This is one of those particular episodes where not all responsible for a double homicide are held accountable for their part in the murders. A newspaper reporter and his fiancé(he tries to save her to no avail)are gunned down in the middle of a busy street and we follow Goren and Eames as they search through a host of suspects, starting from a garbage man and junkie, and ending up at the governor and his wife. It's all about Richard Uffland(Mark Zimmerman), someone who "cooked the books" for druglords and hides away in South America living it up while his wife is faced with prison time if she doesn't give his hideout to Goren and Eames for extradition. Richard was given a pardon by the governor, which raises suspicions about his own involvement in the grand scheme of things. We also see how the case revolves around Larry Wiegert(John Heard), the brother of the governor's wife, his role in the shooting of the couple and how he's hung out to dry. This is one of those especially difficult episodes where a "simple shooting" grows more and more complex, the list of names tainted by one particular person who motivates a cold-blooded crime because of knowledge which could be leaked in the press, in turn producing a major scandal, those incriminated reaching high up the political spectrum. Like many other Law & Order tales, this one results in certain individuals getting away with highway robbery while others are implicated and charged. Here is a chance to see how Eames and Goren differ from ADA Carver in regards to Mrs. Uffland and how she must betray her husband or else face jail time for holding silent his location..what they are mainly perturbed about is Carver's going back on his word, wanting Uffland by any means necessary.
5 Reviews
Corruption and murder
bkoganbing3 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A couple of working stiffs who are in big time to a mobster get commissioned to do a hit on a reporter and the reporter's girlfriend as well is killed as collateral damage. In fact the occupation of one of the men is to mislead the police as to might have ordered the deed.
Joseph Siravo is the one who commissions the hit, but this one goes up to the governor's office to his schlep of a brother-in-law John Heard. Heard's made several appearances on Law And Order franchise shows and he seems to have taken a patent out on those characters, people who get in way too deep and can't get out. They're also petty and small minded.
I do love the fact that the governor and his wife keep above the fray by making sure they don't know details. Very much like in real life they can't be touched.
Who does get touched is the reason for all this corruption and murder, a convicted money launderer for drug gangs. He does get some more experience with the criminal justice system, but some toes are stepped on and threats are made.
It's one of the more sordid episodes of all the Law And Order franchise shows.
Joseph Siravo is the one who commissions the hit, but this one goes up to the governor's office to his schlep of a brother-in-law John Heard. Heard's made several appearances on Law And Order franchise shows and he seems to have taken a patent out on those characters, people who get in way too deep and can't get out. They're also petty and small minded.
I do love the fact that the governor and his wife keep above the fray by making sure they don't know details. Very much like in real life they can't be touched.
Who does get touched is the reason for all this corruption and murder, a convicted money launderer for drug gangs. He does get some more experience with the criminal justice system, but some toes are stepped on and threats are made.
It's one of the more sordid episodes of all the Law And Order franchise shows.
Ethical matters
TheLittleSongbird16 August 2019
All the previous episodes of 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' are in my opinion very good to brilliant, such a promising standard for so early on which one doesn't always get with shows, which range from great from the get go, solid but a little unsettled but gets better and doesn't ever take off. So hopes were understandably high for "The Pardoner's Tale", when the good things about all the episodes are so many and are actually more than good. Making one truly gripped and excited for more.
"The Pardoner's Tale" turned out to be a very good episode, but a little disappointing compared to "The Faithful", "Jones" and "Poison". All three were brilliant episodes, especially loved "Jones" for the tension and the ending while "Poison" had one of the season's most reprehensible perpetrators. "The Pardoner's Tale" doesn't quite have those interest points that set those episodes apart, but did execute its components very well.
It is very sordid though, 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' at its most sordid at this point, and may not appeal to all tastebuds. Do understand and agree somewhat that it does leave a bad, or at least unpleasant aftertaste.
Parts of the episode are a touch on the over-complicated side.
