Law & Order: Criminal Intent – The Eighth Year (Universal) opens like pretty much any other season, with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Detective Goren and Kathryn Erbe’s Detective Eames following a murder case to a political family with dirty little secrets, but the second episode brings in a new player and a whole new chemistry.

Jeff Goldblum wanders into episode two like an alien, arriving to a crime scene with a big smile on his face, bags full of food in his hands, and a breezy attitude that immediately puts off Detective Wheeler (Julianne Nicholson), a veteran of the squad (and the show) who is a little low on trust, thanks to losing her old partner (farewell, Mike Logan, we’ll miss you) and her fiancé in the previous season.

Detective Zach Nichols is a terrific Goldblum creation, entering every conversation with a banter that bounces around like a bebop solo and veers off in sudden zig-zags before circling back to the case, keeping his subjects off balance while he lobs them with questions. He’s the son of psychiatrist parents (unseen this season but keep an eye out for a guest shot in season nine) and he has his own style, which makes him an interesting contrast to the more intense and obsessive Goren. And, frankly, more fun. Nichols seems to enjoy his work, even as he keeps frustrating Wheeler with his unconventional methods. It’s not just the suspects he manages keep of balance with his methods.

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Law & Order: Criminal Intent – The Seventh Year (Shout! Factory) is the final season of this incarnation of the franchise to feature Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan, the character he created on the original “Law & Order” and resurrected in the fifth season of this spin-off to give star Vincent D’Onofrio a break from the schedule. It’s also one of the best seasons. Alicia Witt steps in as Noth’s “not a people person” partner for five episodes (stepping in for Julianna Nicholson while she was on leave) and Noth goes head-to-head with an unscrupulous, possibly criminal DA (Leslie Hope) who puts her career above justice. And that’s not even the season finale; it pits D’Onofrio’s Goren against his nemesis Nicole Wallace (Olivia d’Abo) in a case that involves the murder of his brother (Tony Goldwyn) and the machinations of his mentor (John Glover), which nearly drives him over the edge.

Kathryn Erbe is the show’s quiet strength as Goren’s partner, a sharp investigator who plays counterbalance in social situations, and Eric Bogosian is the unit Captain, who understands the way power works in the department. 22 episodes on five discs. DVD only, no supplements.

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