Season Premier Promo - "Loyalty"

[DonnaJo]

I thought it would be a good idea to have a separate thread for discussion (speculation?) on what's happening during the new promo.

www.usanetwork.com/series/criminalintent/

Thanks to angua for the heads up on the promo's premier on the USA site and to Techguy for the info on the new title.

Warning! There are spoilers in the promo and in my thoughts:

IMO, Ross is the victim in the explosion. We see Eames' (or a small man) placing her gun and badge on Ross' desk. A poster at USA zoomed into the badge number, so we know its Eames badge and not Bobby's. If Eames' was blown up, her badge and gun wouldn't be in such good shape.

Goren is extremely upset when the FBI men are holding him back. Is it for Ross, or does he believe that Eames was killed? Maybe their SUV was the vehicle in the explosion?

If it is Ross, will we see ME Rodgers mourning him? We really don't know the status of their relationship, do we?

[missjanet]

Feb 13, 2010 11:14:41 GMT -5 DonnaJo said:

If it is Ross, will we see ME Rodgers mourning him? We really don't know the status of their relationship, do we?

That is basically my last wish regarding the writers of CI. Give Rodgers a moment if/when Ross dies. No matter what their relationship is, just give Leslie Hendrix her moment to shine. She deserves it.

[hargiteam42]

I'm so sad I don't want them leave!!

Anyway, I do hope that Rodgers get to mourn her lover. (because in my mind, Ross dies)

I'd like it if Bobby thinks Eames dies, because I love angst. Then he finds out that she's OK and HUGS HER xD

[Techguy]

What's happening in the promo, at least for me, is the smelly red herring I detected a while ago has just gotten stinkier. There's no context, no frame of reference; the editing suggests a story that might not be what it appears to be. The promo strikes me as more misleading than revealing.

Is it just me, or is the Nichols "having fun" comment out of place, unless...it isn't spoken in the premiere episode, it's just a generic throwaway for the remainder of the season. I'm taking odds on whether we see it on Season 9's opening night.

Which brings me to this...I wonder how many of the shotgun micro second snippets from the promo clip will actually show up in the episode when it airs?

USA is holding their cards close to the vest. They have on occasion tipped their hand, exposing themselves as deceitful and untrustworthy. Like a macabre magician, they are poised to pull an evil rabbit out of the CI hat. As an Army vet, I'm preparing myself for a sneak attack, an ambush where I'd least expect it.

Moral of the story: Don't let the giant red herring bite you in the @$$ as Goren, Eames, and Ross exit the series.

ETA: I recall reading a post that the new title is silly. I find it more offensive than silly. It smacks of jingoism as a racial slur against Muslims. They should have left well enough alone and kept the original title or chosen a less in-your-face replacement.

[Patcat]

One reason why I keep the ASP bat at the ready.

Patcat

[hargiteam42]

TechGuy, Patcat

Good call, my friends, good call. (Give them a few good whacks for me, Pat, if you please)

[DonnaJo]

Personally, I find nothing wrong with some good, healthy speculation. I mean, what else is there to do until March 30th?

Techguy, I also thought Nichol's snark was stragetically placed in the promo to be funny. I bet you he makes that comment either in another episode or at a more appropriate place in this episode. No way would he make light of another's death or resignation.

[Techguy]

I'm all in favor of good healthy speculation too. Which is why I think USA designed and edited the promo the way they did, to mislead and misdirect and string us along until they shock and awe us with some unexpected surprise.

MLB spring training is just around the corner. USA is tossing us a giant curveball in advance of Season 9's opening day.

Or, to put it in hockey terms since the Winter Olympics are in full swing...USA is going to take multiple penalties for slashing, cross-checking, interference, and a host of other offenses that will result not just in a game misconduct, but a sentence to the penalty box for eternity. I can feel it; a major disturbance in the CI force is just over the horizon.

[DonnaJo]

Feb 17, 2010 16:07:16 GMT -5 Techguy said:

..USA is going to take multiple penalties for slashing, cross-checking, interference, and a host of other offenses that will result not just in a game misconduct, but a sentence to the penalty box for eternity. I can feel it; a major disturbance in the CI force is just over the horizon.

Love the hockey comparisons! Seriously, do you get the bad feeling that it is Eames or Goren who are killed, and not Ross? That would certainly be a major disturbance - one that would affect LOCI fans permanently and forever.

[Techguy]

To quote Indiana Jones DJ, "I have a bad feeling about this." I can't shake this sense of foreboding and dread that USA is going use whatever means necessary to slam the door shut on any possibility of a future G/E reunion. Is this to punish CI fans for the campaign to save them? Who knows what evil lurks in the dark recesses of human nature. The NBCU PTB might be more sadistic than clownish, so I wouldn't assume anything good will come from this. Separating the 2-part premiere into 2 separate episodes over 2 weeks only adds to the drama cauldron.

Speaking of cauldrons, I keep having visions of the 3 witches scene in Macbeth where they tell him the "truth" but taken out of context from their cryptic language, he assumes a literal interpretation and scenario that ultimately doesn't turn out the way he expects. This is exactly what I see going on leading up to the airing of the Season 9 premiere. While watching the USA promo clip again, I heard the voice-over in a new light. "Nothing is what it seems, no one can be trusted, everything will change." Boy is that ever a loaded statement. I hope I'm wrong but I fear a Shakespearean tragedy is in store for G/E's final bow.

I'm also not convinced the shot of what's supposed to be Eames/KE's hands in the promo clip is an indicator of who is putting the badge on the desk. I'll explain on the "other" speculation thread for this episode.

ETA: Hasn't Jeff Goldblum been strangely silent for weeks and months? Before he joined the CI cast last season, he was all over the place giving interviews, at least that's my recollection. Now...nothing...nada..zilch. Is he being diplomatic in the wake of the cast upheaval and turmoil? I wish I knew more about his take on the changes.

[DonnaJo]

I see your points, Techguy. Making it impossible for Goren and Eames to ever partner again would be appealing to NBCU (put a stop to fans insisting the duo return). The only way to truly do that would be to kill off one of them. Having Eames die would fit with Erbe's (reportedly) anger over the script.

I'm positive that Jeff has been given strict instruction to keep silent about "Mad Mullah." Now, with only one team filming all episodes, he (and Saffron Burrows) must be extremely busy and exhausted.

[Jefferaldo]

According to the ever reliable thereel site, the season premiere has been renamed again to "Loyalty"

[Moonbeam]

LMAO at that title.

[DonnaJo]

Yes, I also read the title change (again) at The Reel, so I'm changing the title of this thread.

Why can't they figure this out? And you are so right about the irony of the new title, Moonbeam. Although I'm sure it's lost on TPTB. Maybe VDO wanted to leave, but it's obvious that Kate Erbe didn't.

[Moonbeam]

From TV Guide:

Any scoop on Goren and Eames' last episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent? — Joanna
MICKEY: Yep, I've seen it! Believe it or not, the two-part sendoff is about arms dealers and Somalian pirates. I can confirm that by the end, three cast members — Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe and Eric Bogosian — take their final bow. But not before there is one death, one firing and one promotion. Beware: It may not be a happy ending for anyone.

Swing away.

www.tvguide.com/News/Mega-Buzz-Scoop-1016016.aspx