Season Nine: Goodbye, Goren and Eames; Hello, Nichols and Stevens...

[WendyCR72]

No Goren, no Eames, and...no viewers?

 

(OK, there had to be some, but if G&E returned, I'm thinking Jeff Goldblum's Zack Nichols wasn't enough of a draw.)

[WendyCR72]

I feel compelled to post SOMETHING in this thread as there were literally no replies.  :-P

 

Let's see: At least this season was only around 14 episodes minus the "Loyalty" arc with G/E. And those two episodes were good, even if the explanation for its total reversal in S10 was lacking.

 

And I do think this is when USA was trying to change CI into USA's fondness for quirky. Jeff Goldblum knows quirky, but it didn't fit CI. I also think Nichols was supposed to be the anti Goren since Goren had the crazy mother and Nichols had the shrink parents. Opposite spectrum and all.

 

I am sincerely trying to think of an episode (I did watch these long after they originally aired) that I liked. The closest I come is the guy with the multiple personalities. Ironically, I think it was the last episode of S9.

 

But I guess I liked the dark stuff and I missed the mind games.

[Donny Ketchum]

I liked Stevens and wished we'd gotten to learn more about her.  And I liked the episode in which Nichols and Stevens busted that college dance student who killed one girl out of desperation for the friendship of another.

 

But that's about it.  My main interest in this show died after Logan left.  (Unlike many viewers, Goren and Eames weren't my main reason to watch.  Logan and his various partners were.)

[cooksdelight]

The only Jeff Goldblum episode that I liked was the one where the story culminated in a poetry reading in which Goldblum reads a poem that psychs out the woman who did the murders. Sorry I don't remember more about it than that, but that's pretty much how that entire season wound up for me.

[WendyCR72]

Oh, yeah, cooksdelight. The rich socialite who killed her college magazine editor ex. Meh, that was okay. But in terms of a lot of those cases, and not just S9, but maybe from S8 on (minus "Lady's Man, as it made sense to me), I don't see how 90% of the cases by then qualified for Major Case and not just regular ol' homicide, you know?

 

Clearly, I overthink this. Maybe I should resurrect the covet Goren war with you and BizBuzz to distract myself.  :-P

Edited June 13, 2014 by WendyR72

[Maherjunkie]

What's the Goren war Wendy? After awhile I agreed with you Donny Ketchum.

[cooksdelight]

It's because she thinks Goren is hers, but he's really mine, since I have the personally autographed photo of him looking at me every single day. :)

[WendyCR72]

Ah, @cooksdelight, whatever helps you sleep at night.  :-)

[Donny Ketchum]

After awhile I agreed with you Donny Ketchum.

Agreed about what, Maherjunkie?

Also, I'll repeat that I quite liked Stevens in this season and can't believe the lack of mentions for her.  If nothing else, the writers allowed her to do more things as Nichols's partner than they ever let Wheeler do.

[WendyCR72]

I think Stevens would have been okay for me if it didn't seem like Saffron Burrows was too busy making sure she maintained her American accent. Should have just let her be a Brit who lived and worked in the US.

 

Because she came off flat because she was trying so hard, IMO.

[cooksdelight]

And she was constantly pursing her lips. Like Grissom on CSI.

[Donny Ketchum]

I had no idea she was English!  AFAIC, then, she did a good job with the accent to me.

[WendyCR72]

I had no idea she was English!  AFAIC, then, she did a good job with the accent to me.

 

Well, she did use her real accent on the show when she went undercover as some dolled-up model/escort? in one episode I forget the name of.

Edited July 4, 2014 by WendyR72

[WendyCR72]

Funny, but the very episode Saffron Burrows uses her real accent is on Ion now.

[cooksdelight]

Thanks for that. I was looking for something to watch besides Andy Griffith reruns.

[WendyCR72]

Yeah, marathon of S9 episodes is on 'til 3 a.m. ET.

