Turkey. Stuffing. Potatoes, squash, and green beans. All the lights in his kitchen were one. It was a manic day. He never considered himself a culinary genius, but he knew his way around a cookbook. The kitchen was warm; his oven working harder than it had all year. Pots and pans went into the dishwasher as soon as he used them. Nothing was allowed to stack up. He never got behind. He was always ahead of himself. They were hungry, of course. Then, when he was done, he packed it all into plastic containers. Containers stacked high, he carted it all over to a homeless shelter. One he knew Frank had stayed at. Everyone there was someone's son, someone's daughter. A sister.

Or a brother.

Words: 125

Vincent D'Onofrio exiting 'Criminal Intent'
Erbe, Bogosian also out as Goldblum takes over

By Elizabeth Guider and Roger Friedman
Sept 24, 2009, 11:00 PM ET

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is planning dramatic cast changes for next season, with four regulars, including star Vincent D'Onofrio, departing.

D'Onofrio is expected to exit sometime during the series' upcoming ninth season, handing over his badge to Jeff Goldblum as the top detective on the major case squad.

Kathryn Erbe, who, like D'Onofrio, has been with the show since its beginning and plays his long-suffering partner Alex Eames, also will be phased out, as will Eric Bogosian, who plays the force's captain, Danny Ross.

As previously reported, Julianne Nicholson, who played Goldblum's partner but has just had a baby, her second, also is leaving. She's being replaced by British actress Saffron Burrows.

Details about D'Onofrio, Erbe and Bogosian's exit are still unclear as the actors' deals are being worked out. The network only recently renewed the Wolf Films/Universal Cable Prods. series for a ninth season, slated to premiere in late spring with a two-parter.

Creator and executive producer Dick Wolf has long said that it is the stories, and not the actors, that form the core attraction of his "Law & Order" franchise.

Yet, like Sam Waterston on the original "L&O," D'Onofrio has long been identified with "Criminal Intent" and has helped set its tone as Det. Robert Goren. His trademark gesture, the in-your-face tilt of his head when he interrogates criminals, is a highlight of each episode, as is his encyclopedic knowledge of the arcane that often helps in fingering the suspect.

But, after originating on NBC, "L&O:CI" migrated to sibling USA, which has put together a cluster of dramas that are lighter in tone and subject matter and have more quirkily upbeat characters, as in "Monk," "Psych" and "Burn Notice."

Goldblum, who brings an easy eccentricity to most of his work, is more in the tradition of Tony Shalhoub's "Monk" than D'Onofrio's brooding and tortured Goren.

Additionally, cost savings always factor in production equations these days, with long-standing actors on a show, like D'Onofrio and Erbe, pulling in substantially more than more recent additions.

The sweeping cast changes on "CI" resemble the 2003 shakeup on ABC's "The Practice" when several key actors, including lead Dylan McDermott, Lara Flynn Boyle and Kelli Williams, were let go as a way to slash production costs.

The "CI" changes also represent the biggest shift so far for a show that has seen a number of faces come and go since it began in 2001. For several years, Chris Noth, who played detective Mike Logan, has alternated with D'Onofrio in the top role. He exited the Wolf fold at the end of the 2008 season and is now recurring on the CBS freshman series "The Good Wife."

While D'Onofrio is departing as a regular, it is possible for him to reprise his character in guest stints.

Elizabeth Guider reported from Los Angeles; Roger Friedman reported from New York.

Chest pounding.  Heart hammering.  Palm slams into the metal table.  A loud silence lapses between you.  You've startled her.  You loosen your tie and then you answer.  An honest answer.  She asks another question and you take the game back.  It's your turn.  So you ask the question.  You go straight for her jugular.  You already know the answer.  She knows you're right.  It registers on her face.  You dig deeper and deeper and deeper.  She denies it again and again and again.  Another slam to the table.  Relentless pursuit of the truth.  At any cost.



[words] 96
[album] exile on coldharbour lane
[season] two

So...I've decided, for this character, I'm pretty much done with the prompt comms. I'm saying inwriters_musesandmuse_academy(the latter on a "for now" basis).  I'm taking him back to his roots as an RPG character.

HELLO, FLIST!  I HAVE A NEW GAME FOR YOU! 

Because, and I'm mildly ashamed to admit this, I mostly look back at my time at Awful Odorlawfulorder with fondness.  Obviously, I don't include the drama and the wank in this fondness.  I used to come back from class to an inbox with 20 comment alert e-mails in it and in the beginning, it was actually fun.

I think I'm trying to reclaim that.

Hence, I made a new game:law_andorder
Go check out the rules.  I just opened it ten minutes ago, so I'm accepting applications.  OODLES OF CHARACTERS TO CHOOSE FROM!
 

Okay, so, as you may have guessed, I'm not doing the DVD rewatch like I had said I was going to.  I have no interest.  This character in my head has finally killed himself and died all over my brainroom floor.

Consider this retirement until further notice.

Hey, so you followed me over here from detectivebear.  You're as nuts as I am.

At any rate, once I get my communities sorted out and get the reset sorted out in my head, I'm going to take a nod from lieu_murphy and rewatch all the DVDs I have.  Granted, there are only three seasons of CI on DVD (one due out soon, hopefully), so I'll have to make something up when I get to the end of season three.  I want to write a response to every episode.