EOTW: PRISONER

[Patcat]

So, anybody out there?

Will air September 6, 2010 on the USA Network. First aired October 9, 2005. Third episode of the Fifth Season.

Written by Gina Gionfriddo and Rene Balcer. Directed by Rick Wallace.

Synopsis: The investigation of a prison warden’s kidnapping leads to his wife, who disappeared years before with an escaped convict.

Guest Actors:

Elizabeth Marval (who played Sylvia Moon in the first season episode ART) as Jenny Hardy

Brian Tarantina (would play Johnny Di Roggia in PLAYING DEAD) as Vic Bowman

Corbin Bernsen as William Hardy

Based on the headlines: See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite,_Oklahoma

Notes: Goren and Eames use the names Dr. Stern and Dr. Bowman while undercover in the hospital. A reference to the doctors in ZOONOTIC.

The song Goren sings while undercover as a homeless person delivering flyers is DON’T BET YOUR MONEY ON THE SHANGHAI by Stephen Foster.

Quotes:

Eames: “He can barely keep secrets from her, let alone his secretary.”

Goren: “You missed a tile here.” Donny: “You’re kidding.” Goren: “Yea, I notice things that are out of pattern.” Eames: “It’s true. He does.”

Deakins: “What do you call that, Staten Island Syndrome?”

Eames: “A guy with no family. I doubt they kidnapped his cleaning lady.”

Eames (in the warden’s office): “No photographs, no plaques. How will you amuse yourself.”

Eames (to Goren in the warden’s office): “Books.”

Eames: “He can shake his head till his ears fall off…”

Eames: “Talk about a wishing well.” Goren: “One they didn’t know they had.”

Goren: “Maybe his lie is the biggest of all.”

Goren: “Jennie. You’re free to go now.” Jennie: “Yes. Yes. I am. Thank you.”

Queries:

Was Eames’ role in this story enlarged at cost to Goren’s?

Do Jenny and Vic love each other? Will Jenny wait for Vic?

What would have happened to Jenny if she had gone back to Bill?

What were Bill’s plans for Jennie?

Why does Jennie believe Bill?

If the TV show hadn’t come calling, would everyone have lived happily ever after?

Would the warden have gotten away with this if Goren and Eames weren’t on the case?

What will happen to Hope?

What was the purpose of having Goren approach the house first? (Aside from causing all sorts of discussion…)

Why do people talk in that room? Especially people who know the system like Bill?

Comments:

The initial discussion of this episode centered on Goren’s strange wardrobe and dance before the SWAT team enters Vic and Jennie’s house, and on Eames’ attitude towards Goren, with several people thinking Eames was irritated with her partner. We can, of course, revisit those issues. I liked this episode on a second viewing, and was particularly impressed by the fine work of the three guest stars. It’s not the most spectacular LOCI episode, but it’s a solid one.

Patcat

[meggyd]

With five pages of initial discussion, I'm not sure I have anything new to add, but anyway, I'm game.

I actually thought this episode was rather well done. I was curious to see Corbin Bernsen, who I knew from LA Law (though I do admit to rather shallowly wondering where his hair had gone - strangely, some of it is back now he's in Psych), and always like to see the 'repeat offenders' guest actors turn up.

I didn't think Eames was annoyed with Goren, nor did I think she was cruel. I thought it was just gentle teasing, showing how well the two of them knew each other. I laughed the first time I heard the comments that he would have nothing to do, and 'books'! I thought the comment about not showing off was a little dig at Goren, said with the teasing grin, but also an acknowledgement that so many of the people they deal with feel the need to have every qualification, picture and award out there and how often these things have been clues for them.

I was genuinely surprised when it turned out that the Warden had faked his own kidnapping. Bernsen did very well to create such a seemingly sympathetic and rational man in the beginning, and then showing that chilling coldness and cruelty at the end. It was quite believable that he'd fooled everyone in his life up to that point, and could be so convincing he was already confusing Jenny and making her doubt herself again.

Episodes that confound our expectations are often the best. The idea that it was in fact the man who was supposed to kill Jenny that turned out to be her protector was an interesting twist. Again, it is only because of the doggedness of Goren and Eames and their reluctance to accept the easy or 'obvious' answer that stopped the warden from getting away with making the escaped convict look guilty of everything. The interrogation scene was really well done.

I've got to admit, I found the scene with Goren scoping out the house before the swat team entered utterly cringeworthy, and I fast forward through it each time. Over the top and overly indulgent, and just urghhh. On the other hand, him seeing the tile pattern was out of order and using it to prompt the guy to help him was brilliant.

Jenny would have been destined for a life of misery with Bill, and probably a very short one until she 'suicided' to get her out of his way and silence her forever. If Goren and Eames weren't on the case, that would most likely have happened.

A good episode, I think.

[DonnaJo]

I haven't seen this one in awhile, but like Meggy, I also remember Goren's little "dance" and odd behavior making me cringe too. I know many fans like that scene, but I don't. Overindulgent describes it well.

The scene in the office with the books was also poorly done. Eames' reminds me of a mother pointing to some toys for her youngster to go and look at. It could have been done better. Perhaps it is as Patcat poses - that Eames role is enlarged at Goren's expense. In order for her to appear smart and in charge, he was to appear odd and a little subservient.

