Blog and Order: The Law & Order Franchise in the TVCU

We are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Television Crossover Universe.

Detective Munch is one of the most important characters of the TVCU, due to his habit of showing up on various shows and making them all connect. But Law & Order is much bigger in the TVCU than just Munch. The Ledger and Hudson University are also core Law & Order settings used throughout the TVCU, making a larger shared reality. And so, as we celebrate our fifth anniversary, we salute Dick Wolf.
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Continuing my series of updates.  This blog post now incorporates information from my books, the Horror Crossover Encyclopedia, published by 18thWall Productions, and Television Crossover Universe:  Worlds and Mythology Volume I, as well as my upcoming books in progress, the Cartoon Crossover Encyclopedia and Television Crossover Universe:  Worlds and Mythology Volume II. For the purposes of this post, Horror Universe, Live Action Universe and Television Crossover Universe are synonymous.

And since the last time this post was updated, several Law and Order links have happened mostly due to appearances or mentions of the Ledger or Hudson University in other shows, including CSI.  I will get around to adding them to the timeline.  Just not today.

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In the Television Crossover Universe, the reality is represented by two separate yet equally important categories: crossovers, which link two separate series together; and the spin-offs, that carry characters from one series off onto a new one. These are their stories. 




This is such a straight laced series, it's hard to believe that this series has so many crossovers.  But the series has spun-off so many times, and has been on for decades.  In fact, I didn't discover this series until several seasons in.  Then I became obsessed.  Before I start covering the TVCU crossover chronology, first I want to talk about it's impact on me.

First, lets start by saying that Dick Wolf was inspired by Dragnet in creating this series.  Because there are no direct crossovers, Dragnet won't be mentioned below, but I felt it needs to be mentioned.

Now, I'd like to talk about some of my favorite characters.

Jack McCoy is the type of lawyer I wanted to be like when I was studying law in college.  He's an honest crusader trying to put away really bad people, and occasionally bending to right a wrong in the system.



Detective John Munch is a very interesting character.  He is a link pulling in so many different series into the TVCU through crossover appearances, and he didn't even start on a Law & Order series.  The character originated on Homicide:  Life on the Street.



From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appears on the American crime drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street on NBC. A regular through the entire run of the series, Munch is a cynical detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide unit, and a firm believer in conspiracy theories. He is originally partnered with Det. Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty). On the cancellation of Homicide in 1999, Munch became a regular on the Law & Order spin off, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, after Belzer was offered a regular role on the show, and has been with the show all fifteen seasons. On SVU, Munch is a senior detective in the New York Police Department's Special Victims Unit, and is first partnered with Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters), followed by Monique Jeffries (Michelle Hurd), and Fin Tutuola (Ice-T). In the ninth seasonpremiere, Munch is promoted to the rank of Sergeant and occasionally takes on supervisory functions within the department. In season 14, Munch is temporarily reassigned to the Cold Case Unit, after solving a decade-old child abduction case in the episode "Manhattan Vigil". He returns to the squad in "Secrets Exhumed", in which he brings back a 1980s rape-homicide cold case for the squad to investigate.

In the season 15 episode, "Internal Affairs", SVU Captain Donald Cragen informs Detective Olivia Benson that Munch has submitted his retirement papers, stating that a recent case (portrayed in the episode "American Tragedy") had hit him hard. In the following episode, "Wonderland Story", Cragen and the squad throw Munch a retirement party, where past and present colleagues and family members celebrate his career. At the conclusion of the episode, Munch returns to the precinct to gather his belongings, where he and Cragen embrace as Cragen remarks, "you've had one hell of a run, Sergeant Munch."

Munch is based on Jay Landsman, a central figure in David Simon's true crime book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.^[2] The character of Munch has appeared in more television series than any other fictional character, appearing in nine series on five networks since the character's debut in 1993. With his retirement in the character's 22nd season on television, he was on longer than Marshal Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke) and Frasier Crane(Cheers and Frasier), both of whom were on television for 20 seasons.

From me:

Toobworld may be the inspiration.  I Love Lucy may be the starting point.  But if you look to the center of the Television Crossover Universe, you will find Detective John Munch.

