Season Seven: Mike Logan Leaves...Again

[WendyCR72]

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

 

Yeah. In real life, Julianne Nicholson was off on maternity leave. On the show, at the end of S6, Ross had Wheeler go to Europe involving an old case.

 

Every time I watch "Betrayed" (the episode with Brenda Strong as Ross' ex-girlfriend and a shady ex-cop), I'm always baffled at how it was said by Kathy that G/E were out of sync. Ross explained about Goren's suspension, but aside from Bobby sort of being deferential to Alex in the one scene outside of the store, I didn't notice anything truly different. Eh, whatever!

 

S7 seemed more shallow as a whole except for, perhaps, "Amends", "Senseless", "Neighborhood Watch", and "Frame", but no surprise: It was the first season on USA. But Logan did get to truly knock it out of the park in "Senseless". Still, yes, it seemed like Logan and his partner du jour got the "B" cases and Goren and Eames got the meatier stuff.

[cooksdelight]

I think Ross had his panties in a wad over the ex-girlfriend that "might have been".... and why didn't they ever do anything with his relationship with the medical examiner? They definitely had a thing going on, but couldn't they have least shown us ONE scene of them in bed or something??

[Eolivet]

Because WendyCR72 and I would've lost our lunch...nobody needs to be thinking of Ross as a sexual being. :shudder:

 

I did notice they had lunch together in Contract -- right before this ep. I also think it's so weird how Ross was hung up on Kathy so openly (or appeared to be) in Betrayed, and yet it was like...um...don't you have a girlfriend already?

[cooksdelight]

He's got kids, he's had sex at least twice. LOL

[WendyCR72]

I think Ross had his panties in a wad over the ex-girlfriend that "might have been".... and why didn't they ever do anything with his relationship with the medical examiner? They definitely had a thing going on, but couldn't they have least shown us ONE scene of them in bed or something??

 

Are you trying to kill me here?!  :-P  Thanks, @Eolivet, for thinking of me! LOL!

 

But to answer, it's hard to know how deep the thing with Ross/Rodgers went. Aside from Goren snarking about Ross' "girlfriend" in "Frame", other times it barely seemed like they were more than friendly colleagues.

 

And yeah, Ross had two boys, shown by day player kids for a nanosecond in "Albatross" in S6, the one where the husband of a politician is killed during a Civil War reenactment.

[Maherjunkie]

I think at Thanksgiving too.

[WendyCR72]

I think at Thanksgiving too.

 

Yeah, could be.

 

"Ten Count" is on again and it's nice that Logan took an interest in that boxer and his brother. The ending of that one is more bloodier and brutal than most, though. I can't say Miguel Ferrer's character didn't get what he deserved, but it's sad that all the care Mike put into the guy was for nothing, and he was going to prison.

 

On another note, I always liked "Vanishing Act" which aired before this. One that had some levity and fun in a dark, dark season.

[Eolivet]

I'd never seen Reunion, but it barely held my interest until about 20 minutes until the end. I liked how they turned the idea of Jordie as a suspected abuser on its head (though I kind of suspected that kid was his kid. The way he was stroking his hair was filial, not romantic). Really good ending scene. The woman who played his wife was so familiar. She, too, can join Nicole Wallace's band of Tow-Headed Terrors (seriously, what was it about this show, and blondes drawing more blood).

[WendyCR72]

I'd never seen Reunion, but it barely held my interest until about 20 minutes until the end. I liked how they turned the idea of Jordie as a suspected abuser on its head (though I kind of suspected that kid was his kid. The way he was stroking his hair was filial, not romantic). Really good ending scene. The woman who played his wife was so familiar. She, too, can join Nicole Wallace's band of Tow-Headed Terrors (seriously, what was it about this show, and blondes drawing more blood).

 

One thing about that episode that surprised me was Joan Jett was on just to be the murder victim. I guess she was cool with it, though, to do it, so good for her.

[Maherjunkie]

Tara was in Slither too.

[Eolivet]

Tara was in Slither too.

 

Thank you.

 

Neighborhood Watch was really good. Dark and ambiguous. Nancy's rape confession reminded me of a lot of the current debate about rape and consent. And the guy who killed for the thrill of it, but didn't really enjoy it was kind of chilling. Plus, the cop tampering with the victim's car. Amazing how good a case could be when they gave Logan and Wheeler something substantial that didn't feel like it was trolling the tabloid pages.

 

(Plus, bonus Faith Yancy! Her recurring character was both funny and depressing.)

