Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) Diamond Dogs (2005) User Reviews

A Low-Key Annabella Sciorra Added To Cast

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 17 July 2008]

We are introduced to a new character here, a woman who is paired with Det. Mike Logan (Chris Noth). She is "Det. Carolyn Barek," played by Annabella Sciorra. This is a treat for me, as I've always been a fan of Sciorra. I didn't think I'd want to watch this show anymore if Vincent D'Onofro (Det. Robert Goren") and Kathryn Erbe ("Det. Alexandra Eames) weren't starring in it, but now that I see Sciorra is teamed up with Noth, I'm fine with it. In fact, it's very cool that in either case, we get two interesting defectives to solve a murder each week.

Of course, D'Onofrio and Eames will always be the top choice of me and probably most viewers, but this "second team" isn't bad. My first impression of "Barek" is that she's very low-key, more than I expected knowing the kind of roles Sciorra has played on film.

The crime story involves a sick mother-son duo who are both hooked big-time on drugs. To support their ever-growing habit, the son resorts to sticking up jewelry stores and murdering people in the process. With the dramatic increase in drug usage, his rage is increasing. The story also involves other people, of course, and Logan and Barek investigate and interrogate all of them to try to solve this case.

Logan is under pressure to impress his new boss (Capt. Deakins) so he doesn't get sent back to Staten Island. He wants to be a regular with this Major Crimes Unit. He and his new partner are also learning about each other.

In addition to seeing a new face, the story was an intense one and should definitely keep your interest.

Logan's trial run

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 16 November 2015]

It's happened. Detective Mike Logan banished a decade ago to Staten Island has made it back to Manhattan where his talents and honesty would be appreciated. In fact in the previous CI episode Jamey Sheridan says he spoke to Lt. Van Buren who said that Chris Noth was dogged and honest and she would if she could take him back in a New York minute. Now Sheridan has him and Noth has as a partner Annabelle Sciorra.

He was handed a real hot potato. An owner was shot to death during a jewelry store robbery and that crime spawns several more where a young man during the robbery just loses it and starts shooting even when the people are complying.

That he's a junkie is obvious, but to catch him they have to find out why. Future SVU regular Peter Scanavino plays the out of control robber who is terrifying in his unpredictability. Scanavino has a female accomplice in Zoe Lister-Jones who later turns up dead.

I won't reveal more, but the key here is Rebecca Wisocky who is Scanavino's mother. She's terrifying herself in what she's made of her son.

The Law And Order franchise showed some good judgment in bringing back Chris Noth as a regular in another of its shows. A good familiar face and one the audiences liked was necessary to share the load with Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. Noth partnered well with the female partners he had in the show. And Mike Logan got an honorable retirement in CI eventually.

What more could he ask? And you will be pleased with his first case.

Diamond in the rough

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 11 November 2020]

Following on from the outstanding Season 5 opener "Grow", the best by far of the Season 5 openers of the original 'Law and Order', 'Special Victims Unit' and 'Criminal Intent', must not have been an easy task. Bobby Goren here is replaced in the season's second episode "Diamond Dogs" by Mike Logan, there was no doubt in my mind he would be great, having loved him in the original 'Law and Order's' early seasons and in his guest appearance in Season 4's "Stress Position".

Logan's first appearance as a 'Criminal Intent' regular showed that he was a more than strong enough character to be the main lead role rather than a co-lead or guest star appearance. It also shows that Goren and Vincent D'Onofrio's absence are not deeply felt because as a replacement he was on par. "Diamond Dogs" as an episode is great and a more than worthy start for who was easily the best of Goren's replacements. At its best it sparkles like a diamond and is far from rough.

Although slightly complicated at times, with it being a very intricate case, the story is an intense one and is also moving and never less than gripping. Nothing felt obvious too early either and there is plenty to keep one guessing. The script is smart and thought-provoking, actually didn't find myself missing Eames' sassy wisecracks too much and thought that Barek's perceptions are entertaining enough in their own way.

In "Diamond Dogs", Logan's intense grit, such as in the scene in the pool hall, and humour already fascinates and endears. We even learn things about him, such as when asked about his past and how he came to be the way he is. One would think that she didn't last long and that she was apparently unpopular behind the scenes that Barek was a disaster of a character, actually she isn't. Her perceptions are both intriguing and entertaining and her chemistry with Logan, which has more investigative work and more working together (not as much playing off of one another like with Goren and Eames), is refreshing. Chris Noth is excellent and Annabella Sciorra's understated style fitted the character well, though she would become too low key in other episodes of theirs. The supporting characters are all very well played.

Production values are slick and professional, not ever resorting to cheap or untested gimmicks or anything. The music is haunting in the right places and isn't constant or too loud, and the direction gives the drama urgency and breathing space.

Concluding, great introduction to Logan and Barek's chemistry and a great episode. 9/10

Hard to Understand Why Annabella Sciorra Did Not Last as Barek

[ScottAmundsen · 10/10 · 2 May 2019]

The good news here is that Chris Noth is back as Detective Mike Logan; he is a perfect foil for the uber-eccentric Goren (the highly overrated Vincent d'Onofrio). Unfortunately for the series they have paired him with Annabella Sciorra as Detective Carolyn Barek, a fascinating woman who mutters under her breath while she looks over evidence and who is in many ways a female version of Goren. The chemistry between them is electric as they are assigned to investigate a series of jewel robberies committed by a trashy, drug-addicted woman named Dee Dee Rebecca Wisocky) and her "son" (if that's what he is) Johnny (Peter Scanavino).

Noth proves once again that he is not a poor man's Goren; the viewer's attention is riveted on him whenever he is in view of the camera. And Sciorra is no less than brilliant as his partner and foil.

I read somewhere that the production team disliked Sciorra for some reason and replaced her with Julianne Nicholson. (Alicia Witt stepped in briefly while Nicholson was on maternity leave).

There is no mothering like real mothering!

[Mrpalli77 · 9/10 · 16 September 2017]

A young junkie (Peter Scanavino, who later plays the detective in SVU squad) starts robbing pawn and jewelry stores with a stolen gun, killing the owners in the process. He seems upset to watch happy family portrait. The loot is then turned into money thanks to a fence to feed his need. But he's not the only one who need money, there is someone else who pulls the strings: his cold-blooded mother, who used to turning tricks. Their addiction is very strong, they were able to shoot even six-seven times a day and the money were never enough. There is also to add up a gambling addiction. At the end he could figure out foster parents are not so bad in comparison.

Det.Logan played the main character for the first time, along with the multilingual partner Carolyn (Annabella Sciorra); he's worried from time to time to be sent back in Staten Island.