Friday, September 4, 2009
Madonna-Celebration (2 CD Set) [With A Bonus DVD]
CD 1:
01) Hung Up
02) Music
03) Vogue
04) 4 Minutes
05) Holiday06) Everybody
07) Like A Virgin
08) Into The Groove
09) Like A Prayer
10) Ray Of Light
11) Sorry
12) Express Yourself
13) Open Your Heart
14) Borderline
15) Secret
16) Erotica
17) Justify My Love
18) Revolver
CD 2:
01) Dress You Up
02) Material Girl
03) La Isla Bonita
04) Papa Don’t Preach
05) Lucky Star
06) Burning Up
07) Crazy For You
08) Who’s That Girl
09) Frozen
10) Miles Away
11) Take A Bow
12) Live To Tell
13) Beautiful Stranger
14) Hollywood
15) Die Another Day
16) Don’t Tell Me
17) Cherish
18) Celebration
Madonna Celebration DVD Track Listing:
01) Burning Up
02) Lucky Star
03) Borderline
04) Like A Virgin
05) Material Girl
06) Crazy For You
07) Into The Groove
08) Live To Tell
09) Papa Don’t Preach
10) True Blue
11) Open Your Heart
12) La Isla Bonita
13) Who’s That Girl
14) Like A Prayer
15) Express Yourself
16) Cherish
17) Vogue
18) Justify My Love
19) Erotica
20) Deeper and Deeper
21) Rain
22) I’ll Remember
23) Secret
24) Take A Bow
25) Bedtime Story
26) Human Nature
27) I Want You
28) You’ll See
29) Frozen
30) Ray Of Light
31) The Power Of Good-Bye
32) Beautiful Stranger
33) American Pie
34) Music
35) Don’t Tell Me
36) What It Feels Like For A Girl
37) Die Another Day
38) Hollywood
39) Love Profusion
40) Hung Up
41) Sorry
42) Get Together
43) Jump
44) 4 Minutes
45) Give It 2 Me
46) Miles Away
47) Celebration
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Jon & Kate's Official Divorce
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
King Of The Camp Comes Out on DVD/CD June 2,2009
In order to win the heart of counselor Cindy Keyes, kitchen boy Will Cross comes to realize that becoming King of the Camp takes much more than beating tough guy Chase Gunn in a wake boarding competition.
This Movie aired on YTV May 2008.
Sims 3
The Sims 3 is a strategic life simulation video game in the popular and critically acclaimed The Sims franchise, originally created by Maxis. Within the series' in-game chronology, it is a prequel to both The Sims and The Sims 2, as well as spin-offs such as The Sims: Bustin' Out. A collector's edition is also available, which comes with a free sports car download, a sticker sheet, a 2GB Plumbob-shaped USB drive, and 10 USD to spend at The Sims 3 Store.In contrast to the previous versions, the houses and neighborhoods are seamless, allowing players to explore and interact with their neighborhood without loading time.
Gameplay
Sim houses and neighborhoods are entirely in one continuous map, and the developers state that "What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within." The game includes an optional feature called 'story progression', which allows all Sims in the neighborhood apart from those the player is currently controlling to autonomously continue as if the player was controlling them, i.e. grow up, get married, get jobs and promotions, have kids, and so forth. Unlike previous Sims games, features may be toggled on or off to the user's preference; for instance, a player may toggle off aging/death if they do not want that feature to be enabled.
Of the eight needs of The Sims 1 & 2, only six (hunger, bladder, energy, social, hygiene and fun) remain, removing comfort and environment. These are represented by "moodlets", attributes which are acquired special events, such as minor events like tooth brushing and major ones like a wedding, and affect the Sims' behavior. Several minor features from The Sims 2 expansion packs appear in the The Sims 3, such as the "young adult" life stage, mobile phones and guitars (University), private cars, personal inventories (Nightlife), fishing and gardening (Seasons), jewelry and accessories, (Bon Voyage), tooth brushing, ceilings and playground structures (Apartment Life) . However, none of the main features from expansion packs, such as a Sim going to college (University), will be available yet.
Neighborhood exploration
On March 19, 2008, EA revealed a new feature to The Sims 3: neighborhood exploration. Sims can now explore the world outside their homes without having to face strenuous loading times. Every lot is now synched to the main neighborhood time, whereas before, the time of day (and weather) was different in each lot and would continue off from the last time it was played. Players can also interact with every building in a neighborhood. So, for example, the player can enter their neighbor's house by "ringing their doorbell". Every Sim lives out their lives simultaneously; people will move in, move out, get married, etc., all as they play. There is also be a setting that restricts their actions to minor things like showering, eating, and going to the bathroom. Each job has a specific building designated to it. Players are not able to see inside but are able to have limited control of their Sims—tell them to work overtime, laze around, listen to the boss and so on.[15]
As in The Sims 2, there are residential lots and community lots. Most community lots in The Sims 3 are dominated by a public building, which functions as an elementary object - larger than most other gameplay objects. A Sim can interact with a public building - working, going to school, shopping, taking lessons, watching performances etc - but is hidden inside the building during interaction.
Sims can easily move around the town with various transportation devices such as taxicabs, private cars, bicycles, or running, while letting the rest of the family stay independent at home - compared with The Sims 2, where time freezes on the home lot when a Sim visits a community lot.
Skills
There are several skill-dependent abilities - such as advanced social interactions available from high charisma, and special songs for guitar players. Painting, writing and guitar are now different skills, instead of the all-encompassing "creativity" skill of The Sims and The Sims 2. Paintings are more unique to each Sim based on their traits.
Careers
Many careers are available to pursue and each has a workplace building in the neighborhood which Sims travel to for their shifts. Sims can also apply for jobs within these buildings. Though Sims are hidden inside buildings during the workday, the player can control their behavior at work to a certain extent. Like previous Sims games, the job yields "opportunities" — tasks that could be finished for a reward. There are also part-time jobs. Sims can also take actions to increase their productivity while not at work, such as bringing work home or working overtime. Each career has several rewards, instead of only one as in The Sims 2. Careers can also branch into several possible promotions.
Each career branches off into different jobs that branch off as well. For example, if there were two Sims in the Business career track, they may not end up with the same jobs or duties even if they were on the same level in their careers. Nonetheless, a Sim who reaches the peak of a respective career can still receive raises, rewards, and additional payment if he or she keeps performing well at work.
Features
Create-a-Sim
The gradual increase in weight on a Sim in The Sims 3.
Individual fitness bars have been added to adjust the Sims' obesity and muscularity between extreme levels. In The Sims 2, there were only three body types—fat, normal and fit. As in The Sims 2, body shape varies with diet and exercise, so that Sims created as overweight can become slim by exercising and Sims created thin may become fat by eating too much and not exercising. Skin color is also continuous, instead of the four colors of The Sims 2, and exotic colors such as blue and green are available. When customizing hair, the player is shown a circle with all shades and hues of colors, and able to choose the base hair color, tips, roots, and even highlights. Texture for clothing follows a similar formatting scheme. Players are also be able to adjust the pitch of their Sim's voices.
According to those who attended the Creators' Camp event held, a "Create-a-Twin" feature has also been added, allowing players to create identical twins.
Sims' personalities
Personality configuration for Sims has also been made more complex, with the original 'percentage bar'-style personality points replaced by a combination of traits, similar to those in the personals section of newspapers. Toddlers have two traits, and a new one is added for each new life stage, until they reach young adulthood—so they have 3 as a child, 4 as a teen, then 5 as a young adult, which are the five traits they stay with for the rest of their lives. When creating a Sim, however, all trait spots do not need to be filled.
Create-A-Sim now features more than 60 unique traits to choose from. It is not possible to give a Sim traits that contradict each other (such as Brave and Cowardly). The player can also edit a Sim's favorite color, music genre, and food.
Build and buy modes
The build and buy modes have received their own makeover. The square outlines that appeared on the ground in previous Sims games' build and buy modes are now four times smaller to give the player more liberty to place objects where they want. However, wallpapers do not configure to fourth tiles. The square grid allows the player to see where they can possibly place the objects in the game. The player can also turn off the grid and rotate objects freely. This feature makes objects easier to locate at the player's desired location. If a counter or connecting objects is placed on a diagonal wall, it automatically snaps into place and furniture such as chairs and tables can easily be moved together. Also, many small objects can be put on a table very close together.
The overall game has the option to "customize everything", choosing a color through all 32-bits and use different patterns (the game has predefined samples for objects, etc). For instance, on a couch the player is able to customize the arms, cushions, base and seats separately.
