Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) Disciple (2010) User Reviews

He showed me on a whore who cursed and screamed filth

[Mrpalli77 · 7/10 · 12 October 2017]

A convicted felon in the death row for killing a young girl was willing to say something. Before being executed he stated he didn't murder her and the real killer was still outside. Shortly after, a short-order cook working in a filthy diner was found dead in a construction site: the guy used to have sex with hookers, but he is not the real target, only a hapless place himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The perp is working girls' serial killer who want cleansing them from their filth. A letter left by the death row inmate to his priest lead the detectives to the right pattern: who really killed the teenage innocent girl?

Stevens is very angry because she was the one who put the man in jail and she was sure there weren't made mistake at the time even if proofs like love bite lead Nichols to think differently. Her former partner come from Chicago in her rescue.

Major case

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 22 September 2021]

The character of Zach Nichols didn't do much for me in his first two episodes, neither of which doing much for me as episodes. My problem does not lie with Jeff Goldblum but the writing. In the next two though, my opinion on him completely changed and the episodes in question were also much better. Serena Stevens was a bit mixed for me as a character and it did depend on the material, the chemistry between her and Nichols was never non-existent but it didn't ignite in the same way Goren and Eames' did.

As far as the rather hit and miss Season 9 goes, "Disciple" is one of the better episodes. As well as one of the darkest in terms of the subject matter. It was great also to see some meat and development to Stevens and for her to shine properly for the first time. It is not one of the very best episodes of 'Criminal Intent', but it is one of the best of the season and in the better half of the episodes from the Nichols (Seasons 8 and 9) period.

"Disciple" did get a little too over-complicated towards the end from trying to cram in too much.

Still not sold on Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio either and Callas was never the most compelling character.

However, so much about "Disciple" is great. It is a visually slick episode, typical for 'Criminal Intent' and the 'Law and Order' franchise, and one with the right amount of muted grit, the photography doesn't try to do anything too fancy or gimmicky while not being claustrophobic and keeping things simple. The music doesn't overbear past the early stages with the theme tune still memorable and the direction is accommodating yet tight enough.

Moreover, the script is thoughtful and intriguing, never feeling too talky or like it was trying to be too clever. The story is very engaging and has a dark tension and plenty to keep one guessing. The cast perform to a very good standard and Saffron Burrows gives perhaps her best performance here of her stint on the show.

On the whole, very good. 8/10.

A complete miss

[mgl-92037 · 2/10 · 3 March 2024]

I think this may be the absolute worst episode of LOCI. I was really put off by almost everything.

Here are problems I had with the episode, but not in any particular order.

1) The music. It was over the top creepy and intrusive 2) The detective from Chicago. That actor has played a great villain many times. He he was bland and forgettable.

3) The ease with which the perpetrator was found. That was a big flaw. The plot device of the letter was too cute by half. The expected suspense and drama involved with finding the criminal was almost totally absent.

4) The emphasis on knowing whether the Chicago case was decided correctly rang false to me.

5) The killer was not believable - - at all. Here was a man who had all the trappings of a normal life, who loved his son and daughter, and yet he's a serial killer? I don't buy it at all. Compare this episode with the one featuring a cannibal murderer. There you really believed in the psychology. Here it's a complete failure.

I like some episodes better than others, but I can't think of another where I regret watching. Stay away. This is far beneath the standards for LOCI.