I may be mistaken, but I do believe that Detective Munch has appeared on more series than anyone else.  The precursor to the character was the stand-up comedy routines of Richard Belzer, the actor who plays Munch.  Much of who Munch is comes from the comedian who ironically plays him in such serious situations.  

The actual character of Munch first appeared in Homicide:  Life on the Street, and while there, he also played the character on Law & Order and the X-Files.  When Homicide ended, Munch transferred and joined the cast in the Law & Order spin-off, Special Victims Unit.  Since then Munch has appeared in a variety of different places.  

Detective Bobby Goren is the man.  First of all, if  the original Law & Order is Wolf's homage to Dragnet, surely Goren is an homage to Columbo.  And what's also awesome is Bobby takes on special cases, which border on evil criminal geniuses to some extent.  How cool is that.  A show anchored in realism taking on villains who are one step away from taking on Superman or James Bond.


When I first published this, someone said this blog was biased because I only discussed my favorite male characters. The reason for that was because to discuss my female characters would be to discuss the ones I think are the hottest, and I didn't want to go there. But since the door was opened, here are, in my opinion, the hottest women in the Law and Order franchise....































Ok, now let's begin...

1949--BATMAN # 217--Dick Grayson (the first Robin and later the second Batman) attends Hudson University, which will appear often on LAW & ORDER. Professor Martin Stein (in via SUPER FRIENDS) also attended. Clark Kent had considered attending Hudson but chose Metropolis University instead. It should be noted that Batman has been referenced once in Criminal Intent and once in SVU, both times as a real person. Additionally, Spider-Man was a temporary suspect on one case in SVU.

1971 to 1977--THE ELECTRIC COMPANY--The primary version of Spider-Man in the TVCU is the version from the Electric Company. Yes, sorry, folks, but its true. The Electric Company Spider-Man has interacted with other Electric Company characters, and Electric Company has crossed with Sesame Street which has crossed with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. And once you get to Detective Munch, no further linking explanations are needed.

September 1984 to April 1992--THE COSBY SHOW--This show is connected to LAW & ORDER through Hudson University.



1984 to 1996--MURDER, SHE WROTE--In Murder, She Wrote Season 8 (1991-1992) Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher heads off to New York to teach a criminology class at the fictional Hudson University. In episode 2 of Season 8 "Night Fears" Jessica is challenged by another professor to a contest to see who can solve a string of crimes taking place on the Hudson University campus.

May 1989--X-FILES--"Unusual Suspects"--Geeks John Fitzgerald Byers, Richard "Ringo" Langley, and Melvin Frohike meet for the first time as the three get involved in the conspiracy world of FBI Agent Fox Mulder, who will become a good friend and associate in the future.  This all occurs in Baltimore, where Detective John Munch of Baltimore HOMICIDE gets assigned to the case, until the FBI takes over.  Ironically, Munch, who is well known for spouting out about conspiracy theories, doesn't believe the trio, who go on to form the LONE GUNMEN.

September 1990 to May 2010--LAW & ORDER--In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories. 




January 1993 to May 1999--HOMICIDE:  LIFE ON THE STREET--Detective John Munch works for Baltimore Homicide before later transferring to New York's SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. 

• On other occasions, crossovers between established shows can occur without a network or production commonality, but simply because there is some narrative rationale for the crossover. The appearance of detective John Munch (from NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street) on Fox's The X-Files happened merely because the episode revolved around a crime scene in Baltimore, a logical place for characters on The X-Files to have encountered Munch. Munch would also appear on the TV series Law & Order on NBC in which it had one episode which began on that series in New York City and concluded in Baltimore on Homicide: Life on the Street. Later, when Homicide went off the air in 1999, Detective Munch ends up leaving Baltimore to move to New York, and becoming a permanent character (as New York City Detective Munch) on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

September 1993--NYPD BLUE--"4B or Not 4B"--The 27th Precinct is mentioned, which of course is a fictional precinct from Law & Order.

1994 to 2000--FAKE--A manga series that takes place in the 27th Precinct, centering on two New York detectives in love.