The "auto-roof" function now updates the roof when walls are rebuilt. Features such as wide staircases and basements are also easier to build. The spray paint terrain feature returns from the Sims 2, but this time allows the player to spray square floor tiles. A "wall drag" tool allows the player to grow or shrink a room, moving the furniture with it. A new "slot" system gives several choices where to place decorative objects on surfaces, such as tables and dressers. Most existing objects can be recoloured and re-textured.
Movie making tool
The official website has announced that there will be a movie making tool. This tool, known as the Movie Mash Up tool will enable the player to create and share movies on the Sims 3 exchange using footage from their own game. As the camera angles within the game will be more accurate and the graphics will be better, the quality of these movies will be greater than those produced using The Sims 2.
Development
[hide]System Requirements
Requirements
Windows[20]
Operating System
Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1
CPU
Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent2.0GHz (XP)2.4GHz (Vista) [If built-in graphics chipsets then 2.6 GHz Pentium D CPU, or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo, or equivalent.]
Memory
1 GB (XP)1.5GB (Vista)[If built-in graphics then add 0.5 GB additional RAM]
Hard Drive Space
6.1GB or more for extra content
Graphics Hardware
DirectX 9.0c compliant card with 128 MB RAM (NVIDIA FX 5900/ATI 9500 or better) and support for Pixel Shader 2.0
Sound Hardware
100% DirectX 9.0c compliant card
Macintosh
Operating System
Mac OS X 10.5.7 Leopard
CPU
Intel Core Duo Processor
Memory
2 GB
Hard Drive Space
6.1GB of free space and 1GB for additional content
Graphics Hardware
ATI X1600 or NVIDIA 7300 GT with 128 MB RAM or Intel Integrated GMA X3100
Electronic Arts first announced Sims 3 on the 19th March, 2008. The game was developed at their studio in Redwood Shores, CaliforniaHYPERLINK \l "cite_note-techinfo-21"[22], whose other titles include Dead Space. On January 15, 2009, EA invited "some of the best" custom content creators to their campus at Redwood Shores where they were hosting a Creator’s Camp. Creators have been invited to spend the week exploring and creating content like Sims, houses and customized content. The Creators' work is used to pre-populate The Sims 3 Exchange.
Audio
The music to The Sims 3 was written by composer Steve Jablonsky, who recorded the score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox.
Software copy restriction
Some of EA's other recent PC titles, such as Spore and Dead Space, have used a SecuROM copy restriction scheme that requires online and offline authentication and limits the number of times a user can install the game to five. While it was speculated that The Sims 3 would use the same system, on March 26, executive producer Rod Humble revealed that The Sims 3 uses traditional disk-based copy protection as Sims 2 did, and does not require online authentication to install. A product key is also required. However, SecuROM based restriction is still present within the "Digital Download" version of the title, limiting users to a total of 5 authorizations for 5 different machines via online activation, each of which can be de-authorized online at any time.
Release
The game was released as both a standard edition and a Collector's Edition. The standard edition contains the first release of the core game, while the Collector's Edition includes the Sims 3 core game, a 2GB The Sims Plumbob USB drive with matching Green Carabiner, an exclusive Italian-styled/Vintage Sports Car download for in-game, a Prima Tips and Hints Guide (not the actual Sims3 Prima Guide), Plumbob stickers, The Sims 3 Neighborhood Poster, and a quick start reference guide.[28]HYPERLINK \l "cite_note-28"[29] It is still unknown which countries are / will be able to purchase the Collectors' Edition. A preview CD with more information about The Sims 3, such as music samples, family descriptions, and career information, was also released.
In the seventh expansion pack for The Sims 2, The Sims 2: FreeTime, an event occurs in which a Sim-version of Rod Humble, the head of The Sims franchise, gives the player's Sim family an unopened gift box. When opened, the family gets a computer with The Sims 3 on it. The Sims 3 game cannot be bought in the catalog. Sims can then play The Sims 3 on their computers or console systems. Like all the other games that Sims can play in The Sims 2, The Sims 3 is a looping gameplay video shown on the player's Sim's computer screens when played by a Sim. On July 15, 2008 the first video preview of The Sims 3 appeared on the official website as did seven new screenshots and five Create-A-Sim screens. Four screenshots that appeared on the website and were then taken down soon after, leaked onto the internet by a member of the community.
Copies of the video game Spore also came packaged with fliers advertising the game, with information stating whole-neighborhood accessibility and endless possibilities on character creation. On October 31, 2008, two teaser trailers were released by Electronic Arts featuring a comical view on the 2008 presidential election in the United States. Candidates John McCain and Barack Obama were included along with John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin, and Barack Obama's running mate Joe Biden.[30] In the eighth expansion pack of The Sims 2, The Sims 2: Apartment Life, new objects were added including logo posters and framed screenshots. The game was shipped with a code and an internet address, where the player could download clothing with The Sims 3 logo on it. Another developer walkthrough was released on November 6, 2008, featuring in-depth previews of the neighborhood and Create-A-Sim.
On March 23, 2009, the look and feel of The Sims 3 was seamlessly threaded throughout the storyline of an all new episode of The CW series One Tree Hill. On screen, the episode opens in an idealized Sims version of One Tree Hill and then transitions into the real Tree Hill. As this episode plays out, Sims versions of popular One Tree Hill characters are introduced and then morph into the real-life characters, including Dan (Paul Johansson), Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Peyton (Hilarie Burton). The Sims 3 versions of the characters are available for download via CW's official website.
On April 19, 2009, Target exclusively released a promotional disc of The Sims 3 that features a Ladytron Band poster, The Sims 3 theme song music download, and a $5 off coupon. The main menu includes screensaver downloads, videos, Create-A-Sim, Create-A-House, and much more. There is no actual gameplay involved, but it describes what playing feels like.
On May 8, 2009, EA announced that The Sims 3 had gone Gold meaning that the game had finished beta testing stage and was off for manufacturing ahead of its June 2009 Release.
On May 15, 2009 EA released some online interactive teaser experiences on The Sims 3 Website, including 'SimFriend', which allows users to choose a vitual Sim Friend who would email them throughout the day. 'SimSocial', which allows users to create their own Sim online, and have an adventure with them. 'SimSidekick', which allows users to surf the web with a sim.
Two weeks before the game was scheduled to be released, a pirated version of the digital distribution version of the game leaked onto the Internet. EA later commented the leak was a "buggy, pre-final" version. EA claims that more than half of the game is missing and is susceptible to crashes or Reportedly, the title has seen higher piracy rates than that of the most pirated game of 2008.
Videos
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
MMC 1989-1996
In 1989, The Disney Channel revived the show with a different format, which was very similar to other popular shows of the time like You Can't Do That on Television or Saturday Night Live. The show structure was originally developed by Walt Disney Television in the mid-1980s.
[edit] Scheduling and air times
The series aired Monday - Friday, 5:30PM ET during Seasons 1-5. In season 6, the show was on from Monday-Thursday at 5:30PM. In its final season it aired Thursdays only at 7:30PM. The show premiered Monday, April 24, 1989, ended production in 1994, and ran reruns until Thursday, May 31, 1996. The series was also syndicated to local television stations throughout the United States and Canada.[citation needed] Seasons 3, 5 and 7 had the most episodes. Seasons 4 and 6 were shorter, having about 35 episodes each.
[edit] Format
The long version of the new show's title was The All New Mickey Mouse Club, but it was more commonly called MMC. Recorded before a studio audience at the Disney-MGM Studios, now Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, FL as it featured teens from all races. The show was a mix of live skits, recorded comedy and songs. The Mouseketeers did their own versions of popular songs live and in music videos. Emerald Cove was a recurring soap opera type segment starring Mouseketeers and several actors who exclusively appeared on these segments, that aired once a week for 10 minutes.
[edit] Cast
Five members of the show (Damon Pampolina, Tiffini Hale, Chase Hampton, Albert Fields and Deedee Magno) broke off and formed the musical group The Party, and released four full length albums: The Party; In The Meantime, In Between Time; Free; and The Party's Over...Thanks For Coming. They had a radio hit with the Dokken cover of "In My Dreams."
The show would be the starting point for several American pop superstars and actors. The fourth season introduced viewers to JC Chasez and Golden Globe winning television actress Keri Russell. The sixth season featured Grammy Award winning singers Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears; and Academy Award nominated actor Ryan Gosling. Jessica Simpson and Countess Vaughn were finalists but did not make it onto the show.
