TV.com

show: Law & Order: Criminal Intent

episode: Senseless

The Bottom Line: "Perfect"

After a horrible installment the week before, this one came back and reminded me why I love "CI." This one really went back to basics, showing the series as it originally was. We know all along who committed the crime. The excitement comes from watching Logan and Fallaci solve it.

I have to admit, this one was a tear jerker. It was obviously ripped from the headlines of the Newark shooting of last year where three young, bright African-American students were senselessly murdered. Watching the community as well as the cops come to terms with this brings on emotions you rarely feel from television today.

Chris Noth was wonderful in this episode. Logan has evolved so much character wise since his first appearance on "Law & Order" in 1990. While he can still be a hot head, he is much more controlled and rational than he once was. Alicia Witt is beginning to grow on me. I'm not sure if I want her to leave when Julianne Nicholson returns from maternity leave. I'm really beginning to like the Logan/Fallaci episodes more than the Goren/Eames ones, simply because the Logan/Fallaci episodes seem to stay true to the "CI" formula better. Logan has turned into a character very similar to Goren in the first five seasons, something I never would have expected when he came on the show in season five due to his past on "Law & Order." The transition has been magnificent, however, and tonight just proved how well the transition has come.

show: Law & Order

episode: Called Home

The Bottom Line: "Superb"

After seeing the way "SVU" and "CI" are being handled this season, I was really scared to see how the first episode of the mother ship would be handled. Between a twenty minute scene on "SVU" featuring Elliot's pregnant wife in a car accident and an entire episode of "CI" devoted to Goren's nephew where not much happens other than Goren completely flipping out of character, both spin-offs have been handled horribly this season. So, I wasn't expecting much out of the mother ship, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The plot is nothing new. We've seen assisted suicide episodes ever since season one's "The Reaper's Helper." What keeps it fresh is each one has a little different perspective on the issue. "The Reaper's Helper" was about assisting the death of AIDS patients. This one was about medical professionals assisting suicides with a bit of a lesson of journalism ethics thrown in. The fact that one of the victims was Lupo's brother was a wonderful way to introduce him and give him some characterization right off the bat.

And about the changes...

I think they've finally found a balance with Lupo they haven't had since Jerry Orbach left. I personally liked Fontana but I know a lot of people strongly disliked him. They had the right idea with Cassidy: quit trying to replace Briscoe and find a new formula; unfortunately, with her, they just had a horrible character. Lupo brings an edge to the show and reminds me to a degree of Logan during the first five seasons. He's rough around the edges and that should make for some interesting episodes.

I think I'm going to love Cutter. Although I've always liked McCoy, I loved Ben Stone. With Cutter, I really sense a bit of Ben Stone in him. Stone always was more concerned with getting justice than he was about being popular with his boss or the public and was unwavering. Cutter really reminds me of Stone in that way. It should be refreshing to see a new perspective in the DA's office after fourteen years.

I don't know yet about how I feel about McCoy as DA. They need to find a way to get him to have a conversation with Ruberosa or Cutter and tell them why he suddenly reversed his position he gave Branch in last year's season finale: that he wasn't a politician and would never be DA. It will be interesting seeing how he reacts to Cutter. After fourteen years being a pain to Schiff, Levin, and Branch, the tables are turned; now he's the boss and he has an Executive ADA doing things he doesn't approve of.

I'm glad Ruberosa is back as ADA this season. She was a fine addition to the cast last season and it will be interesting to see how she balances her professional relationships between McCoy and Cutter this season.

All in all, I think the season premiere was not only good, it was superb. They're really going back to basics and rediscovering what the show was about and did not succumb to the soap opera feel that has enveloped "SVU" and "CI." I'm a bit concerned they're running it opposite "CSI:NY" but I really hope that old viewers who stopped watching when Jerry Orbach left will give it another chance. It definitely deserves it.

show: Law & Order: Criminal Intent

episode: Untethered

The Bottom Line: "Bad"

Oh, how do I not like this episode? Let me count the ways! Let me start by reminding you what kind of show CI USED to be. The show was all about Goren solving crimes in his eccentric, yet ultra-logical way. Dick Wolf once described Goren as being like Sherlock Holmes. And, like another classic crime solver, Columbo, Goren often tricked the criminal into revealing himself by making the criminal think he knew less than he did.

Since the departure of Jamey Sheridan and Courtney B. Vance from the cast, there has been a noticble shift in story telling to attempt to force personal details about the characters' lives into the story. Last season's arc featuring Goren's mother was bad, but at least it was in the context of other cases Goren was working on at the time. This was horrible.

We have an entire episode bascially about Goren's brother and nephew, whom he never knew he had all these nineteen years (talk about reverse Chuck Cunningham syndrome!). There has been a crime commited, but it is not the NYPD's jurisdiction to solve. Hell, even after Goren goes undercover against Ross' orders, he still doesn't solve it and almost becomes a victim himself!

Even with the nephew, we don't get full resolution. He escapes prison and Goren goes looking for him, only to have the scene end abrubtly in Times Square. It's obvious they're setting us up for another multi story family arc. What was the whole point to that?

Whoever's idea it was to change the Law & Order series should be fired. First on SVU, we had a twenty minute scene involving Elliott's wife in a car accident. Now, Goren's drug addict brother and nephew he never knew he had. Give me a break!

show: Law & Order

episode: The Family Hour

The Bottom Line: "Superb"

The season for Law & Order ended on a high note. McCoy found his ethics being tested, Cassady found herself not being believed because of her reputation, and Dr. Rodgers was crucial to winning the case for the prosecution. The episode will fit perfectly with Milena Govich and Fred Thompson not returning for the new season.