1994 to 2009--ER-- There is wild (but fun) speculation in the Facebook Crossovers Forum that perhaps River Song spent some time on the run hiding, at which point she spent some time as Dr. Corday, and also appeared on LAW & ORDER and drove a MAGIC SCHOOL BUS full of Whoniverse counterparts of CAPTAIN PLANET'S PLANETEERS.

September 1994 to 1999--NEW YORK UNDERCOVER--This series is in the same reality as LAW & ORDER due to the constant appearance of the Ledger newspaper.  Dr. Elizabeth Olivet, psychiatrist from LAW & ORDER and SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT also appears, as does Judge Barry.

February 1996--LAW & ORDER/HOMICIDE:  LIFE ON THE STREET--"Charm City/For God and Country"--A crime that crosses jurisdictions brings together the cops and lawyers of New York and Baltimore.

1996--A VERY BRADY SEQUEL--Detective John Munch is in Los Angeles assisting on a case, and takes time to help out someone calling himself Mike Brady.  This causes some complications, as normally I wouldn't want to include this type of remake/spoof film in the TVCU, but Win places it within his CU, so I must follow suit.  In a very Brady blog, I will reconcile the movies with the original series.  But it's likely that this Mike Brady is the nephew of the Mike Brady from the series.  This film also creates a tie to GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, only it doesn't quite match up with the original series either, so this is some other Gilligan, Professor, and Minnow being referenced.  JEANNIE also appears, and this does seem to be the original Jeannie.  I'll cover these difficult appearances and references in later blogs.



May 1997--LAW & ORDER--"Terminal"--Spoiler:  The bad guy drives for the Sunshine Cab Company, the same cab company featured on the show TAXI.

November 1997--LAW & ORDER/HOMICIDE:  LIFE ON THE STREET--"Baby It's You"--Baltimore and New York work together again to solve a mutual crime.

1998--EXILED:  A LAW & ORDER MOVIE--Detective Mike Logan's story following his departure from LAW & ORDER.  Logan will later return to the force in CRIMINAL INTENT.

February 1999--LAW & ORDER/HOMICIDE:  LIFE ON THE STREET--"Sideshow"--Bordering on scary coincidence, another crime happens that involves two different cities, and the same units get assigned to it again.

SPIDER-MAN: THE GATHERING OF THE SINISTER SIX (NOVEL BY ADAM-TROY CASTRO)

Release Date: March 1, 1999

Series: Spider-Man

Animated Series Crosses: Scooby-Doo!; Jackie Chan Adventures; Carmen Sandiego

Other Crosses: Invaders; Captain America; Human Torch (golden age); Sub-Mariner; Casablanca; Hulk; Terry and the Pirates; Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal; Fargo; Trading Places/Coming to America; The Great Race; North by Northwest; Indiana Jones; Marathon Man; Smilin’ Jack; Iron Man; Sherlock Holmes; Die Hard; Fu Manchu; James Bond; Superman; Law & Order; Ellery Queen; Batman: Usual Suspects; Unbreakable; Maltese Falcon; NYPD Blue

The Story: A new Sinister Six is formed.

Notes: Because of the appearance of the Mystery, Inc team, and not as 40-somethings, this must be the team from the newer animated films that started with Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. This film series continues with all the previous animated series as canon. In Zombie Island, the gang are all adults, post college. Velma has a Master’s degree. The team had split up and in Zombie Island are reunited. So the “kids” here are now in the mid-20s, in a time period that is contemporary with release dates based on pop culture and technology. And indeed, it must be placed in the main Cartoon Universe timeline. Thus,Spider-Man: Gathering of the Sinister Six should be placed in that main Cartoon Universe timeline. This then brings the Jackie Chan Adventures and Carmen Sandiego into the Cartoon Universe. Though this novel was written for the Marvel Universe, the inclusion of of Scooby-Doo allows us to also place it in the Cartoon Universe. The Spider-Man of the Cartoon Universe is similar to his Marvel Universe counterpart, but they have not had exactly the same life and adventures. Similarly,all the other listed crosses from outside animation are not exactly the same as their original sources, but are merely Cartoon Universe counterparts.

