3/22/18: NOW, EDITED with updated hosted pics! :D
For all of his screentime, he may as well been cast as the White Guy in a Red Buick.
I fail to see how Micha Barton is a bigger name than Lee Tergesen.
But he called himself a lay minister.
Maybe he meant a lay ADminister. :D
Okay, firstly, I am going to SQUEE.
SQQQUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
because Lee and Meloni together on the same set in the same room and sharing each other's personal spaces is SO OF THE GOOD.
Next!
SVU, YOUR WRITERS SUCK.
I'm sorry but you do.
Mr Star asked me where all of the writers from Oz went... well, Fontana wrote most all of it.
The ep's pretty crappy, you guys, not that we thought it would be some shining example of perfection. Still. I know I'm crankier when I'm half-asleep, and more cynical, and definitely more full of mock, but yo, SVU makes it so easy to mock.
No Munch. No Huang. No Warner. Cragen had... four lines? Fin had... two lines? Hot mess. Cabot had a few lines - welcome back, Cabot! - but her performance was pretty one-note.
So, blah blah blah, some altercation with a woman and a TV!pimp (fur coat and lots of bling hanging out on a corner in the middle of the night. Riiiiight.).
Then she praises Lee's "something big" and mentions that it's already "out and standing at attention" which totally made me laugh - aside from the dialogue - because I was picturing Lee wearing the Man/Legend tshirt that
colleendetroit bestowed upon him at Lee!Fest.
Standing at attention, that's a Marine thing, right? ;)
Then she gets into Lee's car and then she's dead in an alley. I think he strangled her 'cause of lines like, "I think it's time for a 21-gun salute."
...really? Porn or SVU? Porn or SVU?
And they said totally briefly in passing that she was raped. Also strangled. Gun butt marks on her forehead (heh, butt).
Stabler's confused too.
[There was SO MUCH they could have done here, starting with the fact that Lee's character was obviously sexually excited with the promise of saving a hooker's soul, and why hookers, anyway, why not all sinners, and some oh I don't know, investigation* of Lee as a character and not just this random perp, ARGH. And then the religious slant, which was totally swept under the rug. The prayer cards. Wouldn't it have been way more fun to concentrate on the actual perp? RAWR.]
Purple!
Apparently Stabler reads his Bible a lot more than I ever did; he informs us that Zadkiel was the angel who stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.
...
Um. So?
I mean, out of context - and I have none! - that makes no sense.
[They could have even done something with this! Lee knows who Stabler is, knows *his* religious background, as a serial killer he wants to get caught, but he wants Stabler to do the catching. Why does Oliska get stalkers but Stabler doesn't!? Boo.]
Unbelievable that the landlord gets to call the victim a bitch twice and neither of the Dynamic Duo bats an eyelash.
OH, and no Lee in credits until the very very end. I was nervous for a minute that he wouldn't even get credit, or be like, last. Which he was. Last. He got an "and".
Also, who's that dude? He looks really familiar. ETA: It is Ray Iannicelli, who played CO Roger Breese in 7 episodes of Oz. THANK YOU to
vanillalime for this identification. I was sure it was an Ozzie but I could not place him. Now we know!
So then they find this woman's friend and she has her driver's license tucked under the corner of her desk calendar and Stabler swipes it up and - no lie - LICKS IT -
IDK, I have issues with the five-second rule sometimes, and you're licking a junkie's driver's license?
Anyway, he immediately recognizes the sweet, sweet taste of cocaine, and at one point she says something about how she's not addicted, and he says - in possibly the best line of the ep - "You just like how cocaine smells?"
...which, okay, that was funny.
Anyway, the dead girl's been seeing some dude named Mike, and then they find the guy's DNA inside of the dead girl and SWAT his house, traumatizing the crap out of two little kids and making Mrs Stepford drop her homemade pot roast.
...seriously, you needed an entire army to go after this guy? Couldn't they just, you know, knock, or present a warrant. Anywho.
"Drop the club," Stabler says, "or I'll shoot a hole in one."
Yeah, baby, SHOOT! DO IT!
At the precinct, Oliska's talking to Stepford Argyle Sweater. "But temptation reared its ugly head, didn't it?"
When is temptation ever pretty? It's *temptation*! It should be gorgeous and hot like Meloni.
Anyway I love how Oliska translates for the Stepford.
"...he wants me to do things." = BEDROOM THINGS
"...underwear with a hole in it!" = CROTCHLESS PANTIES
"...do things with my tongue, nasty, dirty things..." = ORAL SEX (although really. this could be many things!)
