The tenth and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered Sunday, May 1, 2011, on USA Network. The timeslot was moved to Sunday nights at 9 p.m. (ET) from Tuesday nights at 10:00 pm Eastern/9:00 pm Central.[1]
This marks the first and only season since the show's debut that did not air with the original Law & Order still on the air, due to the latter's cancellation by NBC in May 2010.[2] Episodes from this season repeated on NBC on Mondays starting May 30, 2011, at 9 p.m. (ET), leading into new episodes of Law & Order: LA, which was placed on hiatus from January to early April 2011, causing its own new episodes to air through July 2011.[3]
Law & Order: Criminal Intent finished its 10 season run on June 26, 2011. It was confirmed by USA Network co-president Jeff Wachtel on July 15, 2011; when asked about a possible 11th season, Wachtel answered "No—and this is said with respect for the show, respect for Dick [Wolf], and most significantly with respect to the audience." Wachtel also cited reasons for not renewing being monetary issues.[4] The episodes in the tenth season averaged 4.43 million total viewers and 1.67 million in the age 18-49 demographic; higher than the numbers the show pulled in the ninth season.[5]
Season overview
Season ten returns to the single pairing of Detectives Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) at the Major Case Squad. Terminated for insubordination a year ago, Detective Goren has been reunited with his long-time partner Alex Eames at the behest of the new Major Case Captain (Jay O. Sanders). However, in addition to solving cases, Goren has mandatory sessions with brilliant police psychologist Dr. Paula Gyson (Julia Ormond).
This final eight episode arc focussed on Goren's tortured past and charting a course for a successful future. Storylines for this season included a beautiful female banker whose sole client was the Catholic Church; an adventuresome rogue who may be the country's best cyber-warrior; and a woman who was blackmailing a wealthy, tabloid-fodder "bad boy."[1] The episode "Icarus" explored a scenario inspired by many of the cast incidents in the Broadway play Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; in this case, they turn tragic. This version features characters ranging from a high-strung director to a secretly bisexual rock-star composer.[6]
Cast
Changes and returning characters
In August 2010, Jeff Goldblum (Detective Zack Nichols) announced his departure from the series after switching agencies and being unsure of the series' future. The options for renewal of Goldblum, Saffron Burrows, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio's contracts formally expired on July 31, 2010, after being extended by a month on June 30 when they were originally up. The series at the time was in limbo.[7] Over a month later, it was confirmed that Criminal Intent was returning for a tenth and final season consisting of eight episodes, with star Vincent D'Onofrio who portrays Detective Robert Goren. The news of Law & Order: CI getting a proper closure was in stark contrast with the abrupt cancellation of the original mothership series by NBC in May 2010.[8]
Weeks later, it was announced that Kathryn Erbe would be returning as her character Detective Alex Eames, also confirming that ninth season cast member Saffron Burrows (Detective Serena Stevens) had departed.[9] This meant a return to the single, original pair of Detectives Eames and Goren that featured in the first four seasons of the series.
Chris Brancato replaced Walon Green as show runner/executive producer. Green was show runner/EP throughout seasons 8 and 9.[12] Former show runner/executive producer Warren Leight wrote the episode "Trophy Wine", along with all the scenes with D'Onofrio and Julia Ormond, and the final scenes in the finale, "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap". Co-creator, developer, and former show runner/EP René Balcer re-wrote the finale as well, but went uncredited.[13] Brancato suggested that the show could be picked up for an 11th season if the intended final episodes garner sufficient ratings.[14]
Returning star Vincent D'Onofrio felt; "The fact that we had so many viewers, more than other cable shows, it's odd to see the show end." Although the show suffered a sharp ratings decline in the ninth season; coinciding with D'Onofrio and Erbe being written out of the show.[15] Kathryn Erbe said to TV Guide if Law & Order: CI was possibly renewed; "I know that I would be there in a heartbeat. I'm fairly positive that Vincent [D'Onofrio] feels the same way. Everyone was really hoping that, in the 11th hour, we'd get some word. Whether the fans are able to muscle us back or not, who knows. They have amazing power."[16]
Appearing in the season premier episode "Rispetto," Jay Mohr guest-stars as Nyle Brite, a famous, successful Charlie Sheen-type bad boy "rock star" fashion designer whose every creation turns to gold. His reputation for cocaine benders and call girl-populated parties only skyrockets his career and mints him as the "lovable rogue," until a body turns up. Noelle Beck plays Debra, Nyle’s long-suffering wife who has managed to withstand two decades of abuse because she has secrets of her own.[18]Spencer Garrett plays Paul Keller, CEO of Nyle's company who has little patience for his drug-fueled antics. Neal Huff plays Jay's long-time friend Teddy Scola, a procurer of prostitutes and party favorites who is more than he seems.
