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Law & Order: Criminal Intent
S7.E12
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  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
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IMDbPro

Contract

  • Episode aired Jun 15, 2008
  • TV-14
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
234
YOUR RATING
Contract (2008)
CrimeDramaMystery

A gossip columnist is killed and there's a wide range of people who are suspects.A gossip columnist is killed and there's a wide range of people who are suspects.A gossip columnist is killed and there's a wide range of people who are suspects.

  • Director
    • Jonathan Herron
  • Writers
    • Dick Wolf
    • Rene Balcer
    • Peter Blauner
  • Stars
    • Chris Noth
    • Julianne Nicholson
    • Eric Bogosian
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    234
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jonathan Herron
    • Writers
      • Dick Wolf
      • Rene Balcer
      • Peter Blauner
    • Stars
      • Chris Noth
      • Julianne Nicholson
      • Eric Bogosian
    • 5User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Julianne Nicholson and Chris Noth in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Chris Noth
    Chris Noth
    • Detective Michael 'Mike' Logan
    Julianne Nicholson
    Julianne Nicholson
    • Detective Megan Wheeler
    Eric Bogosian
    Eric Bogosian
    • Captain Danny Ross
    Jeff Garlin
    Jeff Garlin
    • Barry Freeburg
    Federico Castelluccio
    Federico Castelluccio
    • Frank Chess
    Emily Kinney
    Emily Kinney
    • Jeannie Richmond
    Leslie Hendrix
    Leslie Hendrix
    • ME Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
    Timothy Adams
    Timothy Adams
    • Spencer London
    Jeff Biehl
    Jeff Biehl
    • Dr. Benway
    Tibor Feldman
    Tibor Feldman
    • Dr. Jacoby
    David Fumero
    David Fumero
    • Chef
    Brian Haley
    Brian Haley
    • Ted Regan
    Maury Ginsberg
    Maury Ginsberg
    • Screenwriter
    Illeana Douglas
    Illeana Douglas
    • Beverly Tyson
    Mary McCormack
    Mary McCormack
    • Mary Shannon
    Mo Rocca
    Mo Rocca
    • T.K. Richmond
    James Biberi
    James Biberi
    • Al Petrosino
    Paul DeBoy
    Paul DeBoy
    • Elliot Falls
    • Director
      • Jonathan Herron
    • Writers
      • Dick Wolf
      • Rene Balcer
      • Peter Blauner(teleplay by) (story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first episode to crossover outside of Dick Wolf's programs since "Homicide". It features Mary McCormack as her In Plain Sight (2008) character US Marshal Mary Shannon. That show aired its pilot two weeks prior to this one.
    • Goofs
      In the opening credits, special guest star role credit is incorrectly spelled "U.S. Marshall"
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Elliot Falls: [to a female crew member clipping a microphone to his shirt just before air-time] You give great mike!

    • Connections
      References Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Entrapment
    Have always liked Logan, ever since as far back as when he was co-lead in the early seasons of the original 'Law and Order'. Even in his lesser episodes on 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent', most being in Season 6, he was never one of the flaws (if anything he was a consistent redeeming quality). It was great to see Wheeler back, actually like her the most of Logan's three partners on the show and that's always been the case.

    The premise for "Contract" is a clever one and the episode itself is very well done. For me it's not quite the best Logan episode of 'Criminal Intent', but it is definitely up there as one of them. Not just of Season 7 but of his whole stint on the show, it is also one of the standout episodes of a wildly uneven seventh season that showed a running out of ideas feel in too many episodes. "Contract" is not quite perfect, but it's cleverly executed and always intriguing with lots to like.

    Maybe it is at times on the too complicated side from a couple of twists too many, not always easy to follow even for a show that often does have complex stories and mostly does them well.

    When it comes to issues though, that is pretty much it. "Contract" is well made, intimately photographed and slick with no signs of under-budget or anything. The music didn't sound melodramatic or too constant and the direction is accomodating while still having pulse.

    Script is smart and tautly structured with no extraneous fat, melodramatic soap and little confusion. Although convoluted in the latter stages at times, the story is always hugely compelling with plenty of unexpected and twisty turns which makes things continually unpredictable. One thinks they know what is happening or what's going to happen and then they're completely left by surprise. Do agree about the ending being a knockout, one of the best of a Logan-centric 'Criminal Intent' episode and one of my favourites of the season.

    Logan shines like a very bright star in "Contract", especially in the aforementioned scene. The dry humour and gritty edge are still there and beautifully. Chris Noth is typically terrific for all those reasons. Julianne Nicholson is a pleasingly understated yet never dull contrast and works well with Noth. Didn't miss Falacci at all, being somebody who never cared for her or Alicia Witt's acting in the role (excepting "Senseless", another one of the better episodes of Season 7). Jeff Garlin is deliciously arrogant and unsettling as one of the latter seasons' most contemptible characters.

    Concluding, very well done. 8/10.
    helpful•8
    0
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • May 6, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 15, 2008 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Wolf Films
      • Universal Media Studios (UMS)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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