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ADA Alexandra Cabot returns to “Law & Order: SVU”

Remember on Tuesday nights when you used to turn on the TV and see this?

Those were the days, weren’t they?

ADA Alex Cabot, played by Stephanie March, was once a regular character on Law & Order: SVU, and I was happy. Then, a drug dealer shot her and she disappeared into the Witness Protection Program — to be seen only once more* when she came back to testify against her alleged assassin, and I was sad. (*Yes, I realize she reappeared in the show Conviction, but I prefer to pretend the show never existed. The real Alex Cabot would never have had sex on her desk at the office.)

And I’m clearly not the only person who has missed Alex. There are people who care a lot more about this than I do writing blogs and signing petitions.

But now, happiness for many is just a few weeks away. Beginning Feb. 17, March will reprise her role on SVU for six episodes.

That’s right. Alex is back! (Sometimes you’ve got to love February sweeps.)

This could be the best thing that’s happened to Law & Order:SVU in a long time. The show has strained credulity for years. (Olivia and Elliot are so frequently out of control that I’ve begun to suspect there’s a writer specifically tasked with drawing new lines for them to cross.) This past season has actually been a little better than the last few — if you ignore that Casey is gone and that the new ADA sounds like she learned how to deliver dialogue on a porn set. But now, with Alex temporarily back, almost all could be right in the SVU universe.

As great as it may be to have the character of Alex back, it’s also wonderful to get to see Stephanie March for a bunch of weeks in a row. Not only was she the best ADA on SVU (with all due respect to Casey Novak fans), but she played one of the best — if not the best — lesbian characters in the history of broadcast television: Gretchen Thomas on 30 Rock.

Is anyone else as excited about this as I am? Who’s going to be watching on Feb. 17?

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  • Eliza's picture

    So excited!

    This seriously makes my life. Alex will always be my favorite SVU ADA (even though I grew to love Casey). I can't wait!
    laker445's picture

    Return Of Alex

    I have to say that personally I think that Novak was a better ADA than Cabot.  However, it will be freakin awesome to have Alex back, if only for 6 episodes.
    sunflower's picture

    YAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for this amazing news!!!! I've been hoping she'd come back ever since she left!

    I'm not excited, I'm ecstatic!!! WOOOHOOO :D:D:D

    I didn't have anything against Casey, she just wasn't Alex. And the new one (whatever her name is)... I can't even list all the things I dislike about her, it would take up the whole page... Hehe, your description of her is really spot on!

    And once again, YAAAYYY Alex is back!!! :D

    Lindsey's picture

    So...

    guess that means I'll have to start watching again!  :) 
    Chantal's picture

    Best News Ever

    This just totally made my day.  

     

    The Way The Cookie Crumbles

    No Borders Allowed
    Anonymous's picture

    You Made My Friday Beautiful :Alex Cabot Back On L & O :SVU

    www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com

    Exciting news to read! I hope to goddess they will brig Alex's girlfriend in the picture. Make it no big deal since she came out at the end. I always had crush on Stephanie March and her character. 

    HAPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

     

    A line taken from my poem "She" It is SHE who awakens my soul..."

    thefemininedivine.blogspot.com

    heidi's picture

    she came out?

    she came out?
    Ace's picture

    Are you confusing her with

    Are you confusing her with Serena from L&O who came out as she was being fired? Or are you thinking of her in a fanfic context? :-)

    dj shiva's picture

    yeah

    it was serena that came out, not alex. 

    although in my dreams, alex is already out.  ;)

    Anonymous's picture

    ARE YOU SURE?

    www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com

    What Actress Played Her? I swear they both look alike. Now you ladies got my mind boggled. Really?

    A line taken from my poem "She" It is SHE who awakens my soul..."

    thefemininedivine.blogspot.com

    Ace's picture

    Elizabeth Rohm

    Here's the AfterEllen.com account of her firing/coming out:

    http://www.afterellen.com/TV/2005/1/lawandorder.html

    The revolving L&O ADAs can get confusing.

    Anonymous's picture

    Oh Yeah, I Forgot

    www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com

     I remember that story. I forgot. So many blonde hair actresses in Hollywood who play leading roles on television,seriously I can't keep their names straight in my head. I barely remember their faces. However, the Serena chick is hot too.

    Thanks Ace.

    A line taken from my poem "She" It is SHE who awakens my soul..."

    thefemininedivine.blogspot.com

    Ms Eres's picture

    "the new ADA sounds like

    "the new ADA sounds like she learned how to deliver dialogue on a porn set"

    I hadn't found a succinct way to describe what was so off-putting about her. Kudos for that.

