5:04 - "Unchained" 2005-10-16

[trisha]

I really liked this episode, and if I didn't know better, I'd think it was written to address all the things I didn't like about Diamond Dogs.

[Metella]

I thought this one was well done; Logan shined with some of his old charm and energy; Logan and Barek did some addressing of each other's background .... these scenes would have been better .... WAIT this episode would have been better as their intro to each other.

Logan was great in the ex-cop's house, when he was offering his daughter, I thought at first he was pimping her out; but what? was he tryng to just get rid of her?

This episode went right to the old CI's heart of family matters, eh?

Deakins character showed out well in this episode also.

Barek still felt a bit flatline to me, not sure where the flat is coming from?

[janetcatbird]

I didn't see it--reading to do, plus the NBC blurb. I dislike mob episodes and I really wish they would ease off of Hothead-Logan. But I've read on another forum that there was a Lenny reference? Was this episode halfway decent?

--Catbird

[NicoleMarie]

I didn't see it either. I was gonna watch it for the heck of it, just to see what Logan would do but, I completely forgot about it! I also forgot about SVU this week so I guess we're even! However, I did remember to watch Crossing Jordan, which comes on after CI!

[lisianthus]

I missed the first 10 minutes, and I , too, dislike mob episodes- they usually get too complicated.

I did like that Lenny's name came up in a way that made sense, they didn't throw it in just to have it there.

I think Dad was pimping her out, trying to get on everyones good side by offering his daughter. Did they have to make him so bad though? he practically wrote out directions.

And I liked Logan in this one, but I hope that we have heard the last of the "shamed, hot-headed" cop stuff for now.

[jaquetta]

I bet we hear the "shamed, hot headed cop" in every episode this entire season. It's not necessary, but they'll do it anyway.

I liked the ep. I was deeply confused at the beginning of the episode as to time/place/characters, but that could have more to do with the Benedryl for a nasty spider bite kicking in than the writing.

Dad was pimping her out. Lovely man. David Keith plays bad so well.

[LOCIfan]

Yeah, David Keith is a good bad guy. In spite of the fact that we heard about Logan being a hot-headed cop, he didn't really act like one. I was afraid, from the promo, that Logan would be raging again (in the vein of the pool hall incident), but really he just yelled at the mobbed up cop when he was calling his daughter a B***h and a whore "just like her mother" -- and after he'd demonstrated a willingness to pimp her out. Considering the circumstances, I didn't think Logan's response was out of order. Virgini's conduct would've gotten a rise out of Goren too...

Enjoyed the episode, but found Sciorra quite dull -- just as in the first L&B episode. She seemed just as stiff and uninteresting in this one as she did two weeks ago. But, once again, I found Logan carried the show even without her assistance. I hope she finds her way in the Barek character. Currently she's just so dour. Whoever suggested she should start snorting when she laughs (which would mean she'd actually have to laugh) was really on to something.

[darmok]

I definitely liked this one better than Diamond Dogs. It wasn't a snoozer. I'm not sure they needed to have the cop pimping out his daughter. I think that was unnecessary, but then I'm not sure how they would have caught him since none of the cops were turning him in.

I was also wondering why (on top of being just generally scummy) the guy would offer his daughter to someone who could be older than he is. I think Noth is in his 50s; I don't know about Logan.

Barek didn't bore me in this episode (probably more an indication of the overall plot), but I think it would have worked as well without her character at all. I guess we'll have to give it a few more episodes; it does take a while to find the character.

[culturevulture73]

I definitely liked this one better than Diamond Dogs. It wasn't a snoozer. I'm not sure they needed to have the cop pimping out his daughter. I think that was unnecessary, but then I'm not sure how they would have caught him since none of the cops were turning him in.

Actually, I remember reading that that was from the actual case it's based on.

I loved the Lennie reference. See, Mothership, you could do it too...

I think the problem with Barek is that she doesn't smile or laugh, and Mike's partners always have before. Hell, there's a couple of Mothership eps where MIke and Lennie could've been in a black comedy.

[NikkiGreen]

Possibly this case, culturevulture73?

www.ipsn.org/indictments/caracappa_indictment/detectives_used_badges_to_kill.htm

janetcatbird said:

...But I've read on another forum that there was a Lenny reference?...

I don't think that Logan was that much of a hot-head in this one.

David Keith's character (Virgini ? ) was trying to state to Logan that he was being falsely implicated, like Lennie Briscoe had been years ago.

[BegToDiffer]

Darmok- How funny that you should say "It wasn't a sleeper". I fell asleep twice during this one.

This is not LOCI for me, its just another cop show, with Deakins and Carver thrown in. I guess I just can't get into it Logan & Barek. What a waste of an hour on Sunday. Oh what the heck, more time to do laundry.

[glanton]

A lot of work in this ep. bringing together parts of Logan's career. The LO 'Pride' was the last for Noth (his contract was not renewed), at the end Logan punched out a homophobic, former cop, city councilman and was banished to Staten Island. 'Pride' dealt with a murdered gay city councilman, and abuse in Logan's childhood was brought out (either Logan himself was abused or his best friend was, don't remember which.) Anyway, there was a lot of feeling built up when Logan punched out the homophobic, ex-cop, councilman.

