To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap
Encyclopedia
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" is the eighth and final episode of the tenth season
of the American police procedural
television drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent
. This episode is the final episode of the series. It first aired in the United States on the USA Network
on June 26, 2011. In this episode, detectives Robert Goren
and Alexandra Eames
investigate a case centered around Parker and Thomas Gaffney, a set of wealthy twins, who file a lawsuit against a social networking site due to allegations of stealing copyright claims.
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" was written by Julie Martin
and Chris Brancato, and was extensively re-written by Rene Balcer
, and directed by Jean de Segonzac. The story and the characters in the episode were highly influenced by the real-life lawsuit against Facebook
made by Tyler Winklevoss
and his brother Cameron Winklevoss
, as well as the film adaption to the event, The Social Network
. Critics reacted to the episode with mixed reception upon airing, with much criticism stemming from the cultural references and the episodic plot. Upon its original airing, "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" was watched by 3.75 million viewers, and it achieved a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic according to the Nielson ratings. It featured guest appearances by James Van Der Beek
, Thad Luckinbill
, Trent Luckinbill, and James Brandon
.
No security cam footage is available because the cameras were shut off for some reason. Goren thinks that Thomas's body was already unconscious and Parker was trying to drag him across the floor. Parker was himself attacked while occupied with his brother's body.
The twins' father claims that Kizmate was the twins' idea and that they did meet with Danielle, even if Danielle claims to not know them. They hired her to program the website, but when Kizmate launched, they realized she'd stolen their idea and asked for their share of the site's profits. She refused and the twins sued.
Danielle's alibi is that she was at home and her husband PJ confirms it, but the detectives aren't entirely convinced. Danielle was spotted arguing with Rex Tamlyn (business partner for Kizmate) at a club that night. Goren speaks with Rex, who says that Parker was the man behind the lawsuit, but he doesn't think the twins have any proof. The detectives suspect that Parker may have been at the Kizmate offices that night seeking evidence. Deodorant residue is found on Parker's hands, and it matches the type found on Thomas's body. Parker was dragging Thomas around, and perhaps Parker knocked Thomas unconscious to stop the lawsuit from going forward.
Parker may have been seeking out proof that the algorithm that Danielle wrote for their site was also the backbone for Kizmate. The detectives find that a keycard was used that night to access the office, and it belongs to Hildy Whitmore, Danielle's assistant.
Goren and Eames question Hildy, who claims she didn't give her card to anyone and becomes huffy when the detectives continue to press. Meanwhile one of the computer techs at Major Case has discovered that Danielle did use the same algorithm for Kizmate as she did for the Gaffneys' site.
Danielle denies taking the twins' idea, and Samir (business partner with the Gaffneys) points out that Danielle was with him all night, working on an out-of-court settlement for the lawsuit. He didn't want the twins or PJ to know about it until he was sure Danielle was on board.
PJ is very upset that Danielle went to broker a deal outside of court, but Rex reminds him that they're still the public face of the company and they can't have a public falling out. The detectives later confront Rex about his alibi, suggesting that he was with Hildy that night, and Rex says not. When the cameras are turned off, a hidden camera takes a picture of the office, and when he shows the detectives the picture taken from that camera that night, they notice that the camera lens has been covered with a blue knit cap.
PJ refuses to be rattled by the questioning but Hildy caves. She admits that she and PJ were having an affair and that they were the ones who turned off the cameras so that no one would know that they were meeting after hours. She knew Parker was going to be there that night because he found out about her affair and blackmailed her into allowing him access to the office.
Samir says that he was aware what the twins were up to and why Parker managed to get into the Kizmate office. Goren uses Samir's phone to set up a trap for Danielle in Central Park. She arrives, thinking she's about to meet Samir for another meeting about the lawsuit, but find the detectives instead.
They accuse her of informing Thomas about the affair. Then he told Parker about it, which Parker then used to blackmail Hildy. Danielle also had feelings for Thomas, so she warned him, and Thomas said that he was going to try and stop his brother. She was at the office and spotted Parker with Thomas's body. Parker blamed her for making Thomas go soft and turning against him and he went to attack her. Danielle stabbed Parker with a pair of scissors in self-defense.
