Law & Order: Criminal Intent - "Purgatory" (spoilers)

[The Nth Doctor]

Still on leave from the force, Goren decides to tip the balance in his favor with an undercover operation.

At long last, Law & Order: Criminal Intent returns tonight at 9 PM on USA. According to Wikipedia (although it has no source), there are four more episodes (I'm pretty sure this part is correct): two Goren/Eames, one Logan/Falacci, and one Logan/Wheeler.

I had forgotten that Goren was on leave as of the previous episode because of his undercover operation into a jail suspected of abuse from correctional officers. It's cool to see that they'll be continuing this storyline.

 

[Aragorn]

Wow, I just realized (well, I think I already knew but it never really mattered to me) that USA HD is the east coast feed, meaning I can watch CI and Burn Notice three hours earlier and it'll still be light out when they're done!

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Wow, that was a very good episode. A somewhat different format than usual, but still quite true to the Criminal Intent spirit. I really liked how Goren used the situation to his advantage, but I am sorry that it damaged his trust with Eames (and the rest of the precinct). Hopefully this is something they'll work on for the rest of the season and into the next. I couldn't help but notice the progression of how Eames referred to Goren. From Bobby to Goren to "detective." Ouch.

Along with this great story, there's another major highlight in this episode: a mini Oz reunion. Kathryn Erbe is reunited with former cast members Dean Winters (Ryan O'Reily), Lauren Velez (Dr. Gloria Nathan), and Seth Gilliam (CO Clayton Hughes). Seeing them share various scenes (particularly Winters and Velez) was very cool. Also, it's interesting to note that Winters is the first to buck the Law & Order trend by starring in one of the shows and then guest star as a different character.

 

[Aragorn]

Logan is the one that put the rat in Goren's desk. The CI series finale will be a showdown between the two where only one will survive. And then their grief-stricken partners will turn to each other and become lesbian lovers.

 

[Christopher]

Boy, D'Onofrio looks a lot like Orson Welles, doesn't he? Even to the point of getting fatter as he ages. Come to think of it, he played Welles in Tim Burton's Ed Wood, I believe, except with Maurice LaMarche dubbing the voice.

I'm not that fond of the Goren-as-troubled-antihero approach. I prefer Goren-as-quirky-deductive-genius. Sure, sometimes the case-of-the-week approach gets repetitive, and I wouldn't mind a little more character exploration, but I think the last couple of episodes have gone too far into melodrama with too little mystery.

And what the heck was Eames doing for the past five months, anyway? Did she have a temp partner we missed seeing?

Weird coincidence: in this episode, in the autopsy scene, they mentioned the clock-without-hands tattoo as a symbol for doing prison time, and then later during a commercial, I switched over to the L&O:CI rerun on Bravo, and they had Goren noticing that the guy he was questioning had a clock-without-hands tattoo and pointing out that it gave away that he'd been in prison.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Logan is the one that put the rat in Goren's desk. The CI series finale will be a showdown between the two where only one will survive. And then their grief-stricken partners will turn to each other and become lesbian lovers.

Nah, I think Logan would be the one person who would be sympathetic.

Speaking of Logan, based on next week's trailer, I guess Falacci is gone now. Just as well. As much as I like Alicia Witt, I couldn't stand Falacci. I look forward to the triumphant return of Wheeler!

 

[Aragorn]

Would all hell have broken loose in L&O land if they had Winters playing his SVU character here?

 

[witchie]

Wow, that was a very good episode. A somewhat different format than usual, but still quite true to the Criminal Intent spirit. I really liked how Goren used the situation to his advantage, but I am sorry that it damaged his trust with Eames (and the rest of the precinct). Hopefully this is something they'll work on for the rest of the season and into the next. I couldn't help but notice the progression of how Eames referred to Goren. From Bobby to Goren to "detective." Ouch.

Along with this great story, there's another major highlight in this episode: a mini Oz reunion. Kathryn Erbe is reunited with former cast members Dean Winters (Ryan O'Reily), Lauren Velez (Dr. Gloria Nathan), and Seth Gilliam (CO Clayton Hughes). Seeing them share various scenes (particularly Winters and Velez) was very cool. Also, it's interesting to note that Winters is the first to buck the Law & Order trend by starring in one of the shows and then guest star as a different character.

I'd totally forgotten Erbe, Winters, Velez, and Hughes were all on Oz. I even commented that Winters and Velez had probably slept together when they were partners. Heh. I worship at the Winters altar, so I was hooked on this ep regardless of the plot.

I hate what they've done to Goren and Eames. They've had each others' backs for years. Eames sacrificing her own career to be his partner, and he was trying to protect her. But it's like she said in the season opener "it's too late". Being his partner has already hurt her, and he goes and pushes her away. They better get them back together!

Spoiler: Promo

Wheeler is back! Yay!

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Would all hell have broken loose in L&O land if they had Winters playing his SVU character here?

I hated Dean Winters when he was on Special Victims Unit, but then I saw him and Oz and discovered how great of an actor he is. He proved that again tonight. I'm very glad he didn't reprise his role.

I'd totally forgotten Erbe, Winters, Velez, and Hughes were all on Oz. I even commented that Winters and Velez had probably slept together when they were partners. Heh. I worship at the Winters altar, so I was hooked on this ep regardless of the plot.

Yeah, their characters were definitely sleeping together.

I recognized Winters immediately when he intervened and then I recognized Velez's name in the credits. And then Seth Gilliam showed up (I had forgotten the actor's name). Damn, that was so cool.

