Let’s talk lady cops: Mireille Enos is holding down The Killing; Jennifer Beals is busting all kinds of balls on The Chicago Code; Mary McCormack is still killing it on In Plain Sight and three weeks ago, Kathryn Erbe returned to Law & Order: Criminal Intent as wry, understated Alexandra Eames. Last season, Erbe and Vincent D’Onofrio (as Robert Goren, still twitchy after all these years) were replaced by Jeff Goldblum and Saffron Burrows, who have disappeared with as much explanation as the returns of Eames and Goren (zero). Chung-chung-accented plot twists occur in standard CI fare—high-profile crimes in the fashion, philanthropy and defence sectors so far—but taken as part of this strong-cop-stronger-woman trend, you’re reminded that Eames has been around for a decade, reasonable and capable, quietly and confidently doing her job so well you might’ve missed it. Well, don’t. Don’t miss any of them.
This article appears in May 19-25, 2011.
