Law & Order: CI – my two cents

Now that it has been announced that Mary Elizabeth “Maid Marion” Mastrantonio will take the captain’s chair for the new season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, I wanted to put my two cents in. While many have scoffed at the full departure of Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe (Goran and Eames), I am actually excited about the prospect of new blood. Plus we can finally put Erbe out of her misery; that poor woman was treated like Goran’s chew toy for 8 seasons. Jeff Goldblum is taking over full control of the male lead, after a season of splitting the show with D’Onofrio. And he’s getting a new female partner, in the lover-ly form of Britain’s Saffron Burrows. Not one episode has aired yet, and she is already 10 times better than the last 2 girls combined (aka the redhead and the freckled girl with no personality). Here’s the history folks.

When Law & Order: Criminal Intent debuted in 2001 on NBC, it was pitched as a Sherlock & Watson version of the show. Special Victims Unit had successfully separated itself from the original L&O, and CI needed its own angle. The problem was that focusing solely on the detectives (no court stuff), already made the show different. D’Onofrio was given so many more lines than Erbe that it made her character seem unnecessary.  If you go back and watch the early episodes, the best scenes were when the two lead characters worked together on equal terms. They would “play act” as a married couple, siblings, etc. Throughout the seasons there would be some Eames centered episodes, but a balance would have been much better for the show. Nothing against D’Onofrio, but he’s no Brando.

Beginning in 2005, NBC began to alternate the leads. Chris Noth would take over every other week, so that D’Onofrio (who was suffering exhaustion), could have a week off. Noth was partnered with the fantastic Annabella Sciorra, fresh off of her Sopranos role, but Noth episodes were not pulling their weight in the ratings. Low(ish) ratings, and a better deal with creative lead the show to the USA network after six years with NBC. USA has been able to maintain high ratings for the show, but there have been some bumps along the way. First, Jamey Sheridan dropped out as the Lt in command of the Homicide unit. This wouldn’t have been a total loss if the bosses had found a suitable replacement. The new guy, Eric Bogosian, is so GD awful, with his wing-tips and his ten pound eye bags, that I winch everytime he speaks! Sciorra dropped out as well, after only one season. Her replacements have been, um, not good.

Last season saw the emergence of some positive energy. Jeff Goldblum, in second career mode, has taken over Noth’s spot with aplomb – which is a word that I so rarely get to use, so thank you Jeff! In the coming season, it will be Goldblum, alongside Burrows, with Mastrantonio as the Lt. For the first time in years, CI will again be a part of my “must watch” list each week.

Tis the Season…

… for some creepy thrills. This October is offering up a nice bunch of cinematic treats, just in time for Halloween! While the classics are always welcome to spice up your All Hallows Eve (Texas Chainsaw, Halloween, Ernest Scared Stupid, etc), 2009 is bringing some quality back to the horror genre. Here are a few you should check out:

Trick ‘r Treat
This film never got a theatrical release, with Warner Bros. holding onto it for two years. Just released on DVD, the adaptation of the graphic novel is gaining a cult-like fan base, with word of mouth keeping the rental number high. The film, starring Anna Paquin, is more of a horror movie anthology than anything else. Four separate scary stories are related to the holiday of Halloween itself. Gore, suspense, and a homicidal rag doll – what more could you ask for!?

Paranormal Activity
Already a full-blown hit, Paranormal Activity is the new standard bearer for making good movies on a tiny budget. Made for $11,000 in seven days, this movie has taken the country by storm. It began with midnight screenings in NY/LA, and has only grown from then. This week it took the number 1 spot over SAW VI, Lionsgate’s highly successful horror franchise. After watching Paranormal last week, I must advise everyone not to get swept up in the hype. It is good for what it is. It’s not the best horror film I’ve ever seen, and it’s not as good as Blair Witch. But the filmmakers did a lot with very little, and I admire that. Worth the viewing, with a satisfying ending.

The House of the Devil
This film will be in theater on October 30, with no big stars. House of the Devil is in the style of 80’s horror films (like Black Christmas) and the early reviews are very promising. Set in the 80’s, the story centers on a young co-ed who takes a part time job at a creepy old house. I’m fairly certain that bad things will happen to her. I’m going to check it out this weekend, and so should you.

Antichrist
It might be a stretch to call this film a horror movie. Antichrist is probably not for the average fan of scary movies. The pace is really slow, and and it’s very character driven. Antichrist is more like a really disturbing art-house flick. With extreme and graphic sexuality and violence, I will say: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. The director, Lars Von Trier is a total nut-bag, but he made a really beautiful film. I recommend, but with reservations.

If you are a fan of the SAW series, I would highly recommend SAW VI. Each film has its own interesting angle, plus you’ll want to be ready for next year when SAW goes 3D. Happy Halloween everyone!

Oh, What a Glorious Death!

Last Sunday, millions of people watched the season 2 finale of True Blood. It was a bittersweet but satisfying moment when Maryann, the Maenad with the black heart, was gored to death in glorious fashion! I give a great deal of credit to writer Alan Ball for his fantastic creation of Maryann, but most of the applause should be reserved for the actress: Michelle Forbes, one of the strongest and most under-appreciated actresses working today. It seems silly that she’s finally getting the attention she deserves at the age of 44, but it’s better late than never!