Too bad, Stabler didn't happen to show up with Huang.

I hate what they've done to Goren and Eames. They've had each others' backs for years. Eames sacrificing her own career to be his partner, and he was trying to protect her. But it's like she said in the season opener "it's too late". Being his partner has already hurt her, and he goes and pushes her away. They better get them back together!

That's going to hurt for awhile. Hopefully they'll build back up to a working relationship and eventually friendship.

Spoiler: Promo

Wheeler is back! Yay!

And there was much rejoicing in the world!

 

[nx1701g]

Would all hell have broken loose in L&O land if they had Winters playing his SVU character here?

I hated Dean Winters when he was on Special Victims Unit, but then I saw him and Oz and discovered how great of an actor he is. He proved that again tonight. I'm very glad he didn't reprise his role.

You should see him on Terminator...

I'm afraid though that I didn't get to see tonights episode. I was studying for a math test which - oddly enough - I decided to take last night. When is it reairing?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

According to IMDB, "Purgatory" will be reaired on:

Wednesday, June 11th at 11 PM on USA
Thursday, June 12th at 6:30 PM on USA
Saturday, June 14th at 10:58 PM on USA
Monday, June 16th at 7 PM on USA

 

[auntiehill]

I gave it a "very good." I love Vincent as Goren, but, as said in previous posts, I don't like what they've done with the partners. I also would love to see more of him as the quirky genius detective and less of the melodrama. I love the character exploration, but they were teetering over the line a bit in parts.

But I think this really is the "smartest" of the L&O shows.

 

[DanCPA]

I enjoyed the rat at the end and the way he just looks around, and yet sits alone.

I had wished that Bobby would be on the outside for a while, give his partner a chance to shine on her own

I loved the interaction with Goren and Eames.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I gave it a "very good." I love Vincent as Goren, but, as said in previous posts, I don't like what they've done with the partners. I also would love to see more of him as the quirky genius detective and less of the melodrama. I love the character exploration, but they were teetering over the line a bit in parts.

I can see how people are getting a bit weary with the melodrama between the undercover business, the new rift between Goren and Eames, and last season's finale where Goren discovered he had a different father...a criminal. But at the same time, I love delving into Goren's psyche which will no doubt bring greater insight into his inner workings in future episodes.

 

[TGTheodore]

I gave it a "good". As mentioned above by others, what makes the L&O characters great is the SPRINKLING of personal stories we get. The glimpses. That's what makes those episodes so special -- their rarity.

I hope they focus on mending the partnership now, and somehow work Goren's weight problem into the mix by having him slim down a little throughout the season. Or else have a heart attack during a chase and write him off the show. I swear I get nervous sometimes that he's going to physically explode if he exerts himself too much.

--Ted

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Would all hell have broken loose in L&O land if they had Winters playing his SVU character here?

Not at all - IMHO, it would make perfect sense.

There's probably reasons why he didn't do that, though. Not the least of which is that there'd be royalty payments to consider - whoever wrote the SVU eps with Winters in them might be entitled to compensation.

Same reason why Anthony Anderson's not playing the same character on the mothership that *he* played on SVU. Or the whole Tom Paris/Nick Locarno thing on Trek.

So I'm guessing that it was Ross who picked up the gun that Goren left at the shooting range? (We never see his face)

As for Eames' issues with Goren: I hope they resolve that. Goren was ordered not to tell her (about this undercover op), wasn't he? Can't she understand that? Although I agree with one thing she said: what if she hadn't burst through that door when Goren was ordered to whack that guy? Goren would probably have found a way out of it, but she does have a point.

And the rat: Probably Mike Stoat (love that name ) left it there. Eames, for all her bitching at Goren, wouldn't have done that. And I don't think anyone else in Major Case would either - it's not as if Stoat ever worked there. Either it was Stoat, or possibly Holt McCallany's character from the beginning.

 

[DanCPA]

Orders or not... your partner is your partner.

 

[Christopher]

So I'm guessing that it was Ross who picked up the gun that Goren left at the shooting range? (We never see his face)

We did see Ross hand the same gun back to Goren in Olivet's office, so presumably it was either Ross himself or someone working for him. Most likely Ross, since the fewer people that are in the loop, the better.

And the rat: Probably Mike Stoat (love that name ) left it there. Eames, for all her bitching at Goren, wouldn't have done that. And I don't think anyone else in Major Case would either - it's not as if Stoat ever worked there. Either it was Stoat, or possibly Holt McCallany's character from the beginning.

Wouldn't Stoat have been in jail and unable to get to Goren's desk? The implication was that it was someone within Major Case. Cops are almost like a gang sometimes, considering loyalty to the group to be paramount, and resenting cops who turn on other cops, even when those other cops are corrupt. So by engaging in a sting against police officers, Goren would've earned the animosity of any number of people in the NYPD, not just those directly involved in the criminal acts he was investigating.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Wouldn't Stoat have been in jail and unable to get to Goren's desk?

Depends on how long the rat had been there. Stoat could have left it in the desk earlier, before he was arrested.

 

[Christopher]

Wouldn't Stoat have been in jail and unable to get to Goren's desk?

Depends on how long the rat had been there. Stoat could have left it in the desk earlier, before he was arrested.

If it had been there any length of time, everyone would've known it was there from the smell alone. It also didn't show any signs of decay. Clearly it had to have been placed there recently.