If you are going to "close the case" on the detective team of Nichols and Stevens, why not with a humdinger of a season 9 finale regarding the possibility that the heinous murder of a "disciplined" real estate agent could be linked to someone with "Associative Personality Disorder". With an incredible performance from Tom Lipinski, his Dr. Curtis is the victim of three separate personalities which at times converge, the child ashamed for what the killer personality does but somewhat responsible for why the murder is carried out. In an inspired piece of casting, we finally get to meet Nichols' oft-mentioned therapist father, Dr. Theodore Nichols, portrayed by thespian F. Murray Abraham who has the right touch of intellect and pomposity, assured in his skills but at an age where he must reach out more to his son, even as his long-time held principles for curing the patient will be tested as Zach needs to find the location of another kidnapped victim, a school teacher, possibly dead. Seeing Goldblum and Abraham in the same scenes together is magic for a movie lover like myself. The way the father shows subtly the disappointment of his son choosing to be a detective over the profession as shrink, and the closing scene where the two find closure to a long term dispute over career paths. It is nice to see Abraham, as the well-skilled therapist, pull out of Curtis, going through his trio of personalities at different stages, the confession, while we also see how damn impressive Nichols and Stevens are at reading evidence (their ability to look at paintings, with help from the expertise of therapist Nichols) and getting closer and closer to the suspect and perhaps saving another possible victim from the reprehensible acts perpetrated on the real estate agent. How a snowangel painted in blood and drawings of pandas lead the Major Case Squad to the killer is why I love this show so much.
I will say that it would have been nice to find out what happened to Nichols and Stevens prior to the return of Eames and Goren, but a 10th season of this show, regardless of the team, is welcome.
I will say that it would have been nice to find out what happened to Nichols and Stevens prior to the return of Eames and Goren, but a 10th season of this show, regardless of the team, is welcome.