Since my less-than-praising article about Brad Pitt, I’ve wanted to go through the career of someone that I truly admire. I’ve decided that the lesser known Forbes (Pitt’s co-star in Kalifornia) is the perfect candidate, precisely because she isn’t well known. It has nothing to do with the fact that she’s from Austin, TX. That’s just the icing on the cake. So here it is – the TV career of Michelle Forbes, with a look at her greatest hits.

Guiding Light – 1987-1990

Forbes played a dual role as Sonni and Solita Carrera, twins with a secret past. With The Guiding Light going off the air after 50 million years, tvsquad.com created TV Squad Ten: Guiding Light’s Greatest characters of the last 25 years, with Forbes performance coming in at number 6. TV Squad praises Forbes for leaving an “indelible memory” with her short stint on the show. Since I was all of 5 in 1987, I haven’t seen this role, but with the help of the internet, I still have hope.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – 1991-1994 (9 episodes)

Forbes was only in 9 episodes of TNG, but she left a lasting impression. To this day, message boards like imdb.com or aintitcool.com are filled with references to Ensign Ro, Forbes’ character on TNG. No matter what other roles she takes, the first message is always “Hey, it’s Ensign Ro!” Trekkies are very loyal, and her fans from TNG still follow her today. I guess I can include myself in that category, completely without shame! Forbes’ Ro was even supposed to take a leading regular role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but she turned it down. Since I love the actress that took over the role, I’ll just leave that alone.

Homicide – 1996-1998

Forbes took on the role of the Chief Medical Examiner on the hit show Homicide in 1996. Dr. Julianna Cox was a fantastic inclusion to the groundbreaking cop drama.  Forbes fit in perfectly with the rest of the cast, and she was utterly believable as the ME. Recently it was announced that Angelina Jolie will portray Dr. Kay Scarpetta in an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s series. I think this casting will be as believable as Jolie’s role as a forensic detective in The Bone Collector. But for Forbes, even though she was only in her early 30’s, the role of Chief seemed to naturally suit her. The episode where Cox is introduced is unbelievable. Worth the rental!

24 – 2002-2003

For the show’s 2nd season, Forbes played Lynne Kresge, a high-up and trusted Presidential aide. With this role, Forbes was able to tangle with a treacherous first lady, uncover a treasonous plot, and get thrown down a flight of stairs! She was a busy lady on 24. Unfortunately, Forbes’ character wasn’t tied up very well at the end of the season. My problem with 24 is the frequently lazy writing. Because the treacherous plot that Forbes’ character uncovered was hatched by a character that would stick around for another season, her story was just dropped rather than dealt with. This is one of the many reasons that I don’t watch 24 anymore. This season is worth a viewing on DVD, as long as you fast-forward Elisha Cuthbert’s entire storyline.

Battlestar Galactica – 2005-2007 (3 episodes + TV movie)

Another addition to Forbes’ sci-fi resume brought her to a new generation of fanboys and girls. Forbes played Admiral Helena Cain in an amazing arc on Battlestar, which is easily one of the best shows ever. Her performance as the hard-as-nails Cain was so strong that series creator Ronald Moore was compelled to make Forbes’ character one of the central figures in Battlestar Galactica: Razor, which was Sci-Fi Channel movie event . In true Battlestar fashion, nothing is as simple as it seems, and Cain’s background and personality are expanded and explained. The Cain episodes were some of the strongest in the show’s entire run.

In Treatment/True Blood – 2008-2009 (15 episodes each)

Yes, I know, these are two different shows. But both are HBO, and as 13+ episode seasons that aired back-to-back, the two shows together perfectly represent Forbes’ ability to take on any role and give it life. In Treatment, Forbes plays the long-suffering wife of Gabriel Burns’ character. When I first heard about this, I was not especially intrigued. I was afraid it would be a thankless role. But Forbes shines in this series’ 1st season, particularly the back and forth between her, Burns, and Diane Weiss, both dramatic heavyweights. Forbes more than holds her own in this role. On to True Blood – when Maryann appears out of nowhere (naked!) at the end of season1, I had no idea that she would be revealed as season 2’s main baddie. Much as I enjoyed the 1st season of True Blood, Forbes’ Maryann made me completely forget last year’s bad guy. Honestly, I’m a little worried about next season. Even though it was a cliffhanger, I’m not really looking forward to True Blood without Maryann. We’ll have to see how that goes.

Durham County - 2009

Durham County is a Canadian series that runs only 6 hour-long episodes per season (or series). Forbes is featured in Season 2, as Dr. Pen Verrity, a criminal psychologist who recently lost her daughter. Durham is a gritty and harsh crime drama that has received enormous critical acclaim. The main character, Det. Mike Sweeney (played by Hugh Dillon), falls for Verrity, but soon begins to realize that she may have more problems than he does. I’m only two episodes in, but so far, this show is fantastic. The 1st season should begin in October on the Ion Channel. If you can’t wait, you might want to just download the episodes.

As I mentioned above, Forbes has done films as well, but her talents are best displayed in TV series’. She’s taking some well deserved time off right now (which sucks for us), but hopefully Forbes recent success will land her a role on another great series. I’ll be on the lookout, and so should you!