Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) Last Rites (2008) User Reviews

We Say Goodbye To Mike Logan

[anderbilt · 10/10 · 10 October 2012]

In the character of Mike Logan, Dick Wolf and Chris Noth created the most fascinating and watchable of all the Law & Order precinct dwellers over the years.

In the time leading up to this episode, fans of the Law & Order franchise were able, not just to view and enjoy, but to feast on the best of the writing done for any of the franchises. This last episode featuring the Logan character delivers in the finest traditions of the best episodes featuring that problematic character of Logan. He blazed a fiery arc over his story lines in any incarnation of the show, and goes out with the fire he showed whenever he walked into the squad room or the captain's office.

As a longtime fan of the original Law & Order franchise, I was saddened at its ending a few years ago. I found the Law & Order Criminal Intent episodes in daytime TV repeats, and happily discovered the three dozen or so Mike Logan stories they presented.

The final Logan stories, under captains played by Jamie Sheridan and Eric Bogosian, embody the best writing and performing I personally had ever seen in the whole L/O series.

Whatever different creative influences and agendas went into production of the various Law and Order series over the years, the most apparent thing to me is that the Mike Logan character had to be the series creator's favorite. You get a product like Logan's final three dozen stories when the act is a true labor of love for the writers and actors.

This episode is exciting, compelling, happy and sad to a richly satisfying degree, and evokes the large history of the franchise itself. Enjoy it.

Rite of passage

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 27 May 2021]

"Last Rites" is the final Mike Logan episode and the penultimate episode of Season 7 (last being "Frame" with Goren). Was really hoping that Logan would get a good send off, he was a great character on 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' and was refreshing despite the show's quality becoming inconsistent. Logan's episodes were hit and miss, though Logan and Chris Noth's acting were always redeeming qualities. "Last Rites" had all the ingredients to be a winner.

And a winner "Last Rites" was and it is absolutely one of the hits of one of 'Criminal Intent's' weaker seasons. Of all of Logan's episodes, they saved the best for last. While there were many great episodes of his, "Last Rites" was quite special. If anybody wants an answer as to whether it is a good send off to Logan, the answer is an easy yes and it is a far more satisfying exit than the last minute abrupt and indifferent one he got in the Season 5 finale of the original 'Law and Order'.

Chris Noth gives another wonderful performance as Logan, he does wryness, hard-boiled edge and conflict so beautifully and did do throughout his three season stint on 'Criminal Intent'. Of all his appearances, this is a strong contender for his best where he is fun, intense and also affecting. Julianne Nicholson is suitably understated but not too low key as Wheeler but the other acting standout is a touching and perceptive Denis O'Hare. The ADA character does act in a way that frustrates but it is realistic and not over the top.

Have already mentioned about Logan getting a worthy send off. It is not one's usual idea of an exit, not a sudden death, fired in disgrace or suddenly leaving on bad terms. This is a beautifully done more than one choice path ending, one that is thoughtful and contemplative and written by people that seemed to like Logan and care about him. The script is one of the season's most hard hitting and thought provoking, Father Shea's is very sincere and Logan's final line is a very strong contender for his best. The story is tense and has clever and not too simple or too complicated twists and turns. The tensions with the ADA doesn't become too cartoonish or get in the way.

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. The direction is sympathetic while not being routine.

Overall, fantastic and what a perfect final episode for a great character. 10/10.

"I'm not dead." Lenny Briscoe

[Noir-It-All · 10/10 · 5 August 2020]

Lenny Briscoe reaches out to Logan in a metaphysical way in the form of a friend of his, Father Shea. After hearing a deathbed confession concerning a sixteen year old crime, Father Shea seeks out Logan as Lenny's former partner. Lenny had had many partners but Father Shea sought out Logan. Why? During the last episode of season 6, Logan told a neighbor that, in a dream, Lenny Briscoe said he wasn't dead. Given how this episode ends a season later, this viewer wondered if Lenny had been helping Logan find his way to happiness through Father Shea.

Martin Luther King said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"

[Mrpalli77 · 9/10 · 4 October 2017]

A priest (Denis O'Hare), who befriended Briscoe (Logan former partner, passed away years before), met Det.Logan, asking him to reopen a case that dates back to early nineties. It's about a cold case in which the real perp is on the loose while an innocent man is behind bars. There was a double murder in South Bronx where a Caucasian couple, together with an unborn child, were shot dead under the pouring rain. A black man, a known car thief, was charged due to unlikely witnesses, a prostitute and a Nam veteran squeegee blinded in his right eye. ADA need this conviction to pursue his personal career and the case was closed soon after. Logan is a tough guy, so he starts a personal war against the District Attorney, easy to lose. Wheeler is not coming along better than him: his fiancèe is put under arrest for laundering and racketeering by FBI.

It's the last episode Logan character is displayed, I think I'll miss him but it's the price to pay for being too stubborn towards big fish.

Justice happens and does NOT Happen

[radarfirs7 · 6/10 · 23 May 2021]

This episode Logan & Wheeler show there are Good Cops, and the difficulty of the working in the System. Sadly, it is not too different then most Shows like this; being unrealistic. As per more bad than good cops. They do what is right in this case, but also get a Target on their backs. Logan appears to have quit? I have still to see if any future episode covers what happened to him; just his last episode. Then the ADA Diver does not show up in any future episode "Cast List". What is the Saying Power? Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So basically higher up equals more corruption? The Problem with "Absolute" it can mean Complete but also UnQualified. Kind of a Catch 22? Absolutely just mean you agree. Sadly we Humans have not learned - Those who "Want Power" usually can not handle it. How many are in prison wrongly due to that ADA? Why did this show stop in telling the story between Detective Logan and ADA Diver?