Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Thanks to the mesmerizing performance of Vincent D'Onofrio as New York City Det. Bobby Goren, this new series enhances the value of the brand.

The best thing about the show is that its cast is so overqualified for it. Vincent D'Onofrio is one of the most inspired and versatile young actors of our time. He was unforgettable in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" in which he barely moved; he spent most of it trapped under a subway car.

Vincent D'Onofrio, who transformed this Law & Order spin-off into an addictive showcase for gleeful Method wackiness and is back as Detective Goren for the final season. The series remains a dependably bland procedural.

It's not a bad show, just nothing special or innovative. It's another plot-driven, bland character drama from executive producer Dick Wolf. [29 Sept 2001, p.C-6]

Told mainly from the perspective of the criminal, L&O:CI has a superb cast (Vincent D'Onofrio, Courtney B. Vance, Jamey Sheridan). But you can't get past the fact that you've seen this all before, just assembled differently.

Mr. D'Onofrio is the best reason to watch Criminal Intent, particularly when he's in full metal insult mode...The show otherwise is weak from a story standpoint. Clues fall into place with remarkable, sometimes unbelievable precision. Wrongdoers are too easily broken down or duped during interrogations. The criminals' minds frankly aren't all that interesting anyway. And unlike its two fellow travelers, there are no palate-cleansing trials in Criminal Intent. Episodes instead end in abrupt arrests. [30 Sept 2001, p.3]

Not only does this sort of McDonald's approach to crime drama represent a serious lack of network imagination, it also threatens the dignity of the original "Law & Order" as it clones its formula. Think of the show's trademark ching-ching as the equivalent of the Golden Arches. [29 Sept 2001, p.F1]