A musician is found brutally murdered in his recording studio. The detectives soon find a trail leading to a bizarre family of shrinks who are playing their own wicked game.A musician is found brutally murdered in his recording studio. The detectives soon find a trail leading to a bizarre family of shrinks who are playing their own wicked game.A musician is found brutally murdered in his recording studio. The detectives soon find a trail leading to a bizarre family of shrinks who are playing their own wicked game.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBrent Spiner and Margaret Colin, who play a married couple here, previously starred together in "Independence Day" (1996).
- Quotes
Detective Robert Goren: Looks like you might have done it, huh? Sent Dad to jail?
Camilla Barnes: I don't want that.
Detective Robert Goren: For once you snatched victory from the jaws of your mother. You showed your parents just how smart you really are.
Camilla Barnes: They know. They raised me.
Detective Alexandra Eames: Raised you? Wolves would have done a better job.
Was not at all disappointed on my first watch of "Shrink Wrapped". It is another 'Criminal Intent' episode to be even better with each re-watch, namely because the case is even more interesting than before, because of getting even more out of the supporting characters. Because it is more emotionally investable. Basically, it was due to that there was more to appreciate than first time round and it just clicked with me more in various ways.
Production values are as appropriately slick and gritty, yet not overtly, as ever. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed. The direction has some nice tension while keeping things steady, without going too far the other way.
There are great unsettling performances from eerily sultry Margaret Colin and an against type Brent Spiner. Taylor Roberts is also just brilliant at the end and her restraint for most of "Shrink Wrapped" was effective and never felt "going through the motions"-like. The character interaction is also incredibly well done, the twisted games played by the parents has seldom been creepier for any show/series.
It was also emotionally devastating seeing how much it affects Roberts' character, the franchise did excel when any episode of any of the show showed what bad decisions and behaviours from parents affects their offspring. Still love the chemistry between Goren and Eames, which played always a big part in prime-'Criminal Intent's' appeal, and the script is tight and smart without falling into silliness or self-indulgence. The story is always absorbing and never felt too obvious or too complicated. It is especially great towards the end and at the end, due to the acting, momentum and emotional impact being at their best.
Very little again to criticise here in "Shrink Wrapped". For me, while Vincent D'Onofrio is still very good he did seem somewhat subdued compared to usual here. The intensity and quirkiness that are such big parts of Goren are present more in other episodes.
All in all, great. 9/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 3, 2020
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