Post by Patcat on Mar 11, 2009 15:06:38 GMT -5
Will air 4 am (EST), March 13, on the USA NETWORK, and again on April 7. First aired on October 31, 2006. Episode 6 of Season 6.
Written by Warren Leight and Gina Gionfriddo
Directed by Christine Mason
Guest Actors:
Bill Irwin as Nate Royce
Matt McGrath as Simon Henry Fife
Dashiell Evans as Jamie Royce (Mr. Evans played the waiter at the Bar Mitzvah in CRAZY)
Liza Minnelli as Beth Harner
Kayla Vanderbilt as Amberleigh Harner
Geneva Carr as Faith Yancy
Synopsis: Goren and Eames attempt to solve the 14-year-old murder of a child actress.
Ripped from the headlines--
This story is obviously based on the unsolved murder of the six year old JonBenet Ramsey. It reflects the Ramsey case in many ways, including a false confession. See the wikipedia article at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_benet_ramsey
We also have the return of Faith Yancy, who's obviously based on Nancy Grace. Ms. Grace claims to be a crusader for victim's rights, but her record of attacking people who later turn out to be innocent and her own false claims to be a victim do not necessarily support this. (I can't decide who I dislike more--Ms. Grace or her fictional representation.)
Quotes:
Fife: "She died inadvertently in a moment of intense love."
Fife: "Autumn in New York. It's time to go home."
Goren: "Beth Harner's behavior was very, very strange that morning, but it's another rookie cop's mistake to think that strange behavior equals guilt."
Eames: "You know the DA's office. This case collapses, they'll spin it so everybody thinks we bothed it."
Ross: "And this case collapses how?"
Eames: "The ransom demand. The caller said, "We have your whore daughter." Fife thinks he mad "gentle love" to Amberleigh. Different fantasy."
Beth: "You seem like a man who's dedicated to his work. Too much, maybe."
Goren: "Like you were to Amberleigh."
Goren (to Fife): "It must be your favorite night of the year. These little girls dressed in costume."
Fife: "Princessess...fairies...with sparkling wings, ribbons in their hair."
Eames: "I stopped reading when I got to Fife's line about how he made love to Amberleigh while co-mingling their blood."
Goren: "There was no blood in the basement, except for Amberleigh's."
Eames: "Call me if you need a ride home."
Ross: "Another day, another confession."
Queries:
Is this episode exploitive?
Perhaps the reason criminals think they're smarter than the cops is because they are?
Is Goren's use of alcohol to get Fife and Beth to talk wrong?
What is Fife guilty of? Is he a danger to children? Will he be in danger?
Is Beth a monster stage mother living through her child? Or is she helping her child?
Both Beth and Jamie seem to be frozen by Amberleigh's death. Will they be able to move on with their lives now?
Would this case have collapsed if Goren and Eames hadn't been on it?
Why wasn't Amberleigh's father contacted?
Was Amberleigh a star?
There was much discussion initially about Ross and Goren's antagonistic relationship in this story. But what is Goren and Eames' relationship?
What about the many video flashbacks?
Comments: Sometimes off beat casting works. I was surprised and suspicious when I learned of Liza Minnelli's casting as the mother in this story. I was also skeptical of Bill Irwin being the neighbor. But both are excellent. Mr. Irwin plays his role wonderfully, while Ms. Minnelli--who has been a caricature of herself in recent years--is wonderful as Beth. Beth isn't portrayed as a complete sinner or saint, and Ms. Minnelli isn't afraid to show the woman's good and bad qualities.
I think an underlying theme of many of the Season Six episodes is the harm the public spotlight can do to an investigation. Slime like Faith Yancy make wild accusations, ruin people's lives, and keep the truth from coming out. The press doesn't come out well in these episodes.
There's some wonderful writing for Eames in this story that addresses some of the problems she faces as a female officer, and Ms. Erbe is more than up to its quality. I also like the way she refuses to back down from the press and the Captain. And her reading of Beth's desire to have dinner with Goren...ALONE...and reaction is wonderful. As is Mr. D'Onofrio's "You're leaving me alone with HER?" reaction.
