ninahammerling

Hey there, and welcome to Beam Me Up, my blog about... whatever happens to be obsessing (or irking) me at the moment. Today's topic: the apparent phasing out of the inimitable Richard Belzer as the conspiracy-theory-spouting, comic-relief-providing Sergeant John Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.Let me start off by saying that I love all things Law & Order — I've watched all three series since their inceptions (I'm ignoring the whole Trial by Jury fiasco, 'cause its five minutes on the air were regrettably forgettable). SVU has been the franchise's powerhouse in recent years — and, let's be honest, the most consistently entertaining L&O to boot.Part of what makes it so darn good is the fascinating, complex variety of personalities that comprise the cast. Which brings me to the topic at hand. Has anyone else noticed a distressing lack of Munchitude this season? He did have that brief story arc in the very first epi, when he temporarily took over for Cap...