What ails NBC's 'L&O: Criminal Intent'
From Media Life Magazine
By Jae-Ha Kim
Apr 11, 2006
Just a couple of years ago, back before NBC took its tumble, before ABC invaded Sunday night with "Desperate Housewives," Sunday at 9 belonged to "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and its quirky lead detective, Robert Goren.
But that was then. In the time since, "Criminal Intent" has slid, and it now places a distant third in its timeslot. But while it would be easy to blame "Housewives," which quickly shoved its way to No. 1, the fault lies much more with happenstance and with the character of Detective Goren, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. The babes of Wisteria Lane had nothing to do with it.
Full article.
:: Thanks Judy
posted by thereel @ 11:43 AM
20 Comments:
I have to disagree with this article. Desperate Housewives is a cultural phenomenon that rolled over everything in it's path, of course it hurt CI last season. But this season the blame lies with NBC. In December CI was replaced with holiday specials, in Febuary the Olympics, fans never knew when or if it was going to be on.
I agree with you tess. How can the ratings go up, if it was replace by holiday specials and the olympics?
I, unfortunately, have to agree with the article-I love CI, I have never even watched Desperate Housewives-It's not just Goren, but Goren and Eames, they really developed into a great partnership-If you have ever watched The Closer with Kyra Sedgewick, perhaps her character would have been a good match for Chris Noth, but I think we all just want Goren and Eames-I watch the show always with Noth and Sciorra as well and I hope it makes it to finish off next season with a bang. But whatever happens, it is never worth anyone's health, so we will have to wait and see.
honestly as a viewer since the show first debuted..i really tend to believe it is the story lines..i actually think the cases that Noth and Sciorra are given are much more interesting..period..it doesnt matter who replaces the main characters if the story is boring..I first watched to show due to the fact that Vincent was in it..Maybe Sciorra could take Eames place..Sciorra is more suited..Eames just always seems to put her two cents in..that's my opinion..I think it should be Detective Goren and Detective Barek..
This guy is partially correct.
It is not all the fault of the "switch," but the fault lies with VDO sleepwalking through the episodes. Some this season have been embarrasing.......if you know the character as well as I do, you can see the difference between Goren in seasons 1&2 and how he evolved the character.....as a crazed fan, I have to say he forgot where he was going with it.
All the Soprano fans were willing to wait it out cause the quality remained......
Just rewatched "One"
Take a look - that Goren then is not what we see today....I miss that swagger, etc.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with entayenta's comments, although I don't think the fault lies in VDO's performances. This season's episodes just don't give him a lot to do; Eames seems to be driving the cases. Maybe the writers are doing it deliberately to give VDO a breather. But, defintely, the passive Goren of today is not the quirky Goren of past seasons.
As a dedicated fan, I know every facet, every unwasted gesture, every little quirk of Goren's character; the man is magnificent. BUT any change, and I understand it hasn't been for the better, must be due to poorer scripts and poorer direction. Vincent D'Onofrio is a talented actor and he has made Goren into something unique and special, like no one else could.
Do the powers that be have their own agenda?
Goren is loci... not even Goren & Eames and certainly not Logan and Barek. Please, please, please don't let this mean the death of it.
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Amen, anonymous! And when the heck are Seasons 2 and 4 coming out on DVD?
Um, I have to agree with the article, with Tess and Melissa. As much as I love to watch VDO prowl across the screen in an expensive suit, I haven't watched an episode since that convoluted mess with Malcom McDowell a few weeks ago. Give me the Goren of Season 2, he was sexy and animalistic. And personally, I didn't watch a lick of the Olympics (don't know anybody that did, actually) and I don't understand why NBC would put their shows on the shelf for that.
Vincent once said not all episodes will be interesting to him, but he's held that show together for 5 YEARS......
It is actually quite simple.
D'Onofrio is unique and lessening his appearances in quantity or at all changing the format of "his" show, would damage it.
People fell in love with the "uniqueness" of all the facets of CI, so ANY change would damage it.
Sadly, I think this fire consumed itself in the end.
Goren was amazing in season one and two.Yep, he's lost some of that charm for various reasons: Health issues, lack of sleep, stress etc. The introduction of the other two has only given us a bit more time with our beloved Goren character. In Austarlia too, we get a new episode followed by a couple of repeats. We never quite know what we're gonna get now. What's going on?
