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Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 5 Episode 4

Unchained

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8.4

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 10/16/05

When a cop's son is murdered by the mob, Logan and Barek realize that young Joe Long had been killed by mistake. Their investigation leads them to two rival mafia families, but it isn't long before Logan begins to believe that the true criminals aren't the mobsters, but the cops on their payroll. As the investigation narrows down to one main officer, Barek and Logan are faced with the difficult task of forcing the man's daughter to turn against him to get what they want. When the officer and his lawyer bring Logan's stormy history into play, even Deakins takes pause with his decision to have Logan on his force.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

I defy anyone to summarize this in 50 or fewer words!

5.0

By Janer1, Oct 07, 2011

I once had a discussion about the Single Sentence Rule - that all great fiction could be synopsized in a single sentence (Hamlet: Tormented prince confronts madness and betrayal as he plots to avenge his father's death; The Old Man and the Sea: Old fisherman struggles to reel in the big one - you get the idea).

There is a difference between complex and convoluted. I watched the entire episode and I had no idea what was going on, and by the time I thought I sort of got it, I didn't care. The father-pimping-his-daughter storyline was utterly unconvincing. Evil may be incomprehensible, but it is not without motivation - those fine distinctions seem to be lost on the writers here.

Looking at the other ratings for this ep, I am feeling quite generous - I'll stick with the 5 though - I like Annabella Sciorra - but I think it's going to take more than a switch to Friday nights to recharge this show.moreless
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The bottom line is that this episode would of been better if the original cast members played the parts. This is first time I've been bored with a Law and Order episode. It seemed to drag. There was no real drama or suspense.moreless

4.1

By prieta16, Oct 07, 2011

I just watched this episode after taping it on my DVR. Why did they change the cast? One of the reasons that I look forward to watching L&O CI is because of the mindset of Vincent D\'Onofrio and how he handles each situation. But this season, whenever Det. Goren and Det. Eames are not on, it's very disappointing. This episode probably would of been better if Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe were playing the parts. I was never so bored. I missed Detective Goren's sense of analysis and psychological way of thinking and getting into the criminals minds. Det. Logan is dry and his parter Det. Barek is even worse.moreless
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Sleepin' with the Fishes

8.5

By pretty_sure, Jun 13, 2011

Ok, so other then the fact that the original cast wasn't I part of this episode, I still thought it was a good case. I'm try to make sure I like this show, because this is the last crime show I haven't seen every episode of.

Now, dirty cop episodes are normally difficult to watch, because they spend more time getting railroaded about investigating a cop, then accually solving the case, but this episode had a little bit of that, but they kept to the story pretty well. I thought there was some great acting there at the end when they trick the bad guy into confessing. All in all, and AMAZING EPISODE! :)moreless
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dem dese and dose

7.0

By Mike_Hobart, Jun 03, 2010

This is the first time in a while that any of the Law And Order shows have had such traditional old-style Mob guys in it. These overweight badly-dressed killers are light years away from some of the perps that customarily inhabit the L&O universe -- the only thing missing is the cement shoes and we get darn close to that in one of the early scenes. Fans of the old cop show \"High Incident\" will get a nasty surprise when they find that one of their old favorites has switched sides and is now working for the other side. But all in all, quite a tolerable episode.moreless
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L&O CI,yes theres nothing new with cops being turned by the mob but no there are not too many sons being mistaken for mob snitchs and cops offering their daughters up for freebies or disgrace coming back and back to a cop. Either hes dead or retired.moreless

9.0

By septlefty, Oct 18, 2005

This episode was an old story with a new twist here and there. Bad cops yes but to mistake a good cops son for a mob rat sort of new. Bad cop selling out a stripper or prostitute but not his daughter. Good cop with a disgraced reputation yes but to hang with them no. I thought it was clever and especially when the mobs men glanced up at each other when the kid said his dad was a cop as he hit the deck and slid into the water.It was a good start for Logan at the beginning of the new episodes with him being in half the episodes. To show that no matter what he had to take in the public he was going to do what he needed to do to get to the bottom of the case. Though he had to do a little two-faced detective work it was solved.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Chris Noth	Det. Mike Logan
Annabella Sciorra	Det. Carolyn Barek
Jamey Sheridan	Capt. James Deakins
Courtney B. Vance	A.D.A. Carver

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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David Keith	Officer Mark Virgini	Guest Star
Nick Sandow	Detective Albert Kirkoff	Guest Star
Kelly Karbacz	Renata Virgini	Guest Star
Leslie Hendrix	Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (3)
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- Mike Logan: Bartoli's right; it's easy to forget he's a cop.
  Carolyn Barek: It's even easier to forget he's a father.
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- (At a veterinary clinic in Pennsylvania.)
  Phil Bartoli: It was a gun-cleaning accident.
  Carolyn Barek: Oh, so you're hiding out in Amish country?
  Phil Bartoli: I'm not hiding. They got good medical care out here.
  Mike Logan: Well yeah, if you're a cow.
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- Mike Logan: A cop working for the mob. How low can you go?
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- This episode appears to be ripped from the headlines of the Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa case. In March of 2005, the two men, retired police officers, were arrested and charged with racketeering, obstruction of justice, murder (eight counts) and conspiracy to commit murder. It is believed the men worked for the Lucchese crime family in New York. Both officers were convicted of murder and racketeering charges in June 2006.
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