Some of the more satiric episodes of Law & Order: CI seem to feature Chris Noth and Julianne Nicholson, such as this one which focuses on the plight of child/teen actors and the burden a Hollywood career on those who seem to have trouble escaping the role that type-casted them. A down-on-his-luck former teen-star is murdered, his death linked to an Albanian mob. An Albanian whore, a Nigerian, not to mention, another former teen star who now distributes foreign dubbed films, are also linked to the murder victim. It will be up to Logan and Wheeler , who have their hands full, to sort all of this out. This episode clues us in on the Albanian mob culture, such as what "in blood" means (you become a target of the mob if you are labeled this), for which Logan soon learns he has become. Seeing the dominoes fall as "Skater" made decisions which implicated several he was in league with gives the show its detective story while the truth about the burden and curse of being a former celebrity, reduced to nothing after such popularity, is the "discussion topic" L&O is known for. Matt Keeslar has a nice part as Willie, never able to escape the part of Kirk of the teenage comedy which made him a star, perhaps given an escape opportunity if he will testify against a dangerous Albanian mobster.
5 Reviews
Sad Portrayals Of Ex-Child TV Stars
ccthemovieman-123 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Pirated movies and Albanian hit men are two of the subject matters here as a former child acting star is found murdered. Actually, he was about a half hour away from being buried in Potter's Field. He had been listed as a "John Doe" when found in a ravine, dead for about three weeks and rotting. Not a pretty sight or smell! "Skater Stevens" (Noah Weisberg) was one of those child TV stars you read about in real life who go from the penthouse to the outhouse, usually become a heavy drug user and have bunch of sad tales along the way after their TV sitcom ends. Fortunately, some of them survive and do okay.In this story, "Skater" didn't survive but he was into illegal activity, not just abusing himself with drugs.
You don't want to aggravate the Albanian Mafia or the Russian Mafia or the Italian Mafia or any nasty organization.
Meanwhile, "Detective Logan" continues to be entertaining. Chris Noth is turning out to be a fun guy to watch on this series, and someone who makes the periodic loss of Vincent D'Onofrio tolerable.. Eric Bogosian as his boss, "Captain Ross," is interesting, too. He seems to have a bit more of a personality than his predecessor, "Capt. Deakins," although I liked the latter. Julianne Nicholson is still a bit too new to make judgments, yet, although I do love looking at her freckles. I like the subtle looks she gives Logan here, both positive and negative.
Matt Keesar also has a key role in this story, playing a guy that was on Skeeter's popular TV show, a guy who was always getting the best of poor Skeeter. His name is "Kirk Tunis," and he's portrayed as a nutcase, too. In other child actors aren't put in a good light on this episode.
You don't want to aggravate the Albanian Mafia or the Russian Mafia or the Italian Mafia or any nasty organization.
Meanwhile, "Detective Logan" continues to be entertaining. Chris Noth is turning out to be a fun guy to watch on this series, and someone who makes the periodic loss of Vincent D'Onofrio tolerable.. Eric Bogosian as his boss, "Captain Ross," is interesting, too. He seems to have a bit more of a personality than his predecessor, "Capt. Deakins," although I liked the latter. Julianne Nicholson is still a bit too new to make judgments, yet, although I do love looking at her freckles. I like the subtle looks she gives Logan here, both positive and negative.
Matt Keesar also has a key role in this story, playing a guy that was on Skeeter's popular TV show, a guy who was always getting the best of poor Skeeter. His name is "Kirk Tunis," and he's portrayed as a nutcase, too. In other child actors aren't put in a good light on this episode.
The "ackackack" guy? My kids loved him
Mrpalli7725 September 2017
Skater (Noah Weisberg) was a former child sitcom star forgotten by producers. As a result, he started using drugs and aged more than his biological age; even his estranged family dropped him out and after death he was misplaced as a John Doe without receiving a proper burial. Anyway the mother came out of the blue after smelling cash in copyrights, so the detectives began to investigate. The murder involves the counterfeiting DVDs market regulated by Albanian mobsters. They get used to pimping their attractive girls out to naive men in order to meet their target. They are cruel but always following a 15th century Code of Lek.
Logan is threatened at the end: he's in blood now, I think he'd better look behind his shoulder for the rest of his life.
Logan is threatened at the end: he's in blood now, I think he'd better look behind his shoulder for the rest of his life.
A murderous blast
TheLittleSongbird10 February 2021
After such a powerful previous episode in "The War at Home", "Blasters" had a tough task following on from it. The idea of the story here didn't sound quite as interesting, despite feeling more like 'Criminal Intent' and not as much of a character development episode (nothing wrong with that just to say). It is always admirable when anything approaches the topic that "Blasters" does, not always easy to get right, and the episode doesn't do too badly a job at all.
