Law & Order: Criminal Intent

10 Best Episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season 3

The third installment of the β€œLaw & Order” franchise takes viewers deep into the minds of its criminals while following the intense psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve its crimes.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E1

#15 - Undaunted Mettle (Season 3 - Episode 1)

A very pregnant Eames reveals that she has offered to be a surrogate mother and carry her sister's child; a famous architect's promiscuity becomes the key to solving the murder of a promising young designer who was his closest competitor for a prestigious commission.

The episode was rated 7.40 from 94 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E9

#14 - Happy Family (Season 3 - Episode 9)

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The bludgeoning of a rich family patriarch has the detectives investigating several suspects, each with their own motives: his estranged wife whom he was about to divorce, a male friend of hers who was a parolee, their childrens' nanny, the victim's brother in law who is a doctor, even the oldest son. Goren and Carver call the family of suspects together to sort it all out ... in family court.

The episode was rated 7.43 from 77 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E21

#13 - Consumed (Season 3 - Episode 21)

A police officer is framed for a triple homicide by a greedy woman who takes advantage of his sleepwalking and is enmeshed in a bitter divorce settlement and out for revenge.

The episode was rated 7.44 from 77 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E14

#12 - Mis-Labeled (Season 3 - Episode 14)

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Goren and Eames stumble upon a web of corporate corruption involving fraud, bribery, identity theft, and a conspiracy to sell lethally-contaminated blood products as they investigate the murder of a pharmaceutical salesman.

The episode was rated 7.48 from 69 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E6

#11 - Stray (Season 3 - Episode 6)

Tracking a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde, Goren deduces that one of his suspects has an injured foot. It isn't long before Goren and Bishop realise that the pair, who have already killed nine people including two undercover cops, are not the typical Bonnie and Clyde -- the female partner is obviously the one in control.

The episode was rated 7.48 from 92 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E16

#10 - The Saint (Season 3 - Episode 16)

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A man commits fraud, forgery, and murder to discredit the organization that took advantage of his mentally ill mother, impoverished his family, and ruined his childhood.

The episode was rated 7.52 from 77 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E19

#9 - Fico di Capo (Season 3 - Episode 19)

After a protected witness is shot dead in a restaurant, Goren and Eames find themselves on the trail of a trio of young mobsters. They finally figure out that a young man named Chops is the key, but can't find anyone willing to turn on him. Goren seeks the help of a fig-loving don dying of cancer to trap Chops.

The episode was rated 7.55 from 75 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E11

#8 - Mad Hops (Season 3 - Episode 11)

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The murder of a private investigator, who was tracking down the whereabouts of a prominent high school basketball player, has the detectives searching the local courts to discover a link to gamblers and college recruiters until they learn that several other prominent players were transferred to the same school - one with a championship tradition.

The episode was rated 7.58 from 67 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E18

#7 - Ill-Bred (Season 3 - Episode 18)

A stable worker resorts to heroin smuggling, deception, extortion, and murder to finance the purchase of the farm and foundation stallion that will provide a leg up on the horse set social ladder.

The episode was rated 7.59 from 64 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E4

#6 - But Not Forgotten (Season 3 - Episode 4)

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When a bookkeeper goes missing, Goren and Eames are led back to the death of her brother, a hitman, two years earlier. In imprisoned mobster seems to be their best bet, but when another body turns up it takes the case to a whole new level.

The episode was rated 7.60 from 91 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E13

#5 - Pas de Deux (Season 3 - Episode 13)

A terminally ill bank robber angered by the ravages of his illness exerts what little control he has left in life by manipulating the unwitting accomplices he enlists to assist him with committing his final robberies, forcing Goren and Eames into a race against time to foil his plan for a suicide-by-cop that will take both his life and that of his latest accomplice.

The episode was rated 7.66 from 70 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E7

#4 - A Murderer Among Us (Season 3 - Episode 7)

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The detectives try to link the suicide of an Argentine immigrant to her husband who has a history of violence. While the subsequent investigation is not successful, they discover his hatred might be linked to a string of unsolved murders with the same MO.

The episode was rated 7.67 from 81 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E8

#3 - Sound Bodies (Season 3 - Episode 8)

Goren and Bishop pursue a teenage Svengali who convinces three impressionable young girls to commit multiple homicides in the cause of a twisted philosophy.

The episode was rated 7.72 from 74 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E20

#2 - D.A.W. (Season 3 - Episode 20)

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The investigation into the death of a woman searching for the whereabouts of her late mother's antique ring leads Goren and Eames to a physician serial killer who has cleverly concealed the murder of over two hundred of his patients.

The episode was rated 7.75 from 77 votes.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - S3E17

#1 - Conscience (Season 3 - Episode 17)

A neurologist who believes that she can communicate with a woman in a persistent vegetative state is murdered by a family member who fears that the doctor will uncover the multi-million dollar motive which led to the woman's disability.

The episode was rated 7.97 from 69 votes.

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