The only Mouseketeers who appeared each season from the first until its cancellation in 1994 were Lindsey Alley, Jennifer McGill and Josh Ackerman with Tiffini Hale and Chase Hampton back for the final season.
[edit] Theme days and other notable episodes
In 1990, as part of Season 3, six former Mouseketeers Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Don Grady, and Annette Funicello made a special appearance, actually participating in some skits and a couple of musical numbers. They were presented with 1990s MMC jackets. Annette thanked everyone very much and told the new Mouseketeers that "the Club is in good hands because of all of you."[citation needed] MMC celebrated its 200th episode with a show about Racial Unity. It featured Rev. Jesse Jackson, Tracie Spencer, Young Nation and Tevin Campbell.[citation needed]
Theme days were:
Music Day - Mondays (Seasons 1-5), Tuesdays (Season 6)
Guest Day - Tuesdays (Seasons 1-5), Mondays (Season 6)
Anything Can Happen Day! - Wednesdays (seasons 1-5), was not used in Season 6
Party Day - Thursdays (Seasons 1-4, 6), Fridays (season 5)
Hall of Fame Day - Fridays (Seasons 1-4), Thursdays (Season 5), Wednesdays (Season 6)
(Note: In Season 7, the show was shown on Thursdays only, therefore, no theme days were used.)
[edit] Full cast of 1990s Mouseketeers
Listed alphabetically: [1]
Josh Ackerman (1989-1996)
Christina Aguilera (1993-1996)
Lindsey Alley (1989-1995)
Rhona Bennett (1992-1996)
Nita Booth (1991-1996)
Mylin Brooks (1991-1993)
Brandy Brown (1989-1992)
Jason Blain Carson (1991-1993)
JC Chasez (1991-1995)
Braden Danner (1989)
Tasha Danner (1992-1993)
Nikki DeLoach (1993-1995)
T.J. Fantini (1994-1995)
Albert Fields (1989-1992)
Dale Godboldo (1992-1995)
Ryan Gosling (1993-1996)
Tiffini Hale (1989-1995)
Chase Hampton (1989-1995)
Raquel "Roqué" Herring (1989-1991)
David Kater (1989)
Tony Lucca (1992-1996)
Ricky Luna (1991-1996)
Tate Lynche (1994-1995)
Deedee Magno (1989-1992)
Jennifer McGill (1989-1996)
Terra McNair (1991-1993)
Ilana Miller (1991-1996)
Jason Minor (1991-1993)
Terri Misner (1992-1994) (Adult co-host)
Matt Morris (1992-1996)
Fred Newman (1989-1995) (Adult co-host)
Kevin Osgood (1990-1993)
Damon Pampolina (1989-1992)
Mowava Pryor (1989-1992) (Adult co-host)
Keri Russell (1992-1995)
Britney Spears (1993-1996)
Justin Timberlake (1993-1995)
Marc Worden (1991-1996)
MMC Videos [Songs]
[edit] Scheduling and air times
The series aired Monday - Friday, 5:30PM ET during Seasons 1-5. In season 6, the show was on from Monday-Thursday at 5:30PM. In its final season it aired Thursdays only at 7:30PM. The show premiered Monday, April 24, 1989, ended production in 1994, and ran reruns until Thursday, May 31, 1996. The series was also syndicated to local television stations throughout the United States and Canada.[citation needed] Seasons 3, 5 and 7 had the most episodes. Seasons 4 and 6 were shorter, having about 35 episodes each.
[edit] Format
The long version of the new show's title was The All New Mickey Mouse Club, but it was more commonly called MMC. Recorded before a studio audience at the Disney-MGM Studios, now Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, FL as it featured teens from all races. The show was a mix of live skits, recorded comedy and songs. The Mouseketeers did their own versions of popular songs live and in music videos. Emerald Cove was a recurring soap opera type segment starring Mouseketeers and several actors who exclusively appeared on these segments, that aired once a week for 10 minutes.
[edit] Cast
Five members of the show (Damon Pampolina, Tiffini Hale, Chase Hampton, Albert Fields and Deedee Magno) broke off and formed the musical group The Party, and released four full length albums: The Party; In The Meantime, In Between Time; Free; and The Party's Over...Thanks For Coming. They had a radio hit with the Dokken cover of "In My Dreams."
The show would be the starting point for several American pop superstars and actors. The fourth season introduced viewers to JC Chasez and Golden Globe winning television actress Keri Russell. The sixth season featured Grammy Award winning singers Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears; and Academy Award nominated actor Ryan Gosling. Jessica Simpson and Countess Vaughn were finalists but did not make it onto the show.
The only Mouseketeers who appeared each season from the first until its cancellation in 1994 were Lindsey Alley, Jennifer McGill and Josh Ackerman with Tiffini Hale and Chase Hampton back for the final season.
[edit] Theme days and other notable episodes
In 1990, as part of Season 3, six former Mouseketeers Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Don Grady, and Annette Funicello made a special appearance, actually participating in some skits and a couple of musical numbers. They were presented with 1990s MMC jackets. Annette thanked everyone very much and told the new Mouseketeers that "the Club is in good hands because of all of you."[citation needed] MMC celebrated its 200th episode with a show about Racial Unity. It featured Rev. Jesse Jackson, Tracie Spencer, Young Nation and Tevin Campbell.[citation needed]
Theme days were:
Music Day - Mondays (Seasons 1-5), Tuesdays (Season 6)
Guest Day - Tuesdays (Seasons 1-5), Mondays (Season 6)
Anything Can Happen Day! - Wednesdays (seasons 1-5), was not used in Season 6
Party Day - Thursdays (Seasons 1-4, 6), Fridays (season 5)
Hall of Fame Day - Fridays (Seasons 1-4), Thursdays (Season 5), Wednesdays (Season 6)
(Note: In Season 7, the show was shown on Thursdays only, therefore, no theme days were used.)
[edit] Full cast of 1990s Mouseketeers
Listed alphabetically: [1]
Josh Ackerman (1989-1996)
Christina Aguilera (1993-1996)
Lindsey Alley (1989-1995)
Rhona Bennett (1992-1996)
Nita Booth (1991-1996)
Mylin Brooks (1991-1993)
Brandy Brown (1989-1992)
Jason Blain Carson (1991-1993)
JC Chasez (1991-1995)
Braden Danner (1989)
Tasha Danner (1992-1993)
Nikki DeLoach (1993-1995)
T.J. Fantini (1994-1995)
Albert Fields (1989-1992)
Dale Godboldo (1992-1995)
Ryan Gosling (1993-1996)
Tiffini Hale (1989-1995)
Chase Hampton (1989-1995)
Raquel "Roqué" Herring (1989-1991)
David Kater (1989)
Tony Lucca (1992-1996)
Ricky Luna (1991-1996)
Tate Lynche (1994-1995)
Deedee Magno (1989-1992)
Jennifer McGill (1989-1996)
Terra McNair (1991-1993)
Ilana Miller (1991-1996)
Jason Minor (1991-1993)
Terri Misner (1992-1994) (Adult co-host)
Matt Morris (1992-1996)
Fred Newman (1989-1995) (Adult co-host)
Kevin Osgood (1990-1993)
Damon Pampolina (1989-1992)
Mowava Pryor (1989-1992) (Adult co-host)
Keri Russell (1992-1995)
Britney Spears (1993-1996)
Justin Timberlake (1993-1995)
Marc Worden (1991-1996)
MMC Videos [Songs]
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Law & Order: SVU Transitions
Law & Order SVU “Transitions” Episode Information
NBC has released information on another new February episode for Law & Order SVU titled “Transitions.” Here is the information:Law & Order SVU “Transitions” Air Date February 17, 2009WHEN A MAN IS FOUND BRUTALLY BEATEN AND BARELY ALIVE OUTSIDE A STRIP CLUB, HIS TRANSGENDER TEEN IS THE PRIME SUSPECT.When a man is found badly beaten with no memory of what happened in a strip club parking lot, Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) are at a loss for evidence as a rainstorm washed away any clues. A fake fingernail embedded in the victim's back leads the detectives to believe that the attacker is female. Detective Benson and Stabler turn to the female dancers at the club for questioning, but a homeless man, Sid Gabbert (guest star Paul Lazar), points the detectives to the victim’s truck. Using evidence found in the truck, the detectives learn that the victim, Mark Van Kuren (guest star Frank Grillo), was sent to repossess the car of strip club dancer, Molly “Misty” Lambert (guest star Heidi Marnhout). After questioning “Misty,” Van Kuren awakes in the hospital with no memory, but brings the attention to his ex-wife Ellen (guest star Wendy Makkena) and their 13-year-old transgender son Henry (guest star Bridger Zadina). Also starring: Richard Belzer (Detective John Much), Dann Florek (Captain Donald Cragen), Ice-T (Detective Odafin Tutuola), Michaela McManus (A.D.A Kim Greylek), Tamara Tunie (Dr. Melinda Warner), and B.D. Wong (Dr. George Huang).On February 6, NBC changed the air date for "Transitions" from February 10 to February 17.)
