Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) Ill-Bred (2004) User Reviews

A juicy horse farm

[pepper_f · 8/10 · 14 April 2022]

In this episode, a vet is found killed in a horse pen and the detectives suspect a drug-smuggling operation on the farm.

This episode was pretty good but I will admit, it does get a bit convoluted later on. Do agree with another reviewer that more should've been done on the "animal cruelty" angle they seemed to be going with in the beginning. There is a bit to like about this episode. I did like how the episode centered around horses and I also liked that strange "impregnating through tobacco" plot point in the second half. I also felt that some lines were unintentionally funny as well. Honestly, I think this episode needed perhaps a more clearer plot.

Overall, "Ill-Bred" is pretty good and thus, watchable, but I did feel that the plot could've been less convoluted especially in the second half (Marguerite did this, Paige did that, Dale's just standing there). Otherwise, a pretty good episode that's also a tad hilarious due to some lines in the script.

Not an episode to speak ill of, but little special here

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 20 August 2020]

Really wanted to like "Ill-Bred" so much more. Love 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' and horses are lovely animals, even if the episode fits in the category of having a subject that is not an area of expertise or one that excites me. Also because Season 3 was a solid season that really took off in its second half and had some fabulous episodes as a result. The previous episodes of the season's second half were so good so expectations regardless of any reservations with the subject were quite high.

"Ill-Bred" didn't do much for me sadly. Certainly not a bad episode, none of Season 3's episodes are bad and most are very good to brilliant. It did suffer though from convolution and leaving me cold with a subject that didn't connect immediately with me in the first place, that is all humble opinion and if anybody liked the episode and is more interested in the subject that's cool. "Ill-Bred" was for me one of the few early seasons episodes to leave me very mixed, and although "Mad Hops" is the lowest rated episode of the season as of now here this was actually my least favourite of Season 3. "Mad Hops" at least had a fascinating opponent and compelled more in the case, whereas "Ill-Bred's" story for me was heavily flawed especially and lacked spark. Again my opinion.

Beginning with what didn't work for me, quite a lot of the problems are story-related. 'Criminal Intent' more often than not excelled at having complex and intricate cases, the show never felt too simple and seldom played it too safe. To me, "Ill-Bred" is one of the few early season episodes that goes too far on the complexity. Making for a rather convoluted second half as a result. Although the setting is neat and quite interesting and there was some promise, it was sadly not easy to properly connect emotionally with the episode because of the subject itself not doing much for me. So it was also a somewhat bland episode.

Which is a real shame because if there is one word that 'Criminal Intent' on the most part is not, it's bland. Most of the episodes succeed in the entertainment value, tension and emotional impact. A lot more could have been done with the horse killing angle of the story, with it being practically given short shrift later on. With it not being a novel idea for the 'Law and Order' franchise or anywhere and with little new done with it, the lack of originality further added to the blandness as did the slightly too slow pace of the first act.

Does that mean that all is bad with "Ill-Bred?" Absolutely not. Cannot fault the regulars, particularly can't rave about the ever great Vincent D'Onofrio enough and Goren has lost none of what makes him such an interesting character and is true to character. He and the beautifully understated yet sassy Kathryn Erbe continue to work so well together.

The supporting cast also do very well with what they're given, though there are far more interesting supporting characters of the season. The episode is slick looking and is not over-bearingly or intrusively scored. There are a fair share of fun and taut moments in the script, namely down to Goren, while the ending intrigues when the episode does pick up the momentum in the climactic moments.

Overall, watchable but a disappointment. 5/10

Written and staged by people who have NEVER seen horses

[kpmalcorc · 2/10 · 7 September 2022]

Love the show. Hate the episode! Worst written and staged horse related stuff EVER! You'd think that someone would research the equine world just a little, especially since they had real horses and wranglers in the episode that they could have simply asked. No wonder it had to get so convoluted in the second half, the writer had no idea which way to go, as they didn't know what they were writing about. Horse owners do not strew their expensive tack all over every barn. A horse's identity does not follow it through being stolen multiple times and sold at auction multiple times. Getting drugs in and out of a horse's uterus would require surgeries. You won't find a bit in a horse's stall days after she's been stolen. AND WHAT IS WITH THE STUPID "QUICK RELEASE KNOTS" tying everything to everything else? Horse folk use quick release knots to tie horses up, not to use a shoelace to tie a bridle to a fence!