In "The Consoler," Neal McDonough plays Monsignor McTeal who does great works for the Catholic Church such as soup kitchens, orphanages, cancer wards, and the like, but he also has a scandalous secret. Theresa Esperna (Elia Monte-Brown) helps resolve settlements for the Church, so when she dies by gunshot there are questions; suicide or murder. Jon Prescott plays Johnny Apreda, one of Theresa's colleagues, and Lauren Hodges plays Theresa's best friend Natalie Finnegan. Mark Dobies plays McTeal's attorney after being accused of Theresa's murder.
Michael Kelly guest stars as Terrence Brooks, head of Ascalon Security, who prefers "Boots on the Ground" to wars in cyberspace. He goes head-to-head with his rival, Naomi Halloran, portrayed by special guest star Jeri Ryan, a former CIA official who runs Sun Tech, a cyber-security company worth hundreds of millions. This no-nonsense businesswoman is harboring a secret.[19] Aaron Mathias black hat's both sides as Matt Clark and Ian Masefield, but someone who can climb buildings throws him off a roof. Tala Ashe plays Matt's girlfriend, a practitioner and teacher of krav maga, who has her own secrets to harbor. Michele Pawk portrays Elise Clark, Matt's mother, who has been hiding her revolutionary secrets longer than any of them. Nicole Wallace (Olivia d'Abo), Goren's late nemesis, appears in a flashback.
In "The Last Street in Manhattan," Alexandra Silber guest stars as Vanessa Colway, the Inwood daughter of bar-owner/bookie Shawn Colway (Jack McGee). Vanessa is the latest and last girlfriend of David Kellen (David Alan Basche), a high-powered "Merger King" investment banker. Julie White plays Stephanie Miller who runs The Swan Club, a premiere match broker that fetches $700,000 per marriage.[20]America Olivo plays Nikki Vansen, David's previous girlfriend who he dumped. Stephanie sets David up on a new date with Andrea Stiles (Beatrice Rosen), but his heart is not in it, and soon afterwards receives two 38-caliber slugs. Eric Sheffer Stevens plays Aston Skinner, David's #2, who is the first suspect. A second-best suspect is local thug, Jack Driscoll (Nick Chinlund). Ambition, greed, jealousy, revenge, and insider trading are all possible motives. Raymond J. Barry appears as Alexandra's father Johnny Eames, who still lives in her childhood Inwood home.[21] Goren's birth father, Mark Ford Brady (Roy Scheider), also appears in a flashback.
Andrea Roth guest starred in "Trophy Wine" as Avery Cullman, an ad executive and wife of a rare wine dealer, Bing Cullman (AKA Arnold Binder), played by Michael Cumpsty. After a tasting party, Bing is found locked in his wine cellar, dead from a heart attack.[22]Adrian Pasdar played a wine collector named Mason Kent and Bryan Batt portrayed premiere wine sommelier Hutton "The Nose" Mays. Scott Evans plays a male model Shane Berlin.[23] Goren's brother Frank (Tony Goldwyn) appears in a flashback.
Rosalind Chao and Camille Chen guest star together as "tiger mother" Mrs. Zhuang and her daughter, Dr. Maya Zhuang.[24] A "Cadaver" is found in a park dressed in clothing belonging to Ben Langston (Steven Weber), a wealthy philanthropist and Bedford Institute donor.[25]Charlie Barnett plays Dr. Sam Harris, a son that Ben did not know he had. Jenna Stern plays Ben's wife Lauren. Geoffrey Cantor plays Ethan Lowe, the director of the funeral home where Ben's actual body was cremated.
