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Post by Patcat on May 24, 2007 13:39:24 GMT -5
To start this series, one of the best episodes. I'd appreciate feedback on the format, content, anything. If the administrators and others think this should be on the episode's discussion thread, please let me know. I thought I'd post these on Wednesday or Thursday for an episode scheduled for the next week.
This episode will air at 10 am(EST) on Monday, May 28, as part of the USA Cable Network's LOCI Marathon.
First aired: April 27, 2003, the 19th show of the Second Season
Director: Frank Prinzi
Written by: Jim Serling and Rene Balcer
Guest Cast: Dennis Christopher (Roger Coffman); Paul Dooley (Stan Coffman); Kevin Breznahan (Lewis)
Brief Synopis: While investigating the death of a young woman, Eames and Goren uncover a city official's possible involvement in her death and in a corruption scheme. The key to solving the case lies in the official's relationship with his ailing father.
Point of interest: Dennis Christopher and Paul Dooley portrayed a son and father involved in a far healthier relationship in the 1979 film BREAKING AWAY.
Return Offender: Kevin Breznahan as Goren's friend, Lewis.
The commentary on the discussion thread for this episode is lively and well worth a return visit. There are many who consider its second season to be LOCI's best, and this entry in that season to be one of the best episodes of the show. Is this one of the best? And what makes a great LOCI episode?
There are two (possibly three if Goren's relationship with his mother is included) depictions of an adult child dealing with an ailing parent. How are they shown? How are they different? And how do they fit in with LOCI's other families?
How do Roger and Stan Coffman rank among the LOCI villains? Who's the greater villain of the two?
Would Roger have been able to continue to get away with his scheme if he hadn't reached too far?
Goren and Carver appear to make a connection over their shared admiration of the model cars. Does this mark a change in their relationship?
A few comments: This episode has what appear to be several scenes that are audience favorites, including Goren's "deflowering" of the Ferrari and Eames' comment, "You have to get out now" and the previously mentioned "playdate" of Goren and Carver.
Throughout this episode, Eames takes on the role of something of a female observer of the boys at play, and she regards Goren, Carver, Lewis, and most of the males with the bemusement of an older sister, or the female friend who was allowed in the treehouse.
Patcat (again, feedback appreciated)
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Post by Summerfield on May 24, 2007 19:52:13 GMT -5
I absolutely love this episode because of Christopher and Dooley. Years ago, the two actors played father and son in "Breaking Away." It's a fun movie, and if you ever get a chance to view it, I suggest you do. I also love the movie because it was more or less filmed in my own back yard. Let's all go to the quarry!
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Post by Patcat on May 25, 2007 10:49:43 GMT -5
I'll date myself by this, but I was a freshman at IU when BREAKING AWAY was being filmed. It is a terrific movie. My only caveat is that not all the students at IU were snotty sorioty and fraternity kids--a lot were and are students who probably had a lot more in common with the town kids.
And the quarries are great. Terrific swimming holes.
Patcat
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Post by deathroe on May 25, 2007 11:57:11 GMT -5
Patcat--
"Throughout this episode, Eames takes on the role of something of a female observer of the boys at play, and she regards Goren, Carver, Lewis, and most of the males with the bemusement of an older sister, or the female friend who was allowed in the treehouse."
I have a quick query. May I please use this quote (cited properly, of course) for a set of classroom handouts? I do kind-of mock paper topics with my students and decided to use an Eames paper as one of my classroom examples (yeah, I'm kind of a dork). This would be perfect to show how this aspect of Eames' character is established early in the show.
I have nothing intelligent about the episode to say sans being able to view my dvds other than, yeah, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT NOW!!! Oh, man, those were the days.
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Post by Patcat on May 25, 2007 15:16:43 GMT -5
Of course (blushes).
Patcat
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Post by deathroe on May 25, 2007 18:44:43 GMT -5
Thank You!!!
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Post by musicwench on May 25, 2007 21:56:48 GMT -5
Good one to start with. Definitely one of my favorites!
I'd say it definitely is one of the best. There's the familiar theme of strained father/son relationships. The father who pretty much ignores his child until he needs him. In hindsight not only might that reflect Goren's own relationship with his father but to some extent with his mother. Apparently his mother also favored Frank despite his being such a loser. It would seem his mother might demand so much of Bobby's attention because he's pretty much all she's got right now.
The neglected child dealing with an ailing father. In hindsight I also can see how there is a parallel between the demanding father and his son obediently trying to placate him with some simmering resentment and Goren and his mother and the way he tends to defer to her even when she's being demanding and B***hy.
You kind of have to feel sorry for the younger Coffman. He's the one who gave up just about everything for his father( for his approval?) despite the fact that his father wasn't apparently much of a father. Again the parallels betwen Goren and his mother come to mind immediately. From what I've seen of Frances Goren, she seems very self-centered and almost oblivious to the stress and strain she's causing her own child or at least if she does notice she's indifferent. Even when she wasn't sick she abandoned both her boys to go off with "Uncle Mark" to spite her husband. What was she thinking???
