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« Law & Order: Criminal Intent
May 1, 2007: Rocket Man
Well, what to say about this episode? It was... sort of interesting. At times. As you faithful readers know, this ripped-from-the-headlines stuff is a pet peeve of mine, and definitely not why I watch Criminal Intent. I’d prefer the writers get off their butts and actually come up with some original crimes for the detectives to solve. Leave the “news-inspired” stories to the L&O mother ship and all of those lame CSI spin-offs.
That said, you couldn’t ask for crazier source material than the Lisa Nowak astronaut-murder plot, so this episode was guaranteed to be at least mildly entertaining. And between all of the bed-hopping, adult-diaper-wearing, deep-sea-diving, steroid-cream-rubbing antics, it certainly wasn’t boring. But seriously, as one of the detectives pointed out, don’t astronauts go through some kind of rigorous psychological testing before they can enter the NASA program? Do the people piloting our taxpayer-sponsored, multi-million-dollar shuttles really act like a bunch of horny, backstabbing high schoolers? It’s a scary thought.
And what was with all the women in this episode being more than just a little off — literally killing each other just so they could claim astronaut Jimmy Cooper as their own? Maybe it was just me, but I had a hard time buying Tate Donovan, who was last seen sailing off into The O.C. sunset on a yacht, as a shuttle commander. Yeah, he was likable, but there was just no authority there.
All of that wackiness aside, I’d say my favorite part of this episode was actually the running bit about Goren and Capt. Danny both being “type-A, angry, obsessive personalities.” I thought it was cute (something that can very seldom be said about any Law & Order) how, once they were out of the captain’s office, a clearly concerned Goren asked Eames, “Do you think I’m angry?” Her knowing, “I’m-not-saying-anything” smile was more sitcom spouse than police partner, but that’s just what made it so amusing. I know watching those two interact is the real heart of the show for many of us, and the reason I’m still holding out hope that CI — and particularly the ever-exhausted D’Onofrio — will be back next year.
Next week: Just what we’ve all been waiting for, ripped from the Us Weekly headlines it’s... the Anna Nicole Smith case! Because our appetite for news about the drug-addled former Playmate’s many baby daddies couldn’t possibly have been sated by the coverage on E!News, Access Hollywood, Fox News, Entertainment Tonight, MSNBC.... Criminal Intent, I roll my eyes in your general direction.
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May 1, 2007 10:37 PM
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I was too bored by the plotline to keep up with the non case related interactions between the detectives and the captain. It's upsetting becaus I really was looking forward to this new episode--especially a Goren/Eames epi. I can take or leave Mr. Big..er, I mean umm..whatever Chris Noth's character's name is.
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May 1, 2007 11:05 PM
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The problem with the "ripped from the headlines" plots for CI and the mothership is that we now have so much wall-to-wall cable news coverage of these stories as well as the internet that these stories can't surprise us anymore. And it's a shme because in it's prime, the original Law & Order was the best drama on TV IMO.
Back when the original L&O started, most of these stories weren't known outside of the city they happened in. Now we know them by heart. And now CI is doing an Anna Nicole story. Didn't the mothership do this earlier this season already, albiet is was based on Daniel's death, not Anna's.
I had the wife pegged from the first scene she was in when she kept referring to her husband as "the Commander".
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May 2, 2007 8:42 AM
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I thought the episode was entertaining, although not one of its best storylines.
LOL... I agree with your assessment about Tate Donovan. I thought "Marissa" would enter scene with "Ryan" following close.
"California here we come... right back where we started from..." Sorry... 
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May 2, 2007 9:17 AM
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What's wrong with 'ripped from the headlines' stuff. It never resolves the way the real story did. It always gives it a 'what if' factor. There is always that on/off button on the remote for those times when nothing less than a fresh, original storyline will do. I watch news for reality; I watch TV for entertainment.
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May 2, 2007 11:15 AM
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I found that this was one RFTH case that was boring from the start. I almost fell asleep halfway through.
I wish they could get back to more ORIGINAL storylines.
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May 2, 2007 11:23 AM
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FWIW - Tate Donavan was in the movie "Space Camp." So it's not his first ride on a space shuttle.
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May 2, 2007 11:33 AM
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This epi kept my interest, but then I love my Bobby shows.