September 1999 to Present--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT--In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories. Detective John Munch is one of the Unit detectives,having previously worked for Baltimore HOMICIDE.


February 2000--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT/LAW & ORDER--"Entitled"--The detectives of Special Victims Unit team with the 27th Precinct to investigate a salesman's murder, leading them to a politically influential family. When the case goes to court, McCoy finds the matriarch to be a formidable opponent.


March 2000--THE BEAT--"They Say It's Your Birthday"--Our favorite crossover detective John Munch appears.


2000--HOMICIDE:  THE MOVIE--Detective John Munch returns home to Baltimore for one final investigation with the old team.


October 2000 to April 2001--DEADLINE--The exploits of the newspaper the Ledger that is always saying bad things about Jack McCoy.


September 2001 to Present--LAW & ORDER:  CRIMINAL INTENT-- In New York City's war on crime, the worst criminal offenders are pursued by the detectives of the Major Case Squad. These are their stories. 


October 2001 to Present--DEGRASSI:  THE NEXT GENERATION--This series is linked to LAW & ORDER through Hudson University.


September 2002--LAW & ORDER:  DEAD ON THE MONEY--Lenny Briscoe takes on a new partner (you) who later becomes an attorney on the same case.




September 2002 to May 2009--WITHOUT A TRACE--This show is linked to LAW & ORDER through Hudson University.


2003--LAW & ORDER:  DOUBLE OR NOTHING--A child abduction case.


October 2003 to June 2005--TRU CALLING--This show is linked to LAW & ORDER through Hudson University.


2004--LAW & ORDER:  JUSTICE IS SERVED--People die, and it up to you to put the killer away.

February 2005--LAW & ORDER--"The Sixth Man"--This story features the New York Empires basketball team, which must have ties to the New York Empires baseball team from CLUBHOUSE.  An additional link is that the victim is sent to Manhattan General, which was the setting of KAY O'BRIEN, SURGEON.  The main character of that show was referenced on St. Elsewhere as having transferred from St. Eligeus to Manhattan General.  Manhattan General also appeared in THE NAKED CITY and THE VELVET TOUCH.


March 2005 to January 2006--LAW & ORDER:  TRIAL BY JURY-- In the criminal justice system, all suspects are innocent until proven guilty, either by confession, plea bargain, or trial by jury. This is one of those trials. 

April 2005--LAW & ORDER/LAW & ORDER:  TRIAL BY JURY--"Tombstone/Skeleton"--Green is shot while taking a murder witness to trial, leading Fontana to team up with Salazar and uncover ties to a porn magnate.

May 2005--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT/LAW & ORDER:  TRIAL BY JURY--"Night/Day"--A man is suspected of rape and facts about his adolescence are revealed at his trial.


2005--LAW & ORDER:  CRIMINAL INTENT (GAME)--Help Bobby on 4 cases.

September 2005--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT/LAW & ORDER--"Design/Flaw"--Benson talks a pregnant woman off a ledge, only to find that she's the daughter of a scam artist and a controversial scientist. Afterwards, the woman and her mother are the main suspects in a murder investigation, giving Benson and Tutuola another chance to arrest them with the help of the 27th Precinct.


February 2006--ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT--"Exit Strategy"--Detective John Munch is part of a joint task force to bring down the Bluth family.

March  to May 2006--CONVICTION--Assistant District Attorney Alexandria Cabot returns from the Witness Protection Program to become bureau chief for a bunch of new ADAs.

2006--BLACK LAGOON--New York's 27th Precinct from LAW & ORDER is mentioned.




August 14, 2006--SESAME STREET--Detective John Munch is seen on Sesame Street.  



April 2007--ANDY BARKER, P.I.--"The Big No Sleep"--Det. Ed Green appears.


May 2007 to Present--PARIS CRIMINAL INQUIRIES--Crime also happens in Europe.  Detective Munch has appeared.  (Of course.)



2007 to Present--LAW & ORDER:  DIVISION OF FIELD INVESTIGATION--A Moscow version of SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.

