TVSquad

One of the most hard-luck units around, these guys. It's pretty sickening that a cop sold them out to the defense like that. It's a bummer that so many of their "demons" came home to roost.

Pretty depressing finale overall. Another one without much closure. I guess I'm just not a fan of such cliff-hangers - at least not one with so many untied strings.

That copy should be kicked out for sharing private info. He should be prosecuted. If I was one of those two main cops, Stabler and Olivia, I'd have a hard time staying on the job with all the crap that is going on. Guess I'd want to just chuck it and start fresh somewhere else in some other kind of job.

Stabler's wife being pregnant is an interesting twist. Neither of them seemed very happy about it.

It sure was an eventful episode though.

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I totally agree. This episode didn't leave you any time to actually think about what was happening but pitched one part of a storyline after another of another storyline and kept this up until the end of the show. At a certain point I thought "So what? _I_ KNOW that those two will be back for another two seasons". And Ice T as well as Munch have been so under-utilized this season that I stopped caring. I saw more of Richard Belzer on "Real Time" than I did on SVU. That's just a shame.

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After being a loyal die hard fan of the show from the very beginning, this put a very sour taste in my mouth. Shame on You Dick. Very poor season ending.

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i completely agree. i couldn't believe that episode. SVU IS starting to become more and more dissapointing to me, which i hate because it is one of my favorite shows. i'm sorry but if olivia doesn't get a boyfriend next season...i'm boycotting the show.

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Yeah, I think so far all of the season finales that I have seen have left me with a feeling of "They could have done better than that!".

Few more to go...

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The episode was good. As always Ludacris did an excellent job. The cast was excellent, I did not, however, like that the writers chickened out on the Elliot/Olivia storyline with a pregnancy between Elliot and his estranged wife. I was hoping that they would take this L&O into a new realm, but alas...perhaps the writers will prevail next season...who knows...5 out 7.

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Can someone help me understand the Cragen factor - what was that guy's grudge and why was he in his full uniform that the end? appearing where?

thanks a bunch

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You didn't make mention that Cragen told them all that Det. Lake (I think that's his name) is joining the squad permanently.

Based on some of the NBC surveys I've taken, I'm pretty sure that either Fin or Munch are for sure on their way out. Cragen and Novak may be as well, depending on what the results were from the surveys I've taken after the episodes. They pretty much have asked which of the characters I haven't liked and what characteristics make me dislike them. I have no doubt that the addition of Lake was based on the results of their survey they gave me right after his first episode - whether or not I thought he'd make a good addition to the squad.

I think the reason this episode seemed so "eh" was because it broke their typical form to setup a possible huge cast change for next season. I applaud them for leaving the procedural, but part of the reason I watch is for that. I think another strong point that's been in the making over their seasons is coming to a head. They see a lot of unspeakable crimes, and we can see that it really is making them draw a line and question themselves. I think the prospect of Elliot having another child scares him, not for the normal reasons, but because he doesn't want to go home.

I enjoyed the episode a bit more than others, I'd give it a high 5. I like what underlying issues the episode was able to touch on, as well as get me excited for what changes are going to come next season, whether it be in who returns or whether we're going to see a change in the way that an episode unfolds or if the move away from the crimes.

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I think Cragen is going to resign, thus the dress blues. Either that, or he's being brought up on charges. I personally would like him to press charges against the guy with the grudge to take away his pension for what he did. The guy's grudge I think was previously mentioned (the guy was familiar to me and I've been watching a lot of reruns) but essentially Cragen's actions made that guy get a desk job. Cragen made the comment that he wasn't fit to be a leader, so I assume some shady business went on while Cragen was probably his boss or fellow worker and he turned him in to IAB? Just my assumptions.

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It wasn't the best episode, but it's still a great show. The entire cast is brilliant. Mariska Hargitay is amazing and Christopher Meloni is the sexiest man on television!

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Cragen was running an Internal Affairs squad between his stints on between L&O and L&O:SVU. He must have taken down or investigates the disgruntled LT on something.

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I'm with Bash. I've missed Richard Belzer all season. He is the most interesting foil for all of these strong minded better developed characters but is so rarely given the spotlight in story lines. I'd be happy if this season's finale led to some cast shake-ups. Benson and Stabler keep falling deeper and deeper into unappealing personal miasmus. Ice-T can't act his way out of a bag but Finn's character and history are at least evolving versus dragging down into a mire like Olivia's quest for closure on being the product of rape or Elliott's inability to commit to both work and family. More B. D. Wong wouldn't hurt, either. His character always brings a fresh and much-needed perspective that disperses the tendency towards stagnation on this show.

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I agree with you Anna, this episode was full of stuff. But it was a fantastic episode! Little weird Munch was kinda left out though..

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Great show.Intense, dark, brooding. I agree with above comments but I have been watching L&O since it first came out in the 90's. Watch reruns all the time. Its unfortunate it hasn't won more Emmys as it is the best crime drama out (OMO). DOn't see many of the episodes new.

Does anybody know the song at the end of the episode? I'm not sure how to find out. Thanks.

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Had heard that Munch was going to be on the new show M.O.N.Y. (Mayor of New York) but it didn't get picked up (I thought it was just a guest star thing though)

If they get rid of Munch I quit watching, SVU is really starting to bug me just too far from the original show. Too soap opera like and too much unstable Stabler adn Benson off on her own.

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who did the song at the end of the screwed episode? Can I get the title and artist?

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I have watched some of the BBC's procedurals (crime shows) and they blow away American shows when it comes to dark characters...when the "good guys" can be really bad. The same can be said for the angst experienced by some of those shows protaganists.

"Life on Mars" had an interesting episode in which the entire squad kept quiet about some wrongdoing. "Afterlife" features a psychic tormented by her "gift". "Wire in the Blood" almost lost it's lead character to a suicide. I must also mention "Cracker".

There was an attempt to make an American version of "Cracker", and it failed because it sucked. I am not looking forward to the American version of "Life on Mars", but it will be interesting to see if it is anywhere near as dark as the original.

SVU and the other American shows do not hold a candle to these shows, and that is not to say that I am not a fan of many of the American shows...but there still is the happy ending syndrome always panning out.

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Not at all. This ending was great. It gave the characters a chance to re-evaluate. It was a great story for all the characters - even Munch.

I am "on needles and pins" for september. SVU is one of the best written shows an US-TV.

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Does somebody know which was the song at the end of the episode?

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I loved the show! REALLY hate the characterof Olivia's brother! Hope he is off the show for good.
YES, please let Olivia find a fella!!! She is TOO gorgeuos NOT to have one. (girl crush,and no i'm not gay!...not that there is anything wrong with that!) Yes, would LOVE to see more of Munch! His wit always makes me laugh!
SVU is GREAT, but in some ways CI comes in neck to neck. With Goran. Chris Noth just doesn't seem to interest me at all, but I DO like his captain.

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