S19:05 "Knock Off" 2008-Dec-02

[DonnaJo]

From the NBC Site:

A simple murder case turns into a political game for the DA's office

What an outstanding episode!! Great acting, a suspenseful, intelligent plotline, plenty of chemistry between the principles, and kick ass guest stars!

The return from last season of the very talented Tom Everett Scott as Not!Spitzer-Gov. Donald Shalvoy. Katee Sackhoff was fantastic as well, as a martial arts lovin' possible suspect.

As I mentioned, the chemistry between the cast is really getting good, very good. Lupo & Cutter working together, with Cutter letting the first year law student use his skills. The scene in the motel room is the best. Lupo & Bernard are becoming solid partners. Did I mention how attractive Lupo is?

My friends, please, while you are patiently waiting for the return of LOCI, consider watching the mothership this season. All of the reasons to love early season LOCI is right there, in the writing and show running of Rene Balcer. The gifts he gave LOCI keep on giving in this series, this season.

[NikkiGreen]

That was good, solid episode. Everything DonnaJo said.

And Katee Sackhoff kicked all kinds of a@@. ;D

How cute of Bernard, doing 120mph so he could get back to Lupo. I wonder if he actually got a ticket? Or got off as a courtesy by showing his badge to the state trooper? ;D

[Sirenna]

I liked it too. Anthony Anderson is really coming into his own this season.

[trisha]

Katee Sackoff is an angst machine! I absolutely love her in everything I've seen her in, and she certainly didn't disappoint last night.

Beyond the delicious performance by Ms. Sackoff, I found almost the entire episode thrilling. The opening I thought was a bit weak -- mostly because I was thrown by the dumpster diving mention and I think Anthony Anderson drops those opening lines like stones every freaking time.

But, from then on it was absolute perfection. Like DonnaJo wrote, this show is so reminiscent of early CI, and also of earlier Mothership. There is a cohesiveness, even when the plots twists drastically, and there is a wonderful amount of satire. And, best of all, the cast has fantastic chemistry. It stuns me to see how well any combination of the 6 spark off of one another. It's just as fun to watch Lupo and Connie as it is Lupo and Bernard or Connie and Cutter. And Jack, well, that goes without saying. SW seems to have the power to spark off a wet blanket (*cough*cough* Elizabeth Rohm) But I digress.

One of my favorite things about this episode was the interaction between Cutter and Lupo, yet again. Have I mentioned how much I love Cutter? His scenes are generally my favorite part of every episode. But that courtroom scene last night was utterly brilliant in every way possible. Only on this show do I find angst and humor so well balanced. The whole scene was perfectly absurd, due in no small part to the acting and splendid direction. Every shot told a side of the story.

[dragonsback]

Fantastic, well wrought reviews, Donna and Trisha, and Sirenna's and Nikki's approval seals the deal. what can I add, but that this episode is the very best so far, for all the reasons mentioned here - fast, fun, smart as hell and great ensemble work full-on. (and I had to pause and nod and grin when I got to the SW-Elisabeth Roehm observation ;D).

I saw this mothership ep close on the heels of catching a look at the latest and utterly execrable episode 9 of this season's new mega-hit The Mentalist. I almost cried with gratitude to the L&O cast, the writers, and to Rene Balcer for giving the world a reason to watch television beyond filling in the time between birth and death. Honest to God, I do not know what the formerly brilliant Bruno ("Rome") Heller is thinking, but whatever it is, I wish he would stop it, and sit at Rene Balcer's feet for a while.