Season Seven: Mike Logan Leaves...Again

[WendyCR72]

So I forgot the episode, but which one ended with either Goren and Eames or Logan and Falacci (or even Wheeler, if she was back by then) busting a guy who'd killed a woman's husband because he wanted her for herself, thus betraying this woman, who was his friend, and leaving her staring forlornly out her penthouse window as he was hauled off?  I remember feeling very sad for this woman and wanted to see that episode again.  I have every feeling it was from this season,b ut am not sure which episode it was.

 

The ending is what made this come to me. And it was definitely a G/E episode, as it was Season 4, Episode 10, "The View From Up Here". Adam Goldberg played Victor Garros, the obsessed guy in question. If you ever watched Friends, he played Chandler's crazy roommate, Eddie, when Joey moved out for a bit.

[Donny Ketchum]

The ending is what made this come to me. And it was definitely a G/E episode, as it was Season 4, Episode 10, "The View From Up Here". Adam Goldberg played Victor Garros, the obsessed guy in question. If you ever watched Friends, he played Chandler's crazy roommate, Eddie, when Joey moved out for a bit.

Ah, thanks, @WendyCR72!  I had a feeling it was Goren and Eames!  But wow, I was way off in terms of season.  If it really was season four, then no wonder it was their episode since the other pairs hadn't even been introduced yet!  Thanks for the clarification!

[WendyCR72]

Ah, thanks, @WendyCR72!  I had a feeling it was Goren and Eames!  But wow, I was way off in terms of season.  If it really was season four, then no wonder it was their episode since the other pairs hadn't even been introduced yet!  Thanks for the clarification!

 

Glad I could help!

[Maherjunkie]

I think he just has a deal with the devil.

[WendyCR72]

I think he just has a deal with the devil.

 

Who does?

[Maherjunkie]

Andrew McCarthy.

[WendyCR72]

Andrew McCarthy.

 

Ah. Well, as I said, he looked great in that episode, bit it was years ago. Maybe he has actually aged since then!  :-)

[WendyCR72]

The rat in Bobby's desk at the end of "Purgatory" is always gross. And with all the cameras in the place, he couldn't tell who did it?

 

And now I know who the victim in "Contract" is played by: Mo Rocca. A writer, but I know him more from the VH1 "I Love The '80s" series.  :-)

[Donny Ketchum]

I don't know if ION's gotten to the episode yet, but as I mentioned in season six's thread with Kristy Swanson's sister being seemingly nice, but then doing a 180 near the end of the episode, I've also never seen such a 180 as with Bela in "Assassin."  Damn it, I liked and was rooting for her most of the episode until something suddenly started seeming and feeling off with her.  By the end, I still don't see how she thought her arrest was going to make her look like a martyr for her people.  She did nothing to be martyred for.  Taking her niece's father from her was supposed to do that?

[WendyCR72]

I don't know if ION's gotten to the episode yet, but as I mentioned in season six's thread with Kristy Swanson's sister being seemingly nice, but then doing a 180 near the end of the episode, I've also never seen such a 180 as with Bela in "Assassin."  Damn it, I liked and was rooting for her most of the episode until something suddenly started seeming and feeling off with her.  By the end, I still don't see how she thought her arrest was going to make her look like a martyr for her people.  She did nothing to be martyred for.  Taking her niece's father from her was supposed to do that?

 

I think she fell victim to her own sense of celebrity. The fame and getting on magazine covers trumped any real desire to change the world, more or less. And yeah, "Assassin" aired at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Ah, "Vanishing Act" again. Still like it. The magic angle was different and, as I've said, there's actually a bit of fun here, rare in this season.

[WendyCR72]

Miguel Ferrer in "Ten Count" does a great job as that dirty boxing coach. (Liked him in a guest role on the pilot (!) of ER years ago, too. He's got talent, just like his cousin, George Clooney, even if he doesn't have his looks. Just kidding, but he is a good actor.)

