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« Law & Order: Criminal Intent
March 27, 2007: Players
Here’s the thing about giving your detectives more backstories: They can’t come at the expense of interesting cases, which are always the driving force behind every Law & Order incarnation. But that’s exactly what’s been happening on Criminal Intent lately. Surrounding nearly every emotional glimpse into Det. Bobby’s troubled family life, there has been a by-the-numbers case that wouldn’t have stood so well on its own, but was buoyed by the “behind-the-scenes” drama.
And tonight’s episode was the best (or worst) example of this problematic duality I've seen yet. On the one hand, we had a whole bunch of clichés: another semi-rapper-related killing, more spoiled rich kids turned criminals, and such a convoluted web of motives and machinations, it was hard to keep all the “players” straight, let alone care. And that rapper’s name was Apocalypto? Seriously? Of course, it’s a well-known fact that nothing gets you more street cred than naming yourself after a Mel Gibson flick. Though, come to think of it, Braveheart, Mad Max and even Lethal Weapon wouldn’t make terrible rap monikers. Bird on a Wire, not so much....
Anyway, getting back to the other hand, we had Wheeler’s interesting backstory involving her not-so-dear and possibly departed father, a semi-crooked lawyer mixed up with a whole lot of the criminal element. While this all could have been fleshed out a little more (and possibly will be in the future), it did give Julianne Nicholson some dramatic opportunities, which she seized on in an appropriately Wheeler fashion.
Seeing the usually steely detective’s face fall and tears well up in her eyes as that wine merchant talked about all the ways Mr. Wheeler had been there for him growing up was truly painful watch. And that closing scene, which featured a graceful camera pullback revealing a field of freshly reopened mob graves — with old bones spread out on tables — was haunting, both in its imagery and its possible implications for Wheeler.
So “Players” was a mixed bag, to say the least. This exchange pretty much sums up my feelings about tonight’s episode. My wife, a very occasional Law & Order watcher, asked me, “How was the show?” My response: “Eh. Next week looks good.”
Speaking of... Next Week: A killer targeting deaf women should make for an interesting case. This idea has been done before on the big screen — anyone remember Marlee Matlin’s Hear No Evil? Anyone? — and probably on the small screen, too. But I’ll take a somewhat-gimmicky, straight-ahead thriller over a convoluted mishmash any day of the week. Bring on the G&E.
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Mar 27, 2007 10:50 PM
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Well, Todd I partially agree with you. I thought the back story about Wheeler's father was an interesting mystery in itself but I also found this week's murder story to be just as compelling. Fortunately, I really didn't have any trouble keeping all the suspects straight. I especially liked how this episode went back and forth as far as motive went. Was it to get back at the judge or was it because the son got into something he shouldn't have? Or a combination of both? The ending was one I didn't see coming. I thought for sure the Dad or Granddad was involved somehow. I also didn't expect the Dad would have his son take responsibility for his actions. Nice to see that happen for a change.
Overall this season of CI has been one of its best.
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Mar 28, 2007 2:47 AM
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I guess I was a little confused about all the convoluted lies that kept spinning out at the end of the episode. So did the lawyer's kid actually shoot the judge's kid for revenge for his grandfather? Or did the judge's kid actually get shot in the holdup attempt like the lawyer's kid said, but the lawyer's kid dumped the body even though he was still alive (with the playing card for some reason)? Kind of a mess there at the end if you ask me, and some not very good acting by the lawyer's kid.
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Mar 28, 2007 10:30 AM
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tdean- the judge's kid was shot by the court officer after the lawyer's son shot at the court officer while trying to rob him. Although the judge's son was still alive, the lawyer's son refused to take him to the hospital, and dumped him in front of the courthouse, leaving him there to die.
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Mar 28, 2007 11:48 AM
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This has been my favorite show for years and it really bugs me that NBC goes for a month or more between new episodes. I will be furious if the show gets cancelled because "no one is watching", as how can you watch something when you have no idea when a new epidsode will run? Thank goodness for my TiVo.
That said, this episode was a rare one where I didn't figure out who the killer was, so, was a surprise. I don't care enough about Wheeler to care about her personal life yet. Lord knows I've waited 5 years to finally learn more about Goren's life and want MORE episodes with him.