2007 to Present--LAW & ORDER:  CRIMINAL MIND--Another Moscow unit.


February 2008--THE WIRE--"Took"--Detective John Munch appears in this episode.


June 2008--LAW & ORDER:  CRIMINAL INTENT--Mary Shannon stops by the CI office to help out with information, but is not forthcoming about her latest Witness Protection client, which leads into her new series IN PLAIN SIGHT.

2008 to 2013--THE SECRET LIFE OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER--The Secret Life of the American Teenager, which takes place in Valley Glen, California, depicts a Hudson University in New York, to which two of its main characters, Amy Juergens and Ben Boykewich, have been accepted.

December 2008--LEVERAGE--"The Miracle Job"--From Brad Mengel:  In the season 1 Leverage Episode "The Miracle job" one of the team poses as a reporter for the Ledger. Since the show was set in New York that would be the New York Ledger.


February 2009 to December 2010--LAW & ORDER:  UK--In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime, and the Crown Prosecutors who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories. 

February 2009 to November 2010--LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT--"Transitions/Crush/Wannabe/Trophy"--There's a new defense attorney, named Miranda Pond. In the DOCTOR WHO UNIVERSE, there is a time traveler with a long lifespan named River Song, though she was born Melody Pond. River spent some time trying to hide from the authorities of her universe, and her husband, the Doctor, himself spent centuries doing the same thing, and certainly could have showed her how to stay hidden. Don't even get me started on THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS. 

 


March 2009 to Present--CASTLE--This show is linked to LAW & ORDER due to Hudson University and the New York Ledger.

2009 to Present--WHITE COLLAR--This show is linked to LAW & ORDER due to the New York Ledger.

2009--USA PROMO--A TV network is doing a special tribute to MONK, and interviews several people on their thoughts about the famous detective.  Among those interviewed are Sam Axe (BURN NOTICE), Shawn Spencer and Gus Guster (PSYCH), Detective Nichols (LAW & ORDER:  CRIMINAL INTENT), Marshall Mann and Mary Shannon (IN PLAIN SIGHT), and Doctor Lawson (ROYAL PAINS).






July 2009--PROMOS--Mayor Bloomberg runs some tough on crime commercials featuring real cops wearing uniforms from the 27th Precinct, which isn't a real precinct, but is the precinct that appears on Law & Order.



October 7, 2009--JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!--Detective Munch makes an appearance on this show in which Richard Belzer is also one of the guests.  Belzer of course is famous for playing a fictionalized detective based on Munch. 

April 2010—At a graduation party, James Bojaciuk met a small boy wearing a Hudson University t-shirt. Good to know they’re already gearing up the next generation for America’s most crime-ridden college.

Hudson University, of course, is from The Cosby Show, Law & Order, and just about every show where something goes murderously wrong on campus.

June 2010--LUTHER--Luther says to his young officer, "Contact Detective Munch in New York; he works in the Special Victims Unit."




September 2010 to Present--LAW & ORDER:  LOS ANGELES--Apparently crime also happens on the west coast.


February 2011--BLUE BLOODS--"Hall of Mirrors"--Hudson University (which doesn't exist in our world, and originated on LAW & ORDER) appears in this episode.


February 2011--30 ROCK--"!Que Sorpresa!"--An episode of SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT is seen.  This is the TVCU version of the show, in which Dick Wolf not only took his stories "ripped from the headlines" but indeed on real detectives.



March 2011--CSI:  NY--"Do or Die"--Mac mentions the NYPD sex crimes unit



2011 to 2012--LAW & ORDER: LEGACIES--Several detectives from various series past and present work together to solve a crime.


2011 to 2016--UNFORGETTABLE--Hudson University was used on the CBS drama Unforgettable in the episode "Day of the Jackie," in the episode "Till Death," with scenes set in the campus bookstore and Dean's office, and once again in "Breathing Space".

Spring 2012--LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT--"Batman can't catch me"--From a note left by a serial rapist, 'Law & Order: SVU'. Note also that Batman was referenced by Detective Bobby Goren as a real New York vigilante in an episode of Criminal Intent. Also the Special Victims Unit once considered Spider-Man as a suspect in a case.

