Goodbye, Farewell, Auf weidersehen, Goodnight

[ciroccoj]

Can't say anything about the season finale of L&O that hasn't already been said. Except I'm really, really, really glad they didn't just shorthand Lennie's departure the way they have just about every other character. You know, a measly 30 seconds stuck at the end of their last ep.

Max
Season 1 finale: still there
Season 2 premiere: ::bang bang::

Phil
Prince of Darkness: ::bang bang::
Point of View: Bye Mikey, gotta go.

Paul
Season 3 finale: still there
Season 4 premiere: WTF?

Cragen
Ditto above

Ben
Season 4 finale: working a case, working a case, working a case... ah screw it, I'm outta here

Mike
Season 5 finale: working a case, working a case, getting a little ticked, ::kerpow::
Jack: He'll be walking a beat on Staten Island. He'll be fine.

Claire
::screeeech:: ::smuck::

Jamie
OK, this one did have a lead-up. Thank god for the itty bits of character development we saw in season 6-9.

Rey
Working a case, working a case, case all done...
Rey: Wife dying. Gotta go.
Van Buren & Lennie:: ::sniffle::

Adam
Season 11 premiere: WTF? Who's the robot?
Jack to audience: Oh yeah, that's Adam's replacement. He's doing Holocaust survivor work in Europe now.
Audience: ?!

Abbie
Abbie: Moving to greener pastures, Jack.
Jack: Have fun!

Nora
Season 12 finale: still there
Season 13 premiere: WTF? Who's the uber-hillbilly?
Wolf: That's Arthur. Ain't he cute as a deep-fried okra button in a moonshine still?

So. Lennie actually talking about it with co-workers, trying to break the news to Ed, taking his stuff from his desk? Very nice. Thanks, whoever was responsible for sedating Dick Wolf for a few days so those scenes could be filmed. Much appreciated. Could you make sure to do it again when the next main character leaves?

Comments

[sangerin.livejournal.com]

In Dick Wolf's defence (can't believe I'm saying this...), it works. I hate long lead-ins, where you can tell for weeks on end that someone's leaving. Especially given that everyone knows they're leaving anyway.

I don't mind it. I never watched this show for the character arcs. Although admittedly, seeing that Lennie has apparently really left and it's not just a rumour... oof.

Well, it had to happen one of these days.

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

I hate long lead-ins, where you can tell for weeks on end that someone's leaving. Especially given that everyone knows they're leaving anyway.

Oh, I don't mind the concept of leaving without too big a fuss. People move on; that's life. And I am grateful that they don't do hours-long retrospectives on each character at the end of their stints. But I think they could show just a bit more personal stuff without grating on anybody's nerves too much. What they showed with Lennie was about right for me. The ep was still about the case, not Lennie, but with a bit here and there to show that he's leaving that that affects him and his coworkers.

It would be nice of them to mention previous cast members once in a while, too. I don't need them to come back for a guest spot (although I liked Jamie and Paul's, and would kill to get Rey or Abbie back for one ep), but making them disappear into nothingness is a little... mphh. Makes me grumpy.

And again, it wouldn't have to be a long monologue about "Abbie Carmichael's career and love life in the last three years." Just a simple, "That's a case Abbie and I worked on. I gave her a shout at the US Attorney's office and she said that deposition was definitely in the file. Look again."

[jenniferjames.livejournal.com]

Except I'm really, really, really glad they didn't just shorthand Lennie's departure the way they have just about every other character. You know, a measly 30 seconds stuck at the end of their last ep.

DW knew the fans wouldn't have stood for it. They OWED Lennie the sendoff he got. If they'd have simply patted him on the back and pushed him out the door, I suspect fan response would've been like the L.A. Riots after the Rodney King verdict.

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

LOL!

I wonder how many angry letters he got after Adam left without a ripple.

[bear.livejournal.com]

::gigglefit::

Yeah, they did a good job with this one. :)

[bast2.livejournal.com]

that was really amusing--but have you ever asked yourself why claire's character was the only one to die? perhaps dickie despised her as much as i did after he created her?

[snarkhunter.livejournal.com]

Actually, she wasn't supposed to die. She was supposed to have been hurt and then left the DA's office, but Jill Hennessy wasn't able to come back for a guest appearance, so they decided to kill her instead. That's why it's left so ambiguous--it could go either way, especially if she were in a wheel chair or something.

It's only in the ninth season that they finally say outright that CLAIRE IS DEAD.

[gypsum.livejournal.com]

Huh... I wasn't as thrilled with Lennie's exit as you all were. It came suddenly without the fanfare he deserved after being on that show for 12 years, and the episode sucked. I could have lived with the departure had the ep been another Refuge.

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

Hm. Maybe it has to do with expectations - mine were set so low I don't think I could have been disappointed. I was actually expecting a crappy ep with no mention whatsoever until the last thirty seconds, where you'd see Lennie walking out with a box and guess that it held the contents of his desk.

And you're right, no, it's not what he deserved after being on so long, but Wolf's not exactly known for giving characters the send-offs they deserve. I mean, Adam, the stalwart curmudgeon of 10 years and the last remaining original cast member, deserved more than... well, nothing. Which is what he got.

Wolf's a bit of a dick, methinks.

[gypsum.livejournal.com]

I barely watched the show this season. I watched the last ep and now know why.