That's what I was in last night. This should not have been the case as jebra and I watched two episodes of Midsomer Murders and I knit about four feet's worth of scarf for the National World War II Museum. And I was no more behind on my email or house cleaning than I normally am. After Midsomer I watched some real life crime thing (that made so little of an impression I can't even tell you what it was) and then the season opener of L&O:SVU. I think that's what prompted my fury. I expected the episode to suck, especially when the description indicated it would be somewhat based on the allegations concerning Dominique Strauss-Kahn, but I wasn't expecting Stabler's absence to throw me off so much. I kept expecting to see him or, at a minimum, hear him talking with Olivia on the telephone. I seem to recall numerous interviews with CM in which he said that Stabler would leave the show in a way that was true to his character. MH gave a good performance with the exception of the very end. I can believe her crying (and wanting to jump right in to the next case), but I had to agree with jebra (who walked in just as the episode was wrapping up) that she was acting more as if he'd died than he'd quit the NYPD.

I probably would have coped with the episode had I not discovered after watching that by watching I missed the season opener of CSI. I predict the demise of L&O this season, which is somewhat of a pity as I think the new people might have what it takes to revive the show -- but I don't think they'll be able to compete with CSI if that is going down the road I think that it is.