    But what do you mean they strained credulity? Its clearly perfectly logical for a sex crimes unit to investigate eco-terror, anthrax threats and animal smuggling. And, hey, why not interrupt a case because some judge has dolphin porn?

    Also, this season has given us endlessly quotable lines like, “The monkey’s in the basketball.”

    In all seriousness, despite SVU’s decline being some of the most unintentionally hilarious television ever, I miss the days of syphilis turning people's brains to Swiss cheese.

    After the initial 3 seconds of excitement, I'm pretty much dreading this return. I can only imagine that it's going to be awful.

    annzup's picture

    Yep, inadvertent hilarity! (When I can bear to watch it)

    I don't know about what Wolfie has in store. Gitmo is theoretically closing. Prop 8 will be up for repeal by Cali Supreme Court. Hargitay is leaving or she SHOULD, as this thing jumped a school of Great Whites when March's character left: indeed, I think March might be in for the last 6 weeks of this show's official demise.

    Wolf could shock the piss out of the WORLD if he'd send it out with a "bang." Yuck pun, but nevertheless, it's a possibility he would pander to lesbian audiences (who is NOT baiting lesbian viewers in WHAT show? 'Tis vogue, ubiquitous!) and kick to a political agenda at a time when it's "safe" to do so.

    Thus, I HOPE with Obama signing doc after doc for civil and human rights, Wolf carpes diems on "the moment." Tragically, I wouldn't expect any great Powerotics, but they're still filming so who knows what could come out of digital can? Normally, I'd agree with ya on what is likely: a punk-out. AND THAT IS LIKELY the outcome. Guess I agree. Lest Wolf & Co. want to make some "herstory" and have folks be in LINE to pay astronomical amounts of $$ for an entire season for 6 eps. Just recalling how Madonna got "Justify My Love" banned and how much she made off idiots rushing to buy the thing, now regularly shown on VH-1 Classics. (I fess: I was one such idiot.)

    And DO agree with your assertion that this could be the best comedy show on t.v.: the audio's enough. Too bad folks sinkin 10 grand into HD screens cuz for "stuff" like SVU: just listen, as dialogue is side-splitting. I wasn't watching when I heard "the monkey's in the basketball," and I dropped to kitchen floor, breaking a hand-blown glass LAUGHING. Damnit! Thereafter, should I be bored enough to watch this or hoping for more humor, I drink from PLASTIC. Maybe something worth it will shatter glass (and such ceilings) for the last 6 eps.

    But thanks for a thoughtful and well-written response. Again, I HOPE Wolf opts for a jarring from somnambulistic magical realism so I can go back to breakables.   

     

    Danie's picture

    Cautiously optimistic....

    I loved the character of Alex when she was on SVU, but on Conviction, she was a totally different character that I didn't like at all.

    So, I guess I'll watch and see which Alex appears. The SVU Alex, or the Conviction one. I have a sinking feeling that it's going to be the Conviction Alex though.

    Ooh, and the syphilis turning that guy's brain to swiss cheese was one of their sorta brilliant twists for sure...

    TVDORK's picture

    I too would like to forget

    I too would like to forget about Conviction, but in my sad little fanfic world, Alex would totally have sex on her desk with Liv. Wait... this means new subtext for the greatest couple that never was! HELL YEAH!

     

    "The quick to think are never sure"

    --Tiresias, Oedipus Rex

    HotHandle's picture

    I'm totally psyched...

    I love "SVU", even though it gets sicker and more perverted every year, with its "ripped from the headlines" storylines (do the writers get their ideas from the New York Post, or what?).  I always loved Alex Cabot, she had class, and "SVU" has sorely been missing a touch of class.  I'll be eagerly watching her return.

     

    gooby's picture

    Bring on ADA Cabot!

    Bring on ADA Cabot! Woohooo!!!!

    I can't wait for Olivia/Alex scenes, those two have amazing chemistry. They might not go there in the canon show, but they set my subtexty sense tingling.

    wired's picture

    I'm excited!

    Very excited that Alex Cabot is back!  I thought she was great...if only she'd get with Benson!  I missed her on TV enough that I was excited to see Stephanie March in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, maybe too excited....
    monica_ca's picture

    Heck Yes!!

