Kathryn Erbe Returning to LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT

Goren without Eames? Once I heard D’Onofrio was back I knew Erbe was just around the corner. Let’s face it, Bobby Goren is one of the most interesting characters ever created. I can imagine it must be exhausting and a little stifling playing the same character for 8 or 9 years but if CI is going, then I hope the ending will be a mind-blowing, heart stopping, psychological thriller with both these characters at front and center.

Although I feel like one of the only show fans who actually like ALL of the actors cast as detectives on the show (even the short-term ones), after D’Onofrio & Erbe went to half-time, the show stumbled.

I can understand why it happened, how doing a weekly show can be grueling, but it’s like the show lost its stride and it felt like D’Onofrio, in particular, was growing more detached from the character, less invested. You could call it “character evolution” or he was just physically worn out. But the show lost the subtle play & sense of humor that balanced out the sometimes psychologically disturbed crimes that were solved each week.

Even with the most twisted criminals (and they were on a par with L&O:SVU), there was always a little play and unpredictability with Goren which Eames balanced out nicely. Although D’Onofrio played him in a larger than life style, Erbe was not overshadowed and they had a great rapport until the last few years, after the death of Goren’s mother & brother when he seemed to steadily deteriorate into a spiral he never came out of.

I’m not looking for a happy ending (especially with a series like Law & Order which disposes of cast members with a pause) but it would be nice to see Goren a strong, capable, revitalized character again.

For example, Chris Noth’s Mike Logan didn’t have a happy exit but it was on HIS terms. He quit! He was through being a police officer. He wasn’t fired or got thrown into an insane asylum. His departure was simply, “I had a good run but I’m done with this. On to something new.”

If Goren & Eames are going to leave the force, let them leave this way as well, not in disgrace or in a body bag.

Great, great news — Goren and Eames established the spirit of the show as a thinking person’s cop drama, with incisive probings into criminal and pathological psychology and wicked awesome cat-and-mouse play. The wife and I differed on its labyrinthine plotting — my favorite eps were those where the first 10 minutes and the last seemingly came from different shows — but the CI Classic stars always made the journey fascinating.

Chris Noth’s addition brought a new dimension — plots flavored by pop culture and lower-life psychopathology, humor, and a different brand of cat-and-mouse played at the gut rather than the cerebral level. Even Jeff Goldblum originally introduced a novel element — bright sardonic byplay to complement Goren’s darker explorations of the mind and soul. The show faltered this past season by dampening Det. Nichols’ bright wit (Saffron Burrows’ strangely superficial somberness didn’t help) and miring in Criminal Minds-style grimness. The best classic eps featured comedy or tragedy tinged with pathos: The cheerfully crazed aspirin-poisoner/kids’ clothes franchisee; Stephen Colbert’s forger savant looking to simultaneously please and avenge his religiously demented mom; Neil Patrick Harris’ blood-freezing portrayal of the serial lobotomist who just wanted to be cuddled (sounds flippant, but you have to see the ep).

I hope we can see some return of that CI in the final season — I want to see Goren once again twitching and close-talking and alternately capering and storming about the interview room. And Eames keeping it real on the edge of the sidelines. Just wish we could get DA Carver and his chilled wit to come back for an encore, as well.

I am so glad to have both of them back they are LAW AND ORDER CRIMINAL INTENT they always made the show waht it is so glad to have them back I wish for more then one more season.

So glad to know Dick Wolf is bringing back L & O CI for one more season even if it is short.
Also very glad that Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe are coming back. One of the best detective teams that I ever enjoyed on tv. Send their characters out in the finale respectfully.

David C

I can’t believe I hadn’t heard this news before today. Just happened to be watching SVU on USA today and they just showed the commercial. I had to search to see when. Can’t wait to May 1. I am estatic. This the best news ever. I love GOREN and EAMES. I have been a L&O fan since it’s start. I have watched each of the spin offs, but I have to say Criminal Intent is the best. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT