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« Law & Order: CI
Episode Recap: "Purgatory"
Law & Order: CI is finally back after the strike, and it seems like we didn’t miss much while the show was away. Detective Goren has been on suspension – aka purgatory- now for 5 months after going “nuts” back in January after his unofficial undercover work in a prison. We find Goren in his neighbor bar when he is approached by Mike Stoat, a former cop who is also on suspension for six months for drug use while undercover. Stoat offers Goren a job for extra money while on suspension, and gives him a gun while he ponders over accepting it. Umm, not the smartest thing ya think to give Goren a gun?!
Meanwhile in the precinct, Eames is assigned a triple murder case linked to a drug lord, John Testarossa. Captain Ross allocates Eames a temporary partner Detective Daniels to help solve the crime. Throughout the episode we see Eames trying to get into contact with Goren but is ignored. She even runs into him on the street finally – and Goren totally gives her the brush off.
Goren takes the job offer which turns out to be working “security” for Testarossa, and he quickly becomes witness to all the dirty things that are going on. We see Goren leaving the shrink’s office but we see later that he was really meeting up with Captain Ross over the happenings as he is “offered” to work undercover to bust Stoat and Testarossa, which in exchange would give Goren back his badge.
In Eames and Daniels’s investigation, they are led to Stoat’s old partner Officer Lois Melago who was also suspended before and is now working with Stoat’s as well as on Testarossa’s payroll. Testarossa has Stoat and Goren pick up the “customer” that ratted him out to the cops to “talk” to him. Goren padded him down, and “missed” the lighter that was really a mic pack. That angered Testarossa, and he said Goren would have to fix it now since it was his mistake. You knew they were serious when Stoat unrolled the plastic wrap in the office, as to not make a mess when shots were fired – yikes! Things were not looking promising for Goren, as we know he didn’t want to kill anyone. Luckily for him the cops busted in right when he was going to pull the trigger- but that put him gun to gun with…..Eames!!
Stoat, Melago, and Testarossa are all hauled into custody – even Goren is in a holding cell. Captain Ross and Eames go to fish Stoat out for questioning and they encounter Goren as well. The shock and (mainly) betrayal that was written all over Eames face when she heard that Goren was working undercover and the Captain knew was so poignant. Later, when they were finally left alone, Goren’s “I’m sorry” just wasn’t enough – as Eames let him know. Best line of the night – “Oh, you’re the genius and I just carry your water.” Eames really let into him saying all his wounds are self inflicted and she once again saved his life – which was all true and I think he needed to hear again. It doesn’t look like they are going to be too friendly towards one another the rest of the season.
In the end Goren did get his shield back, but as Eames said, I hope it was worth it for Goren- that dead rat in his drawer, and a cold shoulder from his partner? This is going to be an interesting rest of the season, and next week Wheeler is back! How do you think the rest of this season will play out?
For more Law & Order: CI, check out our Online Video Guide.
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Jun 8, 2008 11:07 PM
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Glad to have CI back and I thought it was a great episode. Nice to see Eames standing up for herself and letting Goren have it. It will be tense for awhile, but hopefully they'll get back in the swing of things, but with her hopefully playing a bigger role. I know Mr. D is the star of the show, but Ms. E has a lot to offer and I hope they explore that.
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Jun 9, 2008 7:15 AM
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I had a hard time focusing during the first 15 minutes or so of the episode--blame it on too much sun this weekend, but it certainly had my attention full force in the last half hour. I understand why Goren did what he did (going undercover without letting Eames know) but wow--that was straight up cold. She's right-she HAS saved his butt many times. I think she was more upset at that particular aspect, that after all of this time-he doesn't trust her, and that hurts after all they've been through.
Great episode-and I'm glad this blog is still here! =)
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Jun 9, 2008 9:08 AM
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While I agree Eames was upset/angry that Goren didn't trust her with the information about being undercover, I think she was also pretty shaken that she or another cop could have killed Goren when they busted into the office. Just a thought.
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Jun 9, 2008 9:54 AM
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I hope this doesnt keep going on for long. I don't like it when Goren and Eames are fighting.
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Jun 9, 2008 11:19 AM
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Pretty darn good episode! I always prefer the Logan episodes but this one was very good. I did however think that Eames got a bit carried away with her resentment toward Goren!
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Jun 9, 2008 11:25 AM
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Thanks for the great recap of one of my favorite shows. I am very happy to have new episodes during the long summer months! Please, please keep the blogs coming!
I thought this was a realy good episode and Goran was his typical self. I love the interaction between him and Eames and she does save his butt, nine times out of ten. The dead rate and cold stares was a good ending to the story.
And how about Dean Winters! Another excellent performance from a great actor. Give this man his own show!
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Jun 9, 2008 11:41 AM
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Yay! I'm glad that this blog is still around (Bummed that SVU didn't make it post-strike).
I totally get WHY Eames was angry at Goren, and YES, she has saved his butt, covered for him on numerous occassions. At the same time, I blame the Captain more. It was his bright idea to keep Eames in the dark--he could have told her what was happening and if not, then when she and Daniels caught the case, he could/should have told her then.
Now since this is the first season where we've seen Goren go undercover, do we know that he even had a choice with respect to telling Eames? Not that I don't think she wouldn't be able to keep the secret, but she's been around--she knows how the Brass and the Chief of Detectives feels about not only Goren's...eccentrictricities (I'll call them), but also against Logan for popping that Councilman YEARS ago. They only like the ones that tow the line.