Meanwhile, Goren finds out that his therapy sessions with Dr. Gyson are as much about the NYPD evaluating his job performance as they were about helping him get into his own head. He does have anger and trust issues, but Goren doesn't think any amount of therapy will help with that. Dr. Gyson offers him a business card anyway, and she says that he should be able to keep his job if he manages to curb his anger. She has full confidence that he'll be able to. Goren ponders and agrees to another session with Dr. Gyson next week.
The episode ends with Goren and Eames going off to investigate a crime scene at a bank, if they can get there before the feds do.
Leslie Hendrix
reprised her role as Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers, a recurring character in the fictional universe
of Law & Order.
, in his third episode of the season. This was the first Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode under the direction of Segonzac since the season ten episode "The Last Street in Manhattan". "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" was co-written by Julie Martin
and Chris Brancato
, and rewritten extensively by the series' creator Rene Balcer
. Martin previously wrote "Icarus", while this would be the first episode that Brancato has written for the series since the season ten episode "The Consoler". Dick Wolf
, the creator of the Law & Order franchise
, served as the executive producer
for the episode alongside Chris Brancato
and Peter Jankowski
. Guest appearances on the episode include an appearance by James Van Der Beek
, who was portrayed as Rex Tamlyn. Thad Luckinbill
and Trent Luckinbill made an appearance on the episode, playing the roles of Thomas and Parker Gaffney, a set of wealthy twins. Brandon Jacobs
, a running back for the New York Giants
, also make an appearance as a bouncer.
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" features several references relating to music, film, literature and other pop culture phenomenon. The plot and several character featured were largely inspired by the controversial event involving the suing of Facebook
by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, as well as the theatrical adaption to the event, The Social Network
.
Television critics were largely polarized with the episode. Kate Ward of Entertainment Weekly
stated that she was disappointed with the delivery of the episode. Ward criticized the writing, deeming it as a "lazy episode". Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times
felt that the episode that the episode was "less campy, but no less topical." Phil Nugent of The A.V. Club
gave the episode a 'C+', but opined that it was an improvement from the previous episode. Nugent felt that Van Der Beek's acting was not particularly outstanding, opining: "It kind of got lost in the shuffle, partly because none of the characters seemed especially passionate [...] about anyone: not the people they were supposed to be having affairs with or the people they were suspected of having murdered. If that was meant to be the point, it was a self-defeating one."
Ciara Moyna of Daemon's TV felt that the episode was boring and predictable. In her review, Moyna stated: "There were blue hats and tears and computer codes and algorithms and father and son issues and fidelity problems galore and Goren and Eames sifted through the evidence and eventually found the killer. It was pretty boring, which is a pity because even though I wasn’t fond of it, last week’s [Icarus] and the episode about wine were not dull affairs at all." Liz Kelly Nelson of Zap2it
reacted negatively toward "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap". Nelson exclaimed that the episode was "downright unemotional", and expressed that "beyond the step-by-step as we follow Goren and Eames through the clues, there isn't much in the way of hints that this is [...] a series finale."
After confirming "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" was Law & Order: CI's final episode; USA Network co-president Jeff Watchel commented on the finale when Goren (D'Onofrio) emerged from his final mandatory shrink session and headed off to a new crime scene with Eames (Erbe); "We felt that was a great place to leave things," he said. "It was a good series finale."
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (season 10)
The 10th and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent premiered Sunday, May 1, 2011 on USA Network. The timeslot was moved to Sunday nights at 9 p.m...
of the American police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
television drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
. This episode is the final episode of the series. It first aired in the United States on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
on June 26, 2011. In this episode, detectives Robert Goren
Robert Goren
Det. Robert "Bobby" Goren is a fictional character featured in the NBC-USA Network police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio....
and Alexandra Eames
Alexandra Eames
Det. Alexandra "Alex" Eames is a fictional police detective with the NYPD Major Case Squad featured in the NBC-USA Network Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe...
investigate a case centered around Parker and Thomas Gaffney, a set of wealthy twins, who file a lawsuit against a social networking site due to allegations of stealing copyright claims.
