EPISODE OF THE WEEK: ILL-BRED

[Patcat]

Will air December 23 at 12am (EST) on the USA Network. First aired April 18, 2004. 63rd episode, 19th episode of Season Three.

Written by Jim Stirling and Rene Balcer
Directed by Steve Shill

Guest Actors:
Dana Eskelson as Paige Mullen
Bronwen Booth as Marguerite Townsend
Frederick Weller as Dale Mullen (Mr. Weller would return in Season 7's DEPTHS)

Synopsis: Goren and Eames enter horse country to investigate the murder of a vet.

Quotes:

Eames: "That must've put a burr under those other saddles."

Eames: "It sounds like they caught his flu."

Deakins: "A name with no horse."

Goren: "You know, Winters, the horse. (Whinneys)"

Goren: "It's nothing compared to the price Molly Sims paid."

Eames: "There go those facial muscles."

Goren: "Someone else might be pulling the reins."

Deakins: "His wife spiked his chew."

Deakins: "Just make sure babies aren't the sideshow."
Goren: "Babies rate pretty high in my book."

Goren: "Stud fees."

Goren: "Oh...uh...wow. These quick-release knots...They are...uh...very quick."

Eames: "When I was a kid, I used to dream about living on a horse farm."
Goren: "That's a nice dream...for a horse."

Queries:

For my own edification--where are all these horse farms in the environs of New York City? Long Island?

Would Dale have become a criminal if he hadn't met Paige?

Is Paige's plan practical?

Will Mrs. Townsend keep the baby? Will the Townsend marriage survive?

What will happen to Mariah? Is Mariah the only likable character in this story? How are Dale and Mariah alike?

Does the victim get lost in this story?

Several LOCI episodes involve Goren and Eames entering a particular culture or world, and the detectives must learn about that world in the course of their investigations. How does this episode compare with some others? How well does it explain the world of show jumping? How well do Goren and Eames adapt to it?

Did Paige overreact when she killed Molly?

Would Paige have dumped Dale if her plan worked?

What will happen to Dale?

Comments:
I confess that my first opinion of this episode was not a high one. There was something confusing about the plot. Looking back, I sense I might not have been paying full attention to this story when it first aired. It possesses some of the qualities of a classic LOCI story. There's a fine guest performances by Frederick Weller, who has the difficult task of playing a guy who's not that bright. (Mr.Weller is a distinguished stage actor who's appeared in all of the L&O shows--some more than once--and is for me the best thing about the USA show IN PLAIN SIGHT.) There's a complicated but logical motive for the crime, some uppity people deservedly taken down a few notches, and some lovely Eames' snarky comments. What struck me on my reviewing of this episode was the terrific, frequently silent, subtle interaction between Goren and Eames. This may not be a great LOCI episode (and I can't quite say why it doesn't reach that level, which may be a good question), but it's a good one that deserves a second viewing.

Submitted for your approval and comments.

By the way, I may not be able to post an EPI of the week for the next couple of weeks. If I don't, please let me wish you the best of whatever you may celebrate. Or not celebrate.

Patcat

[leanonme]

Thanks for the topic Patcat.

I watched this again and it was much better the second time around. However, I had a really hard time connecting with it. As I watched, I couldn't understand why it was so hard to get into this story. It did have great LOCI elements. Goren and Eames did some great work.

I think it probably had to do with the victim thing. It was hard to connect with anyone or anything in the story. The victim seemed very sweet, but we never really get to know her, through her life or anyone who may have loved her. The horse? Sad, but we never even saw her much.

Goren and Eames seemed off in some distant world - meaning the horse world. I was surprised when Dale was in the interrogation room, it seemed they were all so far away at the farm. They have gone into other worlds before, but this just didn't seem to fit. Maybe I just always think of them in the city. This crime wasn't even really in the city.

I could see where one might be sympathetic toward Dale, but I just wasn't feeling it. Whatever sympathy might be drummed up by his seeming low intelligence, and Paige's ambition, was wiped out by his affair.
My favorite line was "stud fees".

I thought VDO did a great job in this episode. KE was in the game as well.

Patcat, I appreciate your comments about the silent interaction between Goren and Eames. As I watched the second time, I looked for it, and it was significant. They were definitely in sync.
I especially liked the interaction between them when they visited the man selling the farm. Goren gives Eames quite a look there. VDO did his amazing work with his eyes that had me wondering exactly he was thinking. Good stuff.

[DonnaJo]

Even though I've seen this episode numerous times, it always bores me. It could be as you say, leononme, that the location is such a polar opposite of the city that Goren & Eames never fit in. Similar to them investigating a crime on a pig farm (although that could be funny). ;D

And I found the quips & lines from both Goren & Eames silly & very forced.

Dale was a stupid man that didn't evoke sympathy. His wife, the real criminal here, wasn't especially interesting either. They should have had Goren play horse whisperer. That would have been fun. Or better yet, ride a horse, suit & all. VDO knows how.

Patcat, there are a few small horse farms on Long Island in northern Nassau County. But seeing the size of this farm, my guess is that it was located north of Manhattan, in Westchester County. Which makes us wonder why Major Case is there? Did I miss the explanation?