The Nichols and Stevens-dominated Season 9 of 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' was very uneven and one of the weakest seasons overall. Some episodes were good to great, such as "Lovesick" and "True Legacy". Other episodes were disappointing, especially "Gods and Insects" and "Palimpsest" (the latter not feeling like 'Criminal Intent'. Plenty were in between. Nichols and Stevens' partnership was not a terrible one, but it was never a special one and the same goes with Stevens as a character.
"Lost Children of the Blood" for me is neither one of the best episodes of Season 9 or of 'Criminal Intent' overall, or one of the worst on both counts. It is though pretty good and interesting, if a case of the concept intriguing more than the overall execution. "Lost Children of the Blood" is one of Season 9's darkest and more gruesome (some of the season's best episodes were the dark character study ones), but it is also one of its strangest and not always in a good way.
A lot is great. Production values as ever are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough. As said above, "Lost Children of the Blood" started off on a very intriguing and atmospheric note with some great ideas present, enough of the story is very clever, the victim is a unique one and how Nichols goes about solving the case fascinates without being too quirky.
Jeff Goldblum carries the episode very well and Saffron Burrows does do her best with weaker material. While their chemistry doesn't entirely ignite, it is not non-existent at the same time. The supporting cast are very good.
However, not everything works in "Lost Children of the Blood". Did feel that the case wasn't quite as strong later on. It did intrigue but wasn't as focused and could have gone into more detail with what is revealed, which made things become muddled.
It also doesn't become as suspenseful and it gets on the bizarre side. More could have been done with the ending, which felt too hasty in explanation and not easy to get the head round.
Concluding, good but not great. 7/10.
"Lost Children of the Blood" for me is neither one of the best episodes of Season 9 or of 'Criminal Intent' overall, or one of the worst on both counts. It is though pretty good and interesting, if a case of the concept intriguing more than the overall execution. "Lost Children of the Blood" is one of Season 9's darkest and more gruesome (some of the season's best episodes were the dark character study ones), but it is also one of its strangest and not always in a good way.
A lot is great. Production values as ever are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough. As said above, "Lost Children of the Blood" started off on a very intriguing and atmospheric note with some great ideas present, enough of the story is very clever, the victim is a unique one and how Nichols goes about solving the case fascinates without being too quirky.
Jeff Goldblum carries the episode very well and Saffron Burrows does do her best with weaker material. While their chemistry doesn't entirely ignite, it is not non-existent at the same time. The supporting cast are very good.
However, not everything works in "Lost Children of the Blood". Did feel that the case wasn't quite as strong later on. It did intrigue but wasn't as focused and could have gone into more detail with what is revealed, which made things become muddled.
It also doesn't become as suspenseful and it gets on the bizarre side. More could have been done with the ending, which felt too hasty in explanation and not easy to get the head round.
Concluding, good but not great. 7/10.