It has many of the elements we love about CI. The playful Goren who reveled in the fact that he was sitting in that Ferrari and delighted in "playing" with Carver as they checked out those model cars. The way Goren played the perps and turned them against each other was classic. I also love Eames in her usual role as mother/older sister who has to tell Bobby he has to put his toy away and go to work and he has to end his play date with Carver. LOL
As to who is the greater villan? I'd say the father is the greater villan but I don't know why he was the way he was. I do know the son was badly used by his father and while it's not an excuse, I can see why he turned out the way he did. Which really makes Goren even more of a heroic figure since none of the tragedy in his life could make him not be a decent, compassionate individual.
I think Roger would have been caught if he didn't eventually stop. The whole scheme might have unraveled even without daddy killing off the girl.
Don't know if this marked a change in Goren and Carver's overall relationship. I have to pay closer attention to them before and after. It could very well be that way. I know in the first couple of seasons Carver was incredibly upset with Goren. The Faithful and Best Defense come to mind right now. After? Hmm...I know by the time ITWSH happened, he was definitely more in Goren's corner and more apt to work with him. Perhaps it did start here.
I love the way Eames always seems to be the "adult" in the Goren/Eames dynamic. She seems to be the one who tells Goren he needs to get out now and in Death Roe she reminds him they're on duty as he's about to take a sip of the alcohol offered him. LOL
I love revisiting the old ones like this with the added knowledge of season 6. This was a great idea!
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Post by Patcat on May 25, 2007 23:02:37 GMT -5
I suspect Frances Goren might have been displaying signs of the schizophrenia for some time before she was diagnosed. She might have very well been sick when she left Frank and Bobby.
And if I remember correctly, Roger murdered the elderly woman.
Patcat
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Post by diablodeblanco on May 26, 2007 10:09:17 GMT -5
I got the feeling that when Goren saw that Roger (the son) had this grand scheme to amass a war chest of $$ taken from estates and use it to buy classic cars he could understand it....not condone it, but understand it. When Goren saw that all the cars were being sold to buy the ultimate Ferrari he really understood it. The Ferrari was more than a mere car, it was the out, the way to escape the responsibility of an ailing parent, the daily emotional punishment at the hands of the ailing/unappreciative parent. The "get out of prison" card that would lead to a life instead of the existance that had become the life. Goren could understand Roger's need to ride off into the sunset in a fantasy car in search of all the things that had been missing/taken from him in his present life. Roger was doing something, albeit in the wrong way, about his unhappiness. Roger was going to at least try for his dream. Where as Goren, having a greater sense of responsibility/love for his parent and a stronger moral code would only continue on in his situation. Perhaps on some level, Goren saw the similarity between the two of them. Both of them trapped by things out of their control.....wondering when their time would come...wondering when their life could begin.
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Post by Patcat on May 26, 2007 16:32:50 GMT -5
Goren's mother, though, appears incapable of living on her own, and Goren appears to have set some boundaries about her involvement in his life. He has work that he enjoys, is good at it, and offers benefit to society. Stan is far less ill than Frances Goren--I suspect he could live on his own if he didn't see Roger as a free ride, one that Stan thinks he deserves. It strikes me that all through his life Roger has allowed Stan to steadily encroach on his life until Roger doesn't have one.
Patcat
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Post by diablodeblanco on May 26, 2007 20:04:08 GMT -5
I think you're right about Stan. With some effort he could have lived on his own. But it was easier and more pleasurable to live with his son. Pleasurable meaning no responsibilities and more chances to make Roger miserable. The one scene where Roger comes home and the second he steps in the door he is set upon by his father and at the same time Roger is picking up tissues etc.. The only calm in this sea of misery is his locked bedroom. His sanctuary from what lies on the other side of the bedroom door. Goren at least had some physical distance from Frances. She could call him only. The physical was controlled by Goren. His weekly visit was his control. Poor Roger didn't have this. True it was by his own doing but I think once he allowed his ailing father to move in, it was down hill all the way. His life was changed, he lost his wife, his privacy and his dignity. His life preserver was the plan to acquire the dream car and disappear....sans good old dad. Freedom was Roger's ultimate dream. In the end he went from one prison to another.
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Post by Patcat on May 27, 2007 12:33:10 GMT -5
"One prison to another."
And I wonder if Roger might find actual prison not as bad as outside. His dad, though, I suspect will have a short and brutal time of it.
Patcat
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Post by ragincajun on May 27, 2007 14:24:12 GMT -5
This is one of my favorite episode. I wondered if Rogers wife worked, If I remembered right Roger said it was his wife's idea to let the dad move in, then the Dad spoke so badly of her refering to her as the Princess. If she had to stay home with him, was he the reason their marriage probably broke up, or put such a strain on their marriage she left. Dad surely didn't appreciate what his son did for him. Even when he bought him the model car for his birthday, it was an afterthought, a last min. thing. He always thought of himself first and his son and family last. When at the end Roger tells Goren you see, you see how he is? And Goren replies yes. I am sure he is thinking of his own father. Then his comment to Carver about how our kids and parents can only ruin our lives if we let them.
I don't think Roger would have gotten caught if his dad wouldn't have killed that girl. And the only reason he did, he was afraid he would be left alone if Roger got caught, but it backfired and got them both caught.