...thank god she's there, otherwise this whole exchange would have been way above my head.
"The mouth is not the proper receptacle for the seed." LOL. LOL some more.
So the guy is all born-again and he played his part well, like, we knew he was lying, but we didn't know why, exactly.
"DNA. Doesn't lie," Stabler says. "That's the gospel truth." Except when it does, and then you can't even get the innocent guy out of jail. Remember that, Elliot?
Yanno... maybe the writers think they're being clever by peppering all of the lines (I just typoed *loins*, lol) with angels and demons and references to gospel and temptation. Theoretically clever. In reality - it's cliche, overdone.
Then instead of lawyering up like any sane person, DNA Guy takes a long, soulful look into Elliot's baby blues...
...and remembers that Stabler always gets his man perp, and in the end, he spills his guts. And Stabler's all, hell yeah, I might get home sometime this year and then Cragen's all, you stupid asshole, that's never going to happen.
Because another girl was found strangled and another homemade prayer card which they never mention again.
Ooops. Stabler feels a little bad now, but not too much.
[Another ranty aside here about how Stabler used to be such a smart detective, and he could throw bait out and reel 'em in so masterfully, sometimes I'm not sure that the perps even realized it... and now... now he says a few lines by rote and shoves the suspect's face into some horrible photos and makes them cry and quivers with rage and OMG ENOUGH. ENOUGHENOUGENOUGH.]
And of course when they learn that the girl wasn't actually raped, just assaulted, they do not turn the case over to the appropriate unit.
And this girl didn't die! Dammit.
So Gladys Sunshineface survived, and she's standing there in her
Outfit o'Fug, and TTLY RANDOMLY pulls out a lollipop and waves it around while she's talking to Benson, bad accent appearing and disappearing on a whim. And I find it sort of hilarious that Glad and Oliska have the same heavy hand with kohl.
But then her pimp distracts the detectives and she... wait for it... pulls a Robin Williams and ESCAPES.
Fine.
Anyway, they track her down with Fin's two lines - 'cause he knows every hooker in every borough, biches - and she's had a hard life and Stabler gets judgy - "You let that girl flat back for your meal ticket" - and Glad's aunt throws down and wins.
Okay so then they go to see some other prostitutes but then the pimp comes back but all is not lost because one of them drew a picture of The Perv on a napkin and says, "I *like* cops."
Don't we all. Too bad Stabler didn't go see a pro instead of his Eli Jr booty call.
Also Oliska gets to deliver the line: "...and your sweet jelly's gonna spread allll over prison."
...what? Even Stabler looks embarrassed for her.
So even with the babyhooker's sketch on a serviette with her Magic Sharpie of Prostitution, it turns out they don't need it.
And then we're at the good stuff. FINALLY.
The Buick's rockin', but Stabler bashes the window in anyway. Blah blah something. Funniest part was that the hooker's so indignant because Lee whipped out a Bible and not his dick. (Well, I'd be indignant, too.)
Stabler gropes Lee, who looks both outraged and totally, totally content. :D
And why wouldn't he be? His stalking plan is coming to fruition!
Yesssssss!
For HiDef caps of The Scene,
go here.
I can't even parse this scene because my eyes are glued to the screen and while I know they're speaking to one another, all I hear is Lee!Voice and Meloni!Voice and I think I'm actually quivering with glee.
They smile and smile and smile at one another. And smirk. Love.
Okay, this scene felt like it came out of far right field, especially since there wasn't backstory for Lee's character at all. I wanted them to toss his place and talk to some of his um, followers - Lee's Peeps! - and THEN go into the interrogation room. They're so damn sure that this is the guy, so why not have some evidence to back up an interrogation?
Plus I almost hurt myself eyerolling at the dialogue.
Lee's biting his lip to keep from jumping Meloni's bones. 21-gun salute, you sexy motherfucker!
BUT NO MIND. THEY LOOKED BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER.
And when Lee grabbed Stabler's forearm - his meaty, meaty forearm -
and they eyefucked -
and then when they were speaking - nay, chanting - together, a deep sense of contentment and peace settled over me, and I knew all was right in the world.
Oh shut up. You know what I mean.
Stabler's all "Lee's touch is electric!" and "I feel like I KNOW HIM from SOMEWHERE."
