Another Law & Order alum is open to a big return.
Vincent D’Onofrio has made it clear he’s ready to return to the role of Law & Order: Criminal Intent’s quirky detective Bobby Goren.
Whether it’d be in the upcoming Law & Order Season 21 revival or a new spin-off, the actor seems eager to reprise the fan-favorite character.
Bobby Goren’s history with Law & Order: Criminal Intent
When Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered in 2001, the idea was to show the perspectives of both the cops and the criminals they hunted.
But the show soon transformed into a showcase for Robert “Bobby” Goren, a brilliant detective with some bizarre quirks. Extremely unpredictable, including to his partners, Goren could put suspects off-balance as he unraveled the clues to the truth.
Much of Goren’s behavior came from his upbringing, as his gambler father left his schizophrenic mother and a brother who was a drug addict. Goren later discovered his actual birth father was a serial killer.
Known for his intense manner on cases, Goren crossed a line when his supervisor Captain Ross was murdered and he roughed up a suspect. As a result, he was fired from the force but returned in the show’s tenth, and final, season.
Even as other detectives (such as Chris Noth’s Mike Logan) were featured, Goren is usually who fans think of when Law & Order: Criminal Intent is mentioned.
Could Goren and Law & Order: Criminal Intent return?
D’Onofrio has been busy since leaving the show with various movie and TV roles. His biggest part has been playing Wilson Fisk, aka The Kingpin, on Netflix’s Daredevil series. D’Onofrio recently reprised the role for Disney+’s Hawkeye series.
Speaking to ComicBook.com, D’Onofrio revealed he’s been in talks with Dick Wolf about the possibility of Goren returning.
“I’ve made it clear to Dick Wolf that I would come back if he wanted to do a streaming six to ten or 13 episodes, I would be totally into it. To play a more mature Robert Goren would be really fun, and Warren Leight, who writes Special Victims Unit, was one of my favorite writers on Criminal Intent. I think he would be great, and also Chris Brancado, who writes The Godfather of Harlem, we first met on the last eight episodes of Law & Order. Yeah, I’d like to revisit it, but that’s up to Dick Wolf. I’ve made it very clear to him that I would, so that’s up to him, I really have no say in that.”
Law & Order has made a big deal of some characters coming back. Christopher Meloni returned to play Elliot Stabler for Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Also, both Anthony Anderson and Sam Waterston will reprise their roles for the upcoming Season 21 revival of the original Law & Order series.
D’Onofrio’s words are notable as rather than just a guest shot, he’d prefer a full Law & Order: Criminal Intent revival spin-off. While that might be a bit difficult with three shows already on the air, the fact he’s so eager to return to the role makes a revival more possible.
At the least, D’Onofrio is open to reprising the role of Goren for even a guest appearance and could provide more of that unique spark to the Law & Order franchise.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Seasons 1-10 streaming on Peacock.
i cant wait see revival of law and order crimal intent,with Vinent D”orofrio .