Sad plot, involving a despotic father (Sam Robards, the Methodist chaplain in "Casualties of war") who doesn't care at all about his family. He works as an engineer for a large company, but despite his efforts, he didn't manage to climb the ladder to a better position (and a better income). Because of this frustration, he vents his anger on his wife (Carrie Preston), preventing her from taking any decision about family matters: her religious mother had to leave the house, the children had to be home-schooled and she couldn't take medicine to cure her depressive situation. The only escape is death, to live a better life in heaven. I guess the husband would be able to start a new family without any remorse.
8 Reviews
Wow! Whitlock v Goren
mloessel1 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Paul Whitlock (aka Sam Robards) shows no affect (emotion) in this emotion packed episode. In the final 10 minutes Detective Goren brings Mr Whitlock's in for questioning (no attorney is present) and informs him that he has shown no affect during this investigation and eventual arrest of his wife. Eventually Goren's emotional outburst ignites Whitlock's affect. Goren believes he's got a confession. He's wrong all he got was an emotional outburst that is useless. This is one example when Goren's tactic of using emotion is ineffective. AS the DA would later explain.
This Will Bring Out Your Emotions!
ccthemovieman-117 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This was very intense and emotional, but a very unpleasant story. I'm sure most people would agree with that, since it involves a mother deliberately blowing up her car with her and her four kids in it! Three of the children die; the mother and one son survive.
Who would do this, and why? Of course, that's the first questions Detectives Goren and Eames ask, and they come up with losing answers on the first two guesses. Along the way to the heart-rendering conclusion, we get the Law & Order usual Liberal agendas, such as shots at profiling those poor Muslims, blaming the father-not the mother for the killings and making Catholics into wackos. In this particular case, the mom and dad and grandma are all whacked out. The dad did state something about "all that religious crap," so a non-believer also looked bad. Hey, nobody looked good in this case, even the cops.
Carrie Preston as "Dorren Whitlock" and Sam Robards as her husband, "Paul," both give overwrought but riveting performances guaranteed to get your blood pressure up! Preston reminded me a lot, facially, of Samantha Morton. The closeups of her face in this episode was haunting. She gave quite a performance. Robards is the son of Jason Robards (and Laren Bacall), so he certainly has good acting "genes." Here, he plays a guy who want to punch right in the nose! Even "Eames," states at one point: "You know, this guy is really starting to get at my craw." After this performance, he went on to play in eight episodes of "The West Wing."
Who would do this, and why? Of course, that's the first questions Detectives Goren and Eames ask, and they come up with losing answers on the first two guesses. Along the way to the heart-rendering conclusion, we get the Law & Order usual Liberal agendas, such as shots at profiling those poor Muslims, blaming the father-not the mother for the killings and making Catholics into wackos. In this particular case, the mom and dad and grandma are all whacked out. The dad did state something about "all that religious crap," so a non-believer also looked bad. Hey, nobody looked good in this case, even the cops.
Carrie Preston as "Dorren Whitlock" and Sam Robards as her husband, "Paul," both give overwrought but riveting performances guaranteed to get your blood pressure up! Preston reminded me a lot, facially, of Samantha Morton. The closeups of her face in this episode was haunting. She gave quite a performance. Robards is the son of Jason Robards (and Laren Bacall), so he certainly has good acting "genes." Here, he plays a guy who want to punch right in the nose! Even "Eames," states at one point: "You know, this guy is really starting to get at my craw." After this performance, he went on to play in eight episodes of "The West Wing."
My soul
TheLittleSongbird17 September 2020
It is hard to resist an episode with a title as beautiful as that, the name given namely in choral music to the Hymn of the Virgin Mary (or canticle). It was no surprise to me that this was not going to be a pleasant episode, that is obvious reading the plot synopsis whether online or on the television guide and if seeing other episodes of 'Criminal Intent' and the whole 'Law and Order' franchise, known for uncompromising approaches to heavy subjects.
Of which "Magnificat" has one of the heaviest. Really do have to disagree respectfully with the user that considers it the worst episode of 'Criminal Intent'. To me it is absolutely nowhere near being one of the worst let alone the worst. If anything, "Magnificat" again from personal opinion is one of the best. Not just of Season 4 but of the show in general, that sees the season and show back on track. A vast improvement over the disappointing previous two episodes "Eosphoros" and "In the Dark".
"Magnificat" is especially good in the performances and the emotional impact. The acting is some of the best of the entire show in my view. Everybody is brilliant but two especially stand out. One is Vincent D'Onofrio, which was no surprise as he was always brilliant as Goren but here is some of his best work. Showing the beauty of emotions and thought processes telling so much through the use of the eyes and the face. Not just in his anger towards Whitlock, such as in the interrogation where Goren's and Eames' incense at Whitlock's uncaring attitude is very deeply felt by the viewer as well, but also in his compassion when speaking with the child that survived. Carrie Preston is deeply moving, broke my heart actually, in a difficult role as a deeply troubled character.
Kathryn Erbe works and contrasts beautifully with D'Onofrio, she is just as good as him at showing anger and is equally expressive. Her heartbreak over such a terrible case is also immensely believable and incredibly authentic, as is when she and Goren realise the truly gut-wrenching truth. Sam Robards plays one of the show's most despicable characters in a truly chilling way and brilliantly, especially in the interrogation scene, effectively making the blood boil.
This is an incredibly emotional and very disturbing episode and one that grabs the attention straightaway right up to the last second. The case on the surface is enough to make one cry and be angry at how something like that could happen, but every bit as soul-destroying is what drove the perpetrator to do what they did. In one of the few 'Criminal Intent' where the viewer's anger and hatred is directed towards another person other than the perpetrator, so much so that one in a way roots for them to be the one responsible. The interrogation is Season 4's finest in my view and one of the best of the whole show, and it was amazing that the political and social aspects of the case were handled in the nuanced way that it was (as this could easily have been heavy-handed).
