Mike Cutter has such a man crush on Jack [and I fangirl all over the place]
I'm gonna squee in list form because I think that'll work best.
1. Dear Van Buren: Keep being completely badass and awesome. Seriously. I fuckin' love you so much. You own the goddamned world, and I love how you keep the boys in line with no more than an insinuating remark and an eyebrow raise. ["Are you saying you're off the case?"/"No. No. We're still on."]
2. Cyrus, oh, Cyrus, you poor bastard. I love that you are kind of fucked up and for a reason. And I love that, at one point, you were apparently an alcoholic to some extent. Because, really, that is so true for so many cops. The fact that you are still slightly scruffy and unkempt makes me a bit worried, so I'm hoping we don't see a downward spiral. However, I do love that the reason you were all iffy about a partner and all about working on your own was because you fucked up and knew it, and you felt the guilt that only cops can feel when they fuck up and know it.
3. Awww, Ed, you and your casual flirt with the techie. You are adorable. I also love when you manhandle. Now go manhandle Cyrus, that little touch to the chest doesn't count.
4. Mike. OH MIKE YOU JUNIOR HIGH BOY. Seriously, I thought you were gonna tug Jack's tie or something. And why were you and Jack walking around with Jack reknotting his tie. WHAT WERE YOU DOING? And, dude, really, if you're trying to be cool about having a big old crush on Jack, buying him what was probably an ungodly expensive tie pin was not the way to go. JACK KNOWS NOW, AND HE'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. By the by, your questioning of Rjenko? Classic McCoy. YOU HAVE A CRUSH SO MUCH AND YOU WANT HIM TO NOTICE.
5. Connie, um...I'm sorry, Connie, I think you're neat-o, but while you looked pissed and were helpful, you were not notable this week. Forgive me. Your incredulous looks to the Special Prosecutor Asshole were well done. There, that's something. OH! And I just remembered the snark you threw at SP Asshole. You're awesome.
6. JAAAACCCCKKKKK. OMG JACK. I just...you...ofaiejra;lidfghaoiperrja';ldsfjk. Ahem. I mean, dude, but you know how to point out that while you HAVE taken on plenty of liberal-leaning cases, you've also been reigned in on lots of other cases. And, yeah, you're a bit of a troublemaker, but really, you DO believe in justice, and that's really, really, really hot. Like, REALLY.
7. To the writers: OMG I LOVE YOU GUYS. Here is why I love you guys:
a. You did the equivalent to the "greatest hits of Jack McCoy" when pointing out his cases.
b. You meta-ed yourselves but good.
c. You never tried to pretend like Jack isn't a total liberal, but you also:
1c. Had him eating a $30 steak.
2c. Have him pro-death penalty.
3c. Pointed out to any long-term fans that Jack's liberal hippiness aside, he's a damned fine
prosecutor.
Both of these are, depending who you talk to, rather against the idea of the dirty hippie liberal, and I do so love that you have them there.
d. You continue to show a comfortable, respectful, and appreciative relationship between Van Buren and Jack, and I love it. They're the old hats in this circus, and they SHOULD be having this sort of relationship.
8. I think this one goes to the director: THANK YOU FOR THE TOUCHIES. Ed touchhing Lupo to push him back into Van Buren's office; Mike touching Cyrus's book and then getting that SMILE; Jack and Mike NEARLY TOUCHING after Jack knotted his tie. Really, whoever did that, I want to buy you a drink [or a $30 steak].
9. And I really don't know who made this call, but I LOVE the way the format's been tweaked. The DAs are starting to bleed into the first half, and the cops are bleeding into the second half, and I think it's awesome. The original format [1/2 and 1/2] always worked, but I like that there's more cooperation going on and that all the leads get more time to interact with one another. YAY.
And thus endeth the squee. And now, a question:
In the scene with Jack on the stand defending his position on things, why did no one argue that the reason he was given all those liberal-appearing cases was because they were all pretty high-profile? I was really kind of surprised that no one thought to point out that Jack was given difficult and politically-charged cases because he was [and is] so very good at handling the pressure. Those cases landed on Jack's desk because Adam [and the assorted heads to follow] knew that he could handle not just the case, but also the lights and cameras and questions.
As there was no sighting of the TWS this week in it's non-tie glory, you'll have to make due with the following:
I had to start with the opening credits, given the scene between Lupo and Cutter because LOOK HOW CLOSE THEY ARE WALKING.
LOOKIT! TOUCHIES!! Can't keep your hands off him, huh, Ed? This is extra important to me because Lupo completely strikes me as a guy who does not like being touched.
Oh, god, I LOVED this scene. Van Buren, you are awesome. That is the look of a woman who is seriously considering calling her detective an idiot in a very affectionate way.
