The franchise may do a good job telling stories about New York society crimes, giving roles to actresses who want to do something other than be cute, and providing endless employment for Richard Belzer and, when he wants it, Chris Noth. After watching the
Criminal Intent episode where Major Case ends up facing down a rogue cop from a theoretical New York hip-hop investigations unit, replete with stupid nick-names, an inevitable corruption storyline, and some seriously unnuanced Stop Snitching overtones, I feel I can say with confidence that unless the writing staff undergoes and overhaul, the franchise should never be allowed near rap as a subject ever again. Good
lord is that episode ham-handed. Ouch.