[Donny Ketchum]

I think she fell victim to her own sense of celebrity. The fame and getting on magazine covers trumped any real desire to change the world, more or less.

Oh, clearly, @WendyCR72.  That definitely looked like the case.  The one thing I don't think was ever established was whether Bela's assistant's murder was truly an accident, or another one that she had happen on purpose.  The guy who killed her and even her own brother were killed under her instruction, but the assistant?

[WendyCR72]

Oh, clearly, @WendyCR72.  That definitely looked like the case.  The one thing I don't think was ever established was whether Bela's assistant's murder was truly an accident, or another one that she had happen on purpose.  The guy who killed her and even her own brother were killed under her instruction, but the assistant?

 

I'm going with another murder, just because of the law of averages here. She seemed pretty ruthless when all was said and done.

[WendyCR72]

So USA, in its infinite non-wisdom, finished up S1...and then jumped to S7 and "Seeds". And it struck me at how ironic it was that Falacci was sneering at the perp about how many "ginger" kids he had since...well, she is one, too, as her hair color showed! Oh, well.

 

But it hit me that someone liked Logan with redheads. He traded in Wheeler (or, rather, she left him for a while), a redhead, for another one in Falacci, although I think it fit with Falacci's fiery demeanor and all.

[Maherjunkie]

You mean the weekend lineup?  Yes, Logan seems to end up with strawberry blonds.

[WendyCR72]

You mean the weekend lineup?  Yes, Logan seems to end up with strawberry blonds.

 

On the weekends, yeah, but CI is often showed late night/early mornings on USA every other day (while SVU seems to be a daily thing). Maybe USA should be called the L&O Spinoff Network?

[WendyCR72]

So USA has been showing S7 late nights and did the whole downer "Purgatory"/"Untethered" bit, and I still cannot watch those. Too depressing. Taken as a whole, I guess it really tested G/E, but the whole "unknown nephew" bit seemed straight out of a soap. Maybe that is a part of my problem with those. And Frank was a ne'er do well, anyway, so I could never picture any woman with a shred of self respect hooking up with him long enough to procreate, anyway. (I'm mean!)

 

I even prefer "Senseless" with the park killings  over those, and that was a huge downer. (But Chris Noth did great with the female victim. Sad, sad episode all around.)

[Eolivet]

And Frank was a ne'er do well, anyway, so I could never picture any woman with a shred of self respect hooking up with him long enough to procreate, anyway. (I'm mean!)

 

Well, not with those teeth. ;) Though that never strained believability for me. From what little I remember of psychology, addicts are extremely manipulative and can be very charming when they want to be. Those episodes are extremely well-acted, but I can see how they would be tough to watch again.

 

I thought Bobby's nephew seemed closer to Bobby's son with his sense of justice and fairness that seemed to completely pass over his (albeit sick) mother and brother.

 

And based on this board, "Senseless" is the only other Logan ep I've ever wanted to see. It sounds really well-done.

[WendyCR72]

Well, not with those teeth. ;) Though that never strained believability for me. From what little I remember of psychology, addicts are extremely manipulative and can be very charming when they want to be. Those episodes are extremely well-acted, but I can see how they would be tough to watch again.

 

I thought Bobby's nephew seemed closer to Bobby's son with his sense of justice and fairness that seemed to completely pass over his (albeit sick) mother and brother.

 

And based on this board, "Senseless" is the only other Logan ep I've ever wanted to see. It sounds really well-done.

 

Oh, I get Frank could be manipulative. And Bobby could turn on the smiles and charm when he had to, so I guess Frank could do it, too.

 

As for "Senseless", it is one of the few episodes of Logan's CI tenure where I think his case had some real meaty depth to it, almost like his Mothership years. If you get the opportunity, you should watch it. (His temporary partner, Falacci, is in that one. Another redhead. But then, I do recall us discussing her before. She was decent here, and could do the subdued bit when called for. And Ben Vereen was in this episode and was very good...) Anyway, iTunes or Amazon may have the episode...

