Law And Order Criminal Intent

Playing Dead
$1.99
I am recommending the whole season eight of this series not just this episode.

When I started this series this season, I really thought this was it for me. I was really getting tired of Goren's (Donofrio's) routine with these killers. I had his shtick down so well that I could almost deliver the lines along with him. Eames and he were really getting stale. This series has also tried just about every female actress it can find to pair up with the second detective.

Then everyone finally got smart. They gave up on other females and began using Eames with both male detectives. Jeff Goldblum replaced Chris Noth and, much to my surprise, is really pretty good in this series. This is another instance where someone who was known almost solely for feature film work deigned to move into television. This used to be considered unthinkable, that it was a definite step down in one's acting career. Those rules now appear to be out the window. It really should come as no surprise that an actor who managed to succeed in feature film can do well in television. Goldblum is developing all the traits for this character and he is very interesting as a character. Goldblum also has the most range of any actor on this series. When he has a poignant moment or a silent moment, he really knows how to play it for maximum effect. The others do not have this power behind their acting chops.

Eric Bosognian also does a very good job as the one in charge and I can't really say I miss his predecessor. Frankly, I suspect you could just have Goldblum as the detective at this point and the series would take on a whole new life. For those who don't know the difference between this L&O and the others, the emphasis on this show is solving the case. There is virtually no emphasis on taking the case to trial and winning it. Typically the case is so sewn up that only a fool for a prosecutor could lose it. The other L&O's make the prosecution of the case just as big a part of the show as the solving of the case. Thus, this L&O can actually be like most other detective shows on tv, which the other ones cannot because they have more of an ensemble factor.

Law & Order Criminal Intent - The First Year
$59.98
The Law & Order series never really appealed to me that much. My only experience with it was the few crossover episodes with Homicide: Life on the Street. I didn't much care for the L&O characters or the concept of half a show in the courtroom. But when I was looking for a new series to watch, Criminal Intent caught my eye and I purchased it. I have been more than pleasantly rewarded!

The first ten minutes or so of each Criminal Intent episode shows the crime (or at least part of it) and the rest of the show is the solving of the crime (usually with a couple surprises or turns you don't expect). The formula works well. Vincent D'Onofrio does an outstanding job playing Detective Robert Goren. His style is a unique blend of quirky intuitiveness, perp manipulation and energy. And many of the interrogation scenes are almost as good as in Homicide: Life on the Street. Then there's Kathryn Erbe (as his sidekick Alex Eames) and IMO she is very very nice to look at. Put it together for 22 episodes and you have a really good TV show. I've already started watching season 2.

Law & Order Criminal Intent - The Third Year
$59.98
To my chagrin, I had ordered this dvd of the 3rd season of Law & Order Criminal Intent by mistake. So I emailed Mediablasters to let them know and sent the dvd back. I am still waiting to hear back from them about crediting back my mastercard since they will not be having the 4th season on dvd. Can someone contact me. I did my part.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season Four
$59.98
At last a long awaited additional season of, I think one of the best Law and Order series. The interaction of all the actors make it work. Vincent D'Onofrio is great as the conflicted Goren.