They started doing the alternating detectives back in season 5. I believe the purpose was to give Vincent D’Onofrio (Goren) and Kathryn Erbe (Eames) a more manageable filming schedule. (The other iterations of Law and Order, SVU and the original. have four or five lead actors which puts less pressure on the individual cast members whereas CI only had two lead actors until season 5).
Both D’Onofrio and Erbe were pretty burned out as a result of the show’s tough production requirements so bringing on Chris Noth in S5-S7 and Goldblum in S8 made it possible for them to get more time off while maintaining the same total number of episodes for the show. IIRC, S9 (the season where Goldblum was on full time and the entire remaining cast was replaced) got bad ratings so they decided to bring back D’Onofrio and Erbe for season 10 — which they agreed to since it was a much shorter season (10 episodes instead of 22) and it was designed to be the final season.
They worked VDO like a rented mule until he had an exhaustive breakdown. That was when they brought back Mike Logan and his series of utterly forgettable partners. Except Falacci, she was cool.
Goldblum was asked to come back if there was a season 10 and he declined. I think he knew his episodes weren't getting good ratings. I always found them interesting--he didn't try to be a Goren clone--but gad, Saffron Burrows' Serena Stevens was so...dull. (Not her fault.)
Erbe talked about their punishing schedule once (and D'Onofrio had more lines!)--her kids were always in bed when she got home, and she only got to see/do things with them on Saturdays. Sunday she was back learning lines for Monday. (Ironically she had no relief--in 2008 she began having trouble with a stalker.)
I loved the Goldblum episodes. Wish the series could have continued with him taking some of the weight off D'Onofrio.
I think this was such a shame. This was a priceless show. So great. So intellectual a modern day Sherlock. To add Chris North of Sex and the City, he is never been an intellectual. He is a good looking eye candy. What a shame. What a crime against great intellectual properties. If the cast was burned out. Shut the show down and show repeats.
They started doing the alternating detectives back in season 5. I believe the purpose was to give Vincent D’Onofrio (Goren) and Kathryn Erbe (Eames) a more manageable filming schedule. (The other iterations of Law and Order, SVU and the original. have four or five lead actors which puts less pressure on the individual cast members whereas CI only had two lead actors until season 5).
Both D’Onofrio and Erbe were pretty burned out as a result of the show’s tough production requirements so bringing on Chris Noth in S5-S7 and Goldblum in S8 made it possible for them to get more time off while maintaining the same total number of episodes for the show. IIRC, S9 (the season where Goldblum was on full time and the entire remaining cast was replaced) got bad ratings so they decided to bring back D’Onofrio and Erbe for season 10 — which they agreed to since it was a much shorter season (10 episodes instead of 22) and it was designed to be the final season.
They worked VDO like a rented mule until he had an exhaustive breakdown. That was when they brought back Mike Logan and his series of utterly forgettable partners. Except Falacci, she was cool.
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Goldblum was asked to come back if there was a season 10 and he declined. I think he knew his episodes weren't getting good ratings. I always found them interesting--he didn't try to be a Goren clone--but gad, Saffron Burrows' Serena Stevens was so...dull. (Not her fault.)
Erbe talked about their punishing schedule once (and D'Onofrio had more lines!)--her kids were always in bed when she got home, and she only got to see/do things with them on Saturdays. Sunday she was back learning lines for Monday. (Ironically she had no relief--in 2008 she began having trouble with a stalker.)
I loved the Goldblum episodes. Wish the series could have continued with him taking some of the weight off D'Onofrio.
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I think this was such a shame. This was a priceless show. So great. So intellectual a modern day Sherlock. To add Chris North of Sex and the City, he is never been an intellectual. He is a good looking eye candy. What a shame. What a crime against great intellectual properties. If the cast was burned out. Shut the show down and show repeats.