2:14 - "Probability" 2003-02-16

[Patcat]

Since old episodes are appearing on the USA Network, I though people might be interested in discussing some of these as they appear, especially as some of us have never had the chance to do so.

This second season episode ran last night. I've only seen it once before, and it's a very impressive episode that allows Goren to demonstrate his analytical skills. It also shows that Goren doesn't know everything--he just knows where to find out about everything.

Mark Linn-Baker gives a great performance as Wally Stephens, one of the more complicated, and sympathetic, villains of the LOCI world.

Eames has a terrific line--"I didn't know you had an older, geeker brother"--but I wonder if it's something she would say now to Goren, assuming, that is, that she knows more about his background.

The confrontation with Stephens has some wonderful teamwork on the part of D'Onofrio and Erbe, and there's a final, haunting shot showing Goren, in the shadows, studying Stephens in the interrogation room. It may have been just a cool shot, but I think the audience is being sent a reminder that the line between Goren and the criminals he pursues is often a thin one.

Patcat

[joanie]

Patcat I agree with you there where a lot of similarities between our man Goren and Stephens the insurance guy. It's a coin toss to see who is quirkier.

Goren looked like he was in total awe of Stephens "Rainman" mathematical abilities. I could be wrong but I sensed a little man crush developing. (just kidding)

This was a fun episode, but then again, I have a thing for quirky characters. (like my hubby )

Joanie

[DNA]

This is one of my favorite episodes, by sheer coincidence, when I first watched it I had just read a study on Asperger's and I knew even before it was revealed that was what the writers/cast were portraying. The whole subject/condition was excellently scripted and acted.

[Patcat]

Something I probably should have caught before, but:

I was reading THE READER'S ALMANAC (a daily listing of literary events and anniversaries), and today is the birthday of the poet Wallace Stevens. Stevens is considered one of the great American poets, but he lived in Hartford, Connecticut and worked as an executive for an insurance company most of his life. Few people from his life as poet knew of this life in insurance, and few people from his insurance life knew about his poetry.

I can't help but think that there's more than a coincidence that the antagonist in PROBABILITY was named Wally Stevens.

Patcat

[thatdrattedcat]

I only saw the last ten or so minutes of this episode (from the part where Eames and Goren show up at Wally Stevens's door and charm their way inside), but I have to say that 'Probability' looked like a wonderful episode. Why aren't there more posts on this episode thread? I have rarely seen Eames and Goren so dynamic together, and the way the last scene was framed, with the four of them standing outlined by the light of the interrogation room was memorable indeed.

[ragincajun]

Last night on USA this and cherry Red played they are two of my fav episodes. I think Goren was at awww over Wally's ability. Wonder if he would have been friends with him, if he wouldn't have been a killer. And OT wish they would bring Lewis, Goren's car friend back for an episode.

[musicwench]

This is one of my favorite episodes. Love the scenes with Goren and Wally Stevens. Mark Lin Baker was superb in this episode! One of my all time favorite CI scenes is Goren and Wally Stevens with Eames watching them interact. Her line "I didn't know you had an older, geekier brother," is just hilarious.
T
I also loved the way Goren and Eames worked together in this one. Their back and forth banter with Wally while they were trying to get him to mark off sites on the map and then the way they showed him the patterns on the map by connecting the dots! All such superb interaction. And of course as I said, Mark Lin Baker's performance and scenes with VDO were just perfection.

Can't say enough good things about this episode.

[effie]

I am always intrigued by the final "he'd probably like a pen pal" comment...

I could sort of see Goren keeping in touch, although I can also see him wanting to keep distances between him and the criminals he's caught...

he's the sort of character the good guys might consult in jail in order to catch other bad guys (you see it sometimes with master forgers and master criminals and the like). Note to the writers... give Goren and Eames an insurance fraud case and let them get Wally to help consult!!

[effie]

Oh, and it was probably conincidental, but who knows with the CI folks, but I thought it interesting that in one of the final looking at wally from the observation room scenes, the first shot was Goren, Eames, Deakins, and Carver. Add Wally in the background, and there were FIVE people in the shot.

Five being somewhat important, I always find that kind of humorous...

anybody else pick up any subliminal fives anywhere else?

[ragincajun]

I think Wally should have gone to a mental institution. Did he ever really remember doing the murders?


Mark Lyn Baker really did his research was looking up aspergers and found this web sitewww.aspergers.com/ Doesn't say anything about memory loss. So not sure why he wouldn't remember doing the murders, or did the other guy kill them? But Wally was the one dumping the bodies right?

[sarahlee]

I didn't get that Wally didn't remember the murders ragincajun--I thought he meant he was in shock over realizing why he commited the murders. It must be quite a come-down to go from "passion" as a motive, to a "number 5 obsession". In addition, ( ) Wally, who had such control over the details of his life, had to learn that the details controlled him.

[ragincajun]

Oh ok, so him not knowing where the money was, was just an act too, to throw off suspicion. Guess I was just trying to see him as a innocent. He wanted the money to get his wife back, he thought thats why she left him, but it was due to his aspergers. And in the end that all came to light.

[sarahlee]

ragincajun said:

...Oh ok, so him not knowing where the money was, was just an act too, to throw off suspicion...He wanted the money to get his wife back, he thought thats why she left him, but it was due to his aspergers. And in the end that all came to light.

I agree. Just because a person has "mental challenges'', it doesn't mean he cannot be deceptive. That's why G&E kept pressing him (Wally) about the money, because they knew he was lying. Innocence is truly rare among us...

[DonnaJo]

What I never understood is why didn't Wally tell his wife about the money? If thats what he thought would win her back, what was he waiting for? Wasn't it like, 14 million dollars? They never addressed this discrepancy.

[Summerfield]

I've always wondered how Wally ever got married and had two children in the first place! Is Aspergers progressive as one ages? Because, I've always wondered how such a guy could get a date, let alone marry.