enjoyed the pilot. But I thought the second and third episodes were utterly forgettable. The fourth episode I recorded on my DVR, and then with everything else I had on my DVR that I wanted to get through, the idea of watching episode 4 of “Justified” felt like a chore rather than something I actually wanted to do. So I said fuck it, and hit “delete,” and that was the end of “Justified” for me. Because, let’s face it: If it feels like a chore, why am I watching it?

Arbitrary? Yes. And it very well may have gotten way better after that. But I felt relieved in not having the time commitment. It’s a case of a show that just didn’t grab me enough for me to keep watching.

On the whole, I don’t think SVU is worth consistently watching anymore… but I get enough enjoyment out of it when I do catch it on. That may be a far cry from its early seasons, but a huge improvement from a few years ago.

I thought the writing of the L&O: TOS was brilliant in its early seasons, but too many cast changes and the departure of Jerry Orbach at the end of season 14 finally did me in. Every now and then I’d tune in, but what was once a thrilling and suspenseful show (for me anyways) became very predictable. It just wasn’t the shame show anymore. Too many different faces and too many similar cases.

I did watch SVU regularly in its first season, but the constant serial murder/rapist/molester stories just turned me cold. I understand that it was the point of that particular series, but it just got too over the top and disgusting for me. Every now and then I’d tune in (I don’t get cable so my TV choices are limited), and I would just be surprised (as you mentioned in this review) at how poorly written, acted and plotted SVU was and is.

The last SVU episode I watched was called “Zebras”, the finale for season 10. I picked the murderer right away (never a good thing for a cop show) and I certainly didn’t feel as if I was watching true to life NYPD officers. It’s sad to see any show decline to such a degree, but franchises are popular and I guess the viewership is still there.

I’m not sorry to hear that L&O TOS is canceled. 20 years is a fantastic run for any series and personally, I felt the show should have ended quite some time ago. But when it was great (I’d be willing to say the first half of its run) it was truly something special. Dick Wolf should be very proud.

As for the TNG reviews, yes I am one of many waiting to read them. But I can only imagine the time it takes to invest in watching all those hours of TV and then writing them. Your full length reviews of the other TREK series are impressive and I would imagine it took you a while to get each one done. I just want to say that I’ve been a big fan of your site for years. I’ve recently begun watching BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I heard great things about it and I am truly enjoying it. Get to the TNG reviews when you can. All of us fans will still be here to read them once you’re finished.

This blog posting was a posting of opportunity. It wasn’t planned, and if I hadn’t posted it, I would’ve posted nothing, not a review for “Redemption II.”

The suggestion (even if jokingly) that my time spent slamming out this blog post in 20 minutes would have translated automatically into TNG reviews had I not written it is just flat-out false and not how my process works.

When I get back to TNG, it will be in a concerted effort, because I will need to pull out the DVDs and start watching them, one at a time, in an effort of building momentum. That’s not the same thing as watching an hour of SVU while putting together a Shop-Vac, and then being so motivated by an awful hour of television to slam out a blog post in 20 minutes.

I just feel like I need to put to rest this notion that anything I write that’s not a TNG review is somehow taking away from time that would’ve been spent on TNG reviews. Because it wouldn’t have been. It would’ve been spent cleaning my garage, weeding my landscaping, drinking beer, or who knows what else.