Law & Order: Criminal Intent (1 Viewer)

[ChristopherS]

I saw the series premier tonight and am already hooked.
When I read about this series earlier I was not sure if it would work, but I thought it was great. The actors playing the police officers, and the ADA were all quite good. There did not appear to be any weak link in this episode, good story, good acting.

I think I will now be watching this Law & Order instead of the original (which for me is becoming old hat).
Chris

 

[David Williams]

A third helping of L&O (as if there wasn't enough on tv for the L&O junkie!) that knocked one out of the park... Criminal Intent was 10x better than I was expecting, mostly due to the dynamic duo of D'Onofrio and Erbe. The original L&O still makes for satisfying viewing, even when its not totally electrifying (as long as Jerry Orbach is on L&O I'll be watching). Their season premiere was less than what I expected and I have serious doubts about Elizabeth Rohm's ADA Serena Sutherlin. I'll take a few more eps before I make up my mind, but Angie Harmon is already sadly missed!
Special Victims Unit had a solid season premiere with a somewhat predictable plot saved by the good acting of Amy Irving. I've decided that SVU is more a guest-flavored show, i.e. they emphasize the guest character over the cast vs. L&O and CI. But the cast on SVU is solid and as long as the stories are engaging, I'll be turning in. (Must have more B.D. Wong! )
I am already mourning the 3 series' crossover, but hopefully Mr. Wolf will put something else together in time for the May sweeps.

 

[Kevin Leonard]

It was OK. Perhaps I wasn't bowled over because this show didn't follow the standard L&O format (detectives enter a murder scene that took place offscreen, the DA takes over the second half, the famous "dunh-dunh" noise ). However, Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe were great, while Courtney B. Vance made the most of his small screen time. The always great Jamey Sheridan, however, was criminally (pun intended) underused.
Overall, it was a decent debut. I'll certainly watch it again, but for now my opinion is that of a slight letdown. I will say though, that Dianne Wiest's cameo was an unexpected (and welcome) surprise.
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Have you ever noticed anyone driving slower than you is an idiot? And anyone driving faster than you is a maniac!! - George Carlin
ICQ: 55259446 (or just search for "John Shaft"...can you dig?)
[Edited last by Kevin Leonard on October 01, 2001 at 12:12 AM]

 

[Keith I]

This the only thread I could find with just the show name in the title.

Tonight's (2/15/05) episode featuring the return of Det. Mike Logan was really good. The stand-down in the end between Goren/Logan and the prison guards was intense. Words are mightier than the sword, indeed. Logan's actions and facial expressions at the very end of this scene were priceless.

The story was nothing spectacular (abusive prison guards) but this scene proves that strong characterization really works. I'm glad Logan was behaving in that manner because it really contrasted Eames and Goren's style. Loved his "Ten more years in Staten Island would have been worth it" line.

I was also starting to lose interest in L&O:CI but with the addition of Logan to the team might strengthen the stories.

-

 

[chuck_b]

Interesting also to check out any changes in D'Onofrio...remember he had "health" issues right after the recent election. They seem to be eluding that he was really off-kilter and maybe Noth was brought in in case he goes totally nuts (which would actually fit his Goren characters state).

 

[Jason Seaver]

I can't really say I'm a fan of Noth in this episode; it seems like he was playing a caricature of the Logan from the original series and Exiled.

I'm also very skeptical of the plan to tag-team him and D'onofrio next season - they're supposed to alternate episodes, each doing 11, although I expect there will be a few weeks where both appear. Does this mean Katherine Erbe will only be in every other episode (and that they'll perhaps bring back Samantha Buck to be Logan's partner)?