The plots on this show have always had a million plot holes, coincidences that would never happen, obscure knowledge that Goren implausibly knows without even a pause...but some of the shows on seasons 4 and 5 have been absolutely terrible in terms of coherency. You have to watch them several times not because they are so complex but because they are so confused and rewatching them just makes that (the confusion, not the plot) more clearer. V. isn't putting that much energy into his performance but maybe it is because much of the writing is uninspired.
I have recently seen all of the last five seasons through perserverence and cable. I think VDO's performance has changed. I don't think even he would dispute that. And honestly, I don't watch for him alone. I am most fascinated with the chemisty between him and Kathryn Erbe. I was first grabbed by that, having initially been turned off by what I perceived as scenery chewing by VDO. I have come to better appreciate his manic energy, but I always feel it works better when Eames is more than just a lamp in the corner. I understand that the man is tired, but I have appreciated recent episodes where Eames has had a more equal role. It gives everything more flow IMO. I would love to know more personal stuff. I would love for more interaction.
And I appreciate that this is a VDO board, and I think he is amazing. I hope there is room for comments that reference his challenges. I would love for this show to have another strong two seasons and even more. The writing is really good.
Third in its time slot? Behind "Desperate Hobags" and what else? It's still finishing close to the Top 20. I think Season Four was outstanding, and there have been some compelling episodes this season too ("Grow", "In the Wee Small Hours", and "Slither" come to mind).
please don't mention Bobby's name in the same breath as those ditzy disgusting desperate housewives... he is far superior
I'm a new viewer of CI, so I've been watching episodes out of order (thanks to the USA network). I haven't noticed a decrease in quality from the early seasons through season 4. Some shows are just better than others (something VDO has acknowledged in interviews). But I have been a little disappointed with season 5. I admit I don't watch when Goren and Eames aren't featured. Sorry, not interested. VDO and Erbe are the reasons to watch. But even their episodes have been pretty incoherent this season. I pay pretty close attention and am of above average intelligence, but plot holes and dropped subplots make for some confusing TV. I also agree that this season's episode with Malcom McDowell was awful (though I liked the episode with Michael York). In the end, though, even a compromised CI is better than 95% of other shows on TV -- particularly Desperate Housewives. I'll keep watching as long as VDO and Erbe are featured, and I hope that's many seasons to come.
I've recently seen three episodes on USA Network from Season four that I've never seen before - "Semi-Detached", "The Unblinking Eye", and "Magnificant", which I think are among the best episodes of the entire series. In fact, I think Season Four - when you consider episodes like "Great Barrier", "The Posthumous Collection", "Shibboleth", "False Hearted-Judges", "Want", "Stress Position", "Death Roe", "Eosphoros", "The View from up Here", "No Exit" - may have been the best season to date...
Although I enjoy all the Law and Order shows, Law and Order: Criminal Intent is by far the most ingenious, intelligent and interesting show of the Law and Order franchise.
Vincent D’Onofrio is brilliant and captivating as Detective Robert Goren. He brings such dimension to the character that every episode is a wonderful foray into the dynamic and complicated mind that is Bobby Goren. Kathryn Erbe is the perfect counterpoint to her eccentric partner. She is common sense wrapped up in compassion, tenacity and beauty. What a wonderful character she is indeed! Together Goren and Eames (D’Onofrio and Erbe) make the best team—detective/detective or male/female—on the small screen today.
I do agree with Jae-Ha Kim that Law and Order: Criminal Intent has suffered due to Mr. D’Onofrio’s health problems which necessitated the introduction of Chris Noth and Annabella Sciorra to the cast. As much as I enjoy the work of both these actors, and must admit that their characters Logan and Barek are interesting, I can’t help but miss the old format of the show when it was strictly Goren and Eames. But unlike the author of this article, I think that Goren and Eames make the perfect romantic couple. Eames balances Goren and Goren brings intensity and passion to Eames’s life. I would love to see a romance between them blossom, and I truly believe that would be a ratings booster!
Whatever the problems at NBC, I will take Law and Order: Criminal Intent in any way that I can get it, and I hope that it will continue for many seasons to come.
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