I like Logan but CI is at it's best with Bobby and Alex!
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Mar 28, 2007 1:48 PM
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Why is it that I never remember to tape this show when Edgar (I mean Bobby) is on? I like Chris Noth, but Gorrin & Eams are this show for me.
I don't watch much any more, I know I can catch it in reruns, so it's not in my urgency file.
This episode was weak for me. I knew who did it right away. Saw that it was those poser kids - they just seemed to obvious. Very disappointing for me.
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Mar 28, 2007 2:24 PM
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L&O:CI is my FAVORITE show and that hasn't changed. I am OK with Logan and Wheeler, but I prefer the Goren/Eames episodes.
I am really happy the storylines are getting into the back-stories of the characters. I think it helps to see how the characters approach their cases and one another. I feel this is especially true with the character of Bobby Goren. No one can question his intelligence and he has his strange quirks, but there is baggage from his past as well as stuff going on now, and it definitely affects his interaction with others -- especially authority figures. I find him most compassionate with those who are most vulnerable. He "gets" it. And it seems like he goes out of his way to help/solve problems even though he cannot do so with his own. But then, it is always easier to help fix someone else's problems than it is to fix your own. I notice that Bobby appears to brush off anyone wanting to get close to help him (understandable with Captain Ross, but puzzling when he blew off Eames trying to help him on more than one occasion). But like a lot of people, I think Bobby would rather be the "helper" than the "helpee". I am not a psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, but Bobby Goren is a man in need of a hug at the very least . . . and I would happily volunteer!
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Mar 28, 2007 4:48 PM
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Logan and Wheeler have great chemistry. It was noticeable from their first episode together, and I think it just gets better with each one.
I thought this was a fantastic episode that kept me interested. The side story about Wheeler's dad interested me. I felt just horrible for Wheeler when the wine store guy went on about spending all that time with Wheeler's father.
Eric Bogosian was actually not bothersome in thie episode - meaning he seemed a little more human and a little less rigid.
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Mar 29, 2007 7:25 AM
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So did Grandpa put the lawyer's son up to getting close to the judge's son in order to get something on the judge? Did they dump the judge's son at the courthouse in order to pin it on the rapper? Even though the lawyer's son was a "wangsta" who (may have) wanted Apocalypto to get a lighter sentence? And if he wanted to pin the shooting on Apocalypto, why drop the playing card? Why was he carrying the playing card?
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Mar 29, 2007 11:54 AM
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I love the info we got in the past in snippets about these charachters lives, (Eames got $50 for a prom dress--and was voted prom queen for being so well-adjusted, and, after taking a high school psychological test, Goren had to go to the office and see a counselor) but I do appreciate the personal info being given now. Goren and Eames have been together 5 years and of course they care about each other's situations. It is good to see them interacting about things.
And Cissy, I am right behind you in line to give Goren a hug. He needs one or two!
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Mar 29, 2007 7:48 PM
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I liked this episode better than the last two Logan/Wheeler ones - the one about the murdered rapper and the polonium poisoning. I'm glad they gave us some back story on Wheeler. It makes you care a little more about the character. With Barek last year, they didn't really give us anything to care about.
I thought the crime story itself was interesting as well. I like the stories where the detectives interview different people and find new clues as they go along. Sometimes, it seems like they are just carried along with the events in a story like with Weeping Willow and 30. They don't so much detect as they do react to the events. This seems to happen more with Logan/Wheeler than Goren/Eames.
Sheldon: I'm no psychologist either, but I thought the lawyer's son did what he did because he was rebelling against his father. He is at that age where he is trying to become his own person and he identified with his grandfather more than his father. He probably thought the stories his grandfather told him about his old crew were exciting and he wanted to have his own crew and do petty crimes like his grandfather did. Maybe he had the card with him as a memento from his grandfather and remembered his grandfather's crew left the cards on their victims, so when he left the judge's son to die he put it on his body.
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Mar 29, 2007 8:14 PM
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Speaking of tomorrow's episode, "The Silencer" is nowhere near as gimmicky as Marlee Matlin's "Hear No Evil".
Tune in with open-mindedness!
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Apr 2, 2007 11:38 AM
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