[WendyCR72]

(Plus, bonus Faith Yancy! Her recurring character was both funny and depressing.)

 

Who knew her role in S5's "In The Wee Small Hours" would serve the actress well through S8! To her credit, whomever the actress was, she sure knew how to channel the more annoying characteristics of Nancy Grace (whom Faith Yancy was no doubt based on!).

 

I liked when Goren toyed with her in "Lady's Man" in S8, too.

[cooksdelight]

I met Nancy Grace once, in the ATL airport baggage claim. She and her husband were there with the then-infant twins and a nanny. She had no makeup, a knit cap on her head, I almost didn't recognize her. It was only when she talked that I turned around and realized who she was. She looks NOTHING like she does in full makeup on TV.

[WendyCR72]

I met Nancy Grace once, in the ATL airport baggage claim. She and her husband were there with the then-infant twins and a nanny. She had no makeup, a knit cap on her head, I almost didn't recognize her. It was only when she talked that I turned around and realized who she was. She looks NOTHING like she does in full makeup on TV.

 

The voice would be a dead giveaway for sure. You meet all sorts of people. Lucky you.

[Maherjunkie]

Did you sense bitchiness?

[cooksdelight]

In Nancy, no way. She was very, very sweet. Very generous personality, from what I could tell. But once the camera and makeup are on, all bets are off. :)

[Maherjunkie]

They say Sean Hannity is the same way...

[WendyCR72]

Damn, Logan is officially gone on WE. Zack/Zach Nichols, he of the 7 YEARS off the force, has his debut. Sigh.

[Spartan Girl]

Here's a thought: maybe the actress that played Nicole Wallace can go on Scandal. If she killed Fitz on one show, maybe she can get rid of him on Scandal. Hey, we can dream, right? :)

"Tell Bobby he's the only man I ever loved." Well, I guess that's one way to end that clusterfuck side plot.

[WendyCR72]

Here's a thought: maybe the actress that played Nicole Wallace can go on Scandal. If she killed Fitz on one show, maybe she can get rid of him on Scandal. Hey, we can dream, right? :)

"Tell Bobby he's the only man I ever loved." Well, I guess that's one way to end that clusterfuck side plot.

 

I don't watch Scandal, but I do know Tony Goldwyn is the prez on there and he seems to inspire a lot of loathing from all I've read, so sure, why not?  :-)

 

As for ending the clusterfuck side plot of Nicole: 

Rene Balcer's French CI (with all dialogue in English - set in Paris) series, Jo, sort of undid that! The show was odd in that some L&O actors guest starred, maybe as a favor to Balcer, but did not play their L&O characters. But in the last episode, who gets arrested in Paris (while using an alias) but...Nicole Wallace. Yep, she isn't dead. And the Goren-esque cop (well, the lead cop guy, Jo. Genius, right?) and his cohorts recap the litany of sins from "Frame", and she scoffs how she never did that stuff. So, suddenly, it was in the same universe. So I guess Jack McCoy and Claire Kincaid have doppelgangers. Methinks Rene Balcer wasn't satisfied with how his successor, Warren Leight, tied that up. So depending on if L&O: CI ever got another season and/or EP, it could have been interesting to see if L&O: CI would acknowledge the events on Jo or ignore it and leave Nicole as dead once and for all.

 

Hulu used to have the series up; not sure if it is still there. (I have a multi-region DVD player and have the set. If I recall, it was only 8 episodes long.)

[Maherjunkie]

No! No!  Tell me my boyfriend will be back soon.

[WendyCR72]

No! No!  Tell me my boyfriend will be back soon.

 

On the WE weekday airings, I think it'll be a while. But on the Saturday WE marathon, S6 is ending and S7 is beginning this weekend per TV Guide, so Mike Logan is still around in some form for your viewing pleasure, Maherjunkie! (ION is still on earlier CI; USA jumps around; MyNetwork has CI on once a day at 1:00 p.m. ET now but is on S1.)

[Eolivet]

Here's a thought: maybe the actress that played Nicole Wallace can go on Scandal. If she killed Fitz on one show, maybe she can get rid of him on Scandal.

 

I have no doubt that Fitz will die, but nothing so grand as an assassination. He'll probably trip over his own shoelaces or something. Shonda likes to send out her male leads in humiliating fashion, so... (see also: neurosurgeon dies for want of a neurosurgeon)

 

Topic: Excited that S7 will still be airing on the weekend, as I missed Last Rites and a couple others. Through these airings, I grew to like Mike Logan, and he really had some strong eps that I'd never seen before. Sorry I misjudged ya, Mike! I will likely be skipping S8 though (sorry not sorry, Goldblum).