Again, I'm going on memory from quite awhile ago. I need to see this one again.

[maherjunkie]

I don't mind the scene, it was the only one that was interesting.

[Patcat]

Mr. Bernsen is one of those actors who just works. If you look at his resume, he's always taken work, well before LA LAW made him a star. I think a lot of people thought he was a pretty face, but he established himself as a hard working actor, and I suspect he's a good person to work with.
I know a lot of people seemed to think Eames was dissing Goren in the warden's office, but I saw it as good natured kidding, and her pointing out the books was that she'd learned from Goren that books can tell a great deal about a person. And in this case it lead them to the warden's real name.

That dance and costume--I gotta go with the idea Mr. D'Onofrio was being indulged.

Patcat

[outerbankschick]

I've always liked this episode. The whole thing, even the goofy dance. Contrary to what seems to have been the popular opinion here, I didn't think S5 was bad at all. I enjoyed it. And Prisoner was well done.

Corbin Bernsen does such a great job playing villains. From the very beginning, I knew Bill was just "wrong". And Hope deserved better than him. But she was naive and unassuming. Just the kind of woman Bill needed so that he could stay in control. If Jenny had gone back to him, she would have ended up dead. That scene in the end where he says, "Jenny...speak!" was brilliantly done. He is the epitome of the cold-hearted, calculating abuser. He never had to lay a hand on Jenny. His verbal abuse completely destroyed her sense of herself. So much so that even after being on the run with Vic for so long, Bill could still confuse her by being kind.

The scene in the Warden's office always makes me laugh because part of it is that Alex knows Bobby well. He needs things to keep his hands occupied while he's musing. And he gravitates towards whatever will give him insight into the person they are investigating. I also think that his fidgeting, right in her line of vision, was distracting her. So when she says, "Books." and gestures over her shoulder, it is so like an adult trying to keep a fidgety kid busy. It was a good showcase of how well Alex knows her partner. I also think the crack about the plaques and such was just Alex joking with Bobby and being her usual snarky self.

The aria was classic. Bobby puts Bill at ease, gets him to show his true self while Jenny watches (a la "Jones"), and then, when Bill treats Jenny like a little dog, telling her to "speak", Bobby's righteous anger rears up and slaps out at Bill in defense of Jenny. Perfectly done.

I don't know where the idea that Bobby's role was diminished in favor of Alex's came from. I saw them doing what they've always done...working in tandem as a perfectly timed unit. And the hospital scene always makes me laugh. Dr. Borman and Dr. Stern, at your service! LOL!

As to the goofy mail-carrier dancing in the street part, all I can say is that I find it interesting that so much time was spent deriding a scene that amounts to less than thirty seconds of the entire episode. It was hilarious, and for the SWAT team served the purpose of someone having a quick, innocuous "look-see" before they busted in. They knew the initial entryway was clear upon going in...

[Patcat]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Patcat

[DonnaJo]

I forgot about that undercover scene - Dr. Borman & Dr. Stern. Hee. That was a great little ploy, and a wink to the fans.

I did love when Goren got in Corbin Benson's face about his "sit" comment to Jenny. He does hate when women are demeaned by men. And how he pushed him down to cuff him. No easy task, since Corbin is also a big man.

All in all, an OK episode in a rather uneven Season 5.

[angua]

One thing that always struck me wrong was the way he said, "You're free to go." He's picking up his papers, doesn't look at her as he said it, was very dismissive of the victim for once. I just felt it was very out-of-character for him, just a throwaway line as a setup for the last line of the episode.

[DonnaJo]

I remember that last scene too, angua. Goren's lack of empathy towards Jenny at the end. Could it have been deliberate? That Goren knew that Jenny was embarrassed and humiliated by her ordeal, and that it was better if she was just allowed to go with no fanfare. That pity at that point would have made her feel even worst?

Juts a thought.

[idget]

Saw an interesting show on ID Discovery a couple of days ago that I think the writers got some of the ideas for this episode. Back in 2002 the Memphis medical examiner was found wrapped in barb wire and handcuffed against a metal grate to a window with a bomb wrapped around his neck. He claimed a man had thrown lye in his face then over powered him and cuffed him to the metal grate. After a year long investigation they determined that he had done it himself. They got Park Dietz (a consultant to LOCI) to testify at his trial that he suffered from fictitious disorder (a mental disease where you make stuff up for the attention) though he never was able to talk personally with the medical examiner. The trial ended up with a not guilty verdict based on lack of evidence. The Jurors felt like he probably did do it but there really was no evidence that he did it to himself and the medical examiner still maintains his innocence. It was a fascinating show.

[DonnaJo]

That is so interesting! I'm sure this episode was based on that case, especially with Dr. Dietz, the LOCI consultant, being involved.


Thanks Idget.

[blinky38]

I really liked season 5, and Prisoner was one of my favourite episodes. I loved where Alex was teasing him in the warden's office, (and I think this is what she was doing) and laughed when she pointed out the books for him to look at. His restless fidgeting showed he needed to be looking at, or doing, something - he doesn't do well with nothing to do. I may be in the minority, but I liked Goren's dance in the street. It served a purpose, to check the house, and was entertaining. I loved seeing BA in their scrubs at the hospital, and when they arrested Vic.