MovieChat Forums > Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) Discussion > Cringe worthy, laughable but trying to b...

Cringe worthy, laughable but trying to be serious moments ?

posted 9 years ago by Kotter7579
19 replies | jump to latest

This series seems to have a lot of OTT goofiness to it, and that couldn't have been the intent.

Lots of weird scenes with suspects looking at each other in the interrogations rooms bit, and then somebody runs out into the hallway at the very end with some kind of last second desperate confrontation, which really come off as more laughable then dramatic.

That episode where the violinist was killed, and the mother was dying (S5 w Logan), The mom runs out into the hallway takes a few steps and then just falls down !!!!!!! Lol! The cast tried to look sad but it was awkward.

I can't believe the camera crew was filming with a straight face.

So: a realistic, down to earth show..which is completely off the wall swarming with magic robots?!

[–] renatom1 9 years ago

This is Criminal Intent, not SVU. Criminal Intent is designed to be like a well-made play, where everything is staged to have an intended outcome. Therefore, much of the acting is going to come across as somewhat unnatural.

[–] mslady89 9 years ago

the ep with nichols and his father, a doctor with dissociative identity disorder/multiple personality disorder

the end where he's "switching personalities" just awkward and cringe worthy

[–] greenegg 9 years ago

I think you missed the point, genius. The operatic diva in question, Gillian Booth, had a degenerative disease that she hid from her conductor/new husband, who runs out on her when he hears how ill she really is. Her motor skills already have started to desert her, which would be especially true in times of stress, as she realizes she'll end her days wearing diapers in a prison hospital. There was nothing laughable about it, especially in light of the irony of someone in such a dramatic business living out a tragedy worthy of opera.

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops! 

[–] Kotter7579 9 years ago

Now don't get excited green egg.
The news for Gillian's health were all things that were *going* to be coming up, within the next two years or so, which is how Logan and Barek explained it to the husband in the interrigation room. He was upset at these things (diapers, decreased physical capacity, etc) that were coming down the road post marriage. He even says that he wouldn't have married her had he known.
That doesn't excuse just flopping to the ground when coming out of the room that same day! The deteriorating was explained to be coming later.

Also -- in step with what I mentioned in the original post -- is that the rest of the cast *tries* - badly - to look concerned during a moment like that. look at the background players, main actors -- it comes off as laughable and I'm sure many viewers can see just how ridiculous it looked.

When a show has been on for so long, things like this tend to happen. I saw an episode of the regular L&O rerun from the 19th season and it was a far cry from what the show used to be. A shell of it's former self.

So: a realistic, down to earth show..which is completely off the wall swarming with magic robots?!

[–] greenegg 9 years ago

No excitement at all, Kotter. Don't flatter yourself. We'll have to agree to disagree. Gillian's disease progresses slowly, but it does have motor skill deterioration along the way, as we see with her collapse. Gillian had hidden her struggles, though they do make a point of her having some issues. I didn't see any problems with the others' reactions, nor did I find them laughable. It still doesn't strike me as ridiculous. Just because you decree something doesn't mean the rest of us must fall into lockstep with your interpretation. Then again, you couldn't even spell my username correctly.

I found the L&O mother ship still ran strong even near the end of its (please note proper spelling of the possessive form; it's is the contraction for it is) run; aside from the regrettable casting of Milena Govich as the junior detective for one season, the show remained relevant, with intriguing stories and a strong cast.

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops! 

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] lennonforever (2453) 8 years ago

Your signature is the WAY TO GO!!!! CHEERS!!!

[–] aliciabrighton 9 years ago

LOCI isn't really supposed to be realistic or down-to-earth. It's written basically like a play or an opera.

For example, how many scenes do you see a defense attorney just sitting there staring blankly at the wall while Goren works over her client? Any good defense attorney would shut down when they notice their client starting to have a breakdown but that never happens. (A scene like that would never happen even on the other Law and Order seasons).

I'm not sure how to distinguish between the climactic scenes that you thought were good and the ones that you thought were funny. The whole show is a little over-the-top by design, so it's kind of in the eye of the beholder which scenes were on the right side of dramatic vs. melodramatic.

[–] Kotter7579 9 years ago

Excellent point Alicia about how it's written and styled in that way. You bring up a great example with the scenes while the lawyer is blankly sitting there too!

