A Quick And Dirty Look At "Playing Dead"

Just wanted to take a moment to post my initial impressions of "Playing Dead." One of these days, after I've watched it a couple of dozen times, and I get around to quoting it, I'll do a proper "dissection" of the episode. But for now, I'm just going to comment on the "high" points, and I shall begin by saying, "Bobby's back, baby!"

From the moment he took Detective Farley by the arm and led her back to the door to begin recreating the specifics of the crime to taunting the pompous wine seller to mimicking the odious stepfather (sorry, haven't got all the character's names committed to memory yet) with, "Help me, Mommy...Save me, Mommy," it was classic Goren all the way. Welcome home, darlin'!!

At the hospital when the girl said she “went away,” I knew immediately what she meant. Obviously, she had been abused/ molested and that was how she coped with it. I think Bobby suspected something, too because when he explains the relationship to Ross, he specifically makes the distinction that the girl is the councilman's step daughter, not his daughter…to which Ross replies a blasé, “whatever.” Sometimes, I want to smack Ross up the side of the head, but I digress.

When Ross said the Chief of “D’s” was coming by, I shouted at the TV for Bobby to hide, and you could tell by the look on his face, he wasn't too keen on encountering the man.

There was something nagging at me throughout the whole episode about Bobby’s “look,” but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I watched it in “slow mo” as I captured a few photos for the slideshows at the end of the post. Then it hit me how tired he looked...his eyes...his puffy face...his voice at times. Perhaps he had a cold. You know, Vincent D’Onofrio really should take better care of my favorite detective's health and well-being.

And I think I may have a new favorite Law & Order CI Bobby moment, as I'm certain do a lot of folks. It’s when he and Eames go to check out the councilman’s "true love for the grape," to quote Eames. The snooty, pretentious shop keeper tries to slough them off when Bobby tells him they would like to review the councilman’s purchases for the past six months. The guy is feeling pretty pleased with himself until Eames threatens to shut him down for a forensic audit and Bobby says to the guy in a “French” accent, “A…uh…printout will do, eh?” Eames seemed to enjoy the line, too, but not as much as I did. I almost fell off the couch laughing. And I noticed that Bobby's smile actually reached his eyes...haven't seen that in a while.

Okay, so now Bobby has officially said it out loud...he came from a “bad home.” Well, I guess we always knew that, but now the implication is that he was abused…I’m “assuming” physically. Stacey said when bad things were happening to her, she took herself away to another place. Bobby tells her he used to do the same thing; he just wanted to lift himself up and take himself to another place, so he could see things from somewhere else.

Poor little Bobby. It's amazing he turned out as well as he did...crazy mother; gambling, womanizing drunkard for a "father;" biological father was a serial killer; drug addict brother, and now we find out that he was abused, too. I can't take much more. I've got so much to say about this, but I'll save it for later.

I prepared two slideshows last night. Then today, when I was checking out Amazon.com, I found out they are now offering downloads of Season 8 in HD. So, of course I had to buy that and quickly capture some photos to see if there is much of a difference. (Obsessive much? Have you met me?) Anyway, there's a little bit of Eames, and a bunch of Bobby in the ensuing slideshows, and I think there may be a shot or two of Ross thrown in for good measure.

Yes, there are duplicates. Double the Bobby...double the pleasure... double the fun.

"Playing Dead" Slideshow - Part I


"Playing Dead" Slideshow - Part II


Bobby In Amazon HD