Submitted for your comments and consideration.
Patcat
Written by Warren Leight and Gina Gionfriddo
Directed by Christine Mason
Guest Actors:
Bill Irwin as Nate Royce
Matt McGrath as Simon Henry Fife
Dashiell Evans as Jamie Royce (Mr. Evans played the waiter at the Bar Mitzvah in CRAZY)
Liza Minnelli as Beth Harner
Kayla Vanderbilt as Amberleigh Harner
Geneva Carr as Faith Yancy
Synopsis: Goren and Eames attempt to solve the 14-year-old murder of a child actress.
Ripped from the headlines--
This story is obviously based on the unsolved murder of the six year old JonBenet Ramsey. It reflects the Ramsey case in many ways, including a false confession. See the wikipedia article at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_benet_ramsey
We also have the return of Faith Yancy, who's obviously based on Nancy Grace. Ms. Grace claims to be a crusader for victim's rights, but her record of attacking people who later turn out to be innocent and her own false claims to be a victim do not necessarily support this. (I can't decide who I dislike more--Ms. Grace or her fictional representation.)
Quotes:
Fife: "She died inadvertently in a moment of intense love."
Fife: "Autumn in New York. It's time to go home."
Goren: "Beth Harner's behavior was very, very strange that morning, but it's another rookie cop's mistake to think that strange behavior equals guilt."
Eames: "You know the DA's office. This case collapses, they'll spin it so everybody thinks we bothed it."
Ross: "And this case collapses how?"
Eames: "The ransom demand. The caller said, "We have your whore daughter." Fife thinks he mad "gentle love" to Amberleigh. Different fantasy."
Beth: "You seem like a man who's dedicated to his work. Too much, maybe."
Goren: "Like you were to Amberleigh."
Goren (to Fife): "It must be your favorite night of the year. These little girls dressed in costume."
Fife: "Princessess...fairies...with sparkling wings, ribbons in their hair."
Eames: "I stopped reading when I got to Fife's line about how he made love to Amberleigh while co-mingling their blood."
Goren: "There was no blood in the basement, except for Amberleigh's."
Eames: "Call me if you need a ride home."
Ross: "Another day, another confession."
Queries:
Is this episode exploitive?
Perhaps the reason criminals think they're smarter than the cops is because they are?
Is Goren's use of alcohol to get Fife and Beth to talk wrong?
What is Fife guilty of? Is he a danger to children? Will he be in danger?
Is Beth a monster stage mother living through her child? Or is she helping her child?
Both Beth and Jamie seem to be frozen by Amberleigh's death. Will they be able to move on with their lives now?
Would this case have collapsed if Goren and Eames hadn't been on it?
Why wasn't Amberleigh's father contacted?
Was Amberleigh a star?
There was much discussion initially about Ross and Goren's antagonistic relationship in this story. But what is Goren and Eames' relationship?
What about the many video flashbacks?
Comments: Sometimes off beat casting works. I was surprised and suspicious when I learned of Liza Minnelli's casting as the mother in this story. I was also skeptical of Bill Irwin being the neighbor. But both are excellent. Mr. Irwin plays his role wonderfully, while Ms. Minnelli--who has been a caricature of herself in recent years--is wonderful as Beth. Beth isn't portrayed as a complete sinner or saint, and Ms. Minnelli isn't afraid to show the woman's good and bad qualities.
I think an underlying theme of many of the Season Six episodes is the harm the public spotlight can do to an investigation. Slime like Faith Yancy make wild accusations, ruin people's lives, and keep the truth from coming out. The press doesn't come out well in these episodes.
There's some wonderful writing for Eames in this story that addresses some of the problems she faces as a female officer, and Ms. Erbe is more than up to its quality. I also like the way she refuses to back down from the press and the Captain. And her reading of Beth's desire to have dinner with Goren...ALONE...and reaction is wonderful. As is Mr. D'Onofrio's "You're leaving me alone with HER?" reaction.
Submitted for your comments and consideration.
Patcat