Cynthia Nixon plays a high-strung director named Amanda Rollins (no relation to the character from Law & Order: SVU). An accident-plagued Broadway adaptation of Icarus results in the death of an actor on stage, sending Amanda spiraling out of control.[26]Christopher McDonald guest stars as Evan Korman, the show's producer who clashes with Amanda. Michael Panes plays Roger Porter, Amanda's dramaturge. Eion Bailey portrays a "rock star" composer, Adam Winter, who is married-with-secrets.[27]Billy Magnussen is sitcom star Marc Landry, the bumbling lead character Icarus, who flies to close to sun before he crashes down to his death. Matt Cavenaugh plays Brice Calder, Marc's understudy. Ken Dashow, a New York City classic rock disc jockey for WAXQ radio station, makes an appearance as theater critic Michael DeWitt. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning author Patti Smith plays an old friend of Goren; mythology professor Cleo Alexander at Columbia University, who helps Goren figure out the meaning behind "Icarus" (a metaphor for failed ambition). Regarding D'Onofrio, Smith said, "He's been taught by the greatest, and he taught me, so I feel like if I had to do it again, I'd be really good," she says. "He's such a great actor, such a great director and becoming such a good friend."[28]
Natalie Gold plays Danielle Magee, an idealistic coder behind the KizMate dating sight dedicated "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap", her boyfriend PJ Edwards (Pawel Szajda), who is now also a member of the board. James Van Der Beek plays Rex Tamlyn, a business strategist, who is a hard-partying playboy and partner in their Facebook-esque website devoted to "connecting people who share fleeting romantic encounters." Ripped-from-the-headlines, the episode involves a lawsuit for IP theft. Thad Luckinbill and his identical twin Trent portray "Winklevoss-ian" venture capitalists, Parker & Thomas Gaffney, who are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Richard Bekins plays their father, and Manish Dayal plays Samir Doss, their business partner, who tries to find a compromise that satisfies all parties.[29] NFL Running Back Brandon Jacobs also make a special guest appearance as a bouncer. Tovah Feldshuh reprises her role of defense attorney Danielle Melnick from Law & Order, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. appears as the first-on-scene detective.
After a young call girl is murdered, the investigation leads Detectives Goren and Eames behind the scenes of the fashion industry, where they witness the many moral compromises—not to mention outright lawbreaking—that is allowed to keep the resident star designer and hard-partying, "rockstar" Nyle Brite (Jay Mohr) content. Would the fashion house’s key members stoop to murder to protect the runaway train wreck who makes them all millions, or are those skills being used in a cover-up?
Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the death of a banker who was working with the Catholic church and could be part of a cover-up; they must determine if the banker was murdered or committed suicide. They discover the bank's only client is the Catholic Church and dig into a scandal and cover-up linked to the murder.
After a brilliant hacker is thrown to his death off a building, government documents are leaked where Detectives Goren and Eames later discover an ongoing war between two private security companies.
The murder of a Wall Street CEO takes Detectives Goren and Eames on an investigative trail that leads into the world of high-end Manhattan match-making, where wealthy men are paired with beautiful, accomplished women. Their efforts take them to Eames' childhood neighborhood and the last residential street on Manhattan Island, 218th in Inwood. Goren and Eames must determine which of the victim's many enemies could be responsible.
This is the first time Eames' father appears in the series, though he has been mentioned in earlier seasons.
When a wealthy wine importer is found dead of a heart attack after being locked in his wine cellar, Detectives Goren and Eames uncover the conspiratorial workings of a high-end auction house. When it is discovered he had been selling a counterfeit product, attention turns to his business associates and fellow wine enthusiasts.
A philanthropist funding a research grant is found murdered, his body switched with a medical cadaver from the very institute he was funding. Detectives Goren and Eames are called in to investigate, but what they find behind the walls of a renowned research institute gives them plenty of suspects. Meanwhile Goren might risk losing his career, again.
A blockbuster Broadway musical plagued by high profile setbacks grabs another headline when the show's lead, sitcom star Marc Landry, falls to his death during one of the play's highly choreographed stunts. At first, the cast and crew put on a show of solidarity in the face of disaster. But when Goren and Eames rule out an accident, the facade of the tight knit theater family falls away to reveal the players in this tragedy for who they really are: an understudy who resented being passed over for an untalented big name; an arena-filling rock star anxious that his songwriting doesn't pass muster; a producer obsessed with upholding his family's Broadway legacy; and a visionary director coming apart at the seams whose tireless assistant who will do anything to keep her together. As Goren and Eames pull the curtain back further, they find only desperate, insecure artists whose hunger for the golden spotlight will take them to any lengths - even murder.
Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the murders of twin brothers involved in a heated lawsuit, their bodies discovered in the office of the Web company they were suing. The investigation of a site that connects strangers who've had brief romantic encounters leads to interesting revelations about the site's creation, and Goren may face the ultimate price.
1 2 [httpw://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/02/03/usa-network-launches-new-seasons-of-law-and-order-criminal-intent-and-in-plain-sight-premiering-sunday-may-1-784201/20110203usa01/ "USA Network Launches New Seasons of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "In Plain Sight" Premiering Sunday, May 1"]. The Futon Critic. February 2, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
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