[FozzyBear]

It might just be me, but I though Frank's total train wreck of a life was supposed to be somewhat recent. Or if not recent, not his whole life. I thought he was supposed to be the successful one until he and Bobby were maybe in their late 20s when whatever addiction and mental illness he has set in so that when we first meet him he's been off the grid for around 10 years or so. I thought that's why their mom always acted like he was a success because he was at one time and she's just in total denial about how far he's sunk. If so he could have conceived his kid right before things went from bad to worse.

[WendyCR72]

It might just be me, but I though Frank's total train wreck of a life was supposed to be somewhat recent. Or if not recent, not his whole life. I thought he was supposed to be the successful one until he and Bobby were maybe in their late 20s when whatever addiction and mental illness he has set in so that when we first meet him he's been off the grid for around 10 years or so. I thought that's why their mom always acted like he was a success because he was at one time and she's just in total denial about how far he's sunk. If so he could have conceived his kid right before things went from bad to worse.

 

Not a bad theory! The only thing is, while it is easily conceivable Frank also had mental illness, the show never hinted at it (even though both Bobby and Frank had the predisposition), and Bobby told those other cops after Frank was found dead that Frank had been an addict for "over 30 years".

 

To warp what Jo Gage once told Bobby, I guess Frank's background could have "gone either way" since it was never really elaborated upon besides the crumbs we saw or how Bobby described him before we actually saw Frank or their mother.

[cooksdelight]

I can't watch "Amends" (now on WE) without bawling my eyes out. Even my ex-BF who didn't like this show would sniffle.

[Eolivet]

I think that was the first time I'd seen Amends all the way through. That was powerful. Erbe was excellent. The kind of punch-in-the-gut the show used to do really, really well. It was actually almost Mothership-esque.

 

And I'd forgotten how much I hate the USA opening. I especially dislike the effect where they have a photo of the two detectives and then reverse it, like a negative. It's the most random, stupid effect -- like a kid playing with iMovie.

 

Watching the next ep now and I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of seeing Falacci. Also very USA. "Logan had a red-headed partner, so let's get another redhead that's younger with longer hair (and not as good.)" The difference between network and cable if ever I saw it.

[WendyCR72]

I think that was the first time I'd seen Amends all the way through. That was powerful. Erbe was excellent. The kind of punch-in-the-gut the show used to do really, really well. It was actually almost Mothership-esque.

 

And I'd forgotten how much I hate the USA opening. I especially dislike the effect where they have a photo of the two detectives and then reverse it, like a negative. It's the most random, stupid effect -- like a kid playing with iMovie.

 

Watching the next ep now and I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of seeing Falacci. Also very USA. "Logan had a red-headed partner, so let's get another redhead that's younger with longer hair (and not as good.)" The difference between network and cable if ever I saw it.

 

I wish Law & Order: Trial By Jury was never cancelled by NBC. Not because it was great TV but because maybe then CI could have kept its own theme, which I vastly preferred.

 

That said, the negative effect was also done on NBC. Starting around S4; I also saw it on the Logan/Barek opening.

 

Alicia Witt's Falacci...I have softened on her just a bit, but I still think she was too young for the role at the time. But hey, she was Logan's Bishop, so I guess it really didn't matter.

[Spartan Girl]

Re "Amends": I would have liked it if the guy that had been originally convicted for Eames' husband's murder had told his son "Uh, yeah, I wasn't framed, I willingly covered for your cousin. So you basically killed a cop for nothing."

Maybe we were supposed to feel sorry for the kid (and the guy that really killed Eames' husband), but I did not.

[WendyCR72]

Re "Amends": I would have liked it if the guy that had been originally convicted for Eames' husband's murder had told his son "Uh, yeah, I wasn't framed, I willingly covered for your cousin. So you basically killed a cop for nothing."

Maybe we were supposed to feel sorry for the kid (and the guy that really killed Eames' husband), but I did not.

