Robert Goren

Detective Robert Goren is the fictional character on NBC's ' played by Vincent D'Onofrio.

Related Topics:
NBC - Vincent D'Onofrio

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Detective Goren works as a profiler for the Major Case Squad in the New York Police Department (NYPD). He is an intense and intelligent man who has a college degree in psychology. After his time in college, Goren spent time in the Military Police of the US Army, stationed in Germany and Korea, before joining the NYPD. Goren spent four years in the Narcotics Department, running three sting operations that resulted in 27 arrests.

Related Topics:
Profiler - New York - NYPD - Psychology - Military Police - US Army - Germany - Korea - Narcotics - Sting operation

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He is partnered with Detective Alexandra Eames (played by Kathryn Erbe), although he was temporarily partnered with Detective G. Lynn Bishop (played by Samantha Buck) in 2003 - 2004, while Eames was on maternity leave. Eames is practical while Goren is often portrayed as intellectual, yet there is little evidence of conflict between them. The show highlights his abilities as a profiler, and also demonstrates his skills as an interrogator able to elicit confessions from calculating killers. However, Goren has also shown some tender moments; his mother, who suffers from schizophrenia, is hospitalized, and Goren visits her every week. Goren has been known to openly flinch whenever his mother is mentioned (a weakness often exploited by Goren's long-time nemesis, Nicole Wallace).

Related Topics:
Alexandra Eames - Kathryn Erbe - G. Lynn Bishop - Samantha Buck - 2003 - 2004 - Maternity leave - Schizophrenia - Nicole Wallace

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Goren is frequently compared to detective Sherlock Holmes, and there are many characteristics that are similar, such as the abilities of both to latch onto certain clues that seem minor but end up breaking the case. They both also possess the ability to come up with a complete theory of a crime based on little evidence, and sustain that theory based on what they do find.

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While Goren will never cross the line into open insubordination, he will occasionally push professional boundaries, either because he feels it will solve the case more effectively, or because empathy for a suspect leads him to believe that the most extreme punishments are not warranted. He once said that he developed this willingness to test authority from his days as a "lapsed alter boy."

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Criminal Intent starts from the perspective of the criminal, a witness or even a victim. On the show's website, D'Onofrio states: "Bobby Goren takes you through a different story each week. Sometimes it's a 'who-dunnit' or even a 'why-dunnit.' The fun and interesting thing is that the audience knows things my character doesn't and, as the story goes along, will realise that I know things that they don't. The whole story is a game and we all get to play."

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An interesting quirk of Goren's is his habit of cocking his head at odd angles at certain times (such as when interrogating a suspect.) D'Onofrio invented this habit, derived from a scene in the pilot episode where a suspect he was interrogating would not look him in the eye.

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