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" was written by Julie Martin
Julie Martin (writer)
Julie Martin is an American television writer and producer. She has worked on the NBC crime dramas Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She won a Humanitas Prize and was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for her work on Homicide...
and Chris Brancato, and was extensively re-written by Rene Balcer
René Balcer
René Balcer is a Canadian television writer, director and producer.-Early life:He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and attended Lower Canada College in Montreal. He earned his B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Communication Studies from Concordia University in 1978. He began his career as a journalist,...
, and directed by Jean de Segonzac. The story and the characters in the episode were highly influenced by the real-life lawsuit against Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
made by Tyler Winklevoss
Tyler Winklevoss
Tyler Howard Winklevoss is an American rower and entrepreneur. He competed in the men's pair rowing event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with his identical twin brother and rowing partner Cameron Winklevoss...
and his brother Cameron Winklevoss
Cameron Winklevoss
Cameron Howard Winklevoss is an American rower and entrepreneur. He competed in the men's pair rowing event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with his identical twin brother and rowing partner Tyler Winklevoss. Cameron and his brother are known for co-founding HarvardConnection along with Harvard...
, as well as the film adaption to the event, The Social Network
The Social Network
The Social Network is a 2010 American drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich's 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires, the film portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits...
. Critics reacted to the episode with mixed reception upon airing, with much criticism stemming from the cultural references and the episodic plot. Upon its original airing, "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" was watched by 3.75 million viewers, and it achieved a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic according to the Nielson ratings. It featured guest appearances by James Van Der Beek
James Van Der Beek
James William Van Der Beek, Jr. is an American television, film, and stage actor, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek...
, Thad Luckinbill
Thad Luckinbill
Thaddeus Rowe "Thad" Luckinbill is an American actor best known for playing J.T. Hellstrom on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless for 11 years...
, Trent Luckinbill, and James Brandon
James Brandon
James Brandon is a British journalist, most recently working in Iraq freelance on assignment from the Sunday Telegraph and The Scotsman, covering the occupation and insurgency...
.
Plot
Goren and Eames are called in to investigate when the bodies of twins Parker and Thomas Gaffney are found in the offices of popular dating website Kizmate. The Gaffneys were apparently seeking out information to use in a lawsuit against Kizmate's founders: Danielle and PJ Edwards. The Gaffneys apparently had the idea for Kizmate first, and asked Danielle to help code the site. Danielle claims the algorithm used on the site was one she devised herself after she met her perfect man (PJ) and was trying to track him down, leaving a message for "the boy in the blue knit cap".No security cam footage is available because the cameras were shut off for some reason. Goren thinks that Thomas's body was already unconscious and Parker was trying to drag him across the floor. Parker was himself attacked while occupied with his brother's body.
The twins' father claims that Kizmate was the twins' idea and that they did meet with Danielle, even if Danielle claims to not know them. They hired her to program the website, but when Kizmate launched, they realized she'd stolen their idea and asked for their share of the site's profits. She refused and the twins sued.
Danielle's alibi is that she was at home and her husband PJ confirms it, but the detectives aren't entirely convinced. Danielle was spotted arguing with Rex Tamlyn (business partner for Kizmate) at a club that night. Goren speaks with Rex, who says that Parker was the man behind the lawsuit, but he doesn't think the twins have any proof. The detectives suspect that Parker may have been at the Kizmate offices that night seeking evidence. Deodorant residue is found on Parker's hands, and it matches the type found on Thomas's body. Parker was dragging Thomas around, and perhaps Parker knocked Thomas unconscious to stop the lawsuit from going forward.
Parker may have been seeking out proof that the algorithm that Danielle wrote for their site was also the backbone for Kizmate. The detectives find that a keycard was used that night to access the office, and it belongs to Hildy Whitmore, Danielle's assistant.
Goren and Eames question Hildy, who claims she didn't give her card to anyone and becomes huffy when the detectives continue to press. Meanwhile one of the computer techs at Major Case has discovered that Danielle did use the same algorithm for Kizmate as she did for the Gaffneys' site.