[WendyCR72]

I have no doubt that Fitz will die, but nothing so grand as an assassination. He'll probably trip over his own shoelaces or something. Shonda likes to send out her male leads in humiliating fashion, so... (see also: neurosurgeon dies for want of a neurosurgeon)

 

Topic: Excited that S7 will still be airing on the weekend, as I missed Last Rites and a couple others. Through these airings, I grew to like Mike Logan, and he really had some strong eps that I'd never seen before. Sorry I misjudged ya, Mike! I will likely be skipping S8 though (sorry not sorry, Goldblum).

 

 

Well, you can always catch the S8 G/E episodes, @Eolivet - even if I do think there were only a couple of really good episodes that season ("Lady's Man" and "Family Values").

 

As for Mike Logan, I've liked him since the Mothership. Still not sure the more psychologically-twisted L&O: CI was a good fit for him, but I still liked seeing him, anyway!

[Cobalt Stargazer]

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.

 

I don't know who (or possibly what) Mew-Mew is, but I enjoy Lonelyville for the extremely shallow reason that one of the scam artists is played by Lola Glaudini, formerly known as Elle Greenaway from Criminal Minds. Even though she played the bad guy, she's one of the best things about the episode.

[WendyCR72]

 

I don't know who (or possibly what) Mew-Mew is, but I enjoy Lonelyville for the extremely shallow reason that one of the scam artists is played by Lola Glaudini, formerly known as Elle Greenaway from Criminal Minds. Even though she played the bad guy, she's one of the best things about the episode.

 

Is that the actress that played the lawyer/hooker? Yeah. She was good. Cold, but good. The guy who killed himself...objectively, I get feeling sorry for him, but he seemed like such a weenie that I didn't get why Tammy supposedly fell for the guy.

[cooksdelight]

He played the coroner in early mothership days, I keep seeing him on old reruns.

"Depths" is on now, I love the music during the opening sequences. I wish they'd do a soundtrack of all the background music. Whatshername from SVU is the bad girl.

"I hate the beach!" -- Goren

[WendyCR72]

Maybe shallow of me, but I think Goren looks great in "Depths" with the scruff, etc. And he isn't really heavy there. :-) Really good.

 

And Eames doesn't have bangs covering half her face there, either.

 

Yeah, Kelli Giddish (now playing a detective on SVU) is the femme fatale or whatever.

 

And Goren hates the beach...yet the poor guy has to go back in the winter there during "Lady's Man" in S8. Bet that didn't help. LOL!

[WendyCR72]

The perp in "Depths"...now I remember him. He was the same actor (I think) that was part of the drug smuggling via horses in "Ill Bred" in S3. The second diver murdered was also in "The Last Street In Manhattan" in S10, the partner named VP after his business partner/rival was murdered.

 

The "It's That Guy (Or Gal)!" game is always amusing.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Is that the actress that played the lawyer/hooker? Yeah. She was good. Cold, but good. The guy who killed himself...objectively, I get feeling sorry for him, but he seemed like such a weenie that I didn't get why Tammy supposedly fell for the guy.

 

Yeah, Wendy, LG was the brunette Logan and Falacci couldn't locate at first. And I think the reason Tammy fell for the guy is because she was kind of a weenie too. Lonelyville was on the WE channel here today, and when they were handcuffing Glaudini's character she says, "You always need everyone to love you. Now what do you have?"

 

On an unrelated note, I saw Julianne Nicholson in Black Mass playing Joel Edgerton's wife. I didn't recognize her at first because her hair was a lot longer, but the freckles clued me in.

[WendyCR72]

Yeah, Wendy, LG was the brunette Logan and Falacci couldn't locate at first. And I think the reason Tammy fell for the guy is because she was kind of a weenie too. Lonelyville was on the WE channel here today

 

Yeah, I was watching the marathon, too. And thanks for the confirmation, @Cobalt Stargazer!

[WendyCR72]

"Senseless" will never not be a gut puncher. I think it was Logan's best CI episode. And it had some real grit and emotion to it.

[cooksdelight]

I agree. Chris Noth was not recognized or rewarded for the work he did on this show. I think he was tons better than his time on the mothership.

[Eolivet]

Just saw "Senseless" for the first time, after reading about it for years on these boards.

