I've come to appreciate the alternating partners situation that evolved after D'Onfrio had a meltdown over the workload. Goren and Eames will always be the heart of the show but it's refreshing to see other duos break up the monotony. Logan is a wonderful character and Noth is fantastic in the part. He shines in this episode but I don't feel Wheeler (Julianne Nicholson) gets the credit she deserves for her role in the series. She is so unique and has such a refreshing beauty and way about her. I love her restrained sarcasm. She and Noth have great chemistry and this episode is a perfect example. I wish she had stayed on longer.
4 Reviews
Police, fire. We're all on the same team.
Mrpalli7723 September 2017
A 9/11 hero firefighter (Jason Pendergraft) is stabbed death for 12 times. He was a front man speaker in defending his fellow workers who died or dealing with health issues. At the beginning detectives believed it had something to do with a beating of a drag queen (the fireman prevented him from being beaten even further), but the teenage attackers had strong alibis and in Logan's eyes they weren't capable to kill someone. So the murdered must be linked to the fire station. Later on they figured out there was a strong connection to a homicide occurred 12 years before, so they took a trip to Philly to collect some information about it. Policemen at the end managed to solve the case by using the tool of jealousy.
Not the usual episode, it starts with a situation occurred later and then there's a flashback that explains everything. The fist fight between NYPD and FDNY is sadly comic, it looks like wrestling royal rumble.
Not the usual episode, it starts with a situation occurred later and then there's a flashback that explains everything. The fist fight between NYPD and FDNY is sadly comic, it looks like wrestling royal rumble.
Crossing with fire
TheLittleSongbird3 February 2021
Have always liked Logan ever since the early seasons of the original 'Law and Order'. Not everybody likes Wheeler, have actually never had a problem with her and found her consistently written than Barek (who was a bit up and down, but overall didn't mind her). Also liked them together, not the best duo on 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' but nice enough in its own way. Ross didn't do it for me for a while though to be honest.
"Maltese Cross" as of now is the highest rated Logan and Wheeler episode (of Season 6 anyhow) and one of the higher rated Logan episodes overall of his three season stint on 'Criminal Intent'. To me, it is very easy to see why and absolutely agree personally that it is up there with the best on both counts. And if anybody suggested that it is the best Logan and Wheeler episode, that would definitely not be a problem with me and consider it a worthy contender. "Maltese Cross" is a great episode and does show well why Logan and Wheeler episodes don't get enough credit and why it is a shame that Wheeler wasn't more popular.
There is actually very, very little wrong. My only real complaint was really not liking that Wheeler's role in the brawl scene was pretty much useless. Ross is still neither interesting or easy to connect with yet, at the moment he is too much of the stock aggressive boss.
Chris Noth however is great, love his gritty edge and dry humour that he always showed as Logan and there is a little conflicted edge too. As said, Wheeler has never been a problem for me (to me she is probably the best of Noth's three partners he had on the show). Julianne Nicholson plays her with enough subtlety without being too low key. Their chemistry works well, it doesn't have the same amount of fire as Goren and Eames' but they at least gel, contrast well and work well as a team.
All the other performances are fine. The script is tight and well balanced and the story engrosses throughout with plenty of unpredictable and intriguing turns to satisfy. Was surprised by the identity of the perpetrator and the why wasn't immediately obvious either. The chase is well choreographed and exciting, a welcome change of pace for a show that is heavy on talk.
Production values are slick and are simple without being simplistic. The music is haunting and not too over-emphasised when used. The direction is sympathetic while having momentum and personality.
On the whole, great. 9/10
"Maltese Cross" as of now is the highest rated Logan and Wheeler episode (of Season 6 anyhow) and one of the higher rated Logan episodes overall of his three season stint on 'Criminal Intent'. To me, it is very easy to see why and absolutely agree personally that it is up there with the best on both counts. And if anybody suggested that it is the best Logan and Wheeler episode, that would definitely not be a problem with me and consider it a worthy contender. "Maltese Cross" is a great episode and does show well why Logan and Wheeler episodes don't get enough credit and why it is a shame that Wheeler wasn't more popular.
There is actually very, very little wrong. My only real complaint was really not liking that Wheeler's role in the brawl scene was pretty much useless. Ross is still neither interesting or easy to connect with yet, at the moment he is too much of the stock aggressive boss.
Chris Noth however is great, love his gritty edge and dry humour that he always showed as Logan and there is a little conflicted edge too. As said, Wheeler has never been a problem for me (to me she is probably the best of Noth's three partners he had on the show). Julianne Nicholson plays her with enough subtlety without being too low key. Their chemistry works well, it doesn't have the same amount of fire as Goren and Eames' but they at least gel, contrast well and work well as a team.
All the other performances are fine. The script is tight and well balanced and the story engrosses throughout with plenty of unpredictable and intriguing turns to satisfy. Was surprised by the identity of the perpetrator and the why wasn't immediately obvious either. The chase is well choreographed and exciting, a welcome change of pace for a show that is heavy on talk.
Production values are slick and are simple without being simplistic. The music is haunting and not too over-emphasised when used. The direction is sympathetic while having momentum and personality.
On the whole, great. 9/10
This Logan Story Exceeds Its Parts
anderbilt14 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I normally hesitate to give anything a ten out of ten, but this episode of Law & Order Criminal Intent merits it.
Granted this show has staked out a lot of new ground in creating new ways to approach the police procedural in the large body of Goren/Eames stories told to this point. This Logan episode doesn't take you in through the front however, you enter the plot through the side door and wonder what the h*** is going on.
The back story of Mike Logan jumps to the forefront, and as the episode starts with a brawl at a fire station, you wonder if this is the episode where Logan faces demotion or dismissal yet again.
Noth as Logan, and Dick Wolf & company writing the character, have such a major understanding and involvement with Logan that the choice to open the show mid-plot at the brawl just sets the rest of the episode on fire.
Vincent d'Onofrio's work as Robert Goren in this series will never be forgotten or dismissed. But returning Mike Logan to duty and making his story part of this franchise too is an L/O fan's dream come true.
I missed this franchise in its prime time run, and began catching it last year stripped for syndication in the afternoon on my local CBS affiliate. This was one of the first episodes I saw when I began watching and it instantly hooked me.
I enjoy d'Onofrio but I am knocked out by the vibrant telling of the Logan stories in this series and heartily recommend them to all.
Granted this show has staked out a lot of new ground in creating new ways to approach the police procedural in the large body of Goren/Eames stories told to this point. This Logan episode doesn't take you in through the front however, you enter the plot through the side door and wonder what the h*** is going on.
The back story of Mike Logan jumps to the forefront, and as the episode starts with a brawl at a fire station, you wonder if this is the episode where Logan faces demotion or dismissal yet again.
Noth as Logan, and Dick Wolf & company writing the character, have such a major understanding and involvement with Logan that the choice to open the show mid-plot at the brawl just sets the rest of the episode on fire.
Vincent d'Onofrio's work as Robert Goren in this series will never be forgotten or dismissed. But returning Mike Logan to duty and making his story part of this franchise too is an L/O fan's dream come true.
I missed this franchise in its prime time run, and began catching it last year stripped for syndication in the afternoon on my local CBS affiliate. This was one of the first episodes I saw when I began watching and it instantly hooked me.
I enjoy d'Onofrio but I am knocked out by the vibrant telling of the Logan stories in this series and heartily recommend them to all.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
