Law & Order: Criminal Intent

I originally wondered if the character played by Vincent D'Onofrio was written that way or did he create his characters personality. I have since watched Daredevil and see that it is D'Onofrio's acting skills that create his odd character roles. I believe that you can compare his character in this to Dustin Hoffman in Rainman & Billy Bob Thorton in Slingblade. 10 years was not enough for this show but I loved every episode and now find myself watching anything he is in.

I am a long standing fan of Law and Order,the original series. I never could get into SVU, but I love CI. The intelligence of Vincent's character is wonderful and I have fun watching him "trip" the bad guys. There is humor and sarcasm that I find refreshing, it keeps the show from being too dark. I don't find this show overly violent at all. The acting and writing are top notch. Definitely my favorite series this season.

Somehow when I first started watching Law and Order C.I. I couldn't help but laugh at the crook and their lawyers when Vincent D'Onofrio talks circles around them. By the time the criminal and their lawyer realizes what's happened he's already confessed and doesn't even know he's confessed to killing a person. If I had to pick four Detectives that I like, they'd definitely be Briscoe and Green and Goren and his partner. I some how prefer them to some of the Detectives that I've seen on other TV shows. I'd have to say that this is definitely where D'Onofrio shines at his best, if it's a child then he gets down to the child's level of understanding and intelligence and speaks to them using words that they understand, if it's an adult suspect then he simply just talks circles around them until they admit that they've committed the crime without even knowing about it.

After seeing this show and having watched the other 2 L&O shows, I must say that this one has made me think the most and always has me gripping right to the end just like the other two. All 3 have become excellent shows and each stands out has forged its own identity. D'Onofrio is so good it will give you chills at times. 5 out of 5.

Admittedly I am a huge fan of Law & Order, so I am probably a bit prejudiced with regard to Law & Order Criminal Intent. I have found that the story lines are up to standard the original series set. I feel that the character development in LOCI has tremendous potential.

Intended or not, one of the main characters, Goren, evolves as the central character in each episode. His ability and desire to understand the reasoning behind the actions of the criminals is captivating. He appears supremely intelligent but without a superior attitude. Each episode Goren is called upon to draw from his own eclectic knowledge base which, depending on the episode, might be a foreign language, the psychology behind the criminal mind, odd medical conditions, rare art values or something equally unexpected. His knowledge seems to be acquired because he is driven to know more, to understand more completely, to totally get inside the criminal's head, dissect whatever thought processes are happening and add this to his vast 'file' in his own head. This desire coupled with D'Onofrio's unusual mannerisms create a unique approach to 'cracking' a suspect and makes you sweat right along with the criminal. (Added bonus: D'Onofrio is INCREDIBLY sexy!!)

The other characters are standard Law & Order issue. Very competent, fairly easy to understand without being too simple. They have lives and feelings and issues that some times conflict with their duties which gives them a dimension frequently lacking in television but always existent in Law & Order shows/spinoffs.

I am hoping that this series will be renewed for enough seasons so that the audience will have a chance to peek into the depths of Goren's mind and understand how HE works. All in all, I believe this is a series well worth your time and I sincerely hope that it continues. (I also want to see more of D'Onofrio!!)