 

Next Saturday resumes the usual marathon, more of S4 into S5.

[cooksdelight]

Good, because I won't be watching all of this. I cannot stand Jeff Goldblum. Every time I look at him, I see The Fly.

[WendyCR72]

At least S9 was a short season.

[cooksdelight]

Is "Major Case" part of this season? The episode where Henry, the sex-starved best-selling author/forensic scientist kills Grace, the drug-dealing neighbor who wouldn't put out. He's another actor who's been around the block twice on the various L&O franchises.

This was the first appearance of Goldblum, working with Eames. Even though Julianne Nicholson is shown in all the opening credits.

ETA: Julianne is in the episode at the beginning, throwing up because she's pregnant.

Edited July 5, 2014 by cooksdelight

[WendyCR72]

Definitely not S9 since Wheeler was around. It was S8, episode 14.

[Maherjunkie]

 

But that's about it.  My main interest in this show died after Logan left.  (Unlike many viewers, Goren and Eames weren't my main reason to watch.  Logan and his various partners were.)

This, Donny Ketchum.  I thought Saffron was dull.

[WendyCR72]

Could Goren really have been fired so quickly and easily? Between regular bureaucracy and the CBA, I'd be surprised about that.

 

Well, Moran was a higher up, so maybe he was able to pull strings to make that happen. Still, yes, it was fast.

 

But that likely had to do with VDO/KE wanting to leave or being fired, whichever report you believe, so the plot point made it quick to accommodate the changes. (I think USA wanted Goldbum so as to blend in with the quirky characters era, but maybe I'm wrong there.)

 

As for Ross and Rodgers, that seemed pretty slapdash to me, anyway, Chattygal. Still, that's a good point, considering Goren sneered about Ross' "girlfriend" in "Frame".

[WendyCR72]

Only through a few episodes so far, but initial thoughts:

 

    Nichols was more tolerable working with Goren and Eames than in any of his prior appearances;

 

I'm most curious as to your take on Nichols as the standalone (male) lead for the rest of that season, Chattygal!

[WendyCR72]

Yikes. I'm not sure whether to look forward to this, or watch with a sense of dread :o

 

Goldblum is currently playing a gig at the Cafe Carlyle. One of the most storied performance venues in Manhattan is hosting Jeff Golblum. Is there nothing he's not out to ruin?? *grumbles*

Sorry, Chattygal, but I need you to be clearer about your feelings about Jeff Goldblum. LOL!

As for the rest of S9, I'll let you draw your own conclusions! (But I can't wait to read your opinions about it!)

[Maherjunkie]

I can't even begin to be objective, and for me, there was no eye porn/candy left for this straight woman.

[WendyCR72]

I can't even begin to be objective, and for me, there was no eye porn/candy left for this straight woman.

 

Maherjunkie, we may differ on Logan/Goren as the draw, but this covers us both. So thanks for that!  :-)

 

 

 

Also, what a waste with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It seems as if her primary purpose was, "Make everyone who hated Ross, miss Ross." It's not even that she's hate-able, just so useless

 

And that's why, Chattygal, I always said I didn't have much of an opinion about Zoe Callas. She really was just walking exposition person. Which is sad because, as you said, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was wasted here.

 

Oh, and as per your question about Nichols being an actual character being an aberration or not...that's again for you to decide. I just found the guy too odd, and that's saying something after Goren's quirks!

[Donny Ketchum]

No Goren, no Eames, and...no viewers?

I have to be the only one who didn't think either of them was the end-all, be-all of the show and thus didn't mind their absence.  Because really, it wasn't a big deal to me when they were gone.

[WendyCR72]

I have to be the only one who didn't think either of them was the end-all, be-all of the show and thus didn't mind their absence.  Because really, it wasn't a big deal to me when they were gone.

 

That's cool. It just seemed catchy as an opening volley. I know Nichols had his fans (and I know you didn't especially care about him, I'm just saying, is all).

