Assassin

Network change and production

During the 2006-2007 network TV season, both Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the original Law & Order series began to falter in the ratings on NBC; president at the time Jeff Zucker was in a telephone interview with creator Dick Wolf when he renewed both series, Mr. Zucker said the plan to move original episodes of Criminal Intent to USA Network, with the repeats then set to play "shortly thereafter" on NBC, represented "a new paradigm for network TV." Wolf said he was thrilled with the deal because "my stated goal has been to keep all three shows (L&O, CI, & SVU) up and running." Both the original series and Criminal Intent won full 22-episode orders, although most series for cable channels do not produce more than 13. Mr. Wolf said that he had found some budgetary savings to make the deal more viable, but that "none of them are going to be apparent to viewers."

Chris Noth who portrayed Detective Mike Logan said on the move from network to cable; "Cable is probably the future. They're paying a lot more attention to [the show] than NBC did, frankly." Noth also believed the change would help the series differentiate itself from the rest of the franchise, saying, "We're happy to set ourselves apart." Vincent D'Onofrio who portrayed Detective Robert Goren said about the switch, "I feel like it saved the show." In an interview about his character, Eric Bogosian (who portrayed Captain Daniel Ross) thought about the move to USA, "We were one of whatever number of shows on NBC, we're getting numbers every week, we're knocking ourselves out to do the best we can, and I don't think we had one ad all season. To be on USA and have them embrace us and cheerlead us, we feel we deserve it. USA wants us to succeed. I just hope more people watch it and dig it."

The theme music changed to that of the then-defunct Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Original episodes of season seven aired on USA Network until August 2008, with reruns on NBC beginning in January 2008. Production of the seventh season was interrupted by the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike when Executive Producer Warren Leight and the rest of the writing staff participated in the work stoppage. Only 10 of the 22 episodes ordered were produced pre-strike, while the remaining 12 episodes began airing June 8, 2008.

In May 2008, before the remaining episodes returned, USA Network decided to renew Criminal Intent for a sixteen-episode eighth season. Days after USA Network renewed the series, executive producer Warren Leight announced that he was departing the series, after having taken CI to the top drama series in basic cable primetime for the fourth quarter, more than doubling USA’s audience in the 10 p.m. Thursday slot from the same period the previous year. Leight departed at the end of the season to work on HBO's therapy drama In Treatment.

Cast changes

While Criminal Intent was in transition from NBC to USA Network, the salaries of cast members Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, and Chris Noth were frozen. The prospect of the salary freeze wasn't sitting well with them, as they typically enjoyed at least a five percent year-to-year bump. In the end they accepted a non-pay raise for the new season and they returned, static at $350K for each of the 11 episodes produced.

Julianne Nicholson was temporarily replaced by Alicia Witt who played Detective Nola Falacci, a new partner to Detective Logan, while Nicholson was on maternity leave. Nicholson returned in the episode "Contract," which aired on June 15, 2008 (with In Plain Sight's Mary McCormack making a cameo as her character Mary Shannon).

Chris Noth decided to leave the series at the end of the season; Noth told TV Guide, "When others couldn't get television shows produced in New York, Dick Wolf found a way to do it, and as a New Yorker I truly appreciate all that he has done for the city. The last few years have been fantastic, and both sides are happy with the result. 'All's well that ends well.'" Noth said the split was "totally mutual." He added, "The show keeps morphing and always finds new people. I'm gonna miss everyone I work with every day." Creator Dick Wolf said about Noth's departure "Chris has been a member of the "Law & Order" family since the beginning, and Mike Logan is one of the most popular detectives in the history of television," Wolf says. "We all wish him the best."

Jeff Goldblum was set to replace Noth. "Jeff's presence will add a new dimension to an already successful show," Dick Wolf said in a statement.

Cast

Guest stars

Holt McCallany guest starred in the season premiere episode "Amends," as Det. Patrick Copa who witnesses the murder of his partner Kevin Quinn (Gerald McCullouch), but has degenerative vision impairment. Florencia Lozano portrays Quinn's widow Theresa, with whom Eames shares a special connection since Kevin was previously partnered with Eames' husband. Goren and Eames question Ray and Rodolfo Delgado (Felix Solis and Emilio Delgado, respectively). Rafael Sardina plays Dr. Manny Beltran, who was responsible for the death of Eames' husband years ago. Seth Gilliam plays Det. Daniels from narcotics, who helps Major Case when drugs and gangs are involved.

Michael O'Keefe guest starred in "Seeds" as Doctor Eli Rush in a case where an OB-GYN is murdered and posed in a ritualistic fashion.

In "Smile," Amy Acker as Leslie LeZard, Jason Kravits as Jim Kettle, and Jim Gaffigan as Marty Palin, are FDA employees dealing with a crisis from contaminated mouthwash produced by Shorr Labs, whose CEO Bing Schorr is played by Frank John Hughes. Holley Fain also appears as Stacey, an FDA office assistant.

In "Lonelyville," Lola Glaudini portrays Leanne Baker, a dangerous defense attorney who is more than she seems. Josh Pais plays Noah Brezner, who is cheating on his wife with Tammy Mills (Amanda Detmer). At a bar, he meets Anya Pugach (Jennifer Missoni) who winds up dead in his bed.

In "Depths," Frederick Weller guest starred as Simon Harper, a wealthy man who finances the search for sunken treasure, which goes bad when one of the hunters, Tarek "Rick" Agiza (Amir Arison), turns up dead on a Coney Island beach. Det. Streetman (Alison Becker) is first on scene. To sort out who killed Rick, Goren and Eames hunt for the remaining hunters, Dana Stipe (Kelli Giddish), her husband Greg (Michael Cerveris), and Tom "Chilly" Chilton (Eric Sheffer Stevens).

Steve Guttenberg and Paula Devicq guest star in "Courtship" as a famous couple, Clay Darren and Christine Mayfield, in the middle of a divorce presided by Judge Harvey Frye (Bruce MacVittie). Frye's wife Monica is murdered "pro" style, and a tip on "Client X" from Dr. Jay Alberstein (Remy Auberjonois) leads Logan and Falacci first to FBI Agent Frank Billings (Charles Borland), then to ex-CIA PI Ronald Hawk (John Ventimiglia).