 

Really, the only thing that really bothered me with regard to "Amends" was Eames investigating it at all. The L&O shows, which fictional to the nth degree, seemed to always try in the early days to stick to a sense of reality where investigating was concerned. And that also applied to Goren in both "Endgame" and "Frame", too. Neither should have been near cases involving loved ones (or in Brady's case, sperm donors).

 

But it did allow Kathryn Erbe to shine, so I can't be too harsh about it.

[cooksdelight]

When she smelled his shirt.... that's when I lost it, the first time... and every time...

When my grandmother passed away, my aunts gave me a big plastic bag of her clothes. Mostly the cotton house dresses she wore every day. Her scent was on them. I put them in my closet at home and didn't look at them for the longest time. Then the wife of a guy I worked with mentioned that his wife made "Memory Bears." What's that, I asked. He showed me some photos.

I had her make a Memory Bear for my Dad and all of his siblings for Christmas that year. She took Granny's dresses, and made a teddy bear out of each one of them. Put a little apron on it, and eyeglasses on it, like she used to wear. Unbeknownst to me, the bears I sent each person were made of one of their favorite dresses she used to wear.

[WendyCR72]

When she smelled his shirt.... that's when I lost it, the first time... and every time...

When my grandmother passed away, my aunts gave me a big plastic bag of her clothes. Mostly the cotton house dresses she wore every day. Her scent was on them. I put them in my closet at home and didn't look at them for the longest time. Then the wife of a guy I worked with mentioned that his wife made "Memory Bears." What's that, I asked. He showed me some photos.

I had her make a Memory Bear for my Dad and all of his siblings for Christmas that year. She took Granny's dresses, and made a teddy bear out of each one of them. Put a little apron on it, and eyeglasses on it, like she used to wear. Unbeknownst to me, the bears I sent each person were made of one of their favorite dresses she used to wear.

 

Oh, cooks, that sounds truly fantastic! I never would have thought that something like that could be done, but I love the concept.

 

I bet your family cherishes those bears.

 

As for Alex sniffling Joe's shirt, yeah. KE rocked it. Also liked Bobby helping her get those items (as they were evidence) and even told the clerk that he [bobby] is a whackjob... Hee. Using that rep to help was a nice gesture, anyway.

[cooksdelight]

"Coz I'm the whackjob!"

My favorite line of his... ever.

[Eolivet]

I'm sure others have said this, but "Seeds" was basically the same episode as the Mothership about a very similar fertility doctor? Right down to the "I am a god and create life" and (if I recall correctly) some kind of inherited disease being a driver for the murder. Come on, show -- now you're just being lazy.

[WendyCR72]

I'm sure others have said this, but "Seeds" was basically the same episode as the Mothership about a very similar fertility doctor? Right down to the "I am a god and create life" and (if I recall correctly) some kind of inherited disease being a driver for the murder. Come on, show -- now you're just being lazy.

 

And didn't it even have the same title?

 

Oh well, I noticed throughout the franchise that each one would sometimes tackle the same topic. But this was rather obvious.

[Maherjunkie]

It was "Seed".

[Eolivet]

"Smile" really is a smorgasboard of Hey It's That Actor! in the guest roles. While I still think Leslie's weird psychoanalysis of Goren and Eames at the end was random, I now wonder if it was meant to show just how shallow she was -- that people were nothing but numbers and opportunities to her. She says she "researched" Goren and instead of coming up with his host of potential psych problems, she goes with "You'll never be promoted!" Same with Eames. It's like that's the only way she was capable of thinking.

 

Still such a random ending.

[Spartan Girl]

Yeah, all I can think while watching "Smile" is "That's Fred from Angel!"

Now "Lonelyville" is on. Even though that guy was set up as a patsy by those two scam artists, I couldn't really feel that sorry for him. He didn't feel guilty at all for cheating on his wife; all he cared about was stupid Mew-Mew. Maybe he didn't deserve to be framed or kill himself, but he DID deserve to have his wife dump him.

Edited September 28, 2015 by Spartan Girl

[Eolivet]

Ha, just realized Lonelyville was Ashley Madison years before Ashley Madison. (and you know if the Mothership or CI was on today, they'd have an Ashley Madison leak episode. Maybe it's already in the works at SVU).

