SELF-MADE: EOTW

[Patcat]

Will air November 22 at 8pm(EST) on MyNetwork. First aired November 15, 2007. The seventh episode of Season Seven.

Written by Jerome Hairston and Warren Leight. Directed by Ken Girotti.

Guest Actors:

Peter Coyote as Lionel Shill (Mr. Coyote is a social and political activist, but as an actor he’s probably best known for playing the guy with the keys in E.T.)

Pablo Schneider as T.J. Hawkins (Mr. Schneider was in THE UNBLINKING EYE. He’s the half brother of Liev Schreiber, and received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play in 2009).

Fisher Stevens as Gareth Sage (Mr. Stevens played the Howard Stern like DJ in SEMI-DETACHED)

Synopsis: Eames and Goren investigate the murder of a gifted young writer.

Ripped from the headlines: Lionel Shill could be several authors. His mentoring of a supposed ex-con is somewhat like Norman Mailer, although in Mailer’s case the ex-con was a real life murderer who stabbed a young man to death after the prisoner was released on parole. I see more than a touch of J.D. Salinger about Shill. T.J. Hawkins and his false memoir are much like James Frey’s A MILLION LITTLE PIECES. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Frey

Quotes:

Detective: “Somebody outside wants a word.” Eames: “Family?” Detective: “Don’t know, but you’re Major Case. You tell me.”

Eames: “I found Gareth Sage stories all over a message board devoted to bad bosses.” Ross: “You just happened to be looking there?”

Eames: “She might not be single. SCARFACE DVD, men’s hoodies…”

Girl: “He was really black.” Goren: “You mean like obsidian?”

Shill: “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this was personal.”

Queries:

Is Ross a bad boss? Is he paranoid? Does he ever get to a point where he “gets” Bobby?

Why didn’t Alex and Bobby react stronger to Gareth Sage?

Was Goren too violent with Shill? Is Goren too close to, or even crossing, the edge in this episode? Why? Because of Gage? Is Alex worried about Bobby? Is Bobby using Shill as a replacement for Gage and/or Brady?

Is Goren’s treatment of Shill any worse than his treatment of past offenders?

Does Shill deserve any of our sympathy? TJ?

Will TJ write a memoir about his time in prison?

How much time will TJ serve? Shill?

How did Shill convince TJ to kill Keira?

Does Keira get lost in this story?

Will Keira’s book ever get published?

Comments:

A fair amount of people didn’t like this episode when it first aired. I liked it, and I still like it on reflection. I think it’s Bobby’s treatment of Shill and T.J. that caused the most trouble, and I admit I don’t like seeing Bobby act in a violent way, especially since some of it seems motivated by Bobby’s anger and unresolved feelings. But I argue that it would be more unlikely and perhaps more troubling if Bobby wasn’t feeling anger over what had happened to him. And Shill is not a nice man. As for T.J., it appears that Bobby isn’t doing anything unusual in trying to get the young man to react. I thought the acting in this episode excellent, especially Peter Coyote as Shill and Pablo Schreiber as T.J.

I found myself thinking about this episode as I read Stephen King’s book ON WRITING this week. I can’t come up with anything profound to write about this, but there was some connection. I couldn’t help but think Keira and T.J. would’ve been much better off if Mr. King were their mentor rather than Mr. Shill

As always, for your consideration, comments, and catcalls.

Patcat

[maherjunkie]

Is Ross a bad boss? Is he paranoid? Does he ever get to a point where he “gets” Bobby?


No. I think a mutual respect grows.

Why didn’t Alex and Bobby react stronger to Gareth Sage?

You don't call grabbing his arm a reaction?

Was Goren too violent with Shill? Is Goren too close to, or even crossing, the edge in this episode? Why? Because of Gage? Is Alex worried about Bobby? Is Bobby using Shill as a replacement for Gage and/or Brady?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. The "why" is answered in the last question.