 

[Mark Maltais]

Not sure what they're going to do here. I'm a big fan of Noth, can barely stand D'Onofrio (at least his character anyways), I mean the guy picks up a piece of dog shit on the ground and can tell you what kind of dog it is, how long it's been there and what the dog ate. That drives me nuts.
I liked when Noth was looking at the books on the desk and kinda rolled his eyes..made him seem like he's thinking WTF??? I do like the story lines in CI but bringing back Noth would be icing on the cake. And what's with D'Onofrio..he looked like he lost about 30 lbs in this episode

 

[chuck_b]

As mentioned above, I think D'Onofrio's weight loss was a direct reaction to Kerry's loss :wink:

 

[LarryDavenport]

As mentioned above, I think D'Onofrio's weight loss was a direct reaction to Kerry's loss

You mean direct reaction to 4 more years of GW. (I can hear this thread closing).

Anyways, I like both characters and look forward to seeing how they handle it, but I think that Logan should get his own partner.

 

[Keith I]

And Logan will! According to E! Entertainment:

Annabella Sciorra has signed on to play Detective Carolyn Barek, partner to Chris Noth's Mike Logan.

Looks interesting ... on paper.

 

[LarryDavenport]

Except that once again L&O screws up continuity! Annabella Sciorra played an unscrupulous defense attorney in the first episode of L&O: TBJ this past year. Last night on the season finally of L&O: SVU there was a joke about "Mulder & Scully", despite Belzer playing Det. Munch on an episode of The X-Files. And I've seen countless actors from Homicide show up on L&O's despite the many L&O/Homicide crossovers that there were. (The judge in an episode I recently saw on TBJ played the bartender of Homicide's "The Waterfront" and was Munch's last ex-wife).

I know I seem like I'm nitpicking, but I have been having a seasons 1-6 Homicide marathon at my apartment these past few weeks and I am reminded, despite how much I like L&O, that Homicide was SOOOOOOOOO much better and they were sticklers for continuity (one of the episodes I watched last night was about a prison riot and most of the prisoners they interviewed had appeared as perps in previous seasons).

(Semi-related, am I the only one who has noticed how many actors from The Practice were first on episodes of L&O?)

 

[Jason Seaver]

Except that once again L&O screws up continuity! Annabella Sciorra played an unscrupulous defense attorney in the first episode of L&O: TBJ this past year.

And Jerry Orbach's first part on the show was as a defense attorney. And S. Epertha Merkerson first appeared in another role, too.
I get the impression Wolf & company think continuity is a useful tool, but not something that should ever stop them from casting an actor they like or telling a story they're interested in - heck, didn't characters talk last week about a case "bringing back the death penalty" despite the fact that, in the L&O universe, New York has apparently had captial punishment for years?
And, besides, they made almost eighty episodes last season, and 66 most years. There's a good pool of actors in New York, but re-using some is almost inevitable.
EDIT: Besides, they never said Munch's name in that episode of The X-Files. Would have been a better joke if Diane Neal hadn't dyed her hair, though.

 

[Paul McElligott]

And I've seen countless actors from Homicide show up on L&O's despite the many L&O/Homicide crossovers that there were.

Clayton LeBouef (Col. Barnfarther on H:LOTS) played a detective on last night's L&O:CI.

 

[LarryDavenport]

I caught that too. I'm watching Homicide (Season 5) right now and both Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe appeared in different episodes.

 

[Paul McElligott]

I caught that too. I'm watching Homicide (Season 5) right now and both Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe appeared in different episodes.

 

[LarryDavenport]

Courtney Vance (the ADA on L&O:CI) played two different parts on L&O in 1990 and 1995.
For the record, Homicide actors NOT playing their Homicide characters on the various L&Os:
Reed Diamond
Giancarlo Esposito
Peter Gerety
Melissa Leo
Callie Thorne
Ami Brabson
Zeljko Ivanek
Ellen McElduff
Clayton LeBouef
Walt MacPherson
BTW (main actors on The Practice who have appeared on L&O:
Steve Harris
Camryn Manheim (she played three different)
Michael Badalucco
Lisa Gay Hamilton (she was also on Homicide)
Kelli Williams
Jason Kravits (also on Homicide)
I guess if we add a couple more shows, like the CSI’s we could make a “Six Degrees of Separation” from Law & Order.