Law & Order: Criminal Intent

One

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired 9/30/01

Next
Episode

Episode Summary

Goren and Eames are called in when a jewelry heist leaves behind three bodies, two of them innocent bystanders. After ruling out mafia involvement, they realize the thefts are directly connected to recent credit card thefts and stolen identities. They're led to an extremely charismatic thief, and their only hope is convincing one of his partners to turn on him.moreless

9.0

EPISODE RATING: Superb

150 votes

Your Rating: 10

"Perfect"
Your Rating: 9.5

"Superb"
Your Rating: 9

"Superb"
Your Rating: 8.5

"Great"
Your Rating: 8

"Great"
Your Rating: 7.5

"Good"
Your Rating: 7

"Good"
Your Rating: 6.5

"Fair"
Your Rating: 6

"Fair"
Your Rating: 5.5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 4.5

"Poor"
Your Rating: 4

"Poor"
Your Rating: 3.5

"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

"Bad"
Your Rating: 2.5

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 2

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 1.5

"Abysmal"
Your Rating: 1

"Abysmal"

Rate It

Watch Online

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Vincent D'Onofrio

Det. Robert Goren
Kathryn Erbe

Det. Alexandra Eames
Jamey Sheridan

Capt. James Deakins

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

See All

I don't like this show.

1.0

"Abysmal"

By kittycat57, Dec 13, 2011 Report Abuse

Please read my review on Law & Order Criminal Intent. You will find it if you look on the reviews about this show. Just type in Law & Order Criminal Intent and just click reviews and you will find my review or just scroll through them all, it won't take to long though, might save you a few bucks if you decide to trade it in for something more serious. You will find out the reason why I don't like this show and why it's just plain terrible. There are way better shows out there believe me on this one.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
0 5
A very effective pilot

9.0

"Superb"

By Freticat, Oct 11, 2010 Report Abuse

As far as episodes that want to draw one into watching a series goes, this was superbly effective. From the very outset, the viewer wants to sympathize with the innocent victims, hate the coldness of the criminals and want to root for the boys and girl in blue as they try to set things right. However, this also sets the tone for Gorens' insufferably superior attitude, which is, to this day (Fall 2005) the major flaw in this otherwise well done series.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
1 7
An elaborate diamond heist leads to three dead, including one of the perps. Goren and Eames eventually haul in the mastermind's girlfriend and Goren convinces her that her bisexual partner has given her AIDS, leading to her betrayal of the thieves.moreless

9.7

"Superb"

By mjmkms, Sep 20, 2010 Report Abuse

Although I was already hooked on CI long before I finally saw this episode, I think that it would have done a very good job of hooking me by itself. The episode shows off several of Goren's most interesting oddities, such as his "Goren lean" and intuition about how to get criminals to turn their partners in. It also includes some of the ever-amusing civilian impersonations by Goren & Eames, this time with Goren as a store proprieter selling laminating machines. All in all, this was a great episode. I like how a bit more emphasis is put on Goren's more interesting facets than in some of the later episodes. A great watch!moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
6 0
I never see spin-off of "Law and Order" I must watch L&O: C.I." and "L&O: SVU" so beefore The first "L&O" title I not see a long time since in the mid-'90 . as well .moreless

10

"Perfect"

By dougtv, Sep 20, 2010 Report Abuse

Ok I will see what that about thye cops looking a muder weapon or killed people in the cases every episodes I not see the shows a long time . maybe I will watch the shows in the local cable tv every day. If the show go to DVD box sets I need .

DO YOU AGREE?
2 3
A pretty tightly woven story line with sharper than usual cinematography, (or maybe it's just that I haven't watched a network series in a decade, back when tvs had picture tubes.) Characters were nicely set up to evolve.moreless

9.0

"Superb"

By Firefligh, Sep 20, 2010 Report Abuse

I just started watching L&O CI last month and was eager to see the opening episode. Really have to disagree with the previous reviewer who lamented the setting up of the 'insufferably arrogant' Goren character. I thought the writers (and the actor) hit on an interesting mix of humility and hubris, confidence and complexity.

Consider the desire of Goren to first inform the parents of the victims before starting the investigation. The promise to find the killers could have been done with bravado, but D'Onofrio was all earnestness and concern. In fact, it was the Eames character that came across a bit supercilious in the opening episode - tho I enjoyed the touch of 'who the hell does this guy think he is 'tude, as well.

I liked the 'right-brained' remarks of Deakins and the cameo by Dianne Wiest which did a lot to move the audience toward what the Goren character will be about. I've seen a handful of rerun episodes over the past few weeks and am sorry I never watched the originals. Very intriguing portrayal by Vincent D, imo.

The story line was fine, but I didn't appreciate the titillation value of the anal sex angleI'm realistic enough to understand tho, that that is how a program draws in the prurient interests. I don't watch L and O SVU because 'vice' crime lines don't interest me like 'mysteries' do..and I appreciate that CI evidently didn't wallow in that direction.
moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
3 0

Write a Review

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- Unlike many episodes that follow this one, this episode actually involves a crime that would be investigated by the real Major Case squad (the crime being a commercial burglary worth over $100,000) Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- International Titles: • Brazil "Lei e Ordem: Crimes Premeditados" ("Law & Order: Deliberate Crimes") • Croatia "Red i zakon: kriminalna namjera" • Finland "Kova laki: Rikollinen mieli" ("Tough Law: Criminal Mind") • France "New York - Section criminelle" ("New York - Criminal Section") • Germany "Criminal Intent - Verbrechen im Visier" ("Criminal Intent - Sights set on Crime") • Greece "Nomos kai taxi - Astynomikes istories" ("Law and Order: Police Stories") • Italy "Criminal Intent" • Portugal "Lei & Ordem: Intenções Criminosas" ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") • Serbia "Red i zakon: zlocinacke namere" • Spain "Ley y orden: Acción criminal" ("Law & Order: Criminal Action") • Sweden "I lagens namn: ur brottslig synvinkel" ("In the Name of the Law: From a Criminal Point of View") Edit
- This episode was dedicated to the tragic events that happened on September 11, 2001. Edit
- In considering doing a new installment of the Law & Order series, creator Dick Wolf modelled Detective Robert Goren on famous literary detective Sherlock Holmes. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Mr. Wahdi: Over there were the Russians, 127 carats D and E, white, flawless. There it was Canadian pieces, 78 carats not the best quality, for earrings. And here, uncut stones I'd just brought back from London two weeks ago. One piece was 22 carats. Robert Goren: Altogether, 300, 350? Mr. Wahdi: Maybe, I cannot be sure. Robert Goren: Well, let's call it $300 million; you can beef it up later for the insurance. Edit
- Robert Goren: It could be a prison tattoo. Alex Eames: How could he get to prison without leaving his prints in the system? James Deakins: How'd my luggage wind up in Amarillo last Christmas? Edit
- Karl Atwood: (to Gia) You say you don't believe them? Prove it. Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- In the scene where Goren and Eames find the body in the trunk of the Cadillac, Goren discovers a small container with some of the stolen diamonds. He remarks "all that glitters" in referring to the diamonds. This is a common misquotation from Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene VII. The correct line is "all that glisters is not gold." Edit