 

It's definitely dark, but at least they caught the killer. The opening is so interesting, and I liked how it showed that kids who grew up in the same neighborhood could go a number of different ways depending on their luck and/or circumstances. You get the feeling (or I did) that if the barber shop had stayed open and Hector and Paco's father hadn't died, maybe they would've had the opportunities to get out of that neighborhood like Naomi, Ty and Isaiah did. Just the sad irony of being murdered by a kid from down your street.

 

But it's not quite as horrible as To the Bone, in my mind, because at least the perp got caught. The last shot was really sad -- the memorial and the three empty swings. Beautifully shot, too. I remember the director (Jean de Szognac) did a lot of crime drama directing in the 00s.

[WendyCR72]

Yeah, I have seen Jean de Segonzac's name all over not just CI but the Mothership. Maybe SVU, too, most likely, but as I really haven't kept up regularly there, it's hard to say.

 

I was glad that Chris Noth got to stretch himself a bit in this one. And it is always nice to see Ben Vereen.

 

Anyway, "Contract" is airing now, and it's always a hoot seeing Mo Rocca's character blown to smithereens. I only knew him from that VH1 series "I Love The '80s" (and '70s, '90s, etc.).

 

And Wheeler officially marks her return from Europe in this one (i.e. Julianne Nicholson returns from maternity leave).

[cooksdelight]

I had only seen Mo Rocca on CBS Sunday Morning, reporting on the oddball stuff from time to time. He also has a show on Food Network, I think it's called My Grandmother's Ravioli.

[WendyCR72]

I always got a kick out of seeing Paul Shaffer and especially The Naked Cowboy on the beginning of "Vanishing Act". My brother went to NYC years ago and came back with a bunch of pictures of The Naked Cowboy.

 

I guess he's a real hit on the streets of NYC!

[Maherjunkie]

Say what you will be hearing sweet Roy talk about oral pleasure just makes my skin crawl.

[WendyCR72]

Say what you will be hearing sweet Roy talk about oral pleasure just makes my skin crawl.

 

Ewww, gross. I noticed he was another to snark about Eames not knowing what it feels like to be with a "real man" or some variation thereof. Must have been the running line for smarmy males since Jason What's His Face in S6's "Siren Call" pulled the same schtick.

[WendyCR72]

Yep, Bobby still looked great in "Depths".

 

As for "Courtship", on now, I still got a kick of seeing Steve Guttenberg come out of obscurity. The ex-wife looked familiar to me, then I realized she was in Party of Five, although I never watched that. She sort of reminds me of Ellen Pompeo in looks.

[Maherjunkie]

I try and say "Ocean, ocean," when I am upset.

[WendyCR72]

I try and say "Ocean, ocean," when I am upset.

 

With dreams of buried treasure at the bottom of it?  :-P

 

"Contract" is on now, Wheeler's return. And she may be a good actress, but Ileanna Douglas' nasally voice drives me batty!

[Maherjunkie]

More like dreams of Logan at the surface.

[WendyCR72]

More like dreams of Logan at the surface.

 

I take it they aren't G-Rated? LOL! Worse things to dream about!

[Maherjunkie]

Yes, he's a vagina shark.

[WendyCR72]

Yes, he's a vagina shark.

 

I have heard plenty of euphemisms and expressions before, but I gotta say, that's the first time I have heard that one!

[WendyCR72]

So I saw "Frame" again recently and something finally hit me: Was it ever really explained how the hell Bobby figured out that Declan (and Nicole) was behind his whole mess?

 

I just found it rushed how he was being accused, he has his (deserved, IMO!) meltdown with Rodgers, and then Alex is telling Bobby about Frank's insurance policy and how someone is gaslighting Bobby. To which Bobby says how Declan said that, too.

 

Great, but I don't see how Declan agreeing was enough for Bobby to figure that out. Kind of a shadow on an otherwise good episode, IMO.

[WendyCR72]

Poor Logan (and Wheeler). "Assassin" was shown late last night and that one is always such a clunker to me. I guess political backdrops annoy me. Although seeing Stephen Schnetzer from Another World (and the Advil voice guy!) as the hubby was nice.

 

Too bad he never got to rub elbows with Joan Jett in "Reunion", though (since she played the victim). At least that one seemed kind of fun.

[Maherjunkie]

Oh I love that one!  Logan whispering at the end and struggling to stay the diplomat do it for me.

[WendyCR72]

Oh I love that one!  Logan whispering at the end and struggling to stay the diplomat do it for me.

 

"Assassin" or "Reunion"? Because he seemed to be soft-spoken at the end with both.  :-)  I liked Logan's vibe with Milo in "Reunion".