NBC has released information on another new February episode for Law & Order SVU titled “Transitions.” Here is the information:Law & Order SVU “Transitions” Air Date February 17, 2009WHEN A MAN IS FOUND BRUTALLY BEATEN AND BARELY ALIVE OUTSIDE A STRIP CLUB, HIS TRANSGENDER TEEN IS THE PRIME SUSPECT.When a man is found badly beaten with no memory of what happened in a strip club parking lot, Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Chris Meloni) are at a loss for evidence as a rainstorm washed away any clues. A fake fingernail embedded in the victim's back leads the detectives to believe that the attacker is female. Detective Benson and Stabler turn to the female dancers at the club for questioning, but a homeless man, Sid Gabbert (guest star Paul Lazar), points the detectives to the victim’s truck. Using evidence found in the truck, the detectives learn that the victim, Mark Van Kuren (guest star Frank Grillo), was sent to repossess the car of strip club dancer, Molly “Misty” Lambert (guest star Heidi Marnhout). After questioning “Misty,” Van Kuren awakes in the hospital with no memory, but brings the attention to his ex-wife Ellen (guest star Wendy Makkena) and their 13-year-old transgender son Henry (guest star Bridger Zadina). Also starring: Richard Belzer (Detective John Much), Dann Florek (Captain Donald Cragen), Ice-T (Detective Odafin Tutuola), Michaela McManus (A.D.A Kim Greylek), Tamara Tunie (Dr. Melinda Warner), and B.D. Wong (Dr. George Huang).On February 6, NBC changed the air date for "Transitions" from February 10 to February 17.)
Law & Order SVU "Transitions" Hopefully Transitions Greyleck Out The Door (Recap & Review)
This episode of Law & Order SVU (NBC) tells a very interesting story about a very difficult subject – transgendered children. It is a subject that most people likely don’t have real-life experience with, yet these circumstances do exist, often putting a great strain on families. The first 5-10 minutes of the episode had a few gratuitous scenes of scantily clad women included in it, probably in hopes of luring viewers to into an episode with a difficult theme. All the guest stars were well cast, especially the transgendered teen, Henry/Hailey, played by Bridger Zadina, and her guidance counselor Miss Blaine, played by Aisha Hinds.
Anybody home? (All photos from NBC)
Where the episode misses greatly is with any scene that includes the stone-faced Kim Greyleck. I was hoping that we wouldn’t be seeing Michaela McManus any longer, but I suppose they had to throw one more episode with her in it before her character head off for a while, hopefully never to return. McManus’s inability to show any range of emotion has really hampered the show’s ability to have any decent courtroom scenes where the prosecution shines. In most episodes with Greyleck handling a case, it usually means that one of the guest stars will steal all the scenes. I swear in the scene with Greyleck and the detectives in the courthouse hall, that Benson wanted to just smack Greyleck across the face. Many times during the trial, McManus was unable to pull off any kind of emotional response that seemed real. Alex Kingston, playing the defense attorney, did a great job. While McManus was clearly a big part of the problem with Greyleck’s character, it also seems evident that they never wanted her character to be likeable, which frankly made any appearance almost intolerable to watch.
The story itself was very well written, but I have to admit that the first second I laid eyes on the guidance counselor Jackie Blaine I knew exactly where the story was headed. Still, it did not detract from the story at all, maybe because all the supporting actors all did very well in their roles. I felt very badly for Jackie and I was appalled that Greyleck seemed completely unmoved by Jackie’s background. I can only continue to hope that Michaela McManus won’t be on this show, or any other in the franchise, any time soon.
Here’s the recap:
After a fight erupts between two strippers, Misty (Heidi Marnhout) and Sapphire (DeQuina Moore) at the Sugar Pops strip club, Sapphire is leaving the club and hears a noise. She races to her car, and after she gets in, a man approaches her with blood trailing down his crotch, and he collapses onto her car. Later, at the hospital, Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay) Stabler (Chris Meloni) talk to the doctor about the victim, who is in a medically induced coma to help him recover from his injuries. The man’s scrotum had ruptured and he was also scratched and beaten in the head, a long fake fingernail found at the scene. It also appears the man had been the recipient of some oral sex before he was attacked. His wallet was found with no ID, just a picture of him with his son.
Capt. Don Cragen (Dann Florek) and Fin (Ice-T) discuss the fact that the man’s fingerprints aren’t in the system, and they are unable to release the man’s picture to the public, as he was a victim of a sex crime. Cragen assumes the attacker works at the strip club, so Fin and Munch (Richard Belzer) make the hard choice to visit the strip club. There, they speak to both Sapphire and to Misty who had their own fight the night before, and Misty adds that the club bouncer – Frankie, a very brutish looking woman – beat up a man at the club the previous night. In talking with Frankie, she points them in the direction of Psycho Sid, a creep who frequents the club area. Later, Benson and Stabler meet with the creepy Sid, who says he saw the victim in his tow truck in the back alley of the club.
Back at the club, Benson and Stabler and other police are examining the man’s tow truck, and inside is a bloody tire iron. The paperwork in the truck says the man’s name is Mark and he works for a repo company. When Fin and Munch go to Mark’s place of employment, they are told Mark works nights, and that he went to the club to repossess a Toyota from a woman named Molly. They follow the trail to Molly’s parent’s home, which are perplexed because Molly has a Mercedes-Benz, not a Toyota. They give the detectives Molly’s home address. When the detectives knock on the door, Molly answers, and it’s none other than Misty from the strip club.
Later at the squad in interrogation, Molly/Misty denies hurting Mark. She admits to the oral sex. She adds she is an anthropologist who studies people and their behaviors in their habitat, and she is writing a book called "Play Misty For You" which involves her having to work at the strip club to study the behaviors. When Molly moves to leave, Benson notices Molly seems to be wearing a wire of sorts, and they find she has a flash drive on her with recordings of her activities for the week, which include her interaction with Mark. They confiscate it, and later listen to the recording, which seems to indicate Molly left Mark without attacking him. (Was Frankie’s voice also heard?)
When they hear that Mark Van Kuren (Frank Grillo) is now out of his coma, Benson and Stabler head to the hospital. He seems to think his ex-wife Ellen (Wendy Makkena) is the only one having a reason to hurt him, as they are having a custody disagreement about their son, Henry, apparently Ellen was threatening to kill Mark. When Benson and Stabler head to Ellen’s home, she says she didn’t mean she’d literally kill him, that people having problems like that sometimes say things they don’t mean. She says their split is complicated as they have different ideas on how to raise their child. When Stabler asks is Henry is a handful, a girl comes down the stairs and corrects him, ‘It’s Hailey. My name’s Hailey. Henry is dead." They discover that Mark and Ellen’s son Henry is transgender, and she is now going by the name of Hailey (Bridger Zadina). Ellen says Mark does not accept her son as being a girl and that Mark is in denial about the matter. Henry/Hailey is also going through puberty, and they were told Hailey will have to take hormone blockers to stop it, but Mark won’t allow it. Ellen indicates she was at work when the attack occurred, and when the detectives make note of her black eye, she says that she got it from Hailey when she found out she had been sneaking back into the home through a window at 2:00 AM and they got into it and Hailey punched her. When they ask where Hailey had been the night she crawled back in through the window, she said she was "striking a blow for her freedom."
The enter Hailey’s room, and she seems embarrassed that she is topless, gets angry, and quickly puts on a bra. When they tell her about her father’s attack, she seems happy and indicates she wishes he were dead. But she says she was with a boy when she was out of the house that night. Her mother asks if she is gay, and she says her mom still doesn’t get it, she is a girl and is supposed to be out with boys.
Back at the squad, Dr. Huang (B.D.Wong) is explaining to Cragen that Hailey’s anatomy is irrelevant. Because of something that may have happened in utero, Hailey’s brain is wired like a female while she had the body of a male. Huang thinks that Mark being beaten in the crotch is symbolic. But Stabler adds that she also gave her mother a black eye, that it’s not much of a leap to attacking her dad. Cragen tells them to head over to the school and to verify her alibi, and Huang adds they should also check with the guidance counselor.
