Law & Order: Criminal Intent (season 10)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (season 10)
Season 10 U.S. DVD Cover
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	8
Broadcast
Original channel	USA Network
Original run	00001-05-01-0000May 1 – June 26, 2011 (2011-06-26)
Home video release
DVD release
Region 1	March 12, 2013 (2013-03-12)[1]

The tenth and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered Sunday, May 1, 2011, on USA Network. The timeslot was moved to Sunday nights at 9 p.m. (ET) from Tuesday nights at 10:00 pm Eastern/9:00 pm Central.^[2]

This marks the first and only season since the show's debut that it did not air with the original Law & Order still on the air, due to the latter's cancellation by NBC in May 2010.^[3] Episodes from this season repeated on NBC on Mondays starting May 30, 2011, at 9 p.m. (ET), leading into new episodes of Law & Order: LA, which was placed on hiatus from January to early April 2011, causing its own new episodes to air through July 2011.^[4]

Law & Order: Criminal Intent finished its ten season run on June 26, 2011. It was confirmed by USA Network co-president Jeff Wachtel on July 15, 2011; when asked about a possible 11th season Wachtel answered "No — and this is said with respect for the show, respect for Dick [Wolf], and most significantly with respect to the audience." Wachtel also cited reasons for not renewing being monetary issues.^[5] The episodes in the tenth season averaged 4.43 million total viewers and 1.67 million in the age 18-49 demographic; higher than the numbers the show pulled in the ninth season.^[6]

Cast and crew changes and returning characters

In August 2010, Jeff Goldblum (Detective Zack Nichols) announced his departure from the series after switching agencies and being unsure of the series's future. The options for renewal of Goldblum, Saffron Burrows, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio's contracts formally expired on July 31, 2010, after being extended by a month on June 30 when they were originally up. The series at the time was in limbo.^[7] Over a month later, it was confirmed that Criminal Intent was returning for a tenth and final season consisting of eight episodes, with star Vincent D'Onofrio who portrays Detective Robert Goren. The news of Law & Order: CI getting a proper closure was in stark contrast with the abrupt cancellation of the original mothership series by NBC in May 2010.^[8]

Weeks later, it was announced that Kathryn Erbe would be returning as her character Detective Alex Eames, also confirming that ninth season cast member Saffron Burrows (Detective Serena Stevens) had departed.^[9] In February 2011, Jay O. Sanders joined the cast as Captain Joseph Hannah, replacing Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Captain Zoe Callas). Sanders has appeared in episodes of both the original Law & Order and L&O: Criminal Intent.^[10][11]

This season, Chris Brancato replaces Walon Green as show runner/executive producer. Green was show runner/EP throughout seasons 8 and 9.^[12] Former show runner/executive producer Warren Leight wrote the episode "Trophy Wine", along with all the scenes with D'Onofrio and Julia Ormond, and the final scenes in the finale, "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap". Co-creator, developer, and former show runner/EP René Balcer re-wrote the finale as well, but went uncredited.^[13] Brancato suggested that the show could be picked up for an 11th season if the intended final episodes garner sufficient ratings.^[14]

Returning star Vincent D'Onofrio felt; "The fact that we had so many viewers, more than other cable shows, it's odd to see the show end." Although the show suffered a sharp ratings decline in the ninth season; coinciding with D'Onofrio and Erbe being written out of the show.^[15] Kathryn Erbe said to TV Guide if Law & Order: CI was possibly renewed; "I know that I would be there in a heartbeat. I'm fairly positive that Vincent [D'Onofrio] feels the same way. Everyone was really hoping that, in the 11th hour, we'd get some word. Whether the fans are able to muscle us back or not, who knows. They have amazing power."^[16]

Season overview

Season ten features the return of Detectives Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) to the Major Case Squad. Terminated for insubordination a year ago, Detective Goren has been reunited with his long-time partner Alex Eames at the behest of the new Major Case Captain (Jay O. Sanders). In addition to solving cases, Goren has mandatory sessions with brilliant police psychologist Dr. Paula Gyson (Julia Ormond).

