This episode is related to the bound between professor (Austin Pendleton) and assistant. Could a well-known professor allow his second in charge to overtake him? Quite impossible, they are stubborn and they'd rather die or go to jail instead of admitting their own mistakes. Despite being trapped in a wheelchair he thinks to be the king of the hill. Great performance of Marla Sucharetza as the gold digger, trophy second wife. I feel sorry for the scientists' sympathetic wife and daughter.
4 Reviews
Trying To Add It All Up Wasn't Easy
ccthemovieman-117 June 2008
A very cranky, obnoxious mathematics genius is working on a special "Theory Of Everything." He has an assistant who is acting nervous and trying to tell his boss something when he's poisoned. His coffee had been spiked with radiation. It was not a pretty death.
This episode turns out to be a real "whodunnit." It looks like it's an easy case of finding the murderer but it doesn't turn out that way, thanks to some very clever deductions by our resident own resident genius, "Det. Robert Goren" (Vincent D'Onofrio).
This was not an easy case to fully understand. Sometimes some of these episodes are like that. This case involves hidden motives, secret codes and all kinds of complicated matters, some dealing with physics.
The guest star is Austin Pendleton. That isn't a familiar name to most of us but if you're a longtime television and/or movie watcher, his face is very familiar. He's been in a lot of good shows in both mediums. Here, he plays, "John Minotti," the man behind "The Theory Of Everything." You'll find him a very interesting character.
This episode turns out to be a real "whodunnit." It looks like it's an easy case of finding the murderer but it doesn't turn out that way, thanks to some very clever deductions by our resident own resident genius, "Det. Robert Goren" (Vincent D'Onofrio).
This was not an easy case to fully understand. Sometimes some of these episodes are like that. This case involves hidden motives, secret codes and all kinds of complicated matters, some dealing with physics.
The guest star is Austin Pendleton. That isn't a familiar name to most of us but if you're a longtime television and/or movie watcher, his face is very familiar. He's been in a lot of good shows in both mediums. Here, he plays, "John Minotti," the man behind "The Theory Of Everything." You'll find him a very interesting character.
It adds up
TheLittleSongbird23 September 2020
"Inert Dwarf" is one of those episodes that is going to be very fascinating to anybody in the scientific/mathematics field. Admittedly am actually not one of those people and physics has always gone over my head as a subject, but as someone who likes 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' very much and was very interested in the concept (plus anything centered around science, maths and such in visual media has often intrigued) "Inert Dwarf" still appealed to me.
By all means "Inert Dwarf" is not one of my favourite episodes of Season 4, not like "Semi-Detached", "Want" and "Magnificat" or one of my favourites of 'Criminal Intent'. It is a very interesting and well executed episode with a memorable main guest star and with a subject that is handled very well. What is so good about 'Criminal Intent' is very much obvious here, even if done even better in other episodes. The mentioned best episodes had more tension, emotion and slightly more interesting perpetrators in my mind.
There is actually very little wrong with "Inert Dwarf". The latter portion of the episode gets a little over-complicated at times with a lot revealed in a short period of time.
However, "Inert Dwarf" is slick-looking and visually doesn't try to do anything too fancy or indulgent while also not being too safe. The music is not too dramatic and to me doesn't over-emphasise. The direction is not breakneck pace but it doesn't plod in my opinion either. The script is intelligently written and doesn't feel padded or confused, even if the jargon is not always easy to get the head initially. Generally though the episode does very well at trying to make this not very easy concept acceptable.
Loved the story on the most part. It is a very intriguing one, the kind that sounds quite conventional to begin with but becomes less so when more is revealed. The latter portion twists really did not just surprised but shocked me on first viewing, because the episode does so well at making one genuinely believe it was a certain person. Not only is the case riveting and the subject matter made accessible, it is very admirable in showing how competitive the field is (which is still relevant today and in all subjects, not just this) and how people don't want to hear the truth in the fear of not being right.
Also did not suspect initially the person responsible and was shocked at how someone you don't suspect at first could be so calculating. Goren is on great form and as usual a genius in his own right with his clever and perceptive deductions. The acting is great from Vincent D'Onofrio and also from Austin Pendleton.
Concluding, very good if not one of my favourites. 8/10
By all means "Inert Dwarf" is not one of my favourite episodes of Season 4, not like "Semi-Detached", "Want" and "Magnificat" or one of my favourites of 'Criminal Intent'. It is a very interesting and well executed episode with a memorable main guest star and with a subject that is handled very well. What is so good about 'Criminal Intent' is very much obvious here, even if done even better in other episodes. The mentioned best episodes had more tension, emotion and slightly more interesting perpetrators in my mind.
There is actually very little wrong with "Inert Dwarf". The latter portion of the episode gets a little over-complicated at times with a lot revealed in a short period of time.
However, "Inert Dwarf" is slick-looking and visually doesn't try to do anything too fancy or indulgent while also not being too safe. The music is not too dramatic and to me doesn't over-emphasise. The direction is not breakneck pace but it doesn't plod in my opinion either. The script is intelligently written and doesn't feel padded or confused, even if the jargon is not always easy to get the head initially. Generally though the episode does very well at trying to make this not very easy concept acceptable.
Loved the story on the most part. It is a very intriguing one, the kind that sounds quite conventional to begin with but becomes less so when more is revealed. The latter portion twists really did not just surprised but shocked me on first viewing, because the episode does so well at making one genuinely believe it was a certain person. Not only is the case riveting and the subject matter made accessible, it is very admirable in showing how competitive the field is (which is still relevant today and in all subjects, not just this) and how people don't want to hear the truth in the fear of not being right.
Also did not suspect initially the person responsible and was shocked at how someone you don't suspect at first could be so calculating. Goren is on great form and as usual a genius in his own right with his clever and perceptive deductions. The acting is great from Vincent D'Onofrio and also from Austin Pendleton.
Concluding, very good if not one of my favourites. 8/10
A nasty way to die
bkoganbing24 February 2021
The associate of a Stephen Hawking like scientist is murdered in a particularly
nasty way. He's given a radioactive isotope in his briefcase and the exposure kills him in the middle of a Manhattan street. Of course all kinds of terrorist protocols are put in place.
The scientist is played by Austin Pendleton and he's working on an Einstein like theory on a grand scale. Essentially it's an explanation of our cosmos and the associate who was a colleague and admirer was trying to prove it mathematically.
Good thing the eclectic mind of Bobby Goren was working on this one.
The scientist is played by Austin Pendleton and he's working on an Einstein like theory on a grand scale. Essentially it's an explanation of our cosmos and the associate who was a colleague and admirer was trying to prove it mathematically.
Good thing the eclectic mind of Bobby Goren was working on this one.
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