Detectives Goren and Eames encounter a gang of high-class lowlifes led by Bernard, a slimy European who befriends, robs, and kills tourists.Detectives Goren and Eames encounter a gang of high-class lowlifes led by Bernard, a slimy European who befriends, robs, and kills tourists.Detectives Goren and Eames encounter a gang of high-class lowlifes led by Bernard, a slimy European who befriends, robs, and kills tourists.
Photos
Lee R. Sellars
- Lenny Dupar
- (as Lee Sellars)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe psychopathic charisma and globe-spanning criminal exploits of Bernard Fremont (Michael York) strongly appear to have been inspired by real-life murderer Charles Sobhraj, now serving a life sentence in a Nepalese prison. Compare, for example, the title of this episode with that of journalist Thomas Thompson's 1979 non-fiction bestseller about Sobhraj, 'Serpentine'.
- GoofsThe bank exec. who's found in the hotel room is declared DOA by the cop on the scene. But the term DOA is a term used in hospital emergency rooms. DOA means dead on arrival and is used to differentiate people who are dead before they reach the hospital from those that die in the emergency room. The slang for a victim found dead outside a hospital is DOS, or "Dead on Scene".
- Quotes
Detective Alexandra Eames: [referring to Bernard Fremont] What is it that women see in him?
Detective Robert Goren: The door to another world.
Featured review
"Giants straddling the earth"
Season 5 was quite hit and miss as a season. After a mostly high quality previous four seasons, 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' did start to become more variable around this point. There are some great episodes in Season 5 previous to "Slither" don't get me wrong, prime examples being "Grow" and the "In the Wee Small Hours" two parter. Other episodes disappointed, namely "Unchained" and "Dollhouse" (and to a lesser extent "Scared Crazy").
After being rather underwhelmed by the previous two 'Criminal Intent' episodes, Season 5 is close to being back on track with "Slither". Not quite "In the Wee Small Hours" or a 'Criminal Intent' classic, nor is it particularly unique on the story front, but a huge improvement over the previous two episodes, especially "Dollhouse" (as excessively heavy-handed "Scared Crazy" was it was at least coherent). Was very worried that any mention of a past nemesis would be one episode too far or that the show had run out of ideas for them, but that was not the case here to me.
Despite actually not being present herself physically in "Slither", Nicole Wallace casts a very unsettling shadow over the proceedings with her presence deeply felt. There is a good deal of tension and suspense in the story, with enough twists to stop it from being too obvious and a real sense of creepiness with how much of a dominant influence the perpetrator holds. Despite the story not being original, although the truth about Fremont was not expected and did floor me, it delivers in atmosphere and intrigue. The script entertains and intrigues, nothing rambling and there are some lovely little things with Goren, such as the cute wave goodbye.
Vincent D'Onofrio is terrific as always and his performance here is more subtle than in "Scared Crazy". Loved him too in that episode in its own way but he has the tough edge still while not going overboard, his mannerisms too being typical Goren in a good way). Kathryn Erbe is a great more understated yet sassy contrast to him and their chemistry is great. Michael York is a suitably unnerving guest star, while all the supporting cast give good work York is the one one remembers.
The production values on the other hand are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough.
For me, the episode did get off to a slightly routine and slow start but quickly got a lot better when things got twister and more unpredictable.
Only one thing didn't ring true to me, which was how too quickly and too easily without warning Goren got to the conclusion that his nemesis could speak chinese, especially considering that the pronunciation was not that authentic.
Concluding, very well done. 8/10
After being rather underwhelmed by the previous two 'Criminal Intent' episodes, Season 5 is close to being back on track with "Slither". Not quite "In the Wee Small Hours" or a 'Criminal Intent' classic, nor is it particularly unique on the story front, but a huge improvement over the previous two episodes, especially "Dollhouse" (as excessively heavy-handed "Scared Crazy" was it was at least coherent). Was very worried that any mention of a past nemesis would be one episode too far or that the show had run out of ideas for them, but that was not the case here to me.
Despite actually not being present herself physically in "Slither", Nicole Wallace casts a very unsettling shadow over the proceedings with her presence deeply felt. There is a good deal of tension and suspense in the story, with enough twists to stop it from being too obvious and a real sense of creepiness with how much of a dominant influence the perpetrator holds. Despite the story not being original, although the truth about Fremont was not expected and did floor me, it delivers in atmosphere and intrigue. The script entertains and intrigues, nothing rambling and there are some lovely little things with Goren, such as the cute wave goodbye.
Vincent D'Onofrio is terrific as always and his performance here is more subtle than in "Scared Crazy". Loved him too in that episode in its own way but he has the tough edge still while not going overboard, his mannerisms too being typical Goren in a good way). Kathryn Erbe is a great more understated yet sassy contrast to him and their chemistry is great. Michael York is a suitably unnerving guest star, while all the supporting cast give good work York is the one one remembers.
The production values on the other hand are slick and with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough.
For me, the episode did get off to a slightly routine and slow start but quickly got a lot better when things got twister and more unpredictable.
Only one thing didn't ring true to me, which was how too quickly and too easily without warning Goren got to the conclusion that his nemesis could speak chinese, especially considering that the pronunciation was not that authentic.
Concluding, very well done. 8/10
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Dec 16, 2020
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