Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) A Person of Interest (2003) User Reviews

She's Baaaack!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 4 January 2007]

Goren's most diabolical foe - "Nicole Wallace" (Olivia d'Abo) returns for the season finale. She was last seen in episode three ("Anti-Thesis").

The first part of this episode involves a guy who looks as guilty as anything for a crime and Goren goes after full bore. The man, who has an explosive attitude and perfectly fits the profile of who Goren is after, claims he is being harassed by the detective. He is then found hanging in his residence, an apparent suicide victim. The press makes Goren out to be a lousy detective and a viscous one, responsible for this poor innocent man's death. Even Eames wonders if her partner went too far.

Not to worry. The super-arrogant Wallace shows up at "Bobby's" favorite restaurant and taunts him. Our hero soon figures out she's behind all of this, knowing just what buttons to push.

"She got me," Goren admits. "She got me good."

"Well," answers Eames, "let's get her back."

This was a very good season-ending episode and an involving story, although a bit complicated here and there and not easy to completely follow.

The return of Nicole Wallace

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 21 May 2020]

It was great to see a character that made such a big impression in a Season 2 high-point "Anti-Thesis" return here in "A Person of Interest", and still have the same qualities that made her such a fascinating character in that episode. And what a perfect place in the show to showcase her return than in the Season 2 finale "A Person of Interest", which is something of an "Anti-Thesis: Part 2" and feels like it certainly. And in a good way.

"A Person of Interest" is not quite as great an episode as "Anti-Thesis", with the case not being quite as focused. It is still a great season finale though and one of Season 2's best outings, its many great things being close to outstanding actually. It is a brilliant showcase for Nicole Wallace and the blistering dynamic between her and Goren that shone so much in "Anti-Thesis", to me they were more interesting than the case itself.

Which is still an engrossing one and it has intrigue and suspense, with plenty of shocks along the way. Did think though that it could have been more focused and it was not always easy to follow early on.

On a more nit-picky note, the inaccurate description of anthrax referred to by a character sticks out like a sore thumb when referred to as a virus when really caused by bacteria. At this stage, 'Criminal Intent' wasn't usually that sloppy in its research, another reason as to why it stuck out.

However, Wallace is as deceptively attractive and frighteningly cunning as she was before. One of not many 'Criminal Intent' guest characters to fit under the term "Goren meets his match" and worthy of his intellect. As a result, we really do see how Goren's mind works, how the case affects him (and it one of his most personal ones of the early seasons) and his way of thinking, and it makes for both entertaining and scary viewing. The tension between the two characters absolutely blisters and stand out in an episode full of surprises, entertainment value, humanity in its characters and even emotional impact.

Despite the whole cast being terrific (wouldn't have said no to more of Kathryn Erbe perhaps though), it's Vincent D'Onofrio and Olivia D'Abo that shine most. Cannot get enough of D'Onofrio, who has always been a big delight in 'Criminal Intent' and essentially is the show, and for me this is one of D'Abo's best roles, she does cunning so well and it makes the skin crawl in a way one doesn't usually see from D'Abo.

Production values are stylish and have a brighter look than the first season while maintaining the show's grit. The music doesn't overbear and is not overused. The direction is deft and allows D'Onofrio and D'Abo to have fun.

Great Season 2 finale and 'Criminal Intent' episode overall, while slightly falling short of being one of the best. 9/10

A finger in Goren's eye

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 29 March 2017]

As the Master was to Doctor Who in the old series, so Olivia D'Abo as stone cold killer Nicole Wallace is to Bobby Goren in Criminal Intent. This woman never misses a beat so when she kills again she not only gets herself a rich fiancé to fight off criminal charges, but she provides Vincent D'Onofrio with a great suspect in an anthrax related death.

In all the understandable fear resulting from the 9/11 attacks somehow lost to history was that within a month of 9/11 the anthrax scare occurred. There was also a suspect, a Dr. Stephen Hatfill's name was who the press got a hold of. Then just as swiftly the government cleared him. It maybe the most mysterious story of the new millennia.

James McCaffrey plays the Hatfill character who comes to a sad end, but the whole incident embarrasses the NYPD in general and Robert Goren in particular. All this so D'Abo can stick a finger in Goren's eye. Her character Nicole Wallace does kind of think that way.

I wish they had kept D'Abo around for a few more episodes of CI. She was the best.

Beware the Brilliant Borderline

[rajah524-3 · 10/10 · 10 May 2008]

The vampires can see the other vampires. They can also see the vampires who gave up their teeth for hammers and silver spikes. They will go for the jugular. They -have- to go for it. They are psychotically paranoid.

Years of overwhelming, innocence-robbing, violent incest made them that way. They see their vampire characters as a proper and acceptable means of surviving a world full of unfair persecution. So they must persecute first.

There is only one possible combination of emotions: obsessive hatred of anyone who shows them romantic attention, and sadistic delight in shredding that person (if they can).

"Don't think for one second that this is the end of us, Bobby."

The borderline can say this with complete certainty because she has learned (and rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed) her "others" for so long to protect herself from the terror she experienced that she truly and totally believes she is not who she is.

Fortunately, most are not so sinister as Nicole here, but just to be safe, it's rarely a great idea to let them know you can see them unless you really -are- a police detective.

Sane charater twice

[meloniebrown-35175 · 9 August 2021]

Ok i knew i wasnt crazy. She was in 2 episodes of law and order. Anti thesis. And person of interest. Am binge watching law and order. Olivia Diabo is the actress.