On tonight's episode of Law & Order: SVU a familiar face returns, much to the delight of long time fans. Actress Stephanie March reprises her role as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot for 6 episodes starting tonight. For four seasons March played the tough as nails prosecutor and with great fanfare her character was whisked off into witness protection, believed dead by everyone but Det. Stabler and Benson.

Two seasons later her character returned from witness protection to testify against the man who shot her, only to be whisked off again at trial's end. This also served to remind SVU fans of the Alex Cabot character and set up her return in the short lived Dick Wolf vehicle, Conviction.

While March was billed as the star of that show, long time fans complained that "this Alex Cabot" wasn't the Alex they knew and loved. Even worse, the answers to how her character not only returned from "the program," but resumed her life in the D.A.'s office, were never revealed.

Fear not fans, in a recent interview both March and executive producer Neal Baer promised all would be revealed in a "touching and beautifully written" way. March even talked about Alex's love life and a certain brunette detective.


(Missy Lee):    Yes, I’m just curious to know which Alex Cabot are we going to get, the old Alex Cabot or the Alex Cabot from Conviction? They’re not exactly the same Alex Cabot.

Stephanie March:    They’re not entire - they’re about the same height.

(Missy Lee):    Yeah, I understand that, you’re about 5’ 91/2” and I'm 6'1"  so I applaud you for wearing heels.

Stephanie March:    Oh thanks, thank you so much. You know I think this is probably - I mean I know exactly how I feel about the character and I’m pretty excited about bringing her back.

    But Neal could probably speak to this specifically in terms of plot a little bit better.

Neal Baer:    Well I think it’s Alex Cabot who was both on Conviction and SVU because as you’ll see in the episode on May - on March 10th, you’ll understand why Alex Cabot did not go back to SVU.

    Why she was fearful and she has changed a bit. She’s stronger.

(Missy Lee):    Well it would be harder to get stronger than Alex Cabot was because she was a pretty fierce woman.

Stephanie March:    Well if I may interject, I think she was pretty strong and determined but not as knowledgeable or seasoned. And so I’d like to think that maybe this time around she’ll be a little wiser and a little - life has roughed her up a little more.

    Made her slightly more sympathetic.

Neal Baer:    She’s definitely more vulnerable, that you see from the very beginning and she’s more questioning. So as Stephanie just said you know she was maybe more surface tough then.

    You’ll understand when she comes back that that maybe was more of a cover and that she is much more questioning and much more open to the situ - to the complexities of the situation.

Stephanie March:    Exactly.

Neal Baer:    I’m trying to steer around with a - by not giving away the plot...

(Missy Lee):    Specific plot points? Okay.

Neal Baer:    You know you’ll certainly recognize her as the Alex Cabot you loved five years ago on SVU because it’s still Stephanie and we’re writing her as Alex Cabot.

    So it’s just hugely fun for us.

Stephanie March:    Hopefully it will complete a circle and make sense. I mean it makes sense to me because I’m in the middle of it, but as people see it I think it will make a lot of sense.

(Missy Lee):    So we’re going to find out how you managed to come back from witness protection?

Stephanie March:    Yeah.

(Missy Lee):    Oh well hallelujah. That was really one of the biggest drawbacks that I think people had with Conviction that they were left without an explanation.

Stephanie March:    Well I think this will be nice and neat and make sense.

(Missy Lee):    Okay, thank you.

Stephanie March:    No problem.

Neal Baer:    Yeah, there is definitely a - she, Stephanie has a great scene with Mariska, Chris, Ice-T and Belzer where this definitely comes up, we definitely talk about witness protection.

    We definitely talk about the past and it’s quite a moving scene.

(Missy Lee):    Well good, thank you for that because that’s what readers have been waiting on.

Stephanie March:    Great. Well I’m excited.

(Missy Lee):    We’re excited to have you back.

Stephanie March:    Thank you.

Neal Baer:    And it’s also really nice to see Stephanie with BD because they’re - we have some interesting shows going back to season two with Richard Thomas and Karen Allen where I remember Stephanie and BD’s character fought with each other and really grappled with some issues.

Stephanie March:    Yeah, and we get to revisit it. Plus I like working with BD because he’s my friend anyway so this time I get paid to have dinner together.

Neal Baer:    And you know the other thing I’ll just add is that we really wanted to kind of have a reunion so we brought back John Cullum who did some wonderful shows Stephanie.

Stephanie March:    Yeah.

Neal Baer:    And Mariette Hartley as well.

Stephanie March:    And Joanna Merlin who have I haven’t seen.

Neal Baer:    And Joanna Merlin who plays just (ex-cop) piece. So we’ve got three characters who really echo back to Cabot and they bring up the issue too with Cabot, oh and David Burton as well.

    They all are surprised and a little questioning and wondering if she’s really back to her old self. So it’s not just our main characters but all of our supporting characters as well have some questions about is she really read to come back to SVU.

Stephanie March:    Yeah.

(Missy Lee):    Are you coming back in a Liz Donnelly type role or - because you were bureau (team) on Conviction.

Stephanie March:    Well I will say this much, I am coming back to that which has most affected me. I’m coming back to SVU.

(Missy Lee):    Okay.

Neal Baer:    I’m glad you brought up Liz Donnelly because Stephanie will be doing a very big show at the end of sweeps on March 31st with Judith.

Stephanie March:    I love Judith, that’s good news.

Neal Baer:    So they will be back together again.

(Missy Lee):    Okay. Oh, one last question, that whole Robert thing, is Alex going to be married or please tell me she like ditched him. Or you’re not going to tell me that are you, because that’s probably some plot point.

Stephanie March:    Neal, can I talk about this?

Neal Baer:    Sure.

Stephanie March:    Alex Cabot’s on the prowl.

(Missy Lee):    Is she prowling for some more (desk sex)?

Stephanie March:    She’s on the prowl. She’s not tied to too many people.

(Missy Lee):    Okay. All right. But are we going to see more desk sex?

Stephanie March:    Desk sex?

(Missy Lee):    Well you and Jim (on Conviction) had desk sex.

Stephanie March:    Right. You know I’ll tell you we haven’t seen any desk sex yet. There’s so many items of furnisher in which to tackle I don’t expect to return to the desk.

(Missy Lee):    Okay. All right. Is this Alex Cabot going to be an equal opportunity prowler or is she just going to be strictly a hetero?

Stephanie March:    I think we haven’t determined all of it yet. I think some of it’s still a mystery.

(Missy Lee):    I ask because I have a large lesbian contingent that read and they - that was something they all wanted to know. Because you know in their world, Alex and Olivia are just so in love and they just don’t know it.

Stephanie March:    I’m not saying we’re not.

(Missy Lee):    But you’re not saying you are, okay.

Stephanie March:    I’m not saying we’re not in love.

Neal Baer:    I can tell you that the writers are very aware of...

(Missy Lee):    Oh I know they are, you and I had this discussion at the Director’s Guild during the Paley Festival for Law and Order. I asked you specifically about that.

    I’ve already had this discussion with you.

Stephanie March:    And I would make the vote on prop eight that would make your reader’s happy. So just - we can leave it there.

(Missy Lee):    And I appreciate that.

Stephanie March:    No problem.

(Missy Lee):    That’s all I have.

Law & Order: SVU airs at 10 o'clock, Tuesdays on NBC.

By Missy Lee

Missy Lee is the publisher, editor and chief reporter for ILoveTelevision.com. Prior to starting ILoveTelevision.com she worked for TV-Now.com and the late Tony Bray. After living in LA and covering all things entertainmentfor a number of years, she moved back to her home state of Tennessee.