Later, at Lincoln Middle School, they speak to the guidance counselor Miss Blaine (Aisha Hinds), who tells them that Hailey has had a difficult time and faced some ridicule and was once ordered out of the girl’s bathroom by other girls and fought with some students. Some fights occurred, and now Hailey uses the gender-neutral bathroom. When the guidance counselor brings them to her office where Hailey is waiting, she is not pleased to see them. When they begin to question her about her alibi and tell her they will have to go through her email and cell phone records, Hailey is concerned and then blurts out that she was the one who tried to kill her dad.
Back at the station, Cragen is made aware that since there was no parent present and Hailey is a minor, the confession is inadmissible. They hope that when Hailey’s mother Ellen arrives she will waive Miranda and let them speak to Hailey. They have no such luck. But, they do get a warrant to search the home, and in doing so, Fin finds several boxes of hormones, both male and female: estrogen, testosterone, and leuprolide. Back at the squad, Huang tells them that the leuprolide is used for hormone blocking to stop puberty, but why would Hailey have testosterone, a male hormone? He also says that he found that several pharmaceutical warehouses were recently robbed, stealing drugs used to transition.
Later, with Hailey, Ellen, and an attorney in interrogation, they question Hailey about the hormones but the lawyer attempts to block the answers. They say they know she had to work with other people to pull off the robbery, and that a manifesto was left at one of the crime scenes, signed by the "Children of Ariel." Ellen becomes upset and decides to start talking. She says Hailey said she was going to a support group, and, despite Hailey’s protest not to say anything, she says she dropped off Hailey once at a church in Chelsea.
Fin and Stabler head to the Good Shepherd Church, and meet a transgendered man named Blake (Daniela Sea), and Stabler brings up the robbery. When they say they found the stash in Hailey’s bedroom, he asks if she is OK, and that Hailey is just a friend. When Stabler tells Blake to "be a man" Blake gets upset and tells Stabler he doesn’t know what it is like, and the drugs are a lifeline. Stabler says that they are like "Robin Hood and Maid Marian, all wrapped into one." When they tell him that they believe Hailey tried to kill her father, Blake seems stunned, and says Hailey was with them when the group raided the warehouse, she just showed up but didn’t go into the warehouse, he just told her to wait in the van. She was only stashing the drugs until it was safe to move them.
Back at the squad in interrogation, Stabler tells the lawyer, Ellen, and Hailey that she didn’t attack her dad, that she was at the robbery, that Blake told them. When Ellen questions why she said she hurt her dad, Hailey said she was afraid to get the others in trouble, and she would do anything for Blake. Later, Stabler tells her she is free to go, but she will have to come back and answer questions about the robbery. Hailey sees Blake being brought in, she says she didn’t tell them anything, and that she loves him. He says it is not her fault, and they take him away. She screams that she loves him. Mark arrives, and begins to chastise Ellen for her parenting. She refuses to discuss the matter there and she is going home. He says they are not going anywhere, Hailey is staying with him, and he tugs at her, but when he is told to let go, he apologizes and he loves her and her mother. Hailey asks him that if he loves them, why does he go to the strip club and screw trashy sluts? Stabler asks who told her about a stripper, and she says her guidance counselor, Miss Blaine, who she said Ellen told her. But Ellen said she didn’t know about that, either. Stabler wonders how Blaine knew?
Back with Jackie Blaine, she said that she did tell Hailey, and in retrospect it was inappropriate. Benson said she is right, because they never told Ellen about Mark and the stripper, and Stabler says she could have been there herself. He asks if she followed him to the club, and she moved to a closet and pulls out a bloody coat. She said she could not get his blood out. When Benson asks her why she did it, she said Hailey’s pain got to be more than she could bear, she just wanted to protect her.
Back at the squad, Benson asks ADA Greyleck (Michaela McManus) if she got enough of the story before Jackie lawyered up. She says that based on what the detectives were told and the bloody coat, there is her case, signed, sealed, and delivered. As Greyleck leaves, Hailey arrives and says she wants to take it back, that Miss Blaine never told her about the strippers, she doesn’t know where she heard it. When see sees Jackie Blaine being locked up, she runs over and apologizes, but Stabler holds her back. Blaine says it is OK. Hailey says she has ruined everyone’s lives. Benson sees that Hailey had blood running down her hand, and gets her to sit down. When Benson pulls up Hailey’s sleeve, she sees her wrists are cut. Benson calls for a bus, and Blaine calls out to Hailey. As Benson reaches for her pulse, Hailey looks faint and says she is cold.
Later, at the hospital, Hailey is recovering, and Benson talks with Ellen. Benson tells Ellen she can help her get a lawyer. But a voice comes from behind, saying that she never expected to hear Benson suggest legal representation. It is Miss Pond (Alex Kinston), Jackie Blaine’s lawyer, who says her client was concerned when she saw Hailey collapse. When Benson tells her she can go, Pond says she wants to see for herself. Benson tells Ellen to close the blinds to Hailey’s room, and tells Pond she has no business being there. But Pond says that the mental health of a key witness against her client is her business. But Benson said her client confessed, she’s guilty.
At the trial, Pond says that Jackie Blaine loves Hailey like a daughter and Hailey needed to be saved from her father’s abuse regarding her gender issue. Back to at the squad, Greyleck tells Benson and Stabler the case is in trouble, that Pond is making Blaine looked like the patron saint of abused children and the jury is buying it. She needs Hailey to testify against her. But Benson thinks Hailey is a mess, and Stabler thinks that Hailey could play into Pond’s hands if put on the stand. Greyleck shows them a picture with Mark and "Henry" and says that this man loves his son, the relationship may be mess up but they can’t tell them it’s not worth saving.
In Hailey’s room, she is looking at the same picture and says that her father carries it around with him like it is proof she is a boy. Her father loves Henry, and is ashamed of who she is. She tears the picture, and says she hated the truck that was in it – she asked for one present that year – Barbie. He father just screamed at her about that. Stabler says her father can’t let Henry go, Hailey says it is like he loves a ghost. When Stabler asks if she ever lost someone she loved, she mentioned her grandmother, and that she cried for weeks. He says that is how her dad feels about Henry. She asks what Stabler would do if his son came home in a dress – would he still love him? Stabler pauses before answering, and says he’d try to understand, but that it would probably be hard and that he would probably make a lot of mistakes but never stop loving him. He puts his arm around Hailey as she cries into his shoulder, and he consoles her.
Later at trial, Hailey is on the stand being questioned by Greyleck, she says never asked Blaine to hurt her father. She is mad at her dad, but Greyleck pressures her to answer the question if Hailey wanted Blaine to hurt her dad. She answers an empathic no, she didn’t want anyone to hurt him. Under cross, Pond asks about the bandages on her arm, and denies trying to kill herself. She says she was just upset, and Pond comments that this wasn’t the first time she was upset, wasn’t it? Hailey asks what she means, and Pond asks if she ever talked to Blaine about wanting to kill herself. Hailey admits she had mentioned that a few times, and Pond says it was 8 times in the last 5 months, and every time she gets upset at school she goes to see Miss Blaine. Pond continues to hammer her on the issue, and if she ever talked with Pond about her father. As Greyleck attempts a concerned look, Hailey says she does not remember. Pond moves to refresh her memory that, according to Miss Blaine’s notes, every single time she spoke to her, she said she wished her father was dead. Hailey admits that is true. When asked if she thinks Jackie Blaine cares about her, Hailey says she knows she does. She asks her if her father cares about her, and Hailey answers she does not know. Pond reiterates that she told Blaine she wanted her father dead, and now says she wouldn’t want anyone to hurt him, which is it? Hailey says she does not know.
On the stand, Pond is questioning Blaine, who says Hailey was upset that her father did not want her taking the hormone blockers. Blaine said Hailey was devastated. She looks to the jury and ask them what if they woke up in the body of the opposite sex but nothing else about you had changed, how trapped and desperate you would feel? That is how Hailey felt, and that’s when she knew she had to save Hailey, she didn’t want her father to kill the beautiful girl inside her. Under cross, Greyleck sarcastically comments that Blaine’s love for Hailey is very touching, but did she ever think she was getting too involved? Jackie said Ellen is a good mother but Blaine is a professional, trained to handle these issues. Greyleck presses if she gets involved in the issues of other students in the same way, does she get involved in their lives in the same extent? Blaine said Hailey is special. Greyleck asks if she counsels students who have been victims of rape, incest, drugs, etc. and Jackie says yes, but Hailey is different. Greyleck says she hasn’t tried to kill the parents of those other children, they must not be special enough to deserve her devotion. Blaine says she does not understand, she has no idea what we go through. Greyleck asks, "We?" and stares blankly. When Blaine sits in silence, Greyleck pulls back, with a half look of realization on her face. She asks, "Miss Blaine, have you even been known by another name?" Pond quickly objects, citing relevance, and the judge overrules. Miss Blaine answers yes, it was Harold Franklin. Hailey, in the gallery, looks stunned, and whispers, "What?" When Pond asks to confer with her client, the judge denies the request. Blaine says she needs to explain. She says she always knew she was a girl, but things were different back then, there were no pills, counselors, or support groups. One had to live as a woman for three years before a doctor would even consider doing surgery. It was hard, but she had no choice. She was leaving a bar, and three men grabbed her and they called her a freak. They dragged her into a vacant lot and pulled up her skirt and one of the took out a knife, and said he would make her a woman, and he cut her. Greyleck continues to stare blankly.