[WendyCR72]

Especially since the show was built around the Sherlock/Watson dynamic re-imagined in a contemporary setting. When it became about a series of "Sherlock-types" is when the mooring got a bit muddled. It would be like replacing Cumberbatch as Sherlock with Hugh Jackman as an entirely different character unrelated to the canon - what would be the point?

 

I do think whomever decided to have Jeff Goldblum be the lead tried to keep up the Sherlock Holmes/Watson deal with Nichols/Stevens, but they hardly knew each other so were barely in sync; granted, CI started with G/E already partnered for an indeterminate time, but we also saw it gel. Nichols - while also being quirky and knowledgeable - came off too kooky for me. At least in the midst of a case, Bobby, for all of his shit, dug down and focused on the perps and the case and whatnot. Nichols always seemed...oddly off kilter. And I guess there was supposed to be some irony of him being strange with shrink parents? I don't know.

 

And an aside that always kind of bothered me about the guy: How the hell was Nichols the senior detective (I'm assuming!) with both Wheeler and Stevens when, per Ross' own words, the guy was off the grid and the force for seven years? Don't know about Stevens, but Wheeler should have been senior detective if one is talking career seniority.

[rujasu]

 

At least in the midst of a case, Bobby, for all of his shit, dug down and focused on the perps and the case and whatnot. Nichols always seemed...oddly off kilter.

 

Yeah.  Goren seemed to get more passionate about the cases, especially in the earlier years.  It was like he wasn't going to sleep at night if he didn't solve the case.  Nichols seemed to have a more nonchalant reaction to the horrible criminals he was dealing with.  "Hmm, yes, I see now.  You were worried your wife was going to leave you, so you shot her parents, burned down her friend's apartment building, and tried to blow up a nearby bus full of nuns.  That's interesting.  Reminds me of a story I read once.  Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

[WendyCR72]

Yeah.  Goren seemed to get more passionate about the cases, especially in the earlier years.  It was like he wasn't going to sleep at night if he didn't solve the case.  Nichols seemed to have a more nonchalant reaction to the horrible criminals he was dealing with.  "Hmm, yes, I see now.  You were worried your wife was going to leave you, so you shot her parents, burned down her friend's apartment building, and tried to blow up a nearby bus full of nuns.  That's interesting.  Reminds me of a story I read once.  Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

 

This cracked me up, rujasu, which is kind of sad, but that is so Zack Nichols to a T.

[WendyCR72]

"Disciple" (E10): So, I was glad to see them center an episode on Stevens - for whatever she's worth, it's less screentime for Goldblum - but because of the backstory of her character, it takes a suspension of disbelief the size of Jupiter to get through. Not only is a death row inmate executed within a near-record number of years from his sentencing; not only does the death row chaplain make an INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS gesture during the execution that anyone should have seen and been suspicious about (but only Stevens questions later); not only does the condemned killer's acolyte begin leaving bodies around after the execution, raising doubt whether or not an innocent man was actually put to death. (In spite of the fact that it is later established that the next-in-line to the serial killer throne normally makes sure the bodies get dispensed as fertilizer.)

 

But on top of all of that, he's apparently been doing all of this killing in Serena's new backyard. And thankfully Major Case was assigned to it, before a possible serial killer/connection to Chicago was realized. WHEW.

 

Yeah, okay *eye roll*

 

To add insult to injury, they rope in dear franchise repeat offender Paul Calderon as her ex-partner, who keeps hanging out in Manhattan and in the Major Crimes precinct to keep an eye on what she's doing, even though he appears to still be active duty in Chicago and really has no purpose showing up, other than as a red herring to make us wonder if *he* tainted the evidence that convicted the actual killer.

 

Jesus, this was more ridiculous than your average hour of The Killing. Maybe Veena Sud was writing under a pseudonym at the time.

