The most perfect episode?

[idget]

Now that it appears that the end is near and we are just awaiting the slamming of the book, I am curious as to what episode of LOCI fans would pick as the most perfect or classic and why?

[Patcat]

HOMI HOMINI LUPUS (aside from the fact I can't spell it). Wonderfully satisfying episode and great performances all around.

CHERRY RED. Not quite as dark and scary as HOMI, but equally well done.

Patcat

[maherjunkie]

Huge question. I would have to say Want, for intensity and depth, rounded out characters and performances.

[Patcat]

WANT would rank pretty high with me as well, although I do think it's an episode someone more familiar with LOCI might appreciate more than a first time or irregular viewer.

Patcat

[angua]

"Want' would be really up here for me to, but . . . that hair . . . I hate that look!

[NikkiGreen]

What? No mention of "In the Wee Small Hours?"

Great script, strong performances...

[angua]

I was going to mention "ITWSH" too, but then I got to thinking: I don't think I've ever watched the two-parter all the way through. It's courtroom scene is excellenct, but it takes aawy from the rest of it, IMO. For a better balance of angst and story, I'd go to one of the later episodes, sadly to say. If the earlier writers had gotten their teelth into some angsty backstory, imagine what amazing episodes we'd have!

For a better blend of angst and story, like I said, I'd go for "Amends," or "Endgame."

[jeffan]

The Pardoner’s Tale

I’m not claiming this is my perfect episode but it’s certainly in my top five, so I’ll shall come back to this thread with another four and, maybe, after the process I will have found my perfection.

This is the episode in which I decided I did not like Carver. My misgivings about this character began in The Faithful when he reprimanded Goren. On the one hand I can understand Carver’s argument, but it also suggested to me that he had a very low compassion threshold and was outraged because Goren dared go behind his back. Goren took an ethical stance in this case and, I believe, this is what really infuriated Carver. If he was only “acting by the book”, why did he not also reprimand Eames? Even though Eames did not go to the prison, Carver will have known that she was aware of Goren’s actions.

Carver’s moral compass is really brought into question in The Pardoner’s Tale. He is ruthless when he threatens Goren and Eames, after they had promised the fugitive’s wife that she would not be arrested, that he would get someone else to arrest her. I thought Eames was particularly good in the interview scene as it was clearly evident that she was very uncomfortable, particularly when the fugitive’s wife storms out saying “that hurt”.

Nevertheless, I was very satisfied with the ending when Goren wipes the smile off Carver’s face when he tells him that this should be used as a case-study at law school in the ethics classes.

It may not be a perfect episode but it’s certainly superb. A serious story-line about corruption with some light touches - who can forget the line

“Boo – made you look”?

[Patcat]

PARDONER'S is an excellent episode, one that establishes Goren and Eames' moral standards. I also heartily disliked Carver in this episode. He's clearly demonstrating a double moral standard, not for the last time.

Patcat

[DonnaJo]

Excellent comments about "The Pardoner's Tale," Jeffan.

It is so difficult to pick a perfect episode, but for me, "Badge" is it. The fantastic, multifaceted performance of Viola Randolph as the ruthless cop never fails to impress.

No matter how many times I see it, the episode always affects me deeply. Those poor children. How Goren notices that the carpet is vacuumed in a certain pattern is classic. And I always find VDO very sexy in that scene where he demonstrates how the bat was used. How he dwarfs that blood splattered shirt he puts on.

[jeffan]

Anti-Thesis

“The big detective is smart” says Wallace – he is, and so is this episode.

This is one of the most cleverly plotted and well written instalments in the whole series. I especially like that the writers decided on a woman to be a worthy opponent for Goren. The psychological sparring between them in the interview room was riveting and, correct me if I’m wrong, it was the second time to see an unnerved Goren. (I agree with Donnajo that Badge is also a great episode and it is in this that we first see Goren unnerved by a woman). Eames is still in Goren’s shadow at this stage, so it was good to see strong women portrayed even though they were on the wrong side of the law, but they had to be for the Goren character.

I loved the ending when Wallace got away on a legal technicality. You could see that she had got under Goren’s skin and not just because of the non-arrest. We know what ultimately happens to the Wallace character but, whilst it lasted, watching two disturbed characters using all their psychological armoury against one another was brilliant.

To quote Goren – “This woman is very, very good.”

[Patcat]

Yes, it's too bad that Nicole brought lesser and lesser rewards the more she appeared.

BADGE is also a great episode.

Was the Second Season the best for LOCI?

Patcat

[Moonbeam]

Cherry Red Stroke of genius casting Dooley and Christopher as father and son. Unusual motive for crime. The proper amount of snark and humor. Eames evidently doesn't like cats and Goren once had a girlfriend named Lola.

Badge is a good choice too. The dressing down by Randolph gave us the "picture" of the Goren character. I loved VDO's performance in this as well. The Brooklyn accent, the cigarette scene, the salute, the sarcasm, rage and compassion was brilliant. I agree DJ. Who would think blood spatter could be sexy?

[alliehalliwell]

I'm not sure if I have a favourite, but I do really like the above mentioned. Badge, In the Wee Small Hours, Want...Anti-thesis...

Bright Boy is another one I really liked. I always liked seeing Goren interact with kids and I always got the feeling he wanted kids of his own. But with Bright Boy, I found the interaction between him and Robbie to be cute, but I also liked how well written the episode is. Goren impressed me (even though I know he's a genius and it IS a show) when he figured out that the kid was suicidal. I'm glad he was able to intervene and save the kids' life by helping him out of the bad situation with his dad.

Semi-Detached was really good because I liked how we saw Goren struggling not to let his feelings in the way of the case. It was also a strange little motive for murder which I found entertaining. Especially when Nelda starts freaking out at the end. She looks crazy and yet Goren remains calm and does what he has to. It sort of made me feel like it was reinforcing what we all know, that Goren wouldn't intentionally compromise his morals and let a perp get away with murder just because he has feelings for them. ...if that makes sense.

I'm sure there's another dozen or so that are rated as high up as that but I can't think of the top of my head.

[jeffan]

I agree that there are so many good episodes it’s difficult to choose, so I’m combining Zoonotic and A Person of Interest. What a brilliant way the writers concluded Series Two.

Zoonotic was a good mixture of humour and repulsion – the villains were both repugnant yet bordering on the mesmerising to watch. I also liked the dynamics of the Goren/Eames partnership – she was repelled and he was comically amused. Yet, in A Person of Interest, he was far from being amused as it his him who is being manipulated which made for some really good scenes. My favourite is the restaurant scene because the acting was so good. The smugness of Wallace and the shock/horror in Goren because of what was happening to him.

I also liked the final scene when Goren hands over a bag of scones to Eames/Deakins/Carver and says that he’s “done” – it showed that he was still reeling from having to acknowledge his inner demons.