And then there is serious fan pandering, and it must have been intentional. It must have been. I've never ever ever seen Stabler do anything like this before. He doesn't touch perps, except to slam 'em. He'll get in close, he'll even recite prayers with suspects, he gives them that laser beam stare, he'll flirt, he'll be intimidating - but not this. This is something entirely different, and completely OOC, and who gives a shit, because it's LEE and CHRIS and they are AMAZING.
Lee is all "come here" and then "get the fuck over here" and still Stabler resists so Lee goes all out and bodily drags Stabler closer and *lays* his freaky deacon paws on Keller's shoulders and massages them and Keller's all, JESUS CHRIST, I KNEW IT WAS YOU.
Also the whole scene takes place in the dark, did you notice that? Like they're in their own little world, their own bubble, and it's darkness all around them but they - well, GLOW seems a little gay, but hell. It is a legendary big gay love.
"Forgive us our trespasses," Stabler intones as he stares at Lee's mouth.
And Lee's all, "SQUEEEE!"
It's nice to see their noses in such close proximity again. :D
And then Lee makes a happy little huffing noise and I BEAMED AT MY TELEVISION.
"I have nothing to confess, Detective," Lee says quietly. LIES!! LIIIEEEES!
And when they finally do move away from each other, Lee's hand slides down Stabler's chest and Stabler holds on to Lee's shoulder even when Lee is no longer touching him and GUH.
"Well, you know, I've got a little angel," Stabler confides. "Want me to whip it out?"
SRSLY, you guys, they just look so freaking happy to be acting together again.
It's as though Stabler's really Keller, who never you know whatted and who's been brainwashed, and Lee is there to set him free.
THAT is a real SAVIOR. :D
Lee is perp #3. *BG*
And he gets all raw and rarz. RARZ!
And then Glad freaks the fuck out and flees from the lineup room and falls down a flight of stairs which by itself isn't funny but the fact that it's SVU crack makes it HILARIOUS.
Other stuff happens that I didn't even pay attention to because zomgLee and who cares if it's not zomgLee.
Okay so Lee's a servant of God, Your Honor, and Judge Lima's not buying that line of bullshit, and Lee's remanded. Not that he minds, 'cause he's definitely gotten Stabler's attention.
MISSING SCENE FIC. Stabler goes to see Lee in lock-up because man, he just can't shake the feeling that they are CONNECTED.
Also Lee zones out as the lawyers gab and looks back over his shoulder at Stabler. Lee smirks. Stabler glares. Swear to God Lee's chest rises and falls with a happy little sigh. Oh yes, boys. Oh. Yes.
Blah blah Glad and Glad's aunt and blah blah.
Cabot says something about needing Glad to make an "official" ID of Lee before the trial, because they have no evidence that Lee *did* anything. KEEP THIS IN MIND.
Blah blah Glad and Glad's aunt and Oliska and blablah.
Blah Glad got kicked out but still manages to make playdates ...somehow.
Two pot-smoking nerds (shoutout) apparently managed to tell Glad that they wanted to "hit it hard and raw". Hot mess.
BLAH BLAH BLAH GLAD and OLISKA and premature babies and whatever.
Who are all of these random people who sit in on random trials? Gawsh, nothing planned today, let's go watch justice in action!
Then they're in court again.
And then, and then, this is where it gets weird...
"Satan has PENETRATED you thirteen thousand times you WHORE! God demands your repentance, not mine!"
I. I can't even. LOLLLL. LOL so hard.
And then he shoves the table away and Glad cowers and as Lee's rushing the stand, the bailiff does this diving tackle thing and wrestles - heh - Lee to the floor. Poor Lee. Fucking hacks always out for his blood.
And even though Lee's saying stuff like "God will reign fire and brimstone bla bla" what he really means is "I'm nobody's bitch! I'm nobody's fucking bitch, you cocksucker!"
:D
And then the hacks drag Lee off to the hole.
THE END.
...or is it? Without Glad around to testify... and since they don't actually have any evidence... and Lee's
obviously crazy - seriously, why couldn't Dr Huang have talked with him? That would have been awesome.
Of course if they really loved us they would have named Lee's character after an archangel or a saint or hell, TOBY.
...though now that I think about it, Stabler never called Lee by his character name either. Did Lee call Stabler
anything except Detective?
In conclusion... SVU sucks. Lee and Chris are OZsome. The end.
P.S. Not a single outside shot, no joking on set, no bloopers, nothing.
P.P.S. I know you can't please everybody, but do you think they got Fontana's permission to re-enact the LRK? ;)