User Reviews

A mugger broke into an apartment on Sunday morning, beat up a girl till leaving her unconscious and then hid himself in the living room. The husband (Robert Farrior) came home after attending Sunday Mass when the perp hit him with a wrench, killing him and leaving the scene with a motorcycle. The victim happens to be a doctor who had an argument with a football player days before related to information released to the press. Anyway Goren and Eames focused to something strange happening inside the church, where an altar boy bikers with a terrible past (the father killed the mother in his childhood) had a lot of things to hide. After a while he drank himself to death after being thrown out of the parish, but the way he spoke in the questioning room lead Goren to solve the case.

This episode reminds me a soap opera in the early eighties (The Thorn Birds) adjusted as a crime drama.

After another rocky Nichols-starring 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' episode in "In Treatment", it is hard to not utter a gasp of relief seeing Goren and Eames, far more interesting characters and a far more interesting partnership, return with the season's fifth episode "Faithfully". And hopefully at a standard closer to their brilliant previous episode "Identity Crisis" than "In Treatment". It certainly had potential to, with the concept of the story appealing more.

"Faithfully" is a great return and it was great to see Goren and Eames back in a case that is mostly worthy of them. It is not quite as brilliant as "Identity Crisis", but it is considerably better than "In Treatment" and in the better half of Season 8 (another up and down season in the inconsistent period for the show that was Season 5 onwards). Not one of my favourite 'Criminal Intent' episodes by all means, but there is so much that is done wonderfully here.

It's well made visually, with slick and intimate yet never too claustrophobic photography. The music doesn't come over as too intrusive or melodramatic. The direction has momentum but also breathing space. Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe are both typically excellent and their chemistry has playfulness and intensity.

The script is fun, thought provoking and taut, one that is lean enough while with enough meat to it. The case from start to finish is very compelling and intricate, keeping one on their toes and guessing without being difficult to follow or feeling manipulated. Had no idea who was responsible or what the motive was until right at the end.

By all means, "Faithfully" isn't perfect. It is occasionally a little heavy-handed, like the wince-inducing scene at the funeral reception.

Otherwise though, great. 9/10.

Heading home after Sunday service at a toney Upper East Side church a doctor is murdered by an intruder in his home while his wife is bound and gagged upstairs. Just the neighborhood alone guarantees Major Case will handle this one.

This one starts out almost too easy for Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. Bootprints left at the scene had a distinct pattern and Goren spots one of the altar boys in similar footwear and riding a motorcycle where a neighbor spotted one speeding away from the crime.

But it's not a slam dunk as it is clear that young Will Rogers is no self starter.

Leland Orser and Janel Maloney are the reverend and his wife and Katherine Winnick is the widow of the deceased. All are good candidates to be the motivator.

Watch this nicely done story to see who.