And this is a man who has just realized that his Lieutenant is really fuckin' awesome. Good boy, Lupo.
Okay, they showed this room earlier in the episode, and it's not nearly small enough to make Lupo stand that close to Ed. Seems they're perfectly comfortable like that, though. Hmm...
TWS, Ed Green style. VERY NICE.
Mmmmm...angry Jack. Lovely. And not only that, but Jack's version of the TWS! YAY!
Okay, here's the thing, in America, personal space is described at 18 inches. Anything more than 18 inches is considered professional/acquaintance space. I will give five bucks to anyone who can prove to me that they are standing more than 18 inches apart. Also, Jack? KEEP LEANING.
And now, the cousin to TWS, the TIGHT BLACK SHIRT. Guh. Interesting that Mike would wear this to the office, seeing as a black shirt on a lawyer is usually considered to make said lawyer look evil or bad to a jury. So why would Mike possibly have a black shirt? UNLESS HE'S TRYING TO GET JACK'S ATTENTION. LICK HIM, JACK. RIGHT THERE ON HIS NECK.
TWS! The original! HAI!!!
Please note the placement of Mike's hand. Now, in a professional situation, you should realize two things: 1. A purely professional situation would not include Mike trying to read the cover of the book. He'd ask instead. 2. In a purely professional situation, Mike would have pulled his hand back to near his coffee cup. Someone's trying to make a move. While I certainly do not have any qualms with Mike's taste, I must say, WHAT WOULD JACK THINK, MIKE? HUH?
LOOKIT! MIKE SMILE! And forearm. FOREARM.
LOOKIT! Lupo considering exactly what Mike's saying. You know he's wondering what it'd be like to kiss that mouth.
As to not confuse anyone with another TBS, I christen this just TIGHT BLUE SHIRT. My god, LOOK AT HIS BACK. There's all kinds of slash out there that talks about "lines of the back", and now I get the obsession.
TIGHT BLUE SHIRT
TIGHT BLUE SHIRT. EVEN CONNIE SNEAKS A PEEK
Please note the following: 1. Jack is looking at Mike as he ends his little speech. 2. JACK IS FUCKING HOT. I love the slightly-loose tie and the laugh lines and just, god, but the man is gorgeous.
TWS! Also, what did they do that meant Jack had to adjust his tie? I mean, really, they were just TALKING, right?
If that's 18 or more, I'm six-feet-fucking-four.
Mike Cutter has the look of a man who really, really wants to reach out and touch. Jack's tie a little crooked, there, Mikey?
Whatcha lookin' at, Mike? Hmmm? See something you like? Did Jack leave his fly open?
"You're in the soup now, my friend." I think this is Mike's way of pointing out to Jack that Jack's not only in the political soup, but also in the soup that is Mike. Y/Y?
Oh, Jack, I know it's frustrating. He's so close, yet so far, and with Connie in the room...
Let me list for you the things Mike is doing wrong as a lawyer who is trying to make his witness look good to the jury:
1. He is not helping lead the witness's eyes to the jury by standing near the jury box.
2. He has his arms crossed.
3. He's putting himself at 90 degrees to Jack.
While the arm-crossing can be excused as a way to keep one's hands from distracting anyone, the fact that he's positioned himself as far away from Jack as possible is telling. HE WANTS TO TOUCH BUT HE MUST STAY PROFESSIONAL.
Oh, god, Connie, I fucking love your smirk. You are awesome. Mike, honey, you keep looking at Jack like that, and everyone's gonna figure out that you want him and have had him to a certain capacity [seriously, if they've not at least made out like teenagers by now, I will eat my hat.].
And, again, Jack's gaze, after he's done something important, LANDS ON MIKE. Also, Jack? YOU ARE SO HOT.
TIGHT BLUE SHIRT. And Connie? I love that blouse on you.
"Both sides will be angry." AND LOOKING AT MIKE.
"Sounds like you did it right." OMG, YOU GUYS ARE SO INTO EACH OTHER. REALLY.
If there had been a card attached to this, it would have been blank inside, but Mike would have scrawled his signature and not used an envelope. I don't know why I feel I should mention this, but I felt it's important.
Awwww! Nervous!Mike! He wonders if maybe the gift's a bit early in the relationship. Do they have a relationship? He doesn't really know, but as long as he can pass it off as an admiration gift, he can lie.
"I found it on Ebay." Yeah. FOR A MOTHERFUCKING MINT.
And Jack, being wise to the ways of the world, is thinking, "Yeah, for a motherfucking mint." Followed quickly by, "Oh, shit, I think I'm in a relationship."
And that ends this massive post of squee.