Outside the courtroom, Mark tells Greyleck he wants to stop this, the trial, everything. She says it’s too late, but he says he is the victim and he wants to drop the charges, but she says he can’t, it’s not up to him. He said none of this would have happened if he would have just listened to his daughter. He was just thinking of himself. But Greyleck says Blaine can’t get away with it, and says she is sorry. Stabler and Benson look on. When Mark leaves, she turns around and sees the detectives and says "Oh no, not you too." When Stabler says that Mark has a point, she says not every person that has been a victim can have am automatic get out of jail free card when they go looking for retribution. When Benson says, "You’re new here, Kim" Greyleck says, ‘What, you’re gonna give me the SVU is gray speech?" Stabler gives her a smirk, and Benson gives her a look that she wants to bitchslap her, but hold back and says, "Some cases have no right answer." When Greyleck thinks this mean they expect Blaine to walk, Stabler says no, just offer them a plea bargain. When the detectives walk off, Greyleck attempts a look like she is thinking about what they said.
Later, back in court, the judge says she understands the defendant wished to change her plea, and Jackie says that she does, she says she is guilty. The judge says that in accordance with the arrangements made with the district attorney’s office, she is sentenced to 8 years. After the bang of the gavel to adjourn, Hailey moves to talk to Jackie, and Jackie apologizes. Hailey says her dad says she can take the hormone blockers, and Blaine is glad for her. Hailey hugs her. Hailey tells Benson she wants to go home, and leaves with both her parents. Benson and Stabler look on, as we fade to black.
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Posted by All Things Law and Order at 8:28 AM
Labels: B.D. Wong, Chris Meloni, Dann Florek, Ice-T, Law and Order SVU, Mariska Hargitay, Michaela McManus, Richard Belzer, Transitions
5 comments:
Muze said...
Disappointed stone-face was in the episode. You hit the nail on the head - they don't intend the character to be sympathetic. And for that kind of character to work, she either has to have paid her dues so the viewer will respect her, or the actress has to elevate the material with interesting choices.
They still need someone the audience will root for, not cheer when she gets her head slammed on the table.
I'm not sure there is any cooperation between USA and NBC - but it seems like they are coordinating reruns with new eps. Yesterday they ran Guilt, which is obviously the perfect companion episode. Of course we had Cabot empathizing with the defendant and trying to figure out where her personal ethics fit in with her job.
Overall this continues a run of much better episodes.
February 18, 2009 9:59 AM
samfan said...
I liked this episode, it was different. I wish they would get stone faced no talent what's her name off of the show. It was a good episode though, not the Benson/Stabler drama, or at least it wasn't front and center.
February 18, 2009 10:03 AM
L said...
I like Grayleck in the sense that she at least purports to do what a prosecutor is supposed to do. I thought it was appalling that as soon as Miss Blaine revealed she was transgendered and had suffered abuse because of it, everyone believed she should be excused of a crime very similar to the one she herself experienced (e.g., mutilation)! A true prosecutor would absolutely use that experience as airtight motive to seal the case against Blaine.
However much the episode attempted to make the father look bad, he WAS still the victim. And he required justice, just as Blaine ought to have gotten for what happened to her all those years ago.
February 18, 2009 12:01 PM
candice said...
I was extremely disappointed with this episode. I am a huge SVU fan but am really disappointed with the way they portray transgender people.
In fact, SVU *NEVER* portrays transgender people in a positive light. They are either victimized or villainized, and that's really it. It's trashy and as far as I can see, many of the things written into this story line were done for shock value.
Transgender people are real people.
February 18, 2009 12:11 PM
Muze said...
Candice the Law and Order franchises certainly have mixed record on these issues, I agree.
L, justice is rarely as black and white as we want it to be. One of the biggest and worst problems facing the criminal justice system today is prosecutors overcharging criminal defendants. It's one way they force people to plead out, clogging our jails with people who should not be there doing time for crimes they didn't commit, doing longer sentences than is reasonable under the law. I think whenever the show tries to show the shades of gray, that is a good thing all the way around.
This episode of Law & Order SVU (NBC) tells a very interesting story about a very difficult subject – transgendered children. It is a subject that most people likely don’t have real-life experience with, yet these circumstances do exist, often putting a great strain on families. The first 5-10 minutes of the episode had a few gratuitous scenes of scantily clad women included in it, probably in hopes of luring viewers to into an episode with a difficult theme. All the guest stars were well cast, especially the transgendered teen, Henry/Hailey, played by Bridger Zadina, and her guidance counselor Miss Blaine, played by Aisha Hinds.
Anybody home? (All photos from NBC)
Where the episode misses greatly is with any scene that includes the stone-faced Kim Greyleck. I was hoping that we wouldn’t be seeing Michaela McManus any longer, but I suppose they had to throw one more episode with her in it before her character head off for a while, hopefully never to return. McManus’s inability to show any range of emotion has really hampered the show’s ability to have any decent courtroom scenes where the prosecution shines. In most episodes with Greyleck handling a case, it usually means that one of the guest stars will steal all the scenes. I swear in the scene with Greyleck and the detectives in the courthouse hall, that Benson wanted to just smack Greyleck across the face. Many times during the trial, McManus was unable to pull off any kind of emotional response that seemed real. Alex Kingston, playing the defense attorney, did a great job. While McManus was clearly a big part of the problem with Greyleck’s character, it also seems evident that they never wanted her character to be likeable, which frankly made any appearance almost intolerable to watch.
The story itself was very well written, but I have to admit that the first second I laid eyes on the guidance counselor Jackie Blaine I knew exactly where the story was headed. Still, it did not detract from the story at all, maybe because all the supporting actors all did very well in their roles. I felt very badly for Jackie and I was appalled that Greyleck seemed completely unmoved by Jackie’s background. I can only continue to hope that Michaela McManus won’t be on this show, or any other in the franchise, any time soon.
Here’s the recap:
After a fight erupts between two strippers, Misty (Heidi Marnhout) and Sapphire (DeQuina Moore) at the Sugar Pops strip club, Sapphire is leaving the club and hears a noise. She races to her car, and after she gets in, a man approaches her with blood trailing down his crotch, and he collapses onto her car. Later, at the hospital, Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay) Stabler (Chris Meloni) talk to the doctor about the victim, who is in a medically induced coma to help him recover from his injuries. The man’s scrotum had ruptured and he was also scratched and beaten in the head, a long fake fingernail found at the scene. It also appears the man had been the recipient of some oral sex before he was attacked. His wallet was found with no ID, just a picture of him with his son.
Capt. Don Cragen (Dann Florek) and Fin (Ice-T) discuss the fact that the man’s fingerprints aren’t in the system, and they are unable to release the man’s picture to the public, as he was a victim of a sex crime. Cragen assumes the attacker works at the strip club, so Fin and Munch (Richard Belzer) make the hard choice to visit the strip club. There, they speak to both Sapphire and to Misty who had their own fight the night before, and Misty adds that the club bouncer – Frankie, a very brutish looking woman – beat up a man at the club the previous night. In talking with Frankie, she points them in the direction of Psycho Sid, a creep who frequents the club area. Later, Benson and Stabler meet with the creepy Sid, who says he saw the victim in his tow truck in the back alley of the club.
Back at the club, Benson and Stabler and other police are examining the man’s tow truck, and inside is a bloody tire iron. The paperwork in the truck says the man’s name is Mark and he works for a repo company. When Fin and Munch go to Mark’s place of employment, they are told Mark works nights, and that he went to the club to repossess a Toyota from a woman named Molly. They follow the trail to Molly’s parent’s home, which are perplexed because Molly has a Mercedes-Benz, not a Toyota. They give the detectives Molly’s home address. When the detectives knock on the door, Molly answers, and it’s none other than Misty from the strip club.