    *does little happy dance*
    ACertainJustice's picture

    SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

    enough said

     

     

    *Let no man bring you so low as to make you hate him* -Booker T. Washington

    *sucess is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm* -Churchilll

    limeygirl's picture

    Bout time

    Alex and Olivia.......yum!!!
    GThang's picture

    You just made my life!

    I love SVU but this is the best thing to happen on this show in quite sometime!
    Metric07's picture

    *jaw drop*

    Finally something to look forward to in SVU.  Frack February 17 seems so far away now.

    p.s the photo that says bring back alex cabot back (dun dun) literally made me lol.

    Ace's picture

    (Dun dun)

    It cracked me up, too. :-) I found it here:

    http://www.whateverlah.com/index.php/2008/04/24/1470

    Pat's picture

    Yay! Me = happy Too bad

    Yay! Me = happy

    Too bad it's just for 6 eps though.... but I'll take whatever I can get :)

    (*Yes, I realize she reappeared in the show Conviction, but I prefer to pretend the show never existed. The real Alex Cabot would never have had sex on her desk at the office.)

    Gotta disagree with you on this though. She SO would have had sex on her desk at the office. Though she would have had it with Liv, instead of with what's-his-name ;)

    jumper23's picture

    on her desk...

    In my mind, the real Alex Cabot WOULD have sex on her desk. It would be with Olivia Benson though. Maybe that's just me though...
    Advil's picture

    Awaahhh

    ADA Cabot is back!  That's alone deserve a drink... Hope this will spark more fanfiction stories...  Olivia/Alex has been some of the hottest fanfic I read so far.  These two have incredible chemistry and so many possibilities....  The fantasy land is ON.  hoping for some subtext :o) 

     

    wickedgrrl's picture

    ALEX!!

    My fan girly heart is going to explode.  It takes a lot to get me to log in these days and comment but DAMN!  I was just watching Stephanie on YT last night.  I love the Martha Stewart visit. 

    Alex.  Alex and Olivia.  On the same screen once again.  *grins and giggles*

    The real Alex Cabot would never have had sex on her desk at the office.  (Unless it was with Benson.)

    ETA: ^ popular opinion, I see...  *big grin*

    Nothing's picture

    Was this the character

    who when they let her go she replied, "Is it because I'm gay?"  I don't remember which female character it was, or which Law and Order it was, but one blond woman spent years on the show without even so much as a mention that her character was gay until she was exiting.  I think it was the last line of the episode.
    Eliza's picture

    Not her

    That was Serena Southerlyn on the original L&O. She was the ADA for something like four years, and then in her last episode DA Branch fires her for being too involved with the cases, and she asks "Is it because I'm a lesbian?"

    She wasn't as awesome as Alex, but I did always think she was pretty hot. 

    AandO4ever's picture

    Let's aim high!

    And probably crash low - I know. But, come on. The recent months have been so bad for us that we don't even dare to have the teeniest shred of hope for our beloved heroins??

    Who knows? Maybe somebody grew a spine and will allow Alex & Liv to ride off into the sunset. (I think pretty much everybody agrees that SVU should stop after this, 10th season.)

     

    "At that point, you could have all gotten naked, gotten in your pool and had four bottles of champagne in your house." ~~ Stephanie March

    Kat's picture

    I don't want SVU to end!

    I don't want SVU to end! Sure it's dwindling a bit but I love the show so damn much. The only reason I wouldn't watch the show is if Mariska Hargitay left, which last I heard, her staying was still up in the air. But I'm excited about Alex coming back, it's giving SVU new spirit.
    SarahG's picture

    This totally made my day

    What awesome news. Alex and Olivia have great chemistry. 
    hmmm's picture

    sweet!

    I'm extremely excited about this!  I love Stephanie March an the character of Alex.  Thanks for the heads up!
    Canuckgrrl's picture

    Two words...

    LOVE HER!
    Katiria **Kat**'s picture

    THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!!!

    I LOVE ALEX AND THAT AWESOME FLOWING HAIR! GUESS WHO IS GOING TO BE WATCHING S.V.U AGAIN!!!!! ---->ME<-----!!!!
    my_rain_face's picture

    The real Alex Cabot would

    The real Alex Cabot would never have had sex on her desk at the office.

    Unless, of course, it were with a certain ultra-hot (female) detective. . . .

    And, hey, it's for sweeps week, which makes it prime time for lesbian TV action, right?  Here's hoping (with great futility)!

    madandlovely's picture

    EEEEEEEE!!!

