Let me tell you about one of my favorite people: Claire Kincaid.

Claire was an assistant district attorney for New York County from 1993 to 1996. She worked first with EADA Ben Stone, and later with EADA Jack McCoy.

She's slender and no-nonsense, and may or may not have been killed by a drunk driver in 1996 -- I prefer to think not. Her successors in the DA's office include Jamie, Abbie, Serena, and Alex. Everyone was glad to see Serena go, and she, along with Jamie, have been voted some of the least liked ADAs. Abbie was okay and Alex has promise, but Claire has not been matched. One of Dick Wolf's biggest regrets is Claire's death.

Some speculate that Claire is not dead, and that she was hidden away by federal authorities into witness protection following her work in an anti-mob case (I think the one about the tainted Russian baby food). Sixty-page Word documents and dozens of web pages are devoted to elaborating upon Claire's possible demise and her relationship with Jack.

Claire and I were recently re-united. We were initially separated when A&E stopped airing her, and later when my VCR croaked. Now Claire must be rationed out -- only one episode per day.