Danielle denies taking the twins' idea, and Samir (business partner with the Gaffneys) points out that Danielle was with him all night, working on an out-of-court settlement for the lawsuit. He didn't want the twins or PJ to know about it until he was sure Danielle was on board.
PJ is very upset that Danielle went to broker a deal outside of court, but Rex reminds him that they're still the public face of the company and they can't have a public falling out. The detectives later confront Rex about his alibi, suggesting that he was with Hildy that night, and Rex says not. When the cameras are turned off, a hidden camera takes a picture of the office, and when he shows the detectives the picture taken from that camera that night, they notice that the camera lens has been covered with a blue knit cap.
PJ refuses to be rattled by the questioning but Hildy caves. She admits that she and PJ were having an affair and that they were the ones who turned off the cameras so that no one would know that they were meeting after hours. She knew Parker was going to be there that night because he found out about her affair and blackmailed her into allowing him access to the office.
Samir says that he was aware what the twins were up to and why Parker managed to get into the Kizmate office. Goren uses Samir's phone to set up a trap for Danielle in Central Park. She arrives, thinking she's about to meet Samir for another meeting about the lawsuit, but find the detectives instead.
They accuse her of informing Thomas about the affair. Then he told Parker about it, which Parker then used to blackmail Hildy. Danielle also had feelings for Thomas, so she warned him, and Thomas said that he was going to try and stop his brother. She was at the office and spotted Parker with Thomas's body. Parker blamed her for making Thomas go soft and turning against him and he went to attack her. Danielle stabbed Parker with a pair of scissors in self-defense.
Meanwhile, Goren finds out that his therapy sessions with Dr. Gyson are as much about the NYPD evaluating his job performance as they were about helping him get into his own head. He does have anger and trust issues, but Goren doesn't think any amount of therapy will help with that. Dr. Gyson offers him a business card anyway, and she says that he should be able to keep his job if he manages to curb his anger. She has full confidence that he'll be able to. Goren ponders and agrees to another session with Dr. Gyson next week.
The episode ends with Goren and Eames going off to investigate a crime scene at a bank, if they can get there before the feds do.
Cast
- Vincent D'OnofrioVincent D'OnofrioVincent Phillip D'Onofrio is an American actor, director, film producer, writer, and singer. Often referred to as an actor's actor, his work as a character actor has earned him the nickname of "Human Chameleon"...
as Robert GorenRobert GorenDet. Robert "Bobby" Goren is a fictional character featured in the NBC-USA Network police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Vincent D'Onofrio....
:
- Robert Goren is a investigator and criminal profilerOffender profilingOffender profiling, also known as criminal profiling, is a behavioral and investigative tool that is intended to help investigators to profile unknown criminal subjects or offenders. Offender profiling is also known as criminal profiling, criminal personality profiling, criminological profiling,...
, known for his prominent sense of instinct and insight. After the premiere of the ninth season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, D'Onofrio left the show. He was replaced by Jeff GoldblumJeff GoldblumJeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
, who reprised his role as detective Zack Nichols. A month after Goldblum's contract with the show expired, it was confirmed that D'Onofrio would to the series in its tenth and final season.
- Kathryn ErbeKathryn ErbeKathryn Elsbeth Erbe is an American actress known for her role as Det. Alexandra Eames in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, a spin-off of Law & Order, and death row inmate Shirley Bellinger in the HBO series Oz.-Personal life:...
as Alexandra EamesAlexandra EamesDet. Alexandra "Alex" Eames is a fictional police detective with the NYPD Major Case Squad featured in the NBC-USA Network Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe...
:
- Alexandra Eames the partner of Rovert Goren. Like D'Onofrio, Ebre left the series during the beginning of the ninth season. She was replaced by Saffron BurrowsSaffron BurrowsSaffron Dominique Burrows is an English actress and former fashion model, who starred as Det. Serena Stevens on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Lorraine Weller on Boston Legal.-Early life:...
, who reprised her role as detective Serena Stevens. Weeks after the departure of Goldbum, it was confirmed that Erbe returned to the series alongside with D'Onofrio, after Burrows announced that she would depart from the show.
