"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" Semi-Detached (2004)

Director:

Frank Prinzi

Writers:

Dick Wolf (creator)
Rene Balcer (developer)

TV Series:

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2001)

Original Air Date:

26 September 2004 (Season 4, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A shock jock is believed to have committed suicide, but clues lead the detectives toward a nurse with an obsession. |

Plot Keywords:

Detective | New York City | Trial | Gun | Interrogation

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Feb. 22

8:00 AM

USA

Semi-Detached

#4.1

Cast

  (Episode Cast overview, first billed only)

Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Detective Robert Goren
Kathryn Erbe	...	Detective Alexandra Eames
Jamey Sheridan	...	Captain James Deakins
Courtney B. Vance	...	A.D.A. Ron Carver
Francie Swift	...	Nelda Carlson
Tatum O'Neal	...	Kelly Garnett
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Lenny
Brian Haley	...	Barry Carlson
Leslie Hendrix	...	Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
Lev Gorn	...	Mr. Gregorian
Fisher Stevens	...	Ray Garnett
Donald Corren	...	Dr. Nouriyani
Nina Zavarin	...	Lusa Gregorian
Ken Dashow	...	Pete
Stuart Burney	...	Mort Weisinger

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | USA:TV-14

Company:

Wolf Films

Quotes:

Nelda Carlson: Robert, don't you care for me at all? You do. I saw it.
Detective Robert Goren: I didn't mean for you to see it.

Fisher Stevens not in "L&O" role--this is "L&O: Criminal Intent"

aprinton-1's comments do not apply to this episode of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at all, sorry. a-1 is talking about actor Fisher Stevens in the "original" "L&O"--in fact, about him in two epis, both in the original "L&O." Stevens does appear in this "L&O:CI" epi, too, though, portraying a shock jock on WVYS ("W-vice") radio. He also appears as a totally different character, the literary agent of a murdered young writer, in another "LOCI" epi.

This shock jock is not an appealing character, but Fisher plays him well and totally believably. There's something visually cartoony in the 30- or 40-something shock jock's wardrobe, hair, ballcap, and carriage, plus the personality Fisher depicts is immature and self-centered. He seems so real, you can't believe he's married to a relatively normal, perhaps classy woman, played by Tatum O'Neal--but then the jock has had some problems before and was undergoing another rough patch, plus he's a shock jock, after all. So, that makes you wonder what's wrong with a woman who marries a shock jock in the first place. Maybe they married young, and Tatum's character grew up, but Fisher's never did.

I'm actually at this page, though, because of Francie Swift's portrayal of Nelda Carlson. There were things about it that were fascinating, besides her at first looking like a grown-up version of one of my nieces. I wouldn't say all of Francie's mannerisms and inflections were subtle, to paraphrase another reviewer, but they weren't always supposed to be, and it was amazing watching Francie the actress put them out there. Not being an actor myself, I sometimes wonder how someone picks all that up and can put it out at will, and sometimes intensely and mashed together or in machine-gun succession but seeming to be real. Francie has quite a "repertoire," and she used these body mannerisms and vocal changes and all those supertrained facial muscles effectively--stunningly--in the service of the character arc.

This is something that I like about "LOCI," especially compared to the other two "Law & Orders" or the "CSIs" and most other dramas of recent years: Not only are the lead actors top notch, but the guest stars are, too. The writers and directors really give them a lot to work with. (The regulars of "House," for example, are good actors, but the guest stars {patients etc.} aren't given a whole lot to work with.) At 1 hour, "LOCI" often seems too short to cram in as much mystery, detective work, character development, and denouement as it does, but that must make it fun for the guest stars--like Francie--to compress a "2-hour performance" into 1.

I'd give this episode a "10" except much of the on-air shock jock talk was vulgar, perhaps gratuitously included as attention grabbers for this first episode of a new season.