Later at the squad in interrogation, Molly/Misty denies hurting Mark. She admits to the oral sex. She adds she is an anthropologist who studies people and their behaviors in their habitat, and she is writing a book called "Play Misty For You" which involves her having to work at the strip club to study the behaviors. When Molly moves to leave, Benson notices Molly seems to be wearing a wire of sorts, and they find she has a flash drive on her with recordings of her activities for the week, which include her interaction with Mark. They confiscate it, and later listen to the recording, which seems to indicate Molly left Mark without attacking him. (Was Frankie’s voice also heard?)
When they hear that Mark Van Kuren (Frank Grillo) is now out of his coma, Benson and Stabler head to the hospital. He seems to think his ex-wife Ellen (Wendy Makkena) is the only one having a reason to hurt him, as they are having a custody disagreement about their son, Henry, apparently Ellen was threatening to kill Mark. When Benson and Stabler head to Ellen’s home, she says she didn’t mean she’d literally kill him, that people having problems like that sometimes say things they don’t mean. She says their split is complicated as they have different ideas on how to raise their child. When Stabler asks is Henry is a handful, a girl comes down the stairs and corrects him, ‘It’s Hailey. My name’s Hailey. Henry is dead." They discover that Mark and Ellen’s son Henry is transgender, and she is now going by the name of Hailey (Bridger Zadina). Ellen says Mark does not accept her son as being a girl and that Mark is in denial about the matter. Henry/Hailey is also going through puberty, and they were told Hailey will have to take hormone blockers to stop it, but Mark won’t allow it. Ellen indicates she was at work when the attack occurred, and when the detectives make note of her black eye, she says that she got it from Hailey when she found out she had been sneaking back into the home through a window at 2:00 AM and they got into it and Hailey punched her. When they ask where Hailey had been the night she crawled back in through the window, she said she was "striking a blow for her freedom."
The enter Hailey’s room, and she seems embarrassed that she is topless, gets angry, and quickly puts on a bra. When they tell her about her father’s attack, she seems happy and indicates she wishes he were dead. But she says she was with a boy when she was out of the house that night. Her mother asks if she is gay, and she says her mom still doesn’t get it, she is a girl and is supposed to be out with boys.
Back at the squad, Dr. Huang (B.D.Wong) is explaining to Cragen that Hailey’s anatomy is irrelevant. Because of something that may have happened in utero, Hailey’s brain is wired like a female while she had the body of a male. Huang thinks that Mark being beaten in the crotch is symbolic. But Stabler adds that she also gave her mother a black eye, that it’s not much of a leap to attacking her dad. Cragen tells them to head over to the school and to verify her alibi, and Huang adds they should also check with the guidance counselor.
Later, at Lincoln Middle School, they speak to the guidance counselor Miss Blaine (Aisha Hinds), who tells them that Hailey has had a difficult time and faced some ridicule and was once ordered out of the girl’s bathroom by other girls and fought with some students. Some fights occurred, and now Hailey uses the gender-neutral bathroom. When the guidance counselor brings them to her office where Hailey is waiting, she is not pleased to see them. When they begin to question her about her alibi and tell her they will have to go through her email and cell phone records, Hailey is concerned and then blurts out that she was the one who tried to kill her dad.
Back at the station, Cragen is made aware that since there was no parent present and Hailey is a minor, the confession is inadmissible. They hope that when Hailey’s mother Ellen arrives she will waive Miranda and let them speak to Hailey. They have no such luck. But, they do get a warrant to search the home, and in doing so, Fin finds several boxes of hormones, both male and female: estrogen, testosterone, and leuprolide. Back at the squad, Huang tells them that the leuprolide is used for hormone blocking to stop puberty, but why would Hailey have testosterone, a male hormone? He also says that he found that several pharmaceutical warehouses were recently robbed, stealing drugs used to transition.
Later, with Hailey, Ellen, and an attorney in interrogation, they question Hailey about the hormones but the lawyer attempts to block the answers. They say they know she had to work with other people to pull off the robbery, and that a manifesto was left at one of the crime scenes, signed by the "Children of Ariel." Ellen becomes upset and decides to start talking. She says Hailey said she was going to a support group, and, despite Hailey’s protest not to say anything, she says she dropped off Hailey once at a church in Chelsea.
Fin and Stabler head to the Good Shepherd Church, and meet a transgendered man named Blake (Daniela Sea), and Stabler brings up the robbery. When they say they found the stash in Hailey’s bedroom, he asks if she is OK, and that Hailey is just a friend. When Stabler tells Blake to "be a man" Blake gets upset and tells Stabler he doesn’t know what it is like, and the drugs are a lifeline. Stabler says that they are like "Robin Hood and Maid Marian, all wrapped into one." When they tell him that they believe Hailey tried to kill her father, Blake seems stunned, and says Hailey was with them when the group raided the warehouse, she just showed up but didn’t go into the warehouse, he just told her to wait in the van. She was only stashing the drugs until it was safe to move them.
Back at the squad in interrogation, Stabler tells the lawyer, Ellen, and Hailey that she didn’t attack her dad, that she was at the robbery, that Blake told them. When Ellen questions why she said she hurt her dad, Hailey said she was afraid to get the others in trouble, and she would do anything for Blake. Later, Stabler tells her she is free to go, but she will have to come back and answer questions about the robbery. Hailey sees Blake being brought in, she says she didn’t tell them anything, and that she loves him. He says it is not her fault, and they take him away. She screams that she loves him. Mark arrives, and begins to chastise Ellen for her parenting. She refuses to discuss the matter there and she is going home. He says they are not going anywhere, Hailey is staying with him, and he tugs at her, but when he is told to let go, he apologizes and he loves her and her mother. Hailey asks him that if he loves them, why does he go to the strip club and screw trashy sluts? Stabler asks who told her about a stripper, and she says her guidance counselor, Miss Blaine, who she said Ellen told her. But Ellen said she didn’t know about that, either. Stabler wonders how Blaine knew?
Back with Jackie Blaine, she said that she did tell Hailey, and in retrospect it was inappropriate. Benson said she is right, because they never told Ellen about Mark and the stripper, and Stabler says she could have been there herself. He asks if she followed him to the club, and she moved to a closet and pulls out a bloody coat. She said she could not get his blood out. When Benson asks her why she did it, she said Hailey’s pain got to be more than she could bear, she just wanted to protect her.
Back at the squad, Benson asks ADA Greyleck (Michaela McManus) if she got enough of the story before Jackie lawyered up. She says that based on what the detectives were told and the bloody coat, there is her case, signed, sealed, and delivered. As Greyleck leaves, Hailey arrives and says she wants to take it back, that Miss Blaine never told her about the strippers, she doesn’t know where she heard it. When see sees Jackie Blaine being locked up, she runs over and apologizes, but Stabler holds her back. Blaine says it is OK. Hailey says she has ruined everyone’s lives. Benson sees that Hailey had blood running down her hand, and gets her to sit down. When Benson pulls up Hailey’s sleeve, she sees her wrists are cut. Benson calls for a bus, and Blaine calls out to Hailey. As Benson reaches for her pulse, Hailey looks faint and says she is cold.
Later, at the hospital, Hailey is recovering, and Benson talks with Ellen. Benson tells Ellen she can help her get a lawyer. But a voice comes from behind, saying that she never expected to hear Benson suggest legal representation. It is Miss Pond (Alex Kinston), Jackie Blaine’s lawyer, who says her client was concerned when she saw Hailey collapse. When Benson tells her she can go, Pond says she wants to see for herself. Benson tells Ellen to close the blinds to Hailey’s room, and tells Pond she has no business being there. But Pond says that the mental health of a key witness against her client is her business. But Benson said her client confessed, she’s guilty.
At the trial, Pond says that Jackie Blaine loves Hailey like a daughter and Hailey needed to be saved from her father’s abuse regarding her gender issue. Back to at the squad, Greyleck tells Benson and Stabler the case is in trouble, that Pond is making Blaine looked like the patron saint of abused children and the jury is buying it. She needs Hailey to testify against her. But Benson thinks Hailey is a mess, and Stabler thinks that Hailey could play into Pond’s hands if put on the stand. Greyleck shows them a picture with Mark and "Henry" and says that this man loves his son, the relationship may be mess up but they can’t tell them it’s not worth saving.
