IEames: "Nicole Elizabeth Wallace Hitchens Haynes, whatever. All of you are under arrest for attempted bribery."
First of all, this line is such a classic. I couldn't help but laugh.
Do the victims get lost in this one?
- I don't think they are any more than usual in terms of writing, but it seems like they are psychologically because our whole focus is on Nicole.
We tend to concentrate on Goren's reaction to Nicole (as will a lot of my questions on this episode.) But what about Eames, Deakins and Carver? What are their reactions to her?
- I don't remember ever seeing a reaction out of Deakins or Carver and I'd like to. Eames just seems to have no patience for her whatsoever.
I can't recall a case where an individual NYPD cop has been singled out for abuse from the press. Groups, yes, but not an individual. (Maybe I don't read the right papers.) Would Goren be a target of the press? If he was, would he deserve it?
- If you know the facts, definitely not because Croyden was murdered. But even without all that information, I think it was unfair because the guy had a screw loose and even though he didn't kill anyone he did do enough to warrant some heavy police investigation. And you can't really take it easy on suspects because you believe they're suicidal because they can always be faking it. As long as they're operating under guidelines that aren't deemed to be disrespectful of human rights, I'm okay with it.
Nicole appears to believe Bobby has been disciplined in some way. Has he? Should he be?
- I think he probably got an official reprimand and I think it would have possibly been logical at the time, but I'd hope the truth was recognized later and he was vindicated.
Yes, I know we're dealing with fiction here, but just how realistic is Nicole's plan?
- I can't remember all the specifics. From what I do remember I think it would be theoretically possible, but you'd have to really luck out with finding someone nuts enough to have a suicide appear credible and have them appear to be a suspect.
Why does Nicole feel the need to discredit Bobby?
- I think for one thing, she resents that he sees through her. She's a psychopath/sociopath who believes she's more clever than anyone else on the planet. She can't handle the thought of anyone outsmarting her.
Plus, she knows Goren came from a rough background just like she did. I'm reminded of a quote of Hotchner's from Criminal Minds where he said that some people from abusive households grow up to be killers and some grow up to be the people who catch them. She realizes that if she'd made some different choices sooner, she could have been like him and not like herself and she can't handle the idea that how she's come out was anything other than ineivitable.
If Nicole didn't have to come back, could she have lived happily ever after with Gavin Haynes? If she hadn't felt the need to rub Goren's nose in her victory, would her role have been discovered?
- I really don't think so. The solution really came out of left field and at the time she wasn't a recurring suspect. Now if this case had happened later after she'd made a couple of tries at Goren already, I think he might have been suspicious.
How did Nicole come to meet Gavin? He's wealthy--didn't he do a background check?
- I'm thinking it's a classic case of love being too blind to think about common sense.
Does she love Gavin?
- Truthfully, I don't believe she knows how to love.
What has Nicole told Gavin about Bobby?
- I'm sorry, I can't remember enough of the ep to answer this.
Especially after this episode, how realistic is it that Goren would be allowed to deal with any cases involving Nicole?
- I think it's a 50/50 odds. On the one hand, it's too personal. On the other hand, he has the most experience with her psychologically and I think he would be needed on any case. However I'd expect it to be more realistic for Goren to serve behind the scenes with advice and Eames actually conducting the interviews. I think she's got enough experience with her to handle it. But I'd never advocate assigning it completely to another team.
If they do bring Nicole back I'd like to see it start out as Logan & Wheeler/Falacci's case and then it turn into a two-hour joint case with everyone working in conjunction.
What's Nicole's body count after this episode?
- I honestly can't remember.
Is there any significance to the fact both Nicole and Eames are small blondes?
- I'm assuming no, but I don't know for sure.
Why is Nicole obsessed with Bobby? Are there other Bobbies in her life?
- The same as I said above - she finally has met her intellectual match and he's a reflection of what she could have become.
Is this the first time Bobby has been hit so hard by an opponent?
- I think the one where they let the victim wear a wire into a hotel and she wound up killing the guy instead and he blamed himself by saying she wasn't ready came close, but as far as the criminal themself, this was the worst. And I hope it stays that way, because I just find her agitating more than interesting. It's one thing when the main character is just obsessed and agitated, but they go past that and into hurt. And that almost feels like she's really getting the better of him and I hate that.
Heroes are frequently defined by their villains. How does Nicole define Bobby?
- I don't like to think of her defining him in any way, shape, or form. If I had to pick, I'd say she shows his weaknesses, but I prefer not to think about it.