Great things are many though. An interest point of "The Pardoner's Tale" is the ending, with a rare occurance of Goren, Eames and Carver not being on the same side and Carver actually disgusting the other two. Different but an interesting side and change to their chemistry without being too out of character. The viewer is always kept guessing and it was great to see, as always intriguing and entertaining though also unorthodox, how the detectives got to the truth and their methods (have always liked that about 'Criminal Intent').
All the writing for "The Pardoner's Tale" is a good balance of not being overly-simple or too complicated, treating the viewer with respect with neither making them feel dumb or losing them. The production values are slick as always and the music (though there is a preference for the other 'Law and Order' themes) isn't overdone in orchestration or how it's used. Vincent D'Onofrio expertly brings out Goren's hard-boiled personality, matched by a more understated Kathryn Erbe. Their chemistry carries the episode very well.
On the whole, very good but not the season at its best. 8/10
"The Pardoner's Tale" turned out to be a very good episode, but a little disappointing compared to "The Faithful", "Jones" and "Poison". All three were brilliant episodes, especially loved "Jones" for the tension and the ending while "Poison" had one of the season's most reprehensible perpetrators. "The Pardoner's Tale" doesn't quite have those interest points that set those episodes apart, but did execute its components very well.
It is very sordid though, 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' at its most sordid at this point, and may not appeal to all tastebuds. Do understand and agree somewhat that it does leave a bad, or at least unpleasant aftertaste.
Parts of the episode are a touch on the over-complicated side.
Great things are many though. An interest point of "The Pardoner's Tale" is the ending, with a rare occurance of Goren, Eames and Carver not being on the same side and Carver actually disgusting the other two. Different but an interesting side and change to their chemistry without being too out of character. The viewer is always kept guessing and it was great to see, as always intriguing and entertaining though also unorthodox, how the detectives got to the truth and their methods (have always liked that about 'Criminal Intent').
All the writing for "The Pardoner's Tale" is a good balance of not being overly-simple or too complicated, treating the viewer with respect with neither making them feel dumb or losing them. The production values are slick as always and the music (though there is a preference for the other 'Law and Order' themes) isn't overdone in orchestration or how it's used. Vincent D'Onofrio expertly brings out Goren's hard-boiled personality, matched by a more understated Kathryn Erbe. Their chemistry carries the episode very well.
On the whole, very good but not the season at its best. 8/10
It's all about ETHICS
rbkjr25 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The biggest reason for my high 10 star rating, is contained in the subject matter's title... the ETHICS is the key. It's not because the episode is the greatest in terms of the characters or the dialogue, even though there are some fairly explosive scenes. The last lines of dialogue in the episode tell the whole story about the proceedings. Assistant D.A. Carver tells Goren & Eames that they need to teach this case in classes at schools of government, and Detective Goren has a quick retort that they need to teach this in law school "Ethics class"...as he glares at the District Attorney before the credits run. GOREN WINS AGAIN!.. even at the expense of overpowering someone from within the apparatus of state-run bureaucracy...and that's the whole point, isn't it?! To do the right thing, even at the expense of alienating your higher-ups, which could lead to the loss of your job...But the message is more important in the end, not the individual. Too bad you don't see enough of that in the world of politics today!
Leaves A Bad Taste
ccthemovieman-17 September 2007
I thought the most interesting part of this story was the ending, which our two heroes, Detectives Goren and Eames totally disgusted with their boss, A.D.A. Carver. That's unusual, because they are usually all on the same page.
The story involves a killing of a newspaper reporter and why and who is responsible? The latter is the big question because it winds up involving the governor, although he is never seen nor directly implicated.
Goren works his way from the driver of the vehicle, to the shooter who used the driver in the getaway, to the guys who hired the shooter up and up and up the ladder. It gets a bit complicated in parts....and winds up with hard feelings all around, and nobody feeling too good about anyone.
The story involves a killing of a newspaper reporter and why and who is responsible? The latter is the big question because it winds up involving the governor, although he is never seen nor directly implicated.
Goren works his way from the driver of the vehicle, to the shooter who used the driver in the getaway, to the guys who hired the shooter up and up and up the ladder. It gets a bit complicated in parts....and winds up with hard feelings all around, and nobody feeling too good about anyone.
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