I called the wife as the doer when she fist came on screen.
There were so many weird things in the story line, though -- steroid cream, fake HotMail accounts, gifts given under false pretenses, the assumption that the 'roid user would kill the other girlfriend... overkill.
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May 2, 2007 1:14 PM
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Glad to see I'm not the only one who felt this episode was more than a little lackluster. To save a show from getting cancelled, you've got to at least keep the die-hard fans happy. And between all the repeats and this episode - and next week's almost-guaranteed suckfest - Criminal Intent hasn't seemed too interested in doing that lately. This late in the season, they're quickly running out of time to redeem themselves.
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May 2, 2007 4:26 PM
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I'm not saying do away with the Ripped From the Headlines stories. But they really need to cut back on it provided L&O and/or CI are renewed. Look, SVU is by far the most successful of the shows and has been for a couple of years now and it rarely delves into the RFTH stuff. And they manage to incorporate the personal stuff a bit more comfortably than the other two have. The stuff with Goren's mom and brother just seemed forced and McCoy's daughter just came out of mowhere last week on L&O (much like Serena's lesbianism).
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May 2, 2007 4:53 PM
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While I love all the Goren/Eames episodes, this was not one of their better stories. Usually, the best part of the show is the last few minutes when Goren aided by his partner and the Captain does his thing and psychologically manipulates the suspect into confessing. Last night's closing was almost perfunctory. Well, we have to tie it all up for the viewers so let's get it over with.
I'm thinking if LO:CI is not going to be back next year (oh, no...please, please, please bring it back), the least they can do is give us die-hard fans some really great episodes the rest of this season.
Criminal Intent is my favorite show ever and I can watch the episodes over and over again. Some people say that this season is an improvement over past seasons because of a change in leadership, but I am disappointed that TPTB decided to tone down Goren's personality and quirks. I don't know if it supposed to be explained by the fact that his mother is ill, but I think they could have introduced the more personal side of his life without diminishing the things that make Goren such a unique and appealing character.
I totally agree with the people who don't care very much for the ripped from the headlines stories. That is not what CI is all about. A lot of the earlier episodes were based on true crime stories that as Buffy Freak said were little known outside their immediate areas. But even using tabloid fodder as a jumping off point, the writers used to write much more compelling stories. The stories used to make you really care about the characters, even those who committed sometimes unthinkable crimes. I did not care one bit about any of the characters in this episode.
Another thing I noticed watching the older eps is that the stories used to be about all kinds of people. Has any one else noticed the last two seasons that especially with the Goren/Eames stories that they involve the rich, famous and privileged? I guess that's to accomodate the "special" guest stars who can only play themselves. Ooh, did I really say that?
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May 2, 2007 4:54 PM
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Well, if Major Case is going to be involved, wouldn't that necessarily be about the rich, famous and privileged? Otherwise, the case would be assigned Andy Sipowicz out in the precinct.
The one thing I really liked about this episode was that it opened like the older episodes used to: a bunch of disjointed vignettes which gave you the clues to figure out who the killer was...or at least allowed you to eliminate who it wasn't. This season most of the "cold opens" have been standard issue from the L&O and SVU. I miss the disjointed vignettes. I even remember a few where they showed us who the killer was and it was a matter of figuring out why or how Bobby was going to put the pieces together.
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May 3, 2007 11:50 AM
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Did anyone recognize the cover of Fever that was used in the opening montage? I would like to get my hands on it.
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May 3, 2007 5:43 PM
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So Todd your a shipper? at least it seems that way with the comment about Eames' smile
I thought it was an OK episode and having read that the Warren Leight called it the calm before the storm I'm looking forward to endgame (thought the title scares me)
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May 3, 2007 8:53 PM
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What is all the fuss about the Goren character? He's annoying. Pushes his way into people's homes against their wishes, touches personal property without permission, and browbeats suspects in the interrogation room. Haven't their lawyers ever heard the pat:"We're done here" or "This interviews's over." No, they just sit there while he badgers them. Eames? Nasty little woman. The new captain? Is he actually an actor? And tonight's story was lame. Hey!! I just convinced myself not to waste my time on this joke show anymore.
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May 4, 2007 9:30 AM
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