Would go as far to say that it is actually done very well. Is one of the best episodes of Season 6? No, though it also is nowhere near being one of the worst. Or of 'Criminal Intent?' No. Does it compare favourably compared to Logan and Wheeler's other episodes? Yes on the whole, though there are better (i.e. "Maltese Cross"). It is not easy exploring child acting having a dark side later on in life, which is very true considering the number of deaths and addictions that came with getting older, showing that it is not always as glamorous as one would think.
Have never had an issue with Logan and have always loved his dry humour and no nonsense grit. Chris Noth embodied both those things from his very first episode in the original 'Law and Order' and had not lost it when he became a 'Criminal Intent' regular, he shows here that he still had it. Wheeler indeed is still early days, but personally have never found her dull and actually appreciate her more subtle contrasting personality without the chemistry being too much of an odd couple. Their interaction is enjoyable and it was always great that they were treated like equal partners. Matt Kaesar is occasionally over the top but on the whole is compelling, while the mob leader is genuinely frightening.
The script is tight and intelligent, while the story is executed compellingly. While the child actors' subplot was well done and moving in showing the dark side of having been a child actor (although there is a clear 'Saved by the Bell' influence), the very tense and disturbing mob subplot intrigued me more in a rare case of feeling fearful for Logan. The opening was also very powerful. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic.
"Blasters" weak point is the ending. To me it did feel rushed, and the motive also struck me as rather weak with too much of a "they killed for that?" feel.
All in all, very good. 8/10
Would go as far to say that it is actually done very well. Is one of the best episodes of Season 6? No, though it also is nowhere near being one of the worst. Or of 'Criminal Intent?' No. Does it compare favourably compared to Logan and Wheeler's other episodes? Yes on the whole, though there are better (i.e. "Maltese Cross"). It is not easy exploring child acting having a dark side later on in life, which is very true considering the number of deaths and addictions that came with getting older, showing that it is not always as glamorous as one would think.
Have never had an issue with Logan and have always loved his dry humour and no nonsense grit. Chris Noth embodied both those things from his very first episode in the original 'Law and Order' and had not lost it when he became a 'Criminal Intent' regular, he shows here that he still had it. Wheeler indeed is still early days, but personally have never found her dull and actually appreciate her more subtle contrasting personality without the chemistry being too much of an odd couple. Their interaction is enjoyable and it was always great that they were treated like equal partners. Matt Kaesar is occasionally over the top but on the whole is compelling, while the mob leader is genuinely frightening.
The script is tight and intelligent, while the story is executed compellingly. While the child actors' subplot was well done and moving in showing the dark side of having been a child actor (although there is a clear 'Saved by the Bell' influence), the very tense and disturbing mob subplot intrigued me more in a rare case of feeling fearful for Logan. The opening was also very powerful. The production values are slick and have a subtle grit, with an intimacy to the photography without being too claustrophobic. The music isn't used too much and doesn't get too melodramatic.
"Blasters" weak point is the ending. To me it did feel rushed, and the motive also struck me as rather weak with too much of a "they killed for that?" feel.
All in all, very good. 8/10
In blood
bkoganbing19 February 2017
Chris Noth and Julianne Nicholson get assigned the case of a former TV comedy star who had fallen on some bad days and is found strangled to death. At his prime he was the comic sidekick of a high school jock who always got the girl as the comic got the laughs.
Watching tapes of the deceased doing his thing I sit in amazement with Logan wondering how this guy ever made it in the first place. The star of the show the jock is played by Matt Keeslar and he's up to his widow's peak in a racket with the Albanian mob.
A native Albanian Masiela Lusha plays the Albanian femme fatale who was the come on for both these guys. Beautiful and deadly. As is Stivi Pakoski the Albanian hit-man, a very deadly guy.
In fact Logan and Wheeler are nearly killed by him and his crew. But they back off because there's no established grudge. It's called 'in blood' and what Logan has to learn Bobby Goren would already know.
Sometimes C list celebrities ache for that attention that will get them back on the A list like Keeslar does.
An interesting tale.
Watching tapes of the deceased doing his thing I sit in amazement with Logan wondering how this guy ever made it in the first place. The star of the show the jock is played by Matt Keeslar and he's up to his widow's peak in a racket with the Albanian mob.
A native Albanian Masiela Lusha plays the Albanian femme fatale who was the come on for both these guys. Beautiful and deadly. As is Stivi Pakoski the Albanian hit-man, a very deadly guy.
In fact Logan and Wheeler are nearly killed by him and his crew. But they back off because there's no established grudge. It's called 'in blood' and what Logan has to learn Bobby Goren would already know.
Sometimes C list celebrities ache for that attention that will get them back on the A list like Keeslar does.
An interesting tale.
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