Imagine There's An Image

I try not to watch too much TV, but I must admit, I am a serious Law & Order addict. All four of us in my family are.

Over the past two weeks, I've been nose-to-the-grindstone at work, along with many of my collegues, trying to complete a phase of a project. So when I found myself home at a little before ten last night, I just felt the need to unwind. Sandy had gone to bed, but Ben was up and we noticed it was time for L&O (isn't it always time for L&O on some channel, twenty-four/seven?)

Chung!Chung!

Always trying to be aware of my responsibilities as a father, and having had almost a decade head-start watching and learning from L&O, I try to make sure that Ben appreciates the finer points of the life at the Two-Seven.

For example, last year, I taught Ben the characteristics that make for a good perp. Before the show started, I asked Ben to review them with me:

Means, motive, and opportunity

What a kid!

Anyway, last night's ten o'clock performance was a new episode of the original L&O series. We really miss Lenny Briscoe - he was like a member of our family, a favorite uncle - but Dennis Farina seems to be doing a good job in his place.

Ben and I listened carefully and took good notes, not wanting to miss catching any new jargon. It was a particularly productive hour, as we snagged several new phrases:

• Take a header - this is when the vic is a suicide and does the deed by jumping from a high window.


• Dump his phone - to subpoena someone's telephone records from the phone company


• Your new dorm room'll be at University of Rikers - our favorite line of the night, given by Detective Fontana to the uncooperative roomate of the college student who had just taken a header.

Then for a chaser, we watched an episode of SVU. It was much too late for me to stay up, but it was worth it.

For you fellow L&O fans, check out this article on at excellent gothamist blog. They also did a wonderful tribute to Jerry Orbach upon his death, with lots of links to follow.

Here's a bit of trivia: The famous "Two-Seven", the 27th Precinct where Detectives Green and Fontana toil, is a figment of some screenwriter's imagination. Here is a map of Manhattan police precincts, and as you can see, there is a 26th and a 28th, but no 27th! A piece of trivia within trivia - the 1970's TV series McCloud also took place in TV-land's 27th Precinct.