Post by Patcat on Apr 28, 2008 9:59:58 GMT -5
Airs on the Bravo Cable Network May 4 at 8pm (EST) and May 5 12am (EST)
Episode number 49. Fourth show of the Third Season. First aired October 19, 2003.
Written by Gerry Conway and Rene Balcer
Directed by Constantine Makris
Guest Actors:
Alicia Coppola as Isobel Carnicki (Ms. Coppola is not related to the director Francis Ford Coppola)
Terry Serpico as Earl Carnicki (Mr. Serpico also played the hit man in THE THIRD MAN)
Leslie Hendrix as ME Rodgers
Synopsis: An accountant's disappearance leads to a murdered hit man, a corrupt excop, and a grieving widow/wife who is not as dumb as she seems.
Quotes:
Deakins: "It looks like they put two hours work in this."
Eames: "Maybe because they had 2,000 other homicides that day."
Eames: "Lassie's come home." (Referring to the accountant's pet).
Eames (as Goren examines a body): "You keep doing that and I will drop this baby right here."
Eames: "You can tell that from the smell?"
Goren: "The label."
Carver: "It's operatic."
Goren: "It's sweet...Isn't it...Revenge."
Goren: "You got him...Got him but good."
Isabel (to Earl): "I wouldn't raise a dog with you."
Isabel (again to Earl): "Dan never lied to me. You're nothing but lies."
Deakins (about Earl): "So much for passing out brains with those gold shields."
Are these the stupidest criminals ever on LOCI?
Is Earl Carnicki more typical of a NYPD detective than Goren and Eames?
Does the victim get lost in this story?
I've read criticism that says some LOCI stories are too complicated. I usually disagree, but does this one have too much going on?
Is this episode more enjoyable on a repeat viewing when the viewer can watch Isabel's plan unwind? Are there other LOCI episodes that are more enjoyable on a second or third or fourth or...viewing?
Is Isabel completely evil? The detectives discuss keeping an eye on her, but will she kill again?
Comments: There wasn't a lot of discussion when this episode first aired. Much of it centered on Alicia Coppola's performance as Isabel, rightly, I think, praising it. (Ms. Coppola is a fine actress whose performance as a potential girlfriend for Adrian Monk is one of my favorite guest turns on MONK) There's a lot to like about this episode. The sequence beneath the credits is a classic LOCI investigation showing the painstaking grunt work that's a large part of good detective work (Goren doesn't pull his conclusions out of thin air). There's Goren's interaction with the waitress/actress, and the way Eames uses her pregnancy to ingratiate herself with Earl's business partner. We learn of Goren's ability to speak Chinese. Eames is in full snark mode. And the final scenes are terrific.
On the other hand, I found Terry Serpico's performance as the hapless but dangerous Earl to be unconvincing. I understand it's hard to play a dumb character, but with Serpico's performance I couldn't tell if the actor or the character was clueless. And the plot did seem convoluted to me.
But, in consideration, a solid episode that I think deserves more attention. Enjoy.
Patcat
Episode number 49. Fourth show of the Third Season. First aired October 19, 2003.
Written by Gerry Conway and Rene Balcer
Directed by Constantine Makris
Guest Actors:
Alicia Coppola as Isobel Carnicki (Ms. Coppola is not related to the director Francis Ford Coppola)
Terry Serpico as Earl Carnicki (Mr. Serpico also played the hit man in THE THIRD MAN)
Leslie Hendrix as ME Rodgers
Synopsis: An accountant's disappearance leads to a murdered hit man, a corrupt excop, and a grieving widow/wife who is not as dumb as she seems.
Quotes:
Deakins: "It looks like they put two hours work in this."
Eames: "Maybe because they had 2,000 other homicides that day."
Eames: "Lassie's come home." (Referring to the accountant's pet).
Eames (as Goren examines a body): "You keep doing that and I will drop this baby right here."
Eames: "You can tell that from the smell?"
Goren: "The label."
Carver: "It's operatic."
Goren: "It's sweet...Isn't it...Revenge."
Goren: "You got him...Got him but good."
Isabel (to Earl): "I wouldn't raise a dog with you."
Isabel (again to Earl): "Dan never lied to me. You're nothing but lies."
Deakins (about Earl): "So much for passing out brains with those gold shields."
Are these the stupidest criminals ever on LOCI?
Is Earl Carnicki more typical of a NYPD detective than Goren and Eames?
Does the victim get lost in this story?
I've read criticism that says some LOCI stories are too complicated. I usually disagree, but does this one have too much going on?
Is this episode more enjoyable on a repeat viewing when the viewer can watch Isabel's plan unwind? Are there other LOCI episodes that are more enjoyable on a second or third or fourth or...viewing?
Is Isabel completely evil? The detectives discuss keeping an eye on her, but will she kill again?
Comments: There wasn't a lot of discussion when this episode first aired. Much of it centered on Alicia Coppola's performance as Isabel, rightly, I think, praising it. (Ms. Coppola is a fine actress whose performance as a potential girlfriend for Adrian Monk is one of my favorite guest turns on MONK) There's a lot to like about this episode. The sequence beneath the credits is a classic LOCI investigation showing the painstaking grunt work that's a large part of good detective work (Goren doesn't pull his conclusions out of thin air). There's Goren's interaction with the waitress/actress, and the way Eames uses her pregnancy to ingratiate herself with Earl's business partner. We learn of Goren's ability to speak Chinese. Eames is in full snark mode. And the final scenes are terrific.
On the other hand, I found Terry Serpico's performance as the hapless but dangerous Earl to be unconvincing. I understand it's hard to play a dumb character, but with Serpico's performance I couldn't tell if the actor or the character was clueless. And the plot did seem convoluted to me.
But, in consideration, a solid episode that I think deserves more attention. Enjoy.
Patcat
