The Randomizer gave Josh the gift of a lifetime—an SVU featuring beloved Patriot alum Michael Chernus as Carisi’s BIL-to-be. “Parole Violations” (S16E17) is the rare episode where we get a fair amount of main character backstory that works. This is a fun one where Chernus’s Tommy Sullivan is being forced to bone his parole officer while his pregnant fiancée (Carisi’s sister, Bella, played by Marin Ireland) is buying enormous, infant-inappropriate teddy bears and getting sonograms. As always, rabbit holes are ventured down, with time spent discussing the physiological functions of junkie junk, the college and pizza scene in Utica, and Staten Island cannoli. And, obviously, Patriot factors heavily into this episode.

This week we watch "Manic," Season 5 Episode 2 of Law & Order: SVU. In it, Big Pharma, global capitalism, and a few incompetent middle school employees conspire to place a loaded hand gun in the deranged hands of one Rory Culkin. He humiliates then murders two of his bullies on the order of the voices in his head which belong to none other than the legendary carnival game and romantic comedy icon, Zoltar. We discuss important topics including revolutionary theory and whether or not this episode constitutes the peak of the extended Culkin universe. Come along for the ride. Be safe.

We dive into another ep of Law & Order: SVU. This time we learn about West Virginia, colostomy bags, how to pronounce Klatch properly, and the 2013 Miami Heat. We are watching Season 19 Episode 8 "Intent." In the podcast’s first foray into Ripped from the Headlines fare, the squad investigates a rape that isn’t quite what it seems. An MMA fighter nicknamed ‘The Monster” jarringly rapes an Instagram star, only to find out that she asked for him to rape her. Or did she?