Back to 'Unchained'. When Logan and Barek visit David Keith's Virgini, Logan tells Barek that Virgini was part of a group known as "The Crew" at the police academy, a very successful group, some became city councilmen, some very high positions in the NYPD. I wasn't watching very carefully but there may have been an even more detailed connection of "The Crew" and Pride's ex-cop councilman.

There is a strong contrast between the poor, disgraced Logan and the powerful and successful members of "The Crew." Get a look at Logan's suit on the courthouse steps when Virgini's lawyer points to Logan and says this disgraced cop is bringing charges against Virgini, the model policeman. Barek's clothing choices fit in with Logan here (See CI General Discussion, New Crew This Season for my opinion of Annabella Sciorra's Barek.)

Finally, David Keith's Virgini is a beautiful foil to Logan. Great performance by David Keith. He channels Jack Warden, Harvey Keitel (from Copland, as well as other movies), a dollop of Orson Welles in 'Touch of Evil,' but really keeps the performance his own. He's a long way from Sid Worley in "An Officer and a Gentleman" ("Best officer's candidate, best friend") And it's a performance distinct from his appearance in SVU, "Redemption" as Det. John 'Hawk' Hawkins (When he first appears at the SVU squadroom, Benson asks, "Who's he?" and Stabler says, "Wyatt Earp.") But great performance by David Keith, and by Noth acting against him.

Regarding Culturevulture73's comment: "I think the problem with Barek is that she doesn't smile or laugh, and Mike's partners always have before." I think Dana Eskelson as Detective Frankie Silvera in "Exiled" played well with Noth and I don't think she cracked a smile. And "Exiled" was where Logan had to turn in PROFACI!!! Is there no mercy in the universe?

[Techguy]

Is the David Keith character named Virgini? What a name choice for someone who has absolutely no moral scruples about pimping out his daughter who, he tells everyone who will listen, "needs to get out more." David Keith is yet another stellar guest star to add to the list of actors who have appeared in CI episodes.

The mob element in this story didn't bother me at all but the continued blandness of the Annabella Sciorra character Barek does. A lot. She comes across as one-dimensional, ie FLAT. So she speaks several languages and talks to herself. Ho-hum. Some varied facial expressions and vocal intonations would go a long way to make Barek into a flesh and blood character. After only two Logan/Barek episodes, it's starting to look like Logan is the far more interesting half of the partnership, maybe because he already has a known history via his five seasons on the mothership.

I have one major quibble with the storyline, so if anyone has any suggestions, please help me out. When Logan discovers Daddy Dearest is pimping out his daughter, he goes to Virgini's (?) house to hopefully get Dad to incriminate himself. Virgini says something about assuming Logan is wired, and then...after a few brief moments of conversation, does indeed incriminate himself by offering the daughter up to Logan. Excuse me if I missed the boat, but does it seem like Virgini trusted Logan way too quickly after first legitimately believing he was wired? This doesn't make any sense.

[notty]

What a nice episode. Logan and Barek have found the same wavelength. It's nice to see them complete each other's thoughts. They cracked this case lickity split. The way Logan played Virgini was magnificent. I'd rate this one 4/5.

[LOCIfan]

techguy said:

I have one major quibble with the storyline, so if anyone has any suggestions, please help me out. When Logan discovers Daddy Dearest is pimping out his daughter, he goes to Virgini's (?) house to hopefully get Dad to incriminate himself. Virgini says something about assuming Logan is wired, and then...after a few brief moments of conversation, does indeed incriminate himself by offering the daughter up to Logan. Excuse me if I missed the boat, but does it seem like Virgini trusted Logan way too quickly after first legitimately believing he was wired? This doesn't make any sense.

I'll give this one a try, Techguy... Logan goes to Virgini's house to get him to say something that will convince his daughter that her dad isn't all that and a bag of chips. I don't think he goes there to get Virgini to incriminate himself in the murders... And Virgini is careful not to incriminate himself in the murders or to implicate himself in dealings with the mafia.

When Logan first arrives, Virgini says he'll just assume Logan's wearing a wire. He would expect that Logan might be fishing around for statements concerning the murders, but I think he'd be less suspicious that Logan would be there to get him to say ugly things about his daughter.

Logan earns his trust by basically saying he'll lie at the supression hearing so that the case against Virgini's partner will be dropped. That plays well into Logan's actual back story of being a disgraced cop. Logan does know what it's like to be on the other end of the microscope, and it's believable that he'd still have a chip on his shoulder against the department's investigations into other officers.

The last thing Virgini imagined was that his daughter'd turn against him. Also, I think he thought so little of her that he didn't believe she even knew anything damaging about him.

Also, Virgini isn't literally pimping out his daughter. He's not literally taking cash in exchange for sexual services. The "pimping" of his daughter is definitely reprehensible, but it's not criminal. The only reason it's relevant is because his attitude toward his daughter and how he uses her presence in his life is the only thing that will convince the daughter that her "daddy" isn't a knight in shining armor. It's what will allow her to admit to herself (and then the cops) that what she knows about her dad's actions are related to the murders.

Anyway, that was my long-winded take on it...