Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) Silencer (2007) User Reviews

They can read lips and body language, detective

[Mrpalli77 · 7/10 · 27 September 2017]

A ear surgeon is found dead in his clinic with a shot in the hand and bruises on his neck. At first it appeared to be a robbery because some painkillers are stolen from the cabinet. Another ear surgeon (Timothy Carhart), with whom the victim had some professional dispute was the first suspect, primarily due to his addiction to painkillers, but he had an alibi. Another attempted murder (a local dean) led the detectives to another angle: the deaf world, so close to outsiders. Each suspect was not so willing to testify, so detectives had to deal with shaky motive and contradictory alibis. At the end anyway the case was solved.

Goren tried to communicate with body languages and he seemed sympathetic towards them, not twisting suspects arm even when he had the chance.

The silent world

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 18 May 2016]

This was a fascinating episode, a look into the silent world of the deaf. The victim here is a doctor who specializes in doing implants that will enable some deaf to hear.

There is a real connection here with me because we've heard it mentioned that DNA alteration is in the future. That those of us who are LGBT can be 'fixed'. Since a whole culture is affected that raises considerable issues. I kind of understand where some of these people are coming from.

This episode features some fine performances from Bill O'Brien as a police detective who interprets in sign for Chris Noth and Julianne Nicholson and from deaf mute actor Garrett Zuercher who takes those issues quite seriously.

Sound of silence

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 17 March 2021]

Absolutely love Goren and Eames' pairing, and Goren especially is the most fascinating of all the 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' leads. Which was very apparently in Season 6. Do prefer them over the pairing that they alternated with throughout Season 6 Logan and Wheeler (still like that pairing though actually), and prefer and am more used to them as characters. Their episodes on the whole in Season 6 are better than the Logan and Wheeler ones and they had the season high points.

That is proven for me in one of Season 6's best episodes "Silencer". It is also one of its bravest, with a bold topic that is extremely difficult to portray and write about with it being so complex psychologically, mentally, physically, ethically and philosophically. And also one that is not easy to explore in a layered and intricate way in a relatively short time frame. "Silencer" though does wonderfully in this aspect, and deserves credit for even daring to approach it and in the sensitive and remarkably layered way that it did.

"Silencer" is wonderful in every way. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic. The direction has enough taut urgency when needed while giving the case breathing space. Cannot fault the regulars, Vincent D'Onofrio never put a foot wrong throughout his entire time on 'Criminal Intent' (even when Goren was more subdued to usual) and is excellent here. He and Kathryn Erbe, sassy and understated as ever, have typically great chemistry together.

Regarding the supporting cast, they are every bit as excellent and are perhaps even better as some of the most complex characters of Season 6 and perhaps even of the whole of 'Criminal Intent'. "Silencer" does incredibly well at showing their perspectives with no judgement. Alexandria Wailies in particular gives a performance that is both moving and courageous. "Silencer" contains some of 'Criminal Intent's' most multi-dimensional writing, providing real insight into the familial and cultural relationships between deaf and hearing people and addressing a number of questions and issue from an ethical and philosophical standpoint. All handled very sensitively.

Furthermore, the story is twisty, intelligent and full of emotional impact. Also with clever and never gimmicky use of sound. Its exploration of one of the season's and show's most complex and boldest topics is a lot deeper than a lot of 'Criminal Intent' episodes.

Brilliant episode overall. 10/10

Hard to listen too.

[Bronco46 · 4/10 · 7 March 2016]

This isn't a bad episode. It's just a topic that pushes my buttons. This isn't the first episode in the Law & Order franchise to deal with this subject. And every time I come across one of these it reminds me how much I dislike that part of this so-call community. Celebrating yet another group misbehaving and looking for even more special treatment is something that's just not needed. I'm an RN and I've been around this kind of deaf radicals myself. And I find it just a primitive and inexcusable as any bigotry. In my opinion stories like this serve as recruitment tools. Tools that help poison minds. All through this episode, the police have to deal with the same kind of lack of cooperation seen from street gangs. The story was difficult to sit through. Not because of the regular players. They did their usual good jobs. It was the subject matter that was the problem here. Radical deaf people that a grateful for children being born deaf is despicable in my view.