Also Starring
- Jay O. SandersJay O. SandersJay Olcutt Sanders is an American character actor.Sanders was born in Austin, Texas, to Phyllis Rae and James Olcutt Sanders. He is noted for playing Mob lawyer character Steven Kordo in the 1986–88 NBC detective series Crime Story...
as Joseph Hannah:
- Joseph Hannah is the new official police captain of the squad, and a close friend of Goren since their time in the police academyPolice academyA police academy is a training school for new police recruits, also known as a law enforcement academy.-Australia:Larger police departments usually run their own academies. States often run a centralised academy for training of personnel of law enforcement agencies within the state.Police...
. In February 2011, Sanders would join as a permanent member of the cast, playing the role of Joseph Hannah. He would replace the role of Zoe Callas, who was portrayed by Mary Elizabeth MastrantonioMary Elizabeth MastrantonioMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is an American actress and singer known for her role as Carmen in The Color of Money, as well as for her roles as Lindsey Brigman in The Abyss, Gina Montana in Scarface, and Maid Marian in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.-Personal life:Mastrantonio was born in Lombard,...
.
- Julia OrmondJulia OrmondJulia Karin Ormond is an English actress who has appeared in film and television and on stage.-Early life and education:...
as joined the cast in her recurring role as Dr. Paula Gyson, a police psychologistPolice psychologyPolice psychology is a specialized field of psychology addressing issues specific to police personnel and other public safety workers.-Police psychologists:...
.
Special Guest Starring
- James Van Der BeekJames Van Der BeekJames William Van Der Beek, Jr. is an American television, film, and stage actor, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek...
as Rex Tamlyn:
- Rex Tamlyn is a young and promiscuous individual, who has professional ties with the social networking website. This would be the only Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode that Van Der Beek has appeared on.
- Thad and Trent Luckinbill as Parker and Thomas Gaffney:
- Parker and Thomas Gaffney are two wealthy individuals, who are also identical twins. They go on to file a lawsuit against a social networking site, claiming that the idea was stolen from them. The characters were largely inspired by TylerTyler WinklevossTyler Howard Winklevoss is an American rower and entrepreneur. He competed in the men's pair rowing event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with his identical twin brother and rowing partner Cameron Winklevoss...
and Cameron WinklevossCameron WinklevossCameron Howard Winklevoss is an American rower and entrepreneur. He competed in the men's pair rowing event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with his identical twin brother and rowing partner Tyler Winklevoss. Cameron and his brother are known for co-founding HarvardConnection along with Harvard...
, who filed a lawsuit against FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
alleging that creator Mark ZuckerbergMark ZuckerbergMark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known for co-creating the social networking site Facebook, of which he is chief executive and president...
had breached over copyright claims.- Brandon JacobsBrandon Jacobs-New York Giants:Going into the 2006 season Jacobs stated that he studied film of famed power running back Eddie George in an effort to refine his running style. George, like Jacobs, was a large, power running back. In the 2006 season, Jacobs carried the ball 96 times for 423 yards and nine...
as a bouncer.
- Brandon Jacobs
Leslie Hendrix
Leslie Hendrix
Leslie Hendrix is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Elizabeth Rodgers on four Law & Order series...
reprised her role as Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers, a recurring character in the fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
of Law & Order.
Production
"To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" was directed by Jean de SegonzacJean de Segonzac
Jean R. B. de Segonzac is a director, screenwriter and cinematographer who has worked in documentaries and television programs...
, in his third episode of the season. This was the first Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode under the direction of Segonzac since the season ten episode "The Last Street in Manhattan". "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" was co-written by Julie Martin
Julie Martin (writer)
Julie Martin is an American television writer and producer. She has worked on the NBC crime dramas Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She won a Humanitas Prize and was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for her work on Homicide...
and Chris Brancato
Chris Brancato
Chris Brancato is a Hollywood writer and producer of several films and television programs. Brancato grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and graduated from Teaneck High School. He subsequently attended and graduated from Brown University. He now lives in Los Angeles, California...