And I think that Goren had no choice BUT to brush Eames off as she approached him or saw him RIGHT outside of the bar where he was working "security."
I'll admit I was confused by the dead rat in his drawer. Goren didn't rat out Stoates (Dean Winters did an AWESOME job of playing a dirty cop--much better than the weenie he played as Cassidy on SVU)--it wasn't until he was approached that he realized what was what. I'm heartily getting sick and tired of the stupid Blue Line, or whatever they call it. So the cops would rather have each other protect a Dirty cop, one who killed innocent bystanders and continue getting high and being in the pocket of drug lords, rather than nail his a*!? That makes PERFECT sense. NOT! How many times will Wolf give us this substory plot?
Stoats' partner was an idiot of the FIRST caliber. She honestly believes being bought by a drug lord is the way to get her Shield back? What century is she living in?
All that being said, I'd like to see the "fight" between Goren and Eames play out for at least two or three weeks. I mean, they are partners, after all, and if Eames holds on to her anger, what good can she be to him? Though the look on her face was priceless as they stormed in.
I was hoping for scenes from next week--a MIKE LOGAN Episode!!!!
~Sangeeta
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Jun 9, 2008 11:53 AM
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Just loved this episode-everone did a fantastic job-felt that Goren had no choice but to go undercover but that Ross maybe liked Goren not telling Eames-Eames always stood up for Goren and I think Ross liked having this separation between them-Kate Erbe kicked butt, really telling Bobby off-he really should have confided in Eames.
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Jun 9, 2008 1:46 PM
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I thought the episode was great and I disagree with Warren Leight who said that Goren somewhat turns to the dark side and that his integrity comes into question during this episode. Besides the fact that TV Guide tipped us off that Goren was undercover, I realized from the moment that Goren and Ross met, that Goren would be undercover. For Goren to even contact Ross after he was offered the job by Stoat shows that he still had integrity. I also knew that he would "not do" a line of coke when he was offered. And the part where he searched the guy prior to Eames and Daniels busting in, you know that he knew the guy was wired and that the cops were on the other side of the door. So I knew that he would have never shot that guy.
The only time I felt that his integrity even came into question was when he kept Eames out of the loop. She had ever right to get pissed because she has always defended him, covered for him, and gone along with all of his schemes and then for him to not tell her is a real insult and betrayal. And his claim of not being able to tell her because it was a rule is bogus. Since when has Goren ever given a hoot about rules? I think there is going to be even more of a strain in their partnership for a bit, but considering that CI was renewed for Season 8 and from the sounds of it everyone is planning on returning, I doubt the strain will last too long. Although I think that Eames will have second thoughts from now on about going along with Bobby and covering for him if he decides to break the rules, although I think in the end Eames will protect Bobby like she has always done. But I think that she will be quicker to lay into him for things from now on and make him tow the line a bit more now.
I also felt that Eames didn't quite realize what Ross was trying to do the whole episode. Ross kept dropping her subtle hints throughout the episode about where to look, whom to look at, and questioning if she wanted to take the case. Had Eames pressed Ross, I think that he would have told her about Goren being undercover and I think that the subtle hints were there, but she was either too preoccupied or just didn't get it. The first hint was when he said look at the 6-4 precinct. The second hint was when they were in the observation room and Ross asked if she had a problem with dealing with the suspect. It was Ross's way of telling her about Goren without actually coming out and saying it directly. Ross probably wanted to let Eames know, but he likely had his orders from the top to keep her out of it.
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Jun 9, 2008 2:08 PM
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It was so good to see my favorite detectives and my two favorite actors back in action last night. I, too, am glad to see the blog is back as well. Goodness knows, I love talking about my favorite show. Just ask my poor husband.
I thought it was a very good story and while still showing the after effects of Bobby Goren's very tumultuous year, managed to stay true to his character. He has a very strong sense of right and wrong, good and evil and he will never cross that line.
I'm glad that they resolved Goren's suspension in this episode. I was hoping they wouldn't drag that out too long. At first I was upset that they put a wedge between Goren and Eames, but really after all they've been through the last seven years, it makes sense that like any close partnership they would have their ups and downs.
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Jun 9, 2008 3:31 PM
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LOVED this episode (mostly because I missed the show and was tired of reruns), but I have to ask: Was anybody else confused at the beginning because they wondered why Det. Cassidy from SVU was approaching Goren in a bar? I know Dean Winters hasn't been on SVU in a while, but I admit to being a bit disoriented until I figured out that Dick Wolf et. al were just using him as a guest star in the CI universe.
Other than that, great, great, GREAT. Looking forward to seeing Logan and Wheeler again next week too.
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Jun 9, 2008 3:59 PM
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Happy the blog is back! Can't wait for next week!
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Jun 9, 2008 4:18 PM
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So good to have D'Onofrio back  He is a great actor and I watch the show for him.
Great episode last night, as always. I understand where Eames is coming from. She went through so much for Goren.
What really bugged me though was having Dean Winters as a completely different character than SVU! It's not like he was in SVU for 1 episode. He was a pretty established character. Than bring him to CI and have him as another character? Not cool at all...
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Jun 9, 2008 4:41 PM
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Great as always! D'Onofrio is a great actor, & adding some tension to Goren-Eames' relationship was a good idea. Seems like it's the beginning of a "whole new" CI...! I can hardly wait to see the rest! Good job. And good luck to the whole cast & crew- specially my favorite actor, Mr. D'Onofrio !
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Jun 9, 2008 7:36 PM
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