In Hailey’s room, she is looking at the same picture and says that her father carries it around with him like it is proof she is a boy. Her father loves Henry, and is ashamed of who she is. She tears the picture, and says she hated the truck that was in it – she asked for one present that year – Barbie. He father just screamed at her about that. Stabler says her father can’t let Henry go, Hailey says it is like he loves a ghost. When Stabler asks if she ever lost someone she loved, she mentioned her grandmother, and that she cried for weeks. He says that is how her dad feels about Henry. She asks what Stabler would do if his son came home in a dress – would he still love him? Stabler pauses before answering, and says he’d try to understand, but that it would probably be hard and that he would probably make a lot of mistakes but never stop loving him. He puts his arm around Hailey as she cries into his shoulder, and he consoles her.
Later at trial, Hailey is on the stand being questioned by Greyleck, she says never asked Blaine to hurt her father. She is mad at her dad, but Greyleck pressures her to answer the question if Hailey wanted Blaine to hurt her dad. She answers an empathic no, she didn’t want anyone to hurt him. Under cross, Pond asks about the bandages on her arm, and denies trying to kill herself. She says she was just upset, and Pond comments that this wasn’t the first time she was upset, wasn’t it? Hailey asks what she means, and Pond asks if she ever talked to Blaine about wanting to kill herself. Hailey admits she had mentioned that a few times, and Pond says it was 8 times in the last 5 months, and every time she gets upset at school she goes to see Miss Blaine. Pond continues to hammer her on the issue, and if she ever talked with Pond about her father. As Greyleck attempts a concerned look, Hailey says she does not remember. Pond moves to refresh her memory that, according to Miss Blaine’s notes, every single time she spoke to her, she said she wished her father was dead. Hailey admits that is true. When asked if she thinks Jackie Blaine cares about her, Hailey says she knows she does. She asks her if her father cares about her, and Hailey answers she does not know. Pond reiterates that she told Blaine she wanted her father dead, and now says she wouldn’t want anyone to hurt him, which is it? Hailey says she does not know.
On the stand, Pond is questioning Blaine, who says Hailey was upset that her father did not want her taking the hormone blockers. Blaine said Hailey was devastated. She looks to the jury and ask them what if they woke up in the body of the opposite sex but nothing else about you had changed, how trapped and desperate you would feel? That is how Hailey felt, and that’s when she knew she had to save Hailey, she didn’t want her father to kill the beautiful girl inside her. Under cross, Greyleck sarcastically comments that Blaine’s love for Hailey is very touching, but did she ever think she was getting too involved? Jackie said Ellen is a good mother but Blaine is a professional, trained to handle these issues. Greyleck presses if she gets involved in the issues of other students in the same way, does she get involved in their lives in the same extent? Blaine said Hailey is special. Greyleck asks if she counsels students who have been victims of rape, incest, drugs, etc. and Jackie says yes, but Hailey is different. Greyleck says she hasn’t tried to kill the parents of those other children, they must not be special enough to deserve her devotion. Blaine says she does not understand, she has no idea what we go through. Greyleck asks, "We?" and stares blankly. When Blaine sits in silence, Greyleck pulls back, with a half look of realization on her face. She asks, "Miss Blaine, have you even been known by another name?" Pond quickly objects, citing relevance, and the judge overrules. Miss Blaine answers yes, it was Harold Franklin. Hailey, in the gallery, looks stunned, and whispers, "What?" When Pond asks to confer with her client, the judge denies the request. Blaine says she needs to explain. She says she always knew she was a girl, but things were different back then, there were no pills, counselors, or support groups. One had to live as a woman for three years before a doctor would even consider doing surgery. It was hard, but she had no choice. She was leaving a bar, and three men grabbed her and they called her a freak. They dragged her into a vacant lot and pulled up her skirt and one of the took out a knife, and said he would make her a woman, and he cut her. Greyleck continues to stare blankly.
Outside the courtroom, Mark tells Greyleck he wants to stop this, the trial, everything. She says it’s too late, but he says he is the victim and he wants to drop the charges, but she says he can’t, it’s not up to him. He said none of this would have happened if he would have just listened to his daughter. He was just thinking of himself. But Greyleck says Blaine can’t get away with it, and says she is sorry. Stabler and Benson look on. When Mark leaves, she turns around and sees the detectives and says "Oh no, not you too." When Stabler says that Mark has a point, she says not every person that has been a victim can have am automatic get out of jail free card when they go looking for retribution. When Benson says, "You’re new here, Kim" Greyleck says, ‘What, you’re gonna give me the SVU is gray speech?" Stabler gives her a smirk, and Benson gives her a look that she wants to bitchslap her, but hold back and says, "Some cases have no right answer." When Greyleck thinks this mean they expect Blaine to walk, Stabler says no, just offer them a plea bargain. When the detectives walk off, Greyleck attempts a look like she is thinking about what they said.
Later, back in court, the judge says she understands the defendant wished to change her plea, and Jackie says that she does, she says she is guilty. The judge says that in accordance with the arrangements made with the district attorney’s office, she is sentenced to 8 years. After the bang of the gavel to adjourn, Hailey moves to talk to Jackie, and Jackie apologizes. Hailey says her dad says she can take the hormone blockers, and Blaine is glad for her. Hailey hugs her. Hailey tells Benson she wants to go home, and leaves with both her parents. Benson and Stabler look on, as we fade to black.
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Posted by All Things Law and Order at 8:28 AM
Labels: B.D. Wong, Chris Meloni, Dann Florek, Ice-T, Law and Order SVU, Mariska Hargitay, Michaela McManus, Richard Belzer, Transitions
5 comments:
Muze said...
Disappointed stone-face was in the episode. You hit the nail on the head - they don't intend the character to be sympathetic. And for that kind of character to work, she either has to have paid her dues so the viewer will respect her, or the actress has to elevate the material with interesting choices.
They still need someone the audience will root for, not cheer when she gets her head slammed on the table.
I'm not sure there is any cooperation between USA and NBC - but it seems like they are coordinating reruns with new eps. Yesterday they ran Guilt, which is obviously the perfect companion episode. Of course we had Cabot empathizing with the defendant and trying to figure out where her personal ethics fit in with her job.
Overall this continues a run of much better episodes.
February 18, 2009 9:59 AM
samfan said...
I liked this episode, it was different. I wish they would get stone faced no talent what's her name off of the show. It was a good episode though, not the Benson/Stabler drama, or at least it wasn't front and center.
February 18, 2009 10:03 AM
L said...
I like Grayleck in the sense that she at least purports to do what a prosecutor is supposed to do. I thought it was appalling that as soon as Miss Blaine revealed she was transgendered and had suffered abuse because of it, everyone believed she should be excused of a crime very similar to the one she herself experienced (e.g., mutilation)! A true prosecutor would absolutely use that experience as airtight motive to seal the case against Blaine.
However much the episode attempted to make the father look bad, he WAS still the victim. And he required justice, just as Blaine ought to have gotten for what happened to her all those years ago.
February 18, 2009 12:01 PM
candice said...
I was extremely disappointed with this episode. I am a huge SVU fan but am really disappointed with the way they portray transgender people.
In fact, SVU *NEVER* portrays transgender people in a positive light. They are either victimized or villainized, and that's really it. It's trashy and as far as I can see, many of the things written into this story line were done for shock value.
Transgender people are real people.
February 18, 2009 12:11 PM
Muze said...
Candice the Law and Order franchises certainly have mixed record on these issues, I agree.
L, justice is rarely as black and white as we want it to be. One of the biggest and worst problems facing the criminal justice system today is prosecutors overcharging criminal defendants. It's one way they force people to plead out, clogging our jails with people who should not be there doing time for crimes they didn't commit, doing longer sentences than is reasonable under the law. I think whenever the show tries to show the shades of gray, that is a good thing all the way around.
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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Beer bellies happen to the best of men, even Tim McGraw.
After admitting that he couldn't stop at just one beer and feeling a bit thick in the middle, Tim McGraw decided to swear off the beer.
"I’m not a moderate person, and I’ll be the first to say there have been times when things were taken to the extreme. I got really fat. I want to take care of myself."
Well Tim is pretty sexy with or without a belly, but I guess moderation is always a good thing.
After admitting that he couldn't stop at just one beer and feeling a bit thick in the middle, Tim McGraw decided to swear off the beer.
"I’m not a moderate person, and I’ll be the first to say there have been times when things were taken to the extreme. I got really fat. I want to take care of myself."
Well Tim is pretty sexy with or without a belly, but I guess moderation is always a good thing.
Source from nashvillegab.com/2008/08/tim-mcgraw-didn.html
Monday, February 16, 2009
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