Could find nothing wrong with the slick production values, the haunting but not overpowering music or the tight and sincere script. As well as the subtle but never dreary direction.
Overall, incredible episode and one of the season and show's best. 10/10
Of which "Magnificat" has one of the heaviest. Really do have to disagree respectfully with the user that considers it the worst episode of 'Criminal Intent'. To me it is absolutely nowhere near being one of the worst let alone the worst. If anything, "Magnificat" again from personal opinion is one of the best. Not just of Season 4 but of the show in general, that sees the season and show back on track. A vast improvement over the disappointing previous two episodes "Eosphoros" and "In the Dark".
"Magnificat" is especially good in the performances and the emotional impact. The acting is some of the best of the entire show in my view. Everybody is brilliant but two especially stand out. One is Vincent D'Onofrio, which was no surprise as he was always brilliant as Goren but here is some of his best work. Showing the beauty of emotions and thought processes telling so much through the use of the eyes and the face. Not just in his anger towards Whitlock, such as in the interrogation where Goren's and Eames' incense at Whitlock's uncaring attitude is very deeply felt by the viewer as well, but also in his compassion when speaking with the child that survived. Carrie Preston is deeply moving, broke my heart actually, in a difficult role as a deeply troubled character.
Kathryn Erbe works and contrasts beautifully with D'Onofrio, she is just as good as him at showing anger and is equally expressive. Her heartbreak over such a terrible case is also immensely believable and incredibly authentic, as is when she and Goren realise the truly gut-wrenching truth. Sam Robards plays one of the show's most despicable characters in a truly chilling way and brilliantly, especially in the interrogation scene, effectively making the blood boil.
This is an incredibly emotional and very disturbing episode and one that grabs the attention straightaway right up to the last second. The case on the surface is enough to make one cry and be angry at how something like that could happen, but every bit as soul-destroying is what drove the perpetrator to do what they did. In one of the few 'Criminal Intent' where the viewer's anger and hatred is directed towards another person other than the perpetrator, so much so that one in a way roots for them to be the one responsible. The interrogation is Season 4's finest in my view and one of the best of the whole show, and it was amazing that the political and social aspects of the case were handled in the nuanced way that it was (as this could easily have been heavy-handed).
Could find nothing wrong with the slick production values, the haunting but not overpowering music or the tight and sincere script. As well as the subtle but never dreary direction.
Overall, incredible episode and one of the season and show's best. 10/10
Superb Performances in Powerful Episode
jlthornb5115 August 2015
Powerful story with a simply amazing performance by Carrie Preston as a mother emotionally broken by her ultra controlling husband. This isn't a pleasant episode given the subject matter of child murder and the demented act of the mother but Preston is so moving in that difficult role that we actually feel compassion for her. Sam Robards is also excellent as the husband who has worked hard to put his wife in a position where she can do nothing right and always fails as a mother no matter how hard she tries. It is heart wrenching as the detectives follow the clues to the ugly conclusion. Kathryn Erbe is especially good and in her we see a professional trying to hold it together through a uniquely horrible case.
One of the Best - Magnificat - Crim Intent show
philip-4723022 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This show strikes so many nerves. A mother who is over burdened. A husband who doesn't care. Acting is stellar throughout. The Mom is depressed, but the husband looks the other way. Also isolates her which makes it worse for Doreen. The lack of empathy by the husband is frightening. He thinks she is gonna commit suicide - and does nothing. What a creep!
So many "Legal" Omission Errors
radarfirs718 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
1) the Mother who did a Murder/Suicide with her kids, but thru the show it clearly points to (A) she had Post Partum Depression (B) Her Husband keeps her from care
2) The Punishment for the Mother who clearly has mental problems gets Prison instead of Medical care, shows the "Judge" and Carver "Prosecutor" as "Don't Care" types just like the Husband. (Probably see #3)
3) Carver says there are no laws broken by the Father - See factual Errors Carver's error is covered better than I can. This also make me wonder that maybe Carvers Family should have a Social Worker Home Safety Check. Too Many Laws that actually Carver could use against the Father
4) This is one of the L&O CI Episodes that just doesn't end with proper Legal Closure. It does finally close in a Court Room, but as stated above Carver does not do his Job, and the L&O CI Defense Lawyers & the rare Judge might as well wear Sweat Clothes because neither ever do their jobs, but then that is the Writers Fault via what appears as NO LEGAL Experts helping them.
Worst Episode Of This Show
Bronco469 April 2016
As the story unfolds it really grabbed. I was thinking "this looks like it will be a good one". I was wrong. Really good performances by Carrie Preston and Sam Robards, were wasted. This was a classic example of the only serious problem with the stories they tell in this series. The regular cast is always excellent. But the bad guys always seem to have the worst lawyers in the history of the legal profession. In this story, there is another episode of interrogation where the person being questioned has a lawyer. But he just sits there, while the cops ask all kinds of improper questions and get the person to say all kinds of things against their own interests. While the attorney just sits and says absolutely nothing. This a common problem in this otherwise interesting show. Time again during interrogations. The producers plop a guy in suit nest to the defendant. But, they do next to nothing to actually help their defendant in the way a real lawyer would. If you only watch one or two of these episodes you might not notice it. But after a season or two, it starts to become very noticeable. It allows the writers to wrap the episode in one hour. This a good story with a bad ending. It still worth watching. But barely.
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