[WendyCR72]

Ha, just realized Lonelyville was Ashley Madison years before Ashley Madison. (and you know if the Mothership or CI was on today, they'd have an Ashley Madison leak episode. Maybe it's already in the works at SVU).

 

Oh, you just know Warren Leight and the SVU crew are dying to delve into Ashley Madison.

 

As for "Lonelyville", yeah. I guess CI was ahead of the curve there. Maybe someone on staff owned a crystal ball.  :-)

[WendyCR72]

As for "Depths", what I like to call the Dick Wolf Casting Agency struck again. Kelli Giddish, who now plays Det. Rollins on SVU, was in that one. She never made it on to the Mothership for the trifecta, though!

[Eolivet]

I'm ashamedly charmed by the rapport between Logan and Falacci. Was she really married with kids, as she said at the end of the ep? Logan seems to have such a crush on her -- it's kind of cute.

 

Courtship was really good. Kudos to that kid for pulling off...believable fake acting, and not just bad kid acting. Christine Mayfield was kind of a C-level manipulator, though. Had the ideas, but lacked the skills and the subtlety. Gutenberg was perfectly cast as a cheesy, sleazy director, though.

 

That was so random at the beginning with the two therapists seeing each other (the guy and the blonde)...like, what was that about?

[cooksdelight]

Alicia Witt was my least favorite sidekick to Logan. I just cannot stand her for some reason. I don't know if it's the way she talks, her hiphugger pants.... something. Might be a carryover from "Mr. Holland's Opus" when I didn't like her then either.

Yes, I know, it's irrational because she's a good actress, but I can't stand her.

[Maherjunkie]

She was great on Cybil but seemed too young for him.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Maherjunkie

[cooksdelight]

Pablo Schreiber made a career out of L&O. He reminded me of a redneck guy in school who always had a big plug of tobacco in his lower lip.

[WendyCR72]

Gutenberg was perfectly cast as a cheesy, sleazy director, though.

 

Yeah, he was. I remember when he was everywhere in the '80s and then he just...disappeared. So it was cool to see him on CI.

 

On another note, every time I see Peter Coyote, he seems to play a smarmy type, but I guess it worked for "Self Made". I recall seeing him on an episode of L&O: Los Angeles (yeah, I saw a few episodes of that train wreck), and he was a tool there, too. Also read he has been on SVU as of late, so Dick Wolf must like the guy!

[cooksdelight]

Peter Coyote is a good actor. And fun to hang out and drink with. :)

[WendyCR72]

Peter Coyote is a good actor. And fun to hang out and drink with. :)

 

You don't say.  :-)

 

And hey, it's Blaine from Pretty In Pink. (In all seriousness, and I know this is an old episode, Andrew McCarthy aged well.)

[cooksdelight]

I always get Andrew McCarthy and Cary Elwes mixed up for some reason.

The Asian guy who was part of the sex box episode, is on "Offense".

[WendyCR72]

And, of course, Peri Gilpin is in the episode. She did a decent job with drama. (I think I was more surprised to see Fran Drescher on this show in S6!)

 

Hard to believe Gilpin almost wasn't Roz on Frasier. Lisa Kudrow had the role, but then it was decided she was wrong for the role and she was fired. But she got a great consolation prize, being cast on Friends, so I guess it all worked out.

[cooksdelight]

I thought Gilpin did a good job in this role. Made me not hate McCarthy's wife as much. Damn, such an unlikable woman.

[WendyCR72]

Damn, "Untethered" really is a downer. VDO seemed to have fun with it. Still, yeah. A downer.

[Eolivet]

Wait, Falacci was only a short-term replacement? Well, that explains a few things.

 

Poor Logan -- he really got all the "ripped from Hollywood!" cases. That's the second sleazy director in as many episodes (Contract plus Courtship).

[cooksdelight]

Yeah, Logan had three partners in a very short time span.