Law & Order: Criminal Intent hit a milestone with this evening's 100th episode and boy did they deliver with this one! Regular CI viewers are familiar with Detective Goren (played by Vincent D'Onofrio), a modern day Columbo of sorts and his nemesis Nicole Wallace (Olivia d'Abo). A moment of back story for those not familiar - Wallace is a brilliant serial killer that changes jobs and lovers as frequently as most women change handbags. She has, over the past few years, committed several near-perfect murders but always finds an escape hatch. Her last actually appearance on the show was this past fall and she is currently a fugitive, no doubt hiding out right beneath Goren's nose.
Tonight's episode was about Bernard Fremont (played to the hilt by Michael York), most certainly a legend in his own mind. Pompous, arrogant and yet he still is surrounded by younger women that will do anything to please him. Bernard has masterminded a murder and robbery ring of sorts. He befriends wealthy tourists, invites them to elaborate parties and then cleans out their rental properties while they're kept drugged somewhere else. Unless he thinks death would be a better ending for them.
His bevvy of blondes do much of his dirty work in order to one up each other for his attention. His newest addition is actually initiated onscreen as she strangles a cohort under his close guidance. Marcel proved to be a flunky of Bernard's by leaving a severed head where police could find it - after a few party guests did.
Goren and his partner, Alex Eames (Kathryn Erbe) slowly begin putting the pieces together until they realize that Bernard is in fact Nicole Wallace's French boyfriend that taught her how to kill nearly 20 years ago. The duo was busted at an airport and both served nearly ten years in a Thai prison. Nicole's French boyfriend has been mentioned in passing in at least three previous episodes and to finally meet the man himself was a great twist for regular viewers.
Article comments
1 - Sister Ray
I watch this show occasionally and thought this episode was a little over-the-top, but to each his own. It would have worked better as a movie.
2 - fezzi
it was a great episode, & a great article! we loved getting more background on nicole & love that she's coming back. Goren & nicole have great chemistry-fezzi
3 - bbking1123
goren and emames are great together