Greetings,
Okay, I mentioned that when a few new people came on Law & Order, they had a tough act to follow. But I think is the only occasion where someone was going to be loved no matter what just because she wasn't the girl who came before her. That's right. We're talking about Alex Borgia.
Alex Borgia was portrayed by Annie Parisse from the middle of Season 15 to the end of Season 16, making her the ADA with the shortest lifespan on the show. Now, if you're wondering why she came in mid-season, it's because she was replacing Serena Southerlyn. As you may recall, a lot of the Law & Order audience was not crazy about Serena. So, basically, Alex could have just sat in a corner doing crossword puzzles and people were going to enjoy her because she was not Serena. Thankfully, she did not do that, and I legitimately did enjoy her, even without comparisons.
I often speak of the strong women of Law & Order, but Alex Borgia was a bit different. Yes, she was strong when she needed to be, but it was also in a more timid and quiet way. I think it was because she generally came of as non-confrontational. For the most part, she did what she was told, never adding to the tension that could permeate through the DA's office. Still, if Alex had something to say she said it. In fact, due to her successful work and preparation in previous cases, she had earned a ton of respect from police officers and lawyers alike. So, she was not be messed with.
If I am forced to make a comparison, especially when it comes to politics and faith, I'd say Alex a gentler version of Abbie Carmichael. So, she is very Conservative, and, while her personal beliefs do not get involved in her work much, she does not think that any criminal is beyond redemption. Not that it stops her from going to battle with a defendant she thinks is guilty. Still, if I had to pick a word for her, I would choose compassionate. Alex, though always holding fast to the law, was very much willing to go to bat for victims. It's another thing that gains her a lot of respect. But, besides all that, she just seemed so polite and nice and sweet. Some people with whom I've spoken felt as though she had a little sister-y vibe to her. Like we all wanted to protect her and not let anyone mess with her. Ever. And that makes what happened to her all the more tragic.
The reason that Alex Borgia departed at the end of Season 16 is because she was murdered. And it was downright awful. First, she got kidnapped, and everyone was working their tails off to find her. Well, Green and Fontana did find her, but not the way they wanted to. I won't go into details too much, but it was brutal and terrible. I don't know if anyone was expecting that. Of course, that pushed everyone into high gear to get the people who did this do her, especially Jack McCoy. Though the circumstances were different, you could see that this was giving him flashbacks to when Claire passed away. I almost think he felt better this time, because at least he had someone to blame and punish for it. I know Alex wasn't on the show for long, but it was still a tearjerker for me.
As I said before, due to the circumstances, Annie Parisse could have come in, rested on her laurels and been okay, but she did not. She did a great job with the limited time she was given. And she managed to create a character that held up the tradition of strong women, but, nonetheless, a woman who was strong in a unique way. If you ask me, that's worth quite a lot.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
