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Post by nomoreexcuses on Apr 27, 2009 15:42:01 GMT -5
I like this actor and I had high hopes for this ep but Jeff seemed a bit low on blumminess. I also sensed no chemistry with Julianne Nicholson but then I didn't think she paired well with Chris Noth either. IMHO she lacks presence, substance and maturity.
So far this season I think the show overall is suffering from a lack of interesting villains.
Finally, where was Leslie Hendrix in this ep? Did anyone else miss her?
nme
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Post by tjara on Apr 27, 2009 17:50:32 GMT -5
I've only seen it once and need to see it more often for details. At times, I had trouble following the dialogue, so many hard to understand people! (supporting cast) When I first came onto the board, we had a discussion about what we were looking for in the Nichols character. I said back then that I'd like it if he weren't another Goren, and that I'd like it, if he did a lot of "watching", "analyzing from a distance" because I thought that would ring true for a child of two pychiatrists. (I actually got "spanked for that statement, LOL ;D ) Anyway, I think my prayers have been answered. IMHO, Nichols is not a Goren Mark IIId. Goren of earlier (and later!) seasons works very differently. You could say he gets in the middle, pokes and prods around, annoys me, let's people think he's somewhat dim-witted, and he keeps nagging about details. It's a little early to know everything about Nichols, but I got the impression he works very different. He catches those details to, but he's more like the "outsider looking in". He watches and analyzes - I though it was so telling that in Ross office, he didn't sit at the desk but back in the comfy chair!! He occasionally does taunt people with details, but he does it in a very "sincere" and "secure" kind of way. I'm curious about how Nichols will develop, but thus far, I do like him. Maybe the bug-stuff was something that Goren would've pulled (though I think Goren would've done it more openly, commenting on the fact like "You've got bugs!". But hey, I cut him some slack, he's gotta find those clues somehow...) I liked Jeff in this. It was strange to hear his real voice, as I noticed I haven't too often before. Makes me hope they get his regular voice for the dub, though. Anyway, thank God he can pronounce, so another actor that I can acutally understand. I liked the quiet attitude that he's given to Nichols, and I hope he doesn't loose it. I noticed the "hand-talking" was very absent, and I was surprised, because I'd seen Jeff do it in interviews. It had a strange rhytm then, and I expected to see some of it. Zack had some great comments in this ep (I particularly remember the Wyoming statement and milli vanilli, but there was more) and I enjoy his interaction with JN/Wheeler. I think this shows the early stages of a partnership, and it's not anything like G/E for me, at least not in the way it works out. Nichols and Wheeler seem to be lacking the feel for each other at this point, which would seem realitstic. But even if I think back to early G/E eps, they always had that routine of looking back and forth, for example. I didn't see anything similar between N/W. Yeah, JN might become the grounding influence (though I don't really feel like Nichols needs to be grounded that much) and she's been injected with some snark. She had it before, at times (remember the Donut-Theory!), but then lots of it was also given to Mike because it fit his character. I do think though that Wheeler might profit from her new partner. And while I'm on JN, I like how they hid her belly. You could see it at times, but they still did ok What didn't ring quite true with me was the relationship with Ross. I didn't really get the sense that they had a history. Maybe it's because EB/JG don't know each other too well yet, or because Ross and Nichols haven't seen each other in years, or it's the change of their relationship (not equals anymore). I don't know. I'll keep an eye on that relationship. And since it's been an isssue, I think Ross asked for Nichols. We've assumed that the MCS Captain has some pull on who's on the squad, so I guess that's what happened here. Since I don't see that many similiarities between Nichols and Goren, I still can see why Ross would have his troubles with Goren. First off, I never got the sense that Ross didn't like Goren's methods, but had problems with his moods. I think Ross is someone who responds to rationale, and Goren wasn't too rational at times. Indeed, when Goren is rational, Ross responds well to him. I remember Untethered, when Goren explains why he brought Donnie in to MCS, or Amends, when Goren discovered Copa was a fraud. I also think that a lot of the head-butting had to do with Goren being a little "insubordinate". It wasn't all about the methods. I thought Rock Star's plot was a little "meh". I rarely figure out who the killer is, but the story lacked surprise and intent for me (maybe I didn't get all details). It felt more like a whodunit to me, though they spent time on motives. I think receipe-wise, Playing Dead was closer to the CI receipe, but still Rock Star isn't toooooo bad. I think though that I want more "Intent" in the future. I guess I didn't feel like there was one "villain", and it could be simply Kathy Bakers performances that ignited that feeling in Playing Dead for me. So what I'd like to see: Tell me who the killer is in the teaser and let Zack bust him. I did like the aria. Now I'm no fan of those "outdoors" arias, but other than that it played well - nice destruction of both men. Other than that, I don't have anything to say right now, but a wish. Can all the VDO - JG catfighting stop, please? It's so sad that it does invade the board in the way it has.
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Post by jeffan on Apr 27, 2009 18:03:20 GMT -5
Nice thorough review Tjara. I've been looking forward to your thoughts. I'll read them more carefully tomorrow (late here). I shall post my write-up tomorrow but alot has been said yet we all have our own perspectives. Pity the thread was hijacked. Recognized the name from before when there was trouble. It's been good to read that LO:CI has been getting some good reviews, so let's hope that's the pattern for the future.
