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« Law & Order: Criminal Intent
February 27, 2007: 30
This was definitely a highlight of the season, but one that required you to pay very close attention. All the Law & Orders, of course, are known for their twisty-turny plots, but this episode had so many balls in the air, it was tough to keep an eye on each of them.
Interesting? Absolutely. But simply a lot of international intrigue and espionage to cram into one hour of TV, minus commercial breaks. If they ever made another Law & Order movie, this story might have been a good fit, but it was all a little much for 40-odd minutes of TV.
That said, it kept me guessing as to who was behind what, what their agendas were, who the real targets were — even who the good guys and bad guys were ('cause it’s hardly ever that simple, is it?).
With so much happening on a global scale — from Palestinian terrorists to Israeli nationalists to (fake) ex-KGB agents — it was a good idea to give Logan a personal connection to Radioactive Man. Their history provided a nice entry point into a complex story, and kept it anchored in the Criminal Intent universe. Plus, watching RM rapidly decline over the course of an hour was appropriately difficult (and a little disgusting) to watch, even if he wasn’t the most sympathetic murder victim. I mean, can we have just one episode where a murder witness, perpetrator or victim isn’t cheating on his/her wife/husband? Is the adultery rate really that high?
Also of note: We finally got some real insight into Captain Danny — those scenes with his “Israeli connection” featured some real acting from Bogosian, and gave the character a depth that was decidedly lacking before — as did his tense and passionate exchange with the semi-racist Logan about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Once again, those two seemed just on the verge of coming to blows before Wheeler intervened, but at least this time it was fueled by more than ego and testosterone.
So overall, a good episode — sidestepping the usual formula and breaking up the procedural monotony with a more cinematic, less single-focused approach worked quite well for me. But next week, I’ll be ready for a simple open-and-shut case.
Next Week: It’s back to repeats again, with a short trip down memory lane that flashes all the way back to the first episode of Season 6. Of course, I missed this one the first time around, so it will be “new to me” — whatever happened to that NBC slogan, anyway? Didn’t catch on like that whole “pre-owned” thing, did it? Hmmm.
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Feb 27, 2007 10:39 PM
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Plenty of twist and turns tonight. About half-way through I gave up trying to figure out where this one was going and just let the plot unfold. Glad I did. A teacher that became a martyr that was set-up but was in actuality a mole. Yeah, saw that one coming. I’m still not sure if I have all the players straight. Will definitely be re-watching this one again.
Lee Tergesen was great as usual. (I still remember him from Homicide: Life on the Street. )
Bogosian was a little more animated tonight but I’m glad he’s not in that many scenes. I can only take him in small doses. And does Bogosian get along with any of his male subordinates? Tonight’s face-off with Logan was intense.
One of the best episodes of the season.
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Feb 28, 2007 2:03 AM
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This was an okay episode. I was a bit bored with the Plutonium (whatever) 210 ?? poisoning though because I saw it last week on NCIS! Is this stuff popular in the news right now?
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Feb 28, 2007 3:01 AM
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I liked this episode, not for the story itself but for some of what I call the "nuances". I just like the feel of the show, and the way they are actually using the sights of NYC to enhance the show. The scene by the bridge was a great shot of the bridge, for example. It just makes the story seem more real.
The story itself was a little complicated, but I think that added to the interest.
I think I figured out what is wrong with Bogosian. Even when he's upset about something, his body seems rigid. I would have expected him, during the one scene where he was clearly mad at Logan, that he would have used his hands or some body movement to enhance what he was saying. The guy is just a statue, and that is really a detractor.
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Feb 28, 2007 7:39 AM
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Don't normally watch CI; Lee Tergesen guesting drew me in and did not disappoint...I'd just love to know how much of the Sara Myers subplot was based on true theory and/or fact. I'm guessing they were modeling it after Rachel Corrie, and the insinuations they made shocked me.
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Feb 28, 2007 9:18 AM
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Todd~ I can't believe you missed the Season 6 opener ("Blind Spot")! I think you will really like it - it was definitely my favorite episode this season. Martha Plimpton was perfect and the scene between her and Goren at the end warrants repeated watchings. Fine acting from D'Onofrio as Goren trys to hold it together...but I won't give anything away. Riveting though. Happy viewing!
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Feb 28, 2007 10:44 AM
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The episode was convoluted, but when the Israel was mentioned, I paid more attention. I am half Israeli with Israeli citizenship due to birthright and 90% of my dad's family is there. I was more than a little irritated at Logan implying that Israel kills innocents arbitrarily, yet the supposed Jewish captain said nothing. If someone verbally attacks Israel, I always point out their flawed logic. Once again, perhaps the writers are relying on the American news agencies and not the other side of the news story. I know it's only a fictional TV show, but...
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Feb 28, 2007 12:14 PM
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Katneedsin - Definitely agree with you about next week's episode "Blind Spot". It is the best one of the season.(and one of my all-time favorite CIs.) John Glover is great too as Goren's former mentor. Looking forward to next weeks blog.
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Feb 28, 2007 4:44 PM
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