April 2012 (episode dated 04/26/2012)--COMMUNITY SEASON 3 EP 17--A botanist that assists in analyzing a "murder victim" bears a striking resemblance in both appearance and character to a certain medical examiner as seen in the LAW AND ORDER franchise.striking resemblance in both appearance and character to a certain medical examiner as seen in the LAW AND ORDER franchise.

TVCU Crew Review, for when I'm too lazy to do full updates:

Robert Wronski

July 20, 2012 · Northampton, MA

Sherlock ep. 2 made a reference to Spider-Man, comparing the criminal to him. I don't count it, despite the fact I count a similar reference in Law & Order: SVU. Why? Sherlock is in the Whoniverse, SVU in the TVCU. Spider-Man is already confirmed concretely in the TVCU, thus Det. Stabler was making a reference to someone already established as real in his world. Since there aren't any concrete connections to a Whoniverse Spider-Man, Watson must have been referring to a fictional comic book character. Though if the Whoniverse were to have a Spider-Man, I'd like to think it be the 1970s TV series version.

Toby O'Brien

August 14, 2012 · Manhattan, New York

Sked Alert!

Law & Order Scoop: Kathryn Erbe Bringing Criminal Intent's Eames to SVU This Fall!

Law & Order: SVU is welcoming a familiar face to the precinct this fall: Former Law & Order: Criminal...

TVLINE.COM|BY MICHAEL AUSIELLO

2012 to Present--LAW & ORDER: CAPE TOWN--Criminal investigation in South Africa.

2012 to Present--BEAUTY AND THE BEAST--In this CW television show, Hudson University is the fictional location in which J.T. Forbes works as a bio-chemical professor. The school logo is seen in episode 5 of Season 1 when J.T. was taking technological items from school campus.

c. April 14, 2013--FAMILY GUY--”Bigfat”--Worlds collide on Family Guy when Lois and Peter are joined in the bedroom… by Hank Hill. And we’ll tell you whut: this episode not only blends the universes of Family Guy and King of the Hill, it also tosses American Dad into the mix, and features opening credits in the style of King of the Hill. “We’ve been talking a while about trying to do an American Dad crossover,” explains Family Guy executive producer Steve Callaghan. “Some of the characters had popped up briefly in Family Guy episodes, but we wanted to do something a little more substantial. We decided to combine that with the idea that since Cleveland left, we’ve had a couple of celebrities move in briefly in his house, but we hadn’t really ever addressed who’s living in that house. So we thought those things could neatly overlap. Of course, we didn’t want to change the universe for good, so we decided to make it a dream sequence. And once the idea of Peter waking up from a dream came up, someone pitched adding in the King of the Hill element. It’s a fun, silly way to start the episode.” The producers had a little help in resurrecting Hank Hill: Hill creator Mike Judge, who’s friends with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, lent his voice once again to the character. As for those opening credits, “we tried as much to duplicate what they did but insert our characters,” notes Callaghan. “Fortunately we’ve been around long enough that we’ve had the chance to build up a set of secondary and tertiary characters. That was fun sitting down and figuring out who would be the Family Guy equivalent to sub in for [each] King of the Hill person.” Of course, the Hill homage is hardly the first time that the show has spoofed an opening credits sequence, as series like Law & Order, The Incredible Hulk, Monty Python’s Flying Circus have all been Griffinized. In fact, this isn’t even the last time that Family Guy will do it this month: The April 28, 2013 episode features a tip of the titles cap to Modern Family.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Homicide: Life On The Street/Law And Order: Special Victims Unit and The Wire

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Salvatore Cucinotta

I think I found a veritable hub of Crossovers from Japan all centering on one series: Mahou Sensei Negima! (Magister Negi Magi).

It translates as:
"Magical Teacher Negima! (Master Mage Negi)"

Which can be initially summarized like this: Imagine if a 10 year old Harry Potter was sent to teach at an all girl's High-School in Japan.

Later, when the writer primarily escapes from the mandate of his editors, the series is more of an intelligent fighting series with combatants so varied it would make Doctor McNinja proud.