Take a look at the Betrayal episode. First, Richard Kind was hard to be taken seriously in that role given his comedy chops. Notice all the party people in the final scene. Here is a guy getting accused of MURDER in front of the guests, Doris Roberts (the mom) is in tears and the people are standing around with strange looks on their faces. They aren’t even concerned for her, angry at Kind’s son character, or afraid because the cops are there, the detectives are doing their schpiel, and there is a murderer right in front of them! Wouldn’t you wanna bolt thinking that he might go mad? Or at least try to console the mom or the other son/daughter?
This is also in step to what Alicia mentioned before.

Or the Rocket man episode – the group standing outside in the end – similar non-reactions by all. It’s kind of unintentionally funny.
I do like the show and always watch them, but these are some things that don’t feed the drama, they become comical. That kind of what I was referring to earlier as well.

So: a realistic, down to earth show..which is completely off the wall swarming with magic robots?!

[–] renatom1 9 years ago

Or what about the episode where that billionaire played by Malcolm McDowell is married to a Chinese woman, and his son was murdered? SPOILER ALERT! At the end, Eames shoots his other son dead after he tries to kill the Chinese woman. After a few tears, Malcolm McDowell just walks to his car with the rest of his family, and the Chinese woman just quietly wanders off. In the background, the crowd acts as if nothing happened. LOL!

[–] Kotter7579 9 years ago

There you go, greenegg--- others have clearly noticed this as well!
Good job crew. Renatom1: I just saw that episode as well and it totally falls in line with what we've been saying. Great summary.

Lol!!

So: a realistic, down to earth show..which is completely off the wall swarming with magic robots?!

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] forchatting 8 years ago

" The episode "Malignant" is yet another example: Goren exposes the crooked pharmacist on the front steps of his church as the exiting congregation looks on. Public humiliation of the culprit appears to be one of Goren's go-to tactics in closing a case."
-- I think in this particular case/suspect, the issue of his shame or "looking bad" to his church was Why he did the medication switch (and to his wife, who reminded him of maintaining their social standing as church elders). So, in this ep it is a good tactic.

[–] greenegg 9 years ago

You make excellent points, aliciabrighton. CI was meant to be more from the criminal's POV, which may well be why we see more of the cat/mouse between the detectives, especially Goren, and the criminals, rather than having the attorneys intervene. This show always did seem more love/hate than the other L&O series. Much of it can strike different people in different ways. With most TV shows, it's a question of suspending disbelief; we all must decide how much we want to do that.

Sod off, Kotter. I still disagree with you and your little lackeys, including Ratsom or whatever its name was, who also left out pivotal parts of the episode about the billionaire. The billionaire father was a cold fish who valued the one son over the other. He was furious with the son Eames shot because he had killed the son the father valued more. Comprehension is not your strong suit, I suppose. The father's wife already realized her marriage was over. It all fits, if you pay attention. The L&O franchise liked to leave some details to the viewer's imagination; not all of us like to have everything explained or tied up with a neat little bow. Perhaps you would prefer reality shows.

Put puppy mills out of business: never buy dogs from pet shops! 

[–] Shauni 9 years ago

That one where the teenager was sleeping with his teacher who thought she was 14 or something. When he started running on top of the officers' desks screaming "Danielle! Danielle!" That kills me every time. Also the one where this couple were pretending to be the parents of a girl in witness protection: he was screaming at his wife saying You just couldn't leave that egg cup! The egg cup!"

[–] Kotter7579 9 years ago

GreenEgg--

No need to stoop down to the level of suggesting reality shows. I hate those shows. I DO like many law and order CI shows. The original post was bringing to light some of those laughable moments, cringe worthy “it’s drama but it’s kinda funny” moments. Gillian Booth flopping was downright funny – see my reply to your first post to show what I fully said about that as there is no need to repeat it here.

Also, you seem to have missed the other post which had good points too – look at the “Danielle, Danielle!!!!”, “Egg Cup”, and “You can’t keep a video for a year” moments to see what others see as well. That’s what we are talking about in these cases. We aren’t tearing down what you have said when you explain the drama of the show. But come on, people being in the same room with a Murderer and not caring or showing any emotion? Or that Malcom McDowell one ending.

Again, I like the show! I’m not saying that I don’t -- you are questioning some of these moments that I originally brought up, not to slam the show, but to just put a thought out there that others can clearly see as well based on their replies!

[–] Klein_Returns 9 years ago

LOL!!!!

[–] 9 years ago

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