, and rewritten extensively by the series' creator Rene Balcer
René Balcer
René Balcer is a Canadian television writer, director and producer.-Early life:He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and attended Lower Canada College in Montreal. He earned his B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Communication Studies from Concordia University in 1978. He began his career as a journalist,...
. Martin previously wrote "Icarus", while this would be the first episode that Brancato has written for the series since the season ten episode "The Consoler". Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
, the creator of the Law & Order franchise
Law & Order franchise
The Law & Order franchise is a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and originally broadcast on NBC, all of which deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system...
, served as the executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for the episode alongside Chris Brancato
Chris Brancato
Chris Brancato is a Hollywood writer and producer of several films and television programs. Brancato grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and graduated from Teaneck High School. He subsequently attended and graduated from Brown University. He now lives in Los Angeles, California...
and Peter Jankowski
Peter Jankowski
Peter Jankowski is an executive producer of Law & Order and a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.Jankowski also holds executive producer credits from Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Conviction, Dragnet, Crime & Punishment, Arrest &...
. Guest appearances on the episode include an appearance by James Van Der Beek
James Van Der Beek
James William Van Der Beek, Jr. is an American television, film, and stage actor, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek...
, who was portrayed as Rex Tamlyn. Thad Luckinbill
Thad Luckinbill
Thaddeus Rowe "Thad" Luckinbill is an American actor best known for playing J.T. Hellstrom on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless for 11 years...
and Trent Luckinbill made an appearance on the episode, playing the roles of Thomas and Parker Gaffney, a set of wealthy twins. Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs
-New York Giants:Going into the 2006 season Jacobs stated that he studied film of famed power running back Eddie George in an effort to refine his running style. George, like Jacobs, was a large, power running back. In the 2006 season, Jacobs carried the ball 96 times for 423 yards and nine...
, a running back for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, also make an appearance as a bouncer.
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" features several references relating to music, film, literature and other pop culture phenomenon. The plot and several character featured were largely inspired by the controversial event involving the suing of Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, as well as the theatrical adaption to the event, The Social Network
The Social Network
The Social Network is a 2010 American drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich's 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires, the film portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits...
.
Reception
"To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap" first aired on June 26, 2011 in the United States on the USA Network. Upon its original airing, it was viewed by 3.75 million viewers. The episode garnered a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic, according to the Nielson ratings. The total viewership for the episode slightly increased from the previous episode, "Icarus", which was watched by 3.25 million viewers during its initial airing. Ratings were steady from the previous episode, however, as it also garnered a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic.Television critics were largely polarized with the episode. Kate Ward of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
stated that she was disappointed with the delivery of the episode. Ward criticized the writing, deeming it as a "lazy episode". Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
felt that the episode that the episode was "less campy, but no less topical." Phil Nugent of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode a 'C+', but opined that it was an improvement from the previous episode. Nugent felt that Van Der Beek's acting was not particularly outstanding, opining: "It kind of got lost in the shuffle, partly because none of the characters seemed especially passionate [...] about anyone: not the people they were supposed to be having affairs with or the people they were suspected of having murdered. If that was meant to be the point, it was a self-defeating one."
Ciara Moyna of Daemon's TV felt that the episode was boring and predictable. In her review, Moyna stated: "There were blue hats and tears and computer codes and algorithms and father and son issues and fidelity problems galore and Goren and Eames sifted through the evidence and eventually found the killer. It was pretty boring, which is a pity because even though I wasn’t fond of it, last week’s [Icarus] and the episode about wine were not dull affairs at all." Liz Kelly Nelson of Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
reacted negatively toward "To the Boy In the Blue Knit Cap". Nelson exclaimed that the episode was "downright unemotional", and expressed that "beyond the step-by-step as we follow Goren and Eames through the clues, there isn't much in the way of hints that this is [...] a series finale."
After confirming "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" was Law & Order: CI's final episode; USA Network co-president Jeff Watchel commented on the finale when Goren (D'Onofrio) emerged from his final mandatory shrink session and headed off to a new crime scene with Eames (Erbe); "We felt that was a great place to leave things," he said. "It was a good series finale."