It's EXTREMELY well researched (tracing the roots of all the magical traditions used to real world sources and going into details about the philosophies involved with them), but I should warn you, it's an "echi" series. Which means it has about as much Raunchy Comedy as a several "American Pie" films.

But, the crossovers is what matters at the moment. I'll only mention ones that might have solid links with other series rather than just references or people dressing in costume (called "Cosplay"). Which this series also has a lot of (ranging from Laputa in the Sky to Call of Cthulhu).

The first crossovers is with the writer's previous series: Love Hina (which set the formula of the "Harem Comedy": One guy, several girls, hijinks). A fighting style (Shinmeiryuu - "God's Cry Style") and featured a minor cameo between two of its practitioners. Further, a cursed blade that possesses people and is tied to that style off swordsmanship appears in both, with the same effects.

The title character, a welsh mage named Negi Springfield, is mentioned to be a collector of magical artifacts. One of which he is seen using in an early chapter acts and looks like a "Caster" gun from the series "Outlaw Star".

One character receives a mind-reading artifact in the form of a book. One character, whose mind is being read by it, initially mistakes it for a Death Note (from the series of the same name). I doubt it confirms the existence of the series, just the artifact.

One character, a Gun wielding assassin, substitues her guns at one point for flicked coins. The technique is linked to Zenigata Hieji, a famous detective. Effectively, this is a reference to a Japanese Sherlock Holmes and his martial art of Baritsu.

If the name Zenigata is familiar, that is because it is also used in Lupin the 3rd, where Inspector Zenigata is an ancestor of Zenigata Hieji.

In this series, magical realms are created on top of other places, just shunted over dimensionally "Half a step". When describing the effect, one character references other places: "the Dragon Palace, Ryuugujou and Takamagahara, the land of the gods...and more recently, mysterious towns with public baths found at the end of a tunnel." Which is a reference to the Studio Ghibli film "Spirited Away".

Mars, as it turns out, is also one, called "The Magical World." Just throwing that out there because it made me think of John Carter of Mars immediately due to later plot developments.

Vampires play a pivotal role in the series, but the most powerful type is given a name reference also seen in the Castlevania series: Shinsho or "True Ancestor". This is given to Dracula's final form in "Castlevania: Symphony of Night". It's also used in "Tsukihime" but reconciling anything else with what Type/Moon does is an exercise in futility and frustration.

One of the most infamous and theologically confusing characters in recent Japanese fiction, Haruhi Suzumiya, makes a possible cameo (in way of facial design) for one panel during one of the odder events in the series.

That the can explain away magic powers and the like as "CGI" and have people believe them helps keep things in order, I bet.

When a ghost is spotted in the girl's classroom, they head to the (ridiculously over-funded, and given a boost by a time traveler) science department and come back with totally-not Proton Packs to deal with the (harmless) ghost.

9 Crossovers of varying strength. Sadly, none are like Black Lagoon referencing Law and Order's 27th Precinct (where one of the Black Lagoon Character's is Wanted), but within Japan at least, that's a ton of crossovers for one series.

Sounds like a good place to start with any other Crossovers from Japan, because I know there are more (I'd mention them myself, but this post is damn huge already).

2014 to Present--THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA--On the Season 2, Episode 8 of "The Mysteries of Laura", "The Mystery of the Ghost in the Machine," Hudson University is the college the suspect in the case attends. Detective Laura Diamond recognizes the colors Blue and Gold in the background of a computer screen shot of his dorm room as the school's colors.

November 2014--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT--"CHICAGO CROSSOVER"--LAW & ORDER:  SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT connects to CHICAGO P.D. and CHICAGO FIRE.

Hugh H. Davis

January 17

On _Blue Bloods_ on 16 January, a lawyer upset about the handling of a case said he would talk to McCoy and ask for a new ADA to be assigned, linking to the _Law & Order_ franchise.

Toby O'Brien

February 17 · New York, NY

Mostly 'Law & Order' centered, but they do mention the other uses.....

