One of the many Law & Order spinoffs, Law & Order: Criminal Intent first premiered in 2001 and ran for ten seasons, ending in 2011 after 195 episodes. For its first six seasons, it aired on NBC, then moved to sister network USA for the duration of its run. Like its predecessor, it was created by Dick Wolf and set in New York City, but Criminal Intent centered around the Major Case Squad, which focused on the most high-profile murders and took a more psychological approach to solving them, including scenes from the killers' perspective.
It initially starred Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe, with a cast that sometimes included Chris Noth, Jeff Goldblum, Saffron Burrows, and Courtney B. Vance. Much like the original show which preceded it, Criminal Intent often featured cases inspired by actual events with some famous faces as guest stars. At its best, the cases are complex and delve into the detectives' personal lives, drawing impressive performances from the cast.
10 "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" (Season 10, Episode 8)
After filing a lawsuit against an online dating company that could damage its reputation, twin brothers are found dead. “To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap” was Criminal Intent’s series finale and included a guest appearance from James Van Der Beek.
It was a timely episode that alluded to social-networking sites like Facebook, and it was a fitting sendoff — Detective Goren’s (D'Onofrio) own psychological problems were a running theme throughout the series. After getting help, he proved he could still solve a case.
9 "In the Wee Small Hours" (Season 5, Episodes 6 and 7)
In the two-part “In the Wee Small Hours,” Logan (Noth) and Barek (Annabella Sciorra) work with Goren and Eames (Erbe) to find a teenager who went missing while on a school trip. The evidence implicates a judge, who lashes out by digging into the detectives’ pasts. Notably, the cast includes Alexandra Daddario in a very early role.
The episode is thrilling from beginning to end as the case becomes increasingly disturbing and keeps viewers guessing the whole time. Part of what makes it such a solid episode is the detectives — it’s a rare glimpse at everyone working together, highlighting their different personalities.
8 "Badge" (Season 1, Episode 20)
In “Badge,” a city auditor and his family are murdered in what is staged as a murder-suicide after he uncovered a scheme involving police pensions. All evidence points to a group of retired cops who didn’t want the truth to come out. Viola Davis guest stars as one of the corrupt officers.
“Badge” is a classic Criminal Intent episode that showcases Goren and Eames’ different personalities and policing styles and features a fantastic guest star. The episode is an excellent example of Davis’ range and skill as an actor.
7 "To the Bone" (Season 5, Episode 20)
Someone is targeting well-to-do art collectors with a machete in “To the Bone,” and the detectives discover that it’s a group of former foster children who all lived with the same foster mother, played by Whoopi Goldberg.
Goldberg has proven her dramatic skills time and time again, and she’s especially chilling as manipulative criminal foster mom Chelsey, making her one of the most memorable guest stars. Fear the Walking Dead’s Colman Domingo also makes an appearance.
6 "Amends" (Season 7, Episode 1)
The lines between personal and professional are blurred in “Amends” when Eames’ late husband’s former partner is killed, leading the detectives to take another look at his murder case, too, and consider the possibility that the man who was convicted of the killing didn’t actually do it.
While many of the best episodes of Criminal Intent center around Goren, this time, Eames is the focus. Erbe delivers one of her best performances of the series, especially as things get tense between the two detectives as Goren becomes convinced an innocent man was blamed for Eames’ husband’s murder.
5 "Anti-Thesis" (Season 2, Episode 3)
When the university president is killed, the detectives single out a few suspects, including Nicole Wallace, who had been working at the university under a different name. “Anti-Thesis” marks the first of a few appearances of Wallace, played by Olivia d’Abo, who would become a recurring character and a nemesis for Goren in particular.
The end of the episode reveals Wallace fled, leaving her fate open-ended — and indeed, she would return not once but a few times throughout the series. It’s no wonder why, as her episodes are always exciting ones fans love.
4 "A Person of Interest" (Season 2, Episode 23)
Nicole Wallace returns for "A Person of Interest," the Season 2 finale. This time, she may be involved in an anthrax terrorist plot, and on top of that, Goren is blamed for a suspect’s suicide.
Once again, parts of the plot of “A Person of Interest” mirrored actual events at the time, but its real strength is in the interplay between Goren and Wallace and the ways they toy with each other. Each is determined to bring the other down, and it’s fun to see what it takes for Goren to come out on top.
3 "Grow" (Season 5, Episode 1)
Nicole Wallace is back again. This time, she’s not the suspect, but instead, she has ties to the victim, and the detectives need her help to trap the actual killer. Still, she may have ulterior motives, and her soon-to-be stepdaughter is at risk of becoming the next victim.
As always, the episode keeps viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Nicole Wallace is also great to watch, and this time, it’s not just because of her manipulation and homicidal tendencies — “Grow” shows a softer, more vulnerable side to her, giving her more dimension.
2 "Frame" (Season 7, Episode 22)
In the Season 7 finale “Frame,” Goren’s brother is murdered, and a picture left next to his mother’s grave indicates nemesis Nicole Wallace is back yet again. Not only is she the killer, but she's also manipulating things to toy with Goren.
“Frame” is a fan-favorite that also serves as the end of Nicole’s storyline. But what truly makes it stand out is D’Onofrio. He often delivered memorable performances as Goren, but “Frame” is among his best, as his professional and personal lives collide in a devastating reminder of what’s sometimes at stake in his career.
1 "Endgame" (Season 6, Episode 21)
In the aptly titled “Endgame,” a prisoner leads Goren to his scrapbooks detailing unsolved murders and previously unknown victims, hoping that the information will change his sentence. After Goren finds a picture of his mother among the scrapbooks, he makes a shocking discovery about the killer.
“Endgame” is regarded by some fans as the best episode of the series and is among the highest-rated on IMDb. It’s another spectacular episode for D’Onofrio in particular and guest star Roy Scheider, most famous for his role in Jaws.
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