 

Chattygal, your observations are as entertaining as I'd thought they'd be. LOL!

 

And UGH, "Disciple". As you said, with the focus on Stevens, it's less for Nichols, but the whole plot was idiotic for all that you stated, and worst of all, why would ANYONE care about a former victim of Stevens when the viewer barely knew Stevens herself, yet? (And never would as she was one and done, but no one knew that at the time!) I think that was the bigger issue.

 

But this looks positively riveting next to the likes of "Palimpsest". Wait 'til you get a load of that one. Still haven't made sense of it...

[WendyCR72]

Oh dear. I will gird my loins for that.

 

Please tell me that the rumor I read elsewhere (from an old comment made before season nine finished) that Nichols/Stevens end up as a couple is FALSE. Because I will need to have a barf bag handy if that's what I have to look forward to...

 

What? Where did you read that?! There WAS a scene of them attending some event all dressed up, but it was part of the case/the job. Nichols complimented Stevens, sure. But that was it as far as I could tell!

 

And that was before the end of their run with nothing much after...

[WendyCR72]

It was left by someone at the All Things Law & Order blog, in her recap of the episode:

 

http://allthingslawandorder.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/law-order-criminal-intent-disciple.html?showComment=1275610820019#c7499472299603927376

 

Thank god it was just a rumor. That would have just been so, so wrong. Gross. Ick :/

 

Yikes. Reading some of the comments was both fascinating and eeewww! in hindsight, although I love the "old" CI fans arguing with the "new" CI fans. Ah, the glory of the 'net. I guess we know which faction won out considering how S10 shook out.  :-P

[WendyCR72]

Oh I know! I sensed a collective gag occurred after the "I thought this was a REALLY well-written episode" remark, ha ha.

 

It sucks that Chris only has SVU to cover now. She did a good job juggling all three when they were going strong.

 

At least one L&O show is still around for Chris to cover (even if I think SVU is running on fumes and should be euthanized! But that's me alone...). Although I'm sort of surprised, looking at the site you linked to, that she didn't cover Conviction. Or maybe I missed it. While it wasn't with the L&O title, it did have Alex Cabot and was in the same universe. Shrug.

 

ETA: Ah, now I see why. The blog has a starting year of 2007 (or so it says). Conviction aired for just one season in 2006. Mystery solved.

[WendyCR72]

Oh, I don't at all think you're alone in feeling SVU is several years past its due date. It's like the television version of the eleven-year-old package of frozen kielbasa I found in my parent's fridge and I was like, "Uh, are you keeping this around for a reason? 'Cause I'm pretty sure it's not good anymore." The first season or two after Meloni left, I thought it rebounded from it's ELLIOTT HULK RAGE SMASH PERP rut but then it became the all-Olivia, all-Olivia-in-danger show. I suspect Wolf will do anything to try to break the Gunsmoke record but frankly, he should have devised a way to do so by merging the franchises into one instead of what's happened. 

 

Maybe Chris should consider doing a binge-and-recap of Conviction. I'm definitely going to dive in when I finish with CI. I honestly had no idea until you told me that it was in the L&O-verse. I can't believe she wouldn't have known but maybe she was as out of it as me.

 

Well, if Chris doesn't want to spend the $7-odd dollars on the DVD set, Amazon Instant Video has the series up.  :-)

 

And while many BTS folks on Conviction worked on all the L&O shows [producers, directors - I recognized both Constantine Makris and Walon Green from the other L&O shows just to name two examples], the tone of Conviction seemed to try to be edgy and cater to the younger demo, so it doesn't fit tonally, and it had its own theme - with lyrics! - and not a variation of the L&O theme, but as I said, Alex Cabot was in the series and it was a Dick Wolf show, hence the peripheral status mostly due to Alex Cabot being transplanted to that bureau office, although still in NYC. And, as I said, it was where Det. Cupcake (hee), later of L&O, and Julianne Nicholson appeared as young ADAs and was a season prior to JN joining CI as Megan Wheeler. The Dick Wolf Casting Agency struck again.  :-)

 

But if Chris doesn't know (I don't know her, didn't even know of this site 'til tonight. Thanks!), maybe you can tell her and you two can experience it together.  :-)

[Donny Ketchum]

"Disciple" (E10): So, I was glad to see them center an episode on Stevens

Did they really, though?  In the end, the case was still cracked and solved by Nichols, not by her.

