Michael Parmelee/NBCAnd Alec Baldwin makes his return to TV! The Emmy winner returned to the small screen in a big guest role in Mariska Hargitay's directorial debut on Law & Order: SVU, while Arrow officially introduced viewers to the Suicide Squad. Plus, the show dropped one awesome reference for DC Comics. Warning, spoilers for Wednesday, March 19's TV shows ahead!
Arrow: RIP, Shrapnel! Yes, the Suicide Squad lost one if its members in tonight's episode as Amanda Waller set off the chip (which also acted as a bomb) implanted in his head when the baddie tried to make a run for it on a mission. And Floyd Lawton aka Deadshot almost died too, willing to sacrifice himself, before Diggle gave him a reason to keep on livin': Zoe, his daughter. Yes, that's right: Diggle. Saved. Floyd. Lawton. You know, the man who killed his brother.
Oh, and how about that Harley Quinn Easter egg?! Yes, the "trained therapist" was Batman baddie Harley Quinn. Fingers crossed we'll get to see more of ARGUS' other incarcerated villain. (She was a member of the Suicide Squad in the comics.)
Law & Order: SVU: Mariska Hargitay stepped behind the camera for Law & Order: SVU's latest episode, "Criminal Stories," and she called in one of her good friends to help mark the occasion. Alec Baldwin returned to series television for the first time since 30 Rock ended in January 2013 to play Jimmy "Mac" McArthur, a larger-than-life New York City newspaper columnist.
Jimmy Mac comes to the squad with an eye out for Hargitay's Sergeant Benson, she's a hero in his eyes, especially after her ordeal with William Lewis and raising to become the commanding officer of Special Victims Unit. But the pleasantries between the two quickly soured after Jimmy Mac hits Central Park South with the squad to investigate a rape. Guest star Summer Bishil was at the center of it all, claiming she was raped by two men and that it was a hate crime because she's a Muslim woman. As the squad investigated the case, so did Jimmy Mac, who was one step ahead the whole time and claims it was all a hoax on the front page of the newspaper. Naturally, this didn't' sit well with fierce mama bear Benson. The two clashed for much of the episode, with Baldwin hamming it up as the case's twists and turns came to light.
Once the detective got through all the lies—the woman WAS raped, but it was by her brother's employers, she lied to protect his future/job—the case went to trial and Jimmy Mac continued to get in the way. But he used his power for good and told the public about the perps. However, it was all for moot when one of the attackers sold out the other for a plea deal and settlement with the survivor. Or was it? Jimmy Mac finally saw the error of his ways and turned in his final column, a takedown of the perp who made the settlement deal. He just so happened to be the son of a wealthy newspaper backer…and so ended Jimmy Mac's career. He went off into the sunset drinking with Benson.
American Idol: Confession time: we are going to listen to Alex Preston's cover of One Direction's "Story of My Life" an obscene (and probably unhealthy) number of times this week. Our other Top 10 favorites? Malaya Watson, for her unexpected song choice (Bruno Mars' "When I was Your Man") and Jessica Meuse's "Pumped Up Kicks." Going home? MK Nobilette, that rendition of "Perfect" was rough. (Too obvious to make an "opposite of perfect" joke there, come on now!)
Survivor: Cagayan: We're only a few episodes in, but the CBS reality hit was forced to switch up the tribes early as Team Brains was down to just three members. The new tribes? Aparri, with castaways Morgan, Kass, Tasha, Sarah, Jeremiah, Spencer and Alexis, while the Salana team was made up of Lindsey, LJ, Trish, Jefra, Tony, Cliff and Woo.
Alas, one contestant still found their torch snuffed by episode's end: So long, Cliff.