Why You Should Never, Ever Go To New York City's Hudson University

When you first enter Hudson University's idyllic campus, you'd never know you're in one of the deadliest and most dangerous places in New York City. You might...

SCOUTINGNY.COM

Robert Wronski

March 16 · Northampton, MA

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Robert E Wronski Jr. shared Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's photo.

April 25

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

All three squads are ready for action. ‪#‎CrossoverWeek‬ starts Tuesday at 10/9c.

Robert E Wronski Jr. shared Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's photo.

April 30

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Three squads. Two cities. One decade-long case.
Watch all of the ‪#‎CrossoverWeek‬ episodes now:

http://bit.ly/FireCrossover
http://bit.ly/PDCrossover ...

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Warren Leight Teases 'SVU' Crossover Event with 'Chicago Fire' & 'P.D.'

NBC kicks off its second mega-crossover event with "Law & Order: SVU," "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago P.D." Tuesday night with Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson...

VARIETY.COM|BY ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER

Robert Wronski

July 30 at 2:02pm

The shows that will be on this fall that are relevant to the TVCU (as far as I currently know) are: Once Upon a Time, CSI: Cyber, Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Castle, The Big Bang Theory, NCIS: Los Angeles, Gotham, The Muppets, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, The Flash, iZombie, The Middle, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Arrow, Supernatural, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chicago P.D., Grey's Anatomy, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Bones, Sleepy Hollow, Heroes Reborn, The Blacklist, Last Man Standing, Hawaii Five-0, Grimm, and Saturday Night Live.

2015 to Present--BLINDSPOT--Hudson University is the location of an active shooter case in the NBC drama Blindspot in Season 1, Episode 19.

ALTERNATE REALITIES:

TVCU-1-Cartoon Universe (also has its own inner multiverse, as seen in various cartons. These are mostly one time seen worlds). Detective Munch (of course) made an appearance on the Simpsons.

TVCU-4 (OR THE ARROWVERSE, OR EARTH-1)--Hudson University was used in The Flash episode "Revenge of the Rogues", where it was the location of the creation of the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. project. It appeared in the episode "All Star Team Up", where it was the site of the murder of an engineering professor named Lindsay Kang at the hands of robotic bees controlled by Brie Larvan.

TVCU-21-A world where only what's seen on the TV screen is canon. Only one Superman operated in the 1950s and has passed away. Bruce Wayne was Batman in the 1960s. The "Tommy Westphall Universe" (or, alternatively, "The John Munch Principle") ties dozens of television series from the 1960's to the present through the characters of Tommy Westphall from St. Elsewhere (who is revealed to have imagined the entire series in the final scene of the final episode) and John Munch, the Baltimore detective who has made crossover appearances in many television series (including the Law & Order canon, The X-Files andHomicide Life On The Street). Thanks to Munch's crossovers and cameos, as well as shared elements and names that occur between different franchises and series, a theorem was developed showcasing the connections. More than 90% of all television shows are connected via crossover, including the entireAll in the Family franchise, The Wire, the entire Law & Order franchise, every major medical drama made in the 90's and 00's, and many more. Here's a handy chart for those keeping track◊. And the chart isn't even the full extent of it, since the list doesn't include ANIMATED shows that have crossed over with these series (notably a brief crossover between The Simpsons and The X-Files) increasing the cross overs to just about 99% of all series ever put on television.

TVCU-33-Earth-Prime/real universe/reality tv--Dick Wolf created a reality show called CRIME & PUNISHMENT which was a real world counterpart to LAW & ORDER, following a murder case from beginning of the investigation to the end of the trial.  Apparently, people didn't care for reality that didn't involve celebrities making fools of themselves, as the show was not successful.

TVCU-52-Horror Universe is actually a place where Munch does not have a presence.  Well, not entirely true.  Law & Order is in the HCU, so Munch does exist.  But only in stories irrelevant to the subject of that book.

So that's it.  I hope you enjoyed reading.  This series is at the core of the TVCU for sure.  

My next blog post which I'll probably write tomorrow night will be on the Three Stooges (with a little inspiration from Dennis Power), and yes, Toby, your recent post gave me the spark to cover the trio of five.