[WendyCR72]

Did they really, though?  In the end, the case was still cracked and solved by Nichols, not by her.

 

But the main focus was Serena's as it tied to one of her past cases, pre-NYC (I think, been a while) and pre-Nichols with even knowing another cop involved that Nichols didn't, etc.

 

But I wasn't surprised Nichols solved it. Just the way CI rolled.

[Donny Ketchum]

But I wasn't surprised Nichols solved it. Just the way CI rolled.

You mean with the male always solving it?

[WendyCR72]

You mean with the male always solving it?

 

Basically. But it's not much of a condemnation from me since CI was always about a Sherlock/Watson formula. :-)  I mean, Watson was never allowed much glory, either, so the modern equivalent stuck to the formula.

 

And I'm not sure if Julianne Nicholson or Saffron Burrows had issues with the male in the spotlight. However, I assume Kathryn Erbe was okay with it or, at least, the pay was good enough to overlook it since she did ultimately consent to return to the series with VDO in S10. She didn't have to (she signed on a week or two following VDO, if I recall).

 

Still, I can understand the frustration.

 

Although (and this is going back many years!), I recall that Rick Hunter on Hunter was kidnapped in an episode. Fred Dryer was not in the episode save for the very end. (I think it was a contract issue at the time.) I recall Dee Dee McCall was stuck with a female partner she and Hunter had worked with before and they set off to find him and break the case - and did. Granted, the tone of these shows couldn't be more different, but still...

 

I sort of wish something happened to Bobby so Eames could save the day once. But oh well.

[Donny Ketchum]

Basically. But it's not much of a condemnation from me since CI was always about a Sherlock/Watson formula. :-)  I mean, Watson was never allowed much glory, either, so the modern equivalent stuck to the formula.

Well, it's a condemnation from me.  You ask me, it always defeated the purpose of one detective having a partner if one was always going to be the one to crack the case, but never the other.  As I've said way more than once, it's why I appreciated Logan's episodes with Barek and Wheeler.  Sometimes, Logan cracked the cases.  Sometimes, Barek or Wheeler did.  Hell, even Falacci cracked one or two her short time on the show.  It wouldn't have killed the writers to have Eames or Stevens do the same now and then.

[WendyCR72]

Well, it's a condemnation from me.  You ask me, it always defeated the purpose of one detective having a partner if one was always going to be the one to crack the case, but never the other.  As I've said way more than once, it's why I appreciated Logan's episodes with Barek and Wheeler.  Sometimes, Logan cracked the cases.  Sometimes, Barek or Wheeler did.  Hell, even Falacci cracked one or two her short time on the show.  It wouldn't have killed the writers to have Eames or Stevens do the same now and then.

 

What's funny is, I was reading that All Things L&O blog that Chattygal linked to here above, and there was an interview with VDO posted about the time he agreed to return for S10. And it was clear in that article that he was all for Bobby not being perfect or being all knowing.

 

So I'm assuming the fault lay with the writers with not wanting to think outside the box. And if they go to the well once, the same formula would remain, if just out of laziness. And it makes me think it was those behind the scenes since that pattern wasn't just with Bobby and Alex.

[WendyCR72]

Praise the heavens, it's over. Season Nine is done.

 

 

High points (such as they are): "Legacy (Parts 1 and 2)," "True Legacy," "Traffic" (love Tracy Pollan) and "Three-in-One." The music and cinematography in the last one was over-the-top but it was saved by a nice performance from F. Murray Abraham as Zach's father (although in reality, Abraham is only fourteen years Goldblum's senior).

