Well, I have to admit that when I saw the clip (thanks for the PM
dutch 
), my heart sank that once again the writers were playing with us, and yet another DL spoiler thrown away. I really wanted to see them okay and and be happy and banter - and just do all the things they used to do. About...20 minutes later, that heart sinking was lifted as my realistic side woke up and began to kick in.
In all honesty, I'm pretty glad they changed it. I can't really see between the angst we got in 4x17 and the angst we may be getting in 4x20 how a completely fluffy scene would fit into the flow of things (are the writers really working on flow now? I'm simply gobsmacked!).
Despite the fact that we didn't get the basketball game, I'm still holding out on a DL scene later in the episode, and if not, at least a Danny/Rikki scene which talks about DL in a way. What's been happening and what's going to happen next. Having Danny admit his feelings would be nice too. (How awesome would it be if we get Danny admitting he wished he could have taken Lindsay to the game?
)
I'm slightly disappointed that once again, I got my hopes up (if this continues, my brain might just block out CSI:NY completely by the end of the season). I wish we had never gotten the spoiler in the first place, even though it's served as some kind of shining beacon (somewhat) for the last few days. Having that taken away makes me realise that maybe the writers really are going to try and make their transition between the angst and awkwardness to a glimmer of what DL used to be as realistic as they can.
Although I wonder if the spoilers Kristen and Ausiello gave us still stands, I'm going to keep hope that they know more than we do, and that we will get a good resolution by the end of the season. My one concern is that they may lump it all on the finale, which, if done right would be okay. It's just the possibility of those scenes giving us yet more unanswered questions, and at this point, I think the best move the writers could make is to tie up the lose ends of this storyline. We need to
know, not guess, what's happening, and if they intend on keeping the storyline as rich as it is (soapy yes, heart breaking, insulting...blah, but definitely not boring - that you have to admit), they need to round it off strong.
If we indeed see Rikki's departure in tonight's episode, then I hope the writers use the opportunity to fill in the plot holes we've gotten so far (as in, what happened between RND and now?) and use the later DL scenes for the transition. I don't think it would be wise for DL to move forward without everything being explained. The guessing game seriously has to stop. Seriously.
We've been put through the ringer with this storyline, but we'll come out stronger than ever (and seriously, it's going to take much much more for my heart to drop to the ground again).
Now this makes me wonder; if the writers do have DL possibly reconnecting in the finale, as in they do agree to start over and put the past behind them, where do you think they will be when Season 5 starts? Will they do a Flack (where he's miraculously healed, and so DL is already on the road to being a happy couple) or will they do a Danny (getting better, but he still has to squeeze the squish ball)?
Your thoughts? (And yes, I said squish ball - stop laughing!)