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Post by nomoreexcuses on Apr 27, 2009 18:05:03 GMT -5
What didn't ring quite true with me was the relationship with Ross. I didn't really get the sense that they had a history. You noticed that too? Very strange. All cop shows constantly impress us with how close partners become. Yet between Ross and Nichols, almost nothing. We know that other than "a postcard from Cleveland" they've been out of touch for seven years. Still, they were paired in a life-and-death profession. I recall ADA Carver explaining in an early epi how bonded he became with his singing partners "on the road." How they could and would pick up with each other immediately even if they hadn't spoken in years. Surely musicians don't share a deeper bond than detectives. BTW, Tjara, I'm not sure I noticed a lot of JG-VDO catfighting on this site, just a few members who thought the Nichols character is too much like Goren. By and large I think the VDO fans here have been very welcoming and enthusiastic about JG. But I'm not a hardcore fan of either so maybe I'm not reading the cattiness between the lines. nme
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Post by jeffan on Apr 27, 2009 18:05:10 GMT -5
Oh, forgot to say thank you to OBC for getting the thread back on track with her usual Southern witty charm!
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Post by jeffan on Apr 27, 2009 18:12:03 GMT -5
"By and large I think the VDO fans here have been very welcoming and enthusiastic about JG" Absolutely true nomoreexcuses. I have said so myself. Where else could two Blum retrobates fit in snugly in a well-established LO:CI forum.
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Post by outerbankschick on Apr 27, 2009 18:12:22 GMT -5
Thanks, Jeffan. I'm all blushes!
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Post by hargiteam42 on Apr 27, 2009 18:30:56 GMT -5
I like this actor and I had high hopes for this ep but Jeff seemed a bit low on blumminess. I also sensed no chemistry with Julianne Nicholson but then I didn't think she paired well with Chris Noth either. IMHO she lacks presence, substance and maturity. So far this season I think the show overall is suffering from a lack of interesting villains. Finally, where was Leslie Hendrix in this ep? Did anyone else miss her? nme I agree with the fact that she and Jeff didn't really seem to connect, so I am hoping to see something a little better in the future. I also agree with the villain thing. We could use a little more *oomph* in that department (where's Nicole Wallace when you need her, eh?) Yeah, I missed Rogers I like Rogers, she's pretty much awesome, plus I am a Ross/Rogers type of gal, so when Ross said something about the ME "showing" him the reports, y'all know what I was thinking!! LOL! *ahem* getting back to being PG
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Post by random on Apr 29, 2009 0:47:14 GMT -5
I liked many aspects of this episode, including Nichols' arrival at the crime scene with many breakfasts. It reminds me of how I behave when I visit NYC. I also liked the speech about how few aspiring musicians make it, and the fact that Nichols picked up on the differences in the character of each of the two murders, hinting at the possibility of two murderers.
I agree with the poster above who suggest that this episode didn't serve Wheeler well. I guess that's understandable for this episode, since they wanted to give the new guy more air time. I don't know how the writers are going to portray the partnership, since, with Logan, Wheeler was the profiler and the one with the youthful persepctive. I think her role with Nichols will change, since the writers are claiming some of that territory for him.
I think I am also done with episodes about aspiring musicians/the music industry in NYC. Last season, there were at least three. I think we get it: the city is a harsh mistress that chews up youths and spits them out. I'm not the first person to note that this emphasis on glitz is getting in the way of developing the villains well.
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meggyd
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 112
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Post by meggyd on Apr 29, 2009 2:41:07 GMT -5
It might be a while till I get to see this episode on tv, and I can't seem to, ah, locate it anywhere else to watch it, so could someone please outline what they said about Logan's departure that everyone didn't like so much? Was it out of character or just lame? At least he just didn't vanish into thin air like some previous partners.
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Post by tjara on Apr 29, 2009 6:27:24 GMT -5
Meggyd,
Off the top of my head, the only mention Logan got was that Ross asked Wheeler if she had trust issues, because she had been "abandoned" by her fiance and by her partner. Something to that effect.
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Post by caitlen on Apr 29, 2009 6:41:11 GMT -5
meggyd, Law & Order Criminal Intent will return Thurs May 7th @ 8.30pm, on the Ten Network. Replacing SVU and followed by Medium at 9.30pm, which currently airs on Friday`s.
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meggyd
Silver Shield Investigator
Posts: 112
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Post by meggyd on Apr 29, 2009 7:24:54 GMT -5
Great. Thanks. Channel 10 is actually fast tracking it, I'm impressed - they always seemed to save it until mid-year in the past. Then again, it's always done well for them and they need some viewers. I'm really looking forward to seeing this episode, it sounds great.
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Post by caitlen on Apr 29, 2009 8:03:22 GMT -5
Your very welcome meggyd, check your message box for more on the episodes. Back on topic, im hoping to find out more about what Nichols has been doing the last seven years. I hope its not just the post card throw away line by Ross, and thats it I do hope they write in what he was doing in Cleavland, and where ever else he has been over that time. Im hoping to find out why he left the force, and more so, why he has returned now. That will be an interesting journey for his role, otherwise it will leave a lot of guessing on the viewers part
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ZackNicholsgirl
Detective
I love both doggies and kitties. I could just scrunch up their cute little faces! - Jeff Goldblum
Posts: 423
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Post by ZackNicholsgirl on Apr 29, 2009 10:02:42 GMT -5
Your very welcome meggyd, check your message box for more on the episodes. Back on topic, im hoping to find out more about what Nichols has been doing the last seven years. I hope its not just the post card throw away line by Ross, and thats it I do hope they write in what he was doing in Cleavland, and where ever else he has been over that time. Im hoping to find out why he left the force, and more so, why he has returned now. That will be an interesting journey for his role, otherwise it will leave a lot of guessing on the viewers part This is exactly what I was thinking. I hope as well to hear more about those 7 years. I'm always thrilled to hear more about a character's background as it helps me understanding and relating as well to this character. I think It would be a mistake to not elaborate on The Zack character.
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