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effie
Detective
off chasing plot bunnies...
Posts: 264
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Post by effie on May 29, 2007 8:29:00 GMT -5
I do think this was one of those classic CI's that way up there on my list of favorites.
the "deflowering" of the car scene has always struck me as CI genius because of what it tells us about Goren. Over and above that fact that it's just funny to hear Eames say "you have to come out now..." there is this great double take on Goren's face that's just so wonderful. He's clearly become so enraptured by the car that he forgets where he is so that when Eames comes back to get him there's this almost guilty look where he can't quite believe he let himself get so wrapped up in the car! Tells us a lot about his ability to focus on things to the exclusion of others things...
Also I was struck by the paralells in some ways to the episode "The Saint" which I saw the day before. Both are children driven to kill by parents who ignore them. Both have locked bedrooms...
And Dunhill should become a sponsor... their lighters got mentioned in two season two eppy's... Cherry Red and Baggage!! :0)
I also thought back to the scene where they visit Kate's mother in her hospice after we saw Frances' various rooms in season six.
There is just so much meat here which ties in to so many other episodes and themes!! Great stuff to think about. But I'll stop here with this...
It's also one episodes where Goren is visibly worn out by the aria. They get Roger out of the room and Goren's "WHEW" is interesting...as is his response to Carvers 'the first half of your life is ruined by your parents' -- "Only if you let them."
This say a lot about Goren I think...
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Leticia
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 74
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Post by Leticia on May 29, 2007 13:50:58 GMT -5
I love this episode for several reasons, and one is the brilliance of the deduction in it. Goren does psychological deduction and he also does pure Holmsian physical clue deduction, and in this they are wonderfully combined. First, I love the thought that Goren and Eames are called in in the beginning because perhaps they have gained a reputation for figuring out the obscure things in cases. That seems to be the only reason they are there. Goren does loads of little deductions- the photos of the old ladies flat and her character, the pharmacy numbers, the family Bible, the missing boxes etc. but some of my favourite bigger ones. Like the scene where they first enter the storage place where all the cars once were. Eames gets a moment of smell-deduction and Goren makes a series of totally logical observations to unravel a multitude of details into the correct conclusion. And then he forms a brilliant profile and in a moment of revelation when he notices the dates on the newspapers puts the whole thing together. It’s the perfect coming together of old-fashioned Sherlock detective work and psychological insight. It truly is a why-dunnit, and I love it when we are a step behind Goren on motive and the exact details of it, as we are here when he exposes Roger’s petty lie about not getting the Ferrari.
So many great interrogations in this! I love the dumb nephew. And Bobby with him- laughing at how lame the guy’s story is in that cocky S2 way, “Yes, yes they do” as he slips the lighter into his pocket. Eames standing there with her fake smile, and later with Roger playing irritating (“current baskette”) and being able to visit the locker that day. Them getting into Roger’s flat and room (reminds me of the mother in Unrequited not letting them get away with it), totally befuddling and disarming the father. And of course, the big aria. Where Goren, with Eames (“The Princess, that’s what he called her”, “Thanks to your son’s helpful suggestion”) backing him up, draws all the little threads in. I love the way he eggs Roger and his father on in their revealing of each other’s and their own crimes, interjecting these little comments that must seem to them to be drawn right from their heads (“You’re always there”), uncovering all the little secret sordid details of their resentments and miserable lives together. I could watch that last scene again and again because the energy of it is so fantastic, with derision, but also understanding, just pouring from Goren. Ah. I do miss that.
The guy who plays Roger is brilliant. The look on his face when he first touches that car! I truly believed he would kill for it. I also loved his lawyer, who is crude and totally without subtlety, but not a bad lawyer till Goren gets going. “I don’t know who this guy Gordon is”. And the father, whose character is so awfully familiar to many and incredibly well sketched. They’re all good.
I know this is hardly the worst crime they’ve ever dealt with, but sometimes the injustice of the deaths strikes me harder than usual, and in this one it really does. It is so unfair that Roger couldn’t have parted with one bloody bond certificate to give to Kate, or even the full set of the lighter and cigarette holder if he didn’t want to admit to the bonds’ existence! I’m afraid that saps a lot of my sympathy for him (not that the old lady killing was fine with me!), because she really needed that money. I just feel really sorry for Kate and her mother. And it bothers me that her friend in the building probably thinks Kate stole the cigarette holder. As if being dead wasn’t bad enough. She didn’t!
I really like Alex noticing the birth control pills… and nothing coming of it (not her urine, no boyfriend). Because while the leaps Goren and Eames make are always based on actual clues, not all details are going to be relevant.
Plus, Lewis returns. An actual recurring friend for Bobby! Who flirts with Eames! I love his "Detective Alex" and Eames' really-not-blushing but pleased reaction. And I remember what a big deal it was before Season 6 to get a hint of Bobby’s private life. We also get allergies and an ex girlfriend named Lola. It seemed like a goldmine at the time! And I still enjoy it.
In conclusion, a classic. Great story, great acting, great writing. This is one of my most watched episodes on DVD. I had it on just as I was writing this, and I enjoyed it as much as ever.
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