EPISODE OF THE WEEK: WANT

[SarahIvy]

This is one of my alltime favorite episodes, greatly due to how incredibly uneasy and uncomfortable it makes me. I think it's really one of the most profound explorations of "intent" they've done.

I'd answer Patcat's questions specifically, but think I'd be repeating a lot of what other people have already so eloquently expressed.

But I love the grey of this episode. There's just no black and white for Goren, and it's part of why I enjoy the character so much, and I think it's one of his finest attributes. It plays a huge part in his constant search for the truth.

Tagman's crimes are utterly horrific. Who WANTS to see the grey of his actions? Who wants to get in his head and try and understand him? It's much easier to view his crimes in black and white and only concentrate on justice for the victims.

Eames, Deakins and Carver all view him black and white. I'm not knocking them (well, I'm knocking Carver a little, because I think he's an asshat in this episode), it's normal and I think sometimes healthy to not let yourself go too far, to have boundaries for your own mental health.

I see Eames as frustrated and baffled more than outright angry. I think this is a case where the crime goes beyond her normal limit for tolerating (and generally appreciating) Goren's methods, the shock and disgust at what Tagman did to those women is blinding in its horror. As she says to him, "Of all the people..."

I think Goren's willingness to go to that dark place and come to understand Tagman on a level most people would have NO interest whatsoever in exploring is a testament to his honesty and bravery. He really puts himself on the line in this episode, with his partner, his boss and Carver...but also personally, because I think such deep dark explorations take a harsh toll on him (which I think we're shown very clearly throughout Season 4).

I think ultimately both Deakins and Eames recognize that, but Carver perhaps not so much (particularly the "zing" of his snide snide request that Goren use one of his tricks).

The hair? The hair itself is fine, but the greasy product? Not so much. I think he was doing the Welles short and the hair people on the CI set just had no idea what on earth to do with it....so they pomaded it to death. (I'm pretty sure there are a couple of stills over at The Reel, in costume for Welles, with The Hair.)

[madger]

Though this is one of my favorite epis, I was a bit distracted when I watched it again yesterday, but I did pay special attention to the end, when they get the news of Tagman's death, many people have commented on Goren's lack of reaction, but if you watch carefully, he actually stares at Carver with a very subtle "You asshole" look.

I think Goren felt very deeply that "There for the grace of God go I" during this case.

As for the hair, I'll take Goren any way I can, he can sport a Mohawk for all I care.

[ragincajun]

Wasn't sure where to put this, but watching this episode and a few others on Bravo, it was the beginning of season 4, starting with Semi-detached and ending with Great Barrier. The openning Credits, with the first two pics of VDO on Semi show him looking at the calf, and show him with his "Want" hair do. But the credits for the other Three started with knit cap and another pic of him when they show his name, I don't recall ever seeing this openning credit scene. The other one I recall is the one with him pointing down at the guy who died by the toliet. Is this on been redone by bravo, or just not shown that much. Also I know theres the one shown on season 6.

[Patcat]

Was it just me, or did Goren/Mr. D'Onofrio adopt a slightly stronger Brooklyn accent when he was speaking to Tagman? I thought it might be an effort to break down some of Tagman's defenses.

Patcat

[diablodeblanco]

patcat said:

Was it just me, or did Goren/Mr. D'Onofrio adopt a slightly stronger Brooklyn accent when he was speaking to Tagman? I thought it might be an effort to break down some of Tagman's defenses.

Patcat

I thought that too. It seemed more pronounced when he interacted with Tagman. There was another time when his accent was noticeable and that was in Fico de Capo. In the basement talking with the 3 young thugs.

[effie]

Maybe it had something to do with being back in the old neighborhood... now that we know that Goren grew up in Canarsie... it struck me as just one more thing that might have connected Goren to Tagman.

[ironically... I just looked up Canarsie in wikipedia to see what it had to say, and apparently Annabella Sciorra grew up in Canarsie... :0))))]

[deathroe]

re accents--

I remember both Eames and Goren playing up the accents in Fico de Capo (they're supposed to be from Boston??). Goren does the same thing in the scene in Badge where they're searching Terry's house. I think his accent also slips when he's talking to Mama Goren.

[Ladyheather]

Goren's accent- He says that Tagman needed a big brother, so that was his way of getting close to him. Trying to relate to him on as personal a level as he could.

The Hair- I just couldn't decide if I liked it or not the whole show. It was sorta distracting, a bit too greasy for me. I think is was the way they had it slicked back. It would have been better without the product.

I think that this episode is what makes LOCI different from everyone else. This is a favorite of mine.

[addicted2vdosgoren]

ragincajun said:

But the credits for the other Three started with knit cap and another pic of him when they show his name, I don't recall ever seeing this openning credit scene. The other one I recall is the one with him pointing down at the guy who died by the toliet. Is this on been redone by bravo, or just not shown that much.

I'm so glad you brought this up. I watched the Bravo episodes yesterdsay too and I noticed the different opening shots of VDO (the knit cap shot and then the name shot where his hair is short and dark, like in season 3 I think). I have never seen this opening before either. Not when the same episodes air on USA. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me at first. I even recorded the opening when "Want" started to verify that I was not imagining things lol.

[noc]

This was my first time watching it on Bravo. I don't think Goren overidentified, but it gets back to the balance of justice. Tagman did horrible things, but it was due to severe emotional distress of not having a way to deal with his extreme loneliness. He knew what he was doing was wrong, and a lot of criminals don't. Great acting.

I also wondered if some of Tagman's issue of "keeping the women, so they wouldn't leave" was something Goren related to, either through his mother's mental illness as a child or his current situation with his mother in Season 4 and later. The controlling people I've known have sometimes had serious abandonment issues, way past the "norm". Many people who should have abandoment issues come to grips earlier with how life works and move on. I've always perceived Goren to be one of those people, but he obviously has his dark/weak moments.

Goren's strong in his views, but that may have been due to his frustration that not even Tagman's lawyer was getting it. Who could blame a lawyer for not trusting a detective?

I really related to Eames' response from a women's point of view. It was snarky to say...now everyone's happy but she was very disappointed that Goren wasn't taking the victim's position. She does often check on his reaction to issues (the pro-choice doctor episode is an example from Season 1). She seems really concerned about his views about women's issues sometimes. I was watching the SVU episode about the criminal who kept his "brides" in a dungeon on USA on Sunday. It is most women's nightmare, to be so objectified in status. It's the whole Stepford Wive/Living Doll nightmare. Tagman's treatment of women obviously hit a nerve with both partners in very different ways.

[Ladyheather]

I think that Goren felt that if he hadn't turned his own life to a positive road, he could have been a version of Tagman. That is what makes Goren good at what he does. Even Eames said earlier to Goren not to get inside this guys head, but he already was. Goren's mother loved him but she was never there for him. He knows what it is like to not have a woman who is safe and won't leave. I think that is why the writers have never given him a steady girl. That is one of his big issues.