The secret’s out! S. Epatha Merkerson’s mystery lover on Law & Order is none other than Winston Zeddemore Ernie Hudson!
Merkerson’s cancer-stricken Van Buren recently revealed that she had met the love of her life, but the identity of her new suitor has remained a secret. All that will change this Friday when Hudson begins a multi-episode arc as her new boyfriend.
News of Hudson’s hiring follows my scoop that Van Buren would soon be getting a visit from former colleague Rey Curtis (Benjamin Bratt).
All of this attention being paid to Van Buren has me wondering: Should we be worried that she won’t surv… Nah, Dick Wolf wouldn’t dare.
PHOTO CREDIT: Virginia Sherwood/NBC; Hudson: Brandi Pettijohn/PR Photos










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Please don’t kill off Van Buren!!!
BOYFRIEND! When did Van Buren get divorced?
TriciaA: In the episode where she’s diagnosed, she tells her doctor that she left her husband because he was cheating on her.
I don’t like the L&O characters–all of a sudden–having lives. VanBuren is divorced with a bf. Connie is now pro-life, unlike before. Jack McCoy is now a grandpa. Jeremy Sisto’s character has sex with a woman who is later found guilty of murder. Enough already. Let’s go back to interesting murder cases. That is the reason the show lasted 20 years.
We have always gotten info on the characters lives..Lenny’s family, Bratts characters wife, Jesse L Martins character used to be a gambler.
It is not new to this show to give bits here and there about that lives of the characters. I like it.
They’ve always have had lives though. Curtis was dealing with his wife’s MS. Lenny’s daughter was killed when she turned informant on her drug dealer. Green had a whole episode about his gambling. Jack has mentioned his daughter before as well.
Also McCoy carrying on with his ADAs, Lenny being a recovering alcoholic, and the episode with Van Buren’s kids. This isn’t something out of the blue at all.
It was pretty much an open secret that Jack and Claire were a couple. It wasn’t explicit a la NYPD Blue, but it wasn’t hard to pick up on the clues.
I agree. I don’t want their personal lives — I want the Law and the Order. That is what made it last this long.
i’m worried he’s killing her off also, and if he does, the murder of wolff will make a really good episode for law and order, cuz there will be some pissed fans. LOL
Ernie Hudson what is that in your ear?!!?
She definitely going to ge killed off or they would not be giving her this much screen time. Hate to see her go but not many actors have had a 17 year run in one role.
I would really hate to see her go, but it’s been a great ride.
when do we get to see that smallville interview?
sorry, i’m an impatient person.
They’ve always had small personal moments, but never whole storylines regarding their personal lives. It’s like they have decided to take the worst elements of SVU and Criminal intent and are using them for their storylines and it is to the detriment of the original concept of Law & Order.
Nah, they won’t kill her, but it’s possible that the cancer will lead to her eventually retiring. I mean this is her 17th season the show. Even as a supporting character, I imagine she has to be pretty expensive by now.
Didn’t Curtis have a multi-episode arc where he cheated on his wife with a movie star (Bratt’s then gf Julia Roberts)? She kicked him out, kept him away from the kids…that was right before he left the series.
I don’t remember if it was with Julia Roberts, although she did do an episode with him, but yes, Curtis did stray and then he confessed to her and they became estranged. I remember him telling Lenny about it.
It was in the episode called “Aftershock” where the major characters witness an execution and their day afterwards. Curtis meets a coed (Jennifer Garner) and goes back to her place and etc., etc. This also is the ep where Claire dies in a car accident while driving a drunken Lennie home. Scary how I know this but there it is.
I love that they are trying new fresh things. They have a wealth of new characters and I want to get to know them a little better. Especially Linus Roache’s character Michael Cutter. I could watch him all day long.
Thank you! I am so intrested to know even just a little about this character’s personal life. I did not think I would like him when he first started the show but he’s grown on me alot.
I think Law & Order is better this year than it’s ever been. The writing is incredible. I think Linus and Alana are terrific together.
I think she will die. I can’t remember the last time they had a character storyline on L&O so she is dead.
Winston Zeddemore!! Great GHOSTBUSTERS shout-out! This man has been in SO many things, and every time I still see him in that proton pack . . . .
Law&Order has always “trived upon
the home lives of it’s charater’s:
LennieBriscoe’s being a divorced
father of 3 girls,Mike Logan’s punching a ADA in the face~hell,they even made a movie
called “Exiled” about the whole incident~and brought back Mike Logan and put him on the same show
as Vince D’Onfrio.They should have
kept Chris Noth and gotten rid of
D’Onfrio.
I’m looking forward to this. The writing on L&O these days is great, and they’re handling Van Buren’s cancer storyline well so far, much better than they handle personal story arcs on SVU, for a comparision. I’m pleased that SEM is getting some meaty material.
Don’t you dare kill her off Dicky Boy!
I just recently re started watching this show and I think they have hit a good strive as far as characters go the detectives are good and the lawyers are good. The show has been good about just giving us enough peeks into the personal lives to keep us intrested and i’m very intrested to know a little more about cutter, bernard and lupo as these guys are new. Keep em’ comin’ Law and Order