Is Goren’s treatment of Shill any worse than his treatment of past offenders?

Yes, I have never seen him be so physical off the bat, if at all.

Does Shill deserve any of our sympathy? TJ?

No, these people are idiots. Who gives someone cocaine in hopes that they will commit a crime?

Will TJ write a memoir about his time in prison?

I think he has drawn enough negative attention to himself and knows it, plus he is a likely one-hit wonder.

How much time will TJ serve? Shill?

Don't know.

How did Shill convince TJ to kill Keira?

I don't exactly remember beyond the drugs, but I thought insecurity was a factor.
Does Keira get lost in this story?

Before it's out the getgo, as I remember.

Will Keira’s book ever get published?

Doubtful now.


[/quote]

[DonnaJo]

"Self-Made"is one of the few episodes from Season 7 that I still have on my DVR. Reason being that it shows so much of what is stewing under Goren's reasonably normal facade, that it bears repeat viewing.

So interesting - not only the scene with Goren and Schill (the finger bending) but also when T.J. and Bobby square off - both in the book store and in the boxing gym. Those scenes were great!

I was very disturbed when this episode first aired. As has been mentioned, Goren has never treated a potential witness/ suspect so physically (especially an older, weaker man). At this point Schill is really no more than a witness, so it's obvious that Goren has issues with what/who Schill represents. It's another "Goren is losing it" moment. And poor Eames. She really was at a loss.

However, it does make for fascinating TV. And Peter Coyote is at his pompous best. I much prefer him in this role than as the constantly angry DA in LOLA.

I do think that we lose the victim as the episode progresses. And I found nothing about Schill to feel sorry for. He was supremely selfish. And T.J. murders his best friend so he can sell his book. He evokes no sympathy from me either.

[idget]

I also really like this episode for most of the reasons already sited and I agree with DonnaJo that the conflict between Goren and Shill and Goren and TJ makes for some great TV, Goren may have used his size to intimidate Shill (a great name by the way) but he is also not afraid to mix it up with someone younger and just as tall as he.


Is Ross a bad boss? Is he paranoid? Does he ever get to a point where he “gets” Bobby?

I don't think he is a bad boss, but one who micromanages. Which can be annoying. I didn't like Ross when we first meet him but I grew to really like him and hate the way he was so callously killed off. I think he had a hard with Goren at first because he reminded him of someone he knew(we later learned it was Nicholas). But I think he came to understand him and respect his abilities and in the end decided supporting his detectives was more important than playing poker with the C of D's.



Why didn’t Alex and Bobby react stronger to Gareth Sage?

That's a good question, his treatment of women was just as bad as Shills, though Gareth did stop at actual murder.

Was Goren too violent with Shill? Is Goren too close to, or even crossing, the edge in this episode? Why? Because of Gage? Is Alex worried about Bobby? Is Bobby using Shill as a replacement for Gage and/or Brady?

I think everybody was shocked and upset over his treatment because it was so unlike him, but if this had been Stabler or Logan would anyone have even commented on it. I don't think Alex was worried that Goren would have hurt Shill but I think she was worried about the change in his personality, but since he is so emotionally closed off to her she was at a loss to deal with it.

Is Goren’s treatment of Shill any worse than his treatment of past offenders?

Physically yes, but emotionally no. Goren has always attacked a person with their emotional vulnerabilities and have left many murderers emotionally in shambles.

Does Shill deserve any of our sympathy? TJ?

No and no!

Will TJ write a memoir about his time in prison?

I hope not, but probably will.

How much time will TJ serve? Shill?

Shill probably won't serve much time since he didn't pull the trigger.

How did Shill convince TJ to kill Keira?

Shill is a master manipulator. Which is one of the reasons Goren so dislikes him.

Does Keira get lost in this story?

Yes, but that seems to happen a lot on TV.

Will Keira’s book ever get published?

Maybe, if the publishers think it will make money.