    YAAAY!!! THE best news!!! ahh my heart is full. :D
    dj shiva's picture

    squeeeeeee

    i am squeeing.  this is squeeworthy. 

    now if only she were coming back to capture the heart of olivia benson, all would be right in my little fantasy world.  

    ah, liv and alex...we shall always have fanfic, eh?

     

     

    Pat House's picture

    ADA Cabot had some amazing episodes

    Most of my favorite SVU episode featured Cabot- remember when she got suspended by Judith Light for bending the rules to get a pediphile convicted and got a black eye in the process?

    The episode when Cabot was "killed" and Benson begged her to "stay with me" while holding pressure to her wound was great. But the creme de la creme for me was when Cabot insists on seeing Benson and Stabler before going into protection- we all know she wanted to see Liv. When Liv's eyes tear up and she says, "we thought you were dead" and they look at each other was one of the most tender moments I have seen on a TV program.

    I of course added my own subtext to the Cabot/Benson relationship, but the chemistry between the actresses seemed so honest that even when they disagreed and argued it was compelling- and dare I say it- down right hot. I cannot wait to see them together again.

    Keeva99's picture

    I second...

    ...all of the above reactions to this news...LOL...

    Orithia's picture

    OMG this is the BEST news

    OMG this is the BEST news EVER.  Alex Cabot totally turned me gay! Just kidding, but Stephanie March is my favorite celebrity crush. *celebrates*  Oh the fanfics I will write!  lol.  February, get here SOON!

    anna's picture

    yesssss

    omgomgomgomgomgomg *squeals*

    olivia and alex!! nom nom nom

    awesome :D

    Loki's picture

    YES!

    *sighs* will you just look at that vision of sheer perfection? If I get a DA like that when I get to practice, I will seriously face disbarment. Hehehe. Damn. I'm soooo happy she's back! When they took her away I consoled myself with dozens of fanfic just to get my dose of Alex-Liv stories.

    Now. 

    Excuse me while I go drool some more...;p

    Mara's picture

    Better than chocolate

    I wasn't a happy camper when Alex left (didn't like Conviction either) and, like Loki, I went after Cabenson fanfic for a little fix.

    I hope Stephanie March - and the show's writers - will conclude that the reprisal of ADA Cabot for those 6 episodes beg for more :)

    _ _ _ _ _

    "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Dr. Seuss)

    countrycomfort's picture

    Nice!

    This is great! I have become a non watcher of SVU for the past couple of seasons. Incredulity all around with too much El/Liv angst.

    But this is a nice thing. Alex is the template of ADA's in this franchise.

    Pat House, that Judith Light episode (oh, and can we bring her back as well? And Judge Petrofsky?) was "Guilt" from S3. That has to be the very best SVU episode ever. That scene where Liv and El meet Alex at the victims apartment and our girls are facing each other in the doorway about thisclose while Eliot watches from the hallway, is right up there with the goodbye scene in Alex's last episode.

    The syphillis episode was a great one and it confirmed my opinion of Richard Thomas as one of our more underrated actors.  

    re which Alex we will see...I wonder if her time at Conviction will be acknowledged at all. Or will it be biz as usual? On Conviction I don't believe much was made of her witness protection stint. Am I wrong? And why they never had a special appearance by Eliot and especially Liv on that show always bothered me. Would have been a good ratings stunt.

    At the very least Alex needs to be rocking the eyeglasses in these episodes. And no husband or boyfriend. please! 

    The chemistry between the 2 actresses shouldn't surprise since they are apparently very good friends...afterall Mariska was the one who set up Stephanie and Bobby Flay (yeah, thanks Mariska).

    mind_numbing_pain's picture

    Wow, you know I totally

    Wow, you know I totally forgot about Conviction. Now I'm going to have to look that show up and catch up and figure out what all went up on there....

     

    and yes I totally agree with you, she must ROCK the glasses, if there's any justice in this world.... and PLEASE oh please... no hubby or boyfriend.... 

    Sabrina's picture

    really awesome

    After reading the article and your comment I got L&O SVU and watched "Guilt" in the Original Version  this time(means in English/ I am German) and I drooled all over the place. Her voice sounds so sexy and when she takes off those glasses... yummy

    I never watched Conviction but if it's possible they should let Liv and Alex have some hot time.. They don't even have to kiss or anything... just let us see some sparks in the air.

    I am gonna go and watch the last episode of Alex... 

    Nat2008's picture

    YAY!!!!

    Great news!! I always loved her.  Great chemistry between her and Benson. I would LOVE if they hook up!  Anyways, in my head they do :)