This final eight episode arc focussed on Goren's tortured past and charting a course for a successful future. Storylines for this season included a beautiful female banker whose sole client was the Catholic Church; an adventuresome rogue who may be the country's best cyber-warrior; and a woman who was blackmailing a wealthy, tabloid-fodder "bad boy."^[2] The episode "Icarus" explored a scenario inspired by many of the cast incidents in the Broadway play Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; in this case, they turn tragic. This version features characters ranging from a high-strung director to a secretly bisexual rock-star composer.^[17]

Cast

Regular cast

• Vincent D'Onofrio as Detective Robert Goren
• Kathryn Erbe as Detective Alexandra Eames

Also starring

• Jay O. Sanders as Captain Joseph Hannah^[18]
• Julia Ormond as Dr. Paula Gyson (7 episodes)^[18]

Recurring cast

• Leslie Hendrix as Chief Medical Examiner Elizabeth Rodgers (6 episodes)

Guest stars

Julia Ormond guest starred in all eight episodes (but was only seen in seven and was credited as "Also Starring") as police psychologist Dr. Paula Gyson, a brilliant psychologist charged with conducting mandatory sessions with Detective Goren to unravel his tortured past, and chart a course for mental stability for him.^[18]

Appearing in the episode, titled "Rispetto" (aired May 1, 2011), Jay Mohr guest-starred as a famous and incredibly successful Charlie Sheen-type bad boy. Mohr’s character, Nyle Brite, hails from a different area of the arts: He is a “rock star” fashion designer whose every creation turns to gold. And his reputation for cocaine benders and call girl-populated parties only skyrockets his career and mints him as the “lovable rogue.” The plot of the episode includes the murder of a guest at one of Brite’s parties. Noelle Beck also guest starred in the episode as Debra, Nyle’s long-suffering but brilliant wife who has managed to withstand 20 years of his antics because she has secrets of her own.^[19]

Neal McDonough guest starred in an episode titled "The Consoler" (aired May 8, 2011), playing a Monsignor who does very good things for the Church (starting soup kitchens, orphanages, cancer wards, etc.,) but also has a scandalous secret. Guest starring in "Boots on the Ground" (aired May 15, 2011) is Jeri Ryan as Naomi Halloran, a former CIA official who has started a private security company worth hundreds of millions. This no-nonsense businesswoman also is harboring a secret.^[20]

Julie White guest starred as New York City’s premiere marriage broker, one who fetches $700,000 for her services in the episode "The Last Street in Manhattan".^[21] Andrea Roth also guest starred during the season in the episode "Trophy Wine", in a case where a wine importer is found dead of a heart attack after being locked in his wine cellar.^[22] Steven Weber guest starred in episode six titled "Cadaver".^[23] Camille Chen and Rosalind Chao also guest starred alongside Weber.^[24]

Cynthia Nixon played Amanda Reese, the high-strung and larger-than-life director behind a problem-plagued Broadway version of Icarus. After a sabotaged stunt results in the death of an actor on stage, Amanda spirals out of control.^[25] Michael Panes, Christopher McDonald, and Eion Bailey also guest starred with Nixon.^[26] Raymond J. Barry played Detective Eames' father when she and Goren had a case that lead them to her childhood home in Inwood.^[27]

Adrian Pasdar and Bryan Batt guest-starred in an episode titled "Trophy Wine". Pasdar played a wine collector named Mason Kent and Batt portrayed a premiere wine sommelier also known as "The Nose". Both come under suspicion when a high-end wine connoisseur — who has been counterfeiting the product — dies of a heart attack while locked in his cellar.^[28]

In the final episode, "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap", James Van Der Beek played Rex Tamlyn, an overconfident, hard-partying playboy and partner in a Facebook-like website devoted to “connecting people who share fleeting romantic encounters.” The pulled-from-the-headlines aspect of the episode involves a lawsuit surrounding a stolen idea. Also appearing in the episode were Thad Luckinbill and his identical twin Trent playing the "Winklevoss-ian" defendants.^[29] NFL Running Back Brandon Jacobs also make a special guest appearance as bouncer. And Tovah Feldshuh reprised her role of attorney Danielle Melnick from Law & Order.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and award-winning author Patti Smith guest starred in the episode "Icarus" as an old friend of Detective Goren (D'Onofrio), Columbia University mythology professor Cleo Alexander, to help figure out the meaning behind "Icarus" (a metaphor for failed ambition). Smith had to say about D'Onofrio, "He's been taught by the greatest, and he taught me, so I feel like if I had to do it again, I'd be really good," she says. "He's such a great actor, such a great director and becoming such a good friend."^[30]

Episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (millions)
188	1	"Rispetto"	Jean de Segonzac	Rick Eid	May 1, 2011 (2011-05-01)	10004	5.10[31]
After a young call girl is murdered, the investigation leads Detectives Goren and Eames behind the scenes of the fashion industry, where they witness the many moral compromises—not to mention outright lawbreaking—that is allowed to keep the resident star designer and hard-partying, “rockstar” Nyle Brite (Jay Mohr) content. Would the fashion house’s key members stoop to murder to protect the runaway train wreck who makes them all millions, or are those skills being used in a cover-up? Inspired by the substance abuse and legal issues of Charlie Sheen.[19]
189	2	"The Consoler"	Michael Smith	Chris Brancato	May 8, 2011 (2011-05-08)	10001	3.68[32]
Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the death of a banker who was working with the Catholic church and could be part of a cover-up; they must determine if the banker was murdered or committed suicide. They discover the bank's only client is the Catholic Church and dig into a scandal and cover-up linked to the murder.
190	3	"Boots on the Ground"	Jean de Segonzac	Teleplay by: Marlane Gomard Meyer Story by: Marlane Gomard Meyer & Paul Eckstein	May 15, 2011 (2011-05-15)	10002	3.83[33]
After a brilliant hacker is thrown to his death off a building, government documents are leaked where Detectives Goren and Eames later discover an ongoing war between two private security companies. Inspired in part by the 2010 Wikileaks scandal. Nicole Wallace (Olivia d'Abo), Goren's late nemesis, appears in a flashback.
191	4	"The Last Street in Manhattan"	Jean de Segonzac	Rick Eid	May 22, 2011 (2011-05-22)	10006	3.33[34]
The murder of a Wall Street CEO takes Detectives Goren and Eames on an investigative trail that leads into the world of high-end Manhattan match-making, where wealthy men are paired with beautiful, accomplished women. Their efforts take them Eames' childhood neighborhood and the last residential street on Manhattan Island, 218th in Inwood. Goren and Eames must determine which of the victim's many enemies could be responsible. This is the first time Eames' father appears in the series, though he has been mentioned in earlier seasons. Goren's birth father, Mark Ford Brady (Roy Scheider), appears in a flashback.
192	5	"Trophy Wine"	Michael Smith	Warren Leight	June 5, 2011 (2011-06-05)	10003	3.91[35]
When a wealthy wine importer is found dead of a heart attack after being locked in his wine cellar, Detectives Goren and Eames uncover the conspiratorial workings of a high-end auction house. When it is discovered he had been selling a counterfeit product, attention turns to his business associates and fellow wine enthusiasts. Goren's brother Frank (Tony Goldwyn) appears in a flashback.
193	6	"Cadaver"	Frank Prinzi	Julie Martin	June 12, 2011 (2011-06-12)	10005	3.59[36]
When a philanthropist (Steven Weber) who is funding a research grant is found murdered, his body switched with a medical cadaver from the very institute he was funding; Detectives Goren and Eames are called in to investigate, but what they find behind the walls of a renowned research institute gives them plenty of suspects. Meanwhile Goren might risk losing his career, again. Inspired in part by the "tiger mother" controversy.
194	7	"Icarus"	Frank Prinzi	Julie Martin	June 19, 2011 (2011-06-19)	10007	3.27[37]
A sitcom star turned Broadway actor is killed performing a stunt in a controversial and highly technical Broadway musical, and the real drama is trying to figure out who wanted the leading man dead with one of the suspects being the director (Cynthia Nixon). Inspired by the controversial Broadway musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
195	8	"To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap"	Jean de Segonzac	Julie Martin & Chris Brancato	June 26, 2011 (2011-06-26)	10008	3.75[38]
In the series finale, Detectives Goren and Eames investigate the murders of twin brothers involved in a heated lawsuit, their bodies discovered in the office of the Web company they were suing. The investigation of a site that connects strangers who've had brief romantic encounters leads to interesting revelations about the site's creation, and Goren may face the ultimate price. Inspired in part by "The Accidental Billionaires" written by Ben Mezrich and its 2010 film adaptation, The Social Network, which tells the founding of Facebook, a social networking website that connects friends, the creator Mark Zuckerberg, and its controversial lawsuit.

Preceded by Season Nine

List of Law & Order: Criminal Intent episodes

End of Series

References

External links

• Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season 10 Episode Guide at TV.com

Law & Order: Criminal Intent Quotes Dick Wolf Law & Order franchise Characters Police Alexandra Eames Mike Logan Zack Nichols Robert Goren G. Lynn Bishop Carolyn Barek Megan Wheeler Nola Falacci Captain James Deakins Captain Danny Ross Other characters Ron Carver Elizabeth Rodgers Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Notable episodes "One" "Graansha" "Weeping Willow" "Amends" "Seeds" "Untethered" "Senseless" "Purgatory" "Contract" "Last Rites" "Frame" "Rock Star" "Faithfully" "The Glory That Was..." "Family Values" "Major Case" "Revolution" "Loyalty" "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" "Happy Family" See also Episodes Cast