 

Lowlights: Too many to list but "Palimpsest," which was apparently filmed in Disney's Haunted Mansion. Got bored about fifteen minutes in and started playing Bubble Witch 2. The character who kept purring, "Oh, Zachary" needed a punch in the face.

 

GOODBYE, SEASON NINE!

 

That GIF cracks me up, Chattygal! LOL! I'm assuming you're glad to be done with watching S9? And, yeah, "Palimpsest" or however it's spelled was...something.

 

On to CI's final year for you.  :-)

[Donny Ketchum]

This season's coming up soon on Ion, if it hasn't hit already.  And I wanted to know which episode had Callas sending Stevens undercover (and Saffron using her natural English accent, as well), and then her coming back to the precinct to whistles and catcalls?  (Which . . . obviously.  She had a slamming body!)

[WendyCR72]

This season's coming up soon on Ion, if it hasn't hit already.  And I wanted to know which episode had Callas sending Stevens undercover (and Saffron using her natural English accent, as well), and then her coming back to the precinct to whistles and catcalls?  (Which . . . obviously.  She had a slamming body!)

 

Looked up the synopsis, and it's the 5th episode of S9, "Gods and Insects". It'll air at 8:00 p.m. ET.

[Donny Ketchum]

Looked up the synopsis, and it's the 5th episode of S9, "Gods and Insects". It'll air at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Thanks, WendyCR72!  That's only fifteen minutes from now, and I've wanted to DVR that episode again for such a long time just for that scene!

 

I will say that for all of its faults, season nine did give me an episode I actually did enjoy: "Delicate."  Sure, the case didn't really strike me as Major Case-worthy.  But I thought the perp and her motive were both very refreshing.  It wasn't the usual reason of greed or pride or envy or need to be with a lover that didn't want her.

 

She's the first killer I've seen on any show who simply killed out of the neediness of wanting a friend.

 

Though I will say that I pegged her from very early on, which is the one unfortunate thing.  I like figuring out who my perps are, not being shown outright, like this show was wont to do.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[WendyCR72]

I will say that for all of its faults, season nine did give me an episode I actually did enjoy: "Delicate."  Sure, the case didn't really strike me as Major Case-worthy.  But I thought the perp and her motive were both very refreshing.  It wasn't the usual reason of greed or pride or envy or need to be with a lover that didn't want her.

 

Yeah, that's airing as I type. At least the perp is just crazy versus greedy. But, like you, I never got why this made Major Case.

[WendyCR72]

Speaking of "Delicate", there was the whole angle of antifreeze in Gatorade which...okay. I'm sure the taste can be masked. But I'd also think it wouldn't "just" interfere with coordination or whatever, even in little bits. No one felt nauseous or was vomiting? At all?

 

And not only am I wondering why that case made Major Case, but "Love Sick"...with Maya the looney tunes nurse playing Diana the Huntress or whatever. Why the hell did that qualify, either? Then again, between that and the awful, awful music in that one...yeah. This one was just weird, and maybe the S9 EP - who(m)ever it was - thought it would play well as an extended music video or something.

[Donny Ketchum]

Yeah, that's airing as I type. At least the perp is just crazy versus greedy. But, like you, I never got why this made Major Case.

It was likely because the conservatory attended by the victim was so high-profile.  But that's the best I can offer here.

 

I will repeat, though, that it was refreshing to have simply kill over just wanting to have a friend, as crazy as her motive was.  Very refreshing, even if I just felt like she needed serious help by the end.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[WendyCR72]

So, it's cold, crappy, and cloudy. So I turned on the TV and..."Palimpsest". My timing is the worst. If I got the Hallmark Channel, I'd watch that. As it is, I'll play channel switching for the next 60 minutes unless I find something else to do!