Alexandra Eames

Law & Order character
Det. Alexandra Eames
Time on show	2001–2010
Preceded by	G. Lynn Bishop (as temporary replacement while on maternity leave) Megan Wheeler (as Zach Nichols' partner)
Succeeded by	G. Lynn Bishop (as temporary replacement while on maternity leave)
First appearance	Season 1: "One"
Last appearance	Season 9 Premiere: "Puntland (Part 2)"
Portrayed by	Kathryn Erbe

Det. Alexandra Eames is a fictional character featured in the NBC-USA Network^[1] Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe. In 2008, Erbe received a Satellite Award Nomination for Best Actress: Television Drama Series for her portrayal.

Biography

Eames is a police detective with Manhattan's Major Case Squad. She joined the NYPD to follow in the footsteps of her father, Johnny Eames, also a cop. She is partnered with Det. Robert Goren, and is the senior partner of the two. Her pragmatic, analytical investigative style serves as a balance against Goren's often eccentric investigation and interrogation methods. She and Goren did not see eye-to-eye at first; puzzled by his interrogation methods, she asked her superior officer for a new partner. She soon learned to appreciate his investigative skill, however, and withdrew the request. Even though they sometimes disagree as to the best way to solve cases, Eames and Goren have a solid partnership. In the years since they first became partners, Eames has become very good at playing along with Goren's sometimes far-fetched or even bizarre methods of getting what they need; many times during the course of the show, it has been made very plain that Eames is the only person in law enforcement who really "gets" Goren.

Eames has twice been forced to fire upon a suspect (onscreen), in episodes "Homo Homini Lupis" and "Proud Flesh". When Goren and Eames are both in a vehicle, Eames likes to drive. Goren once commented on this by saying, "That's her thing." Eames drinks vodka martinis, double, easy on the vermouth. Eames' badge number is 3798.

It was established in season one that Eames comes from a family of cops. Her father was a detective who was caught "double-dipping", i.e., drawing a pension from New York City while being on the city payroll.^[2] Eames' younger brother has three kids all in private school, is part of the FDNY, and is married to a nurse. In high school she was the prom queen, and says that the only thing her dad gave her was $50 for her prom dress. It was once stated in the episode "Vacancy" that her aunt, a promiscuous alcoholic, lived with them for a year. After she hit Eames' younger brother, Eames said they never saw her again. In "Vacancy", a suspect senses her anger towards alcoholics and uses her vulnerability to sabotage the case against him.

Eames entered the police academy in 1993. Mrs. Pagolis, who was a Senator, spoke at Eames's graduation from the academy. Eames greatly admired her as a role model for women. Before joining Major Case, Eames was with Vice for five years. For two years of that, she was stationed in Chelsea.^[3]

Eames is widowed. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 2001, Erbe said of Eames, "Her husband was a cop who was killed in the line of duty. None of this you will probably hear in the show."^[4] Later, however, the show's writers decided to tell Eames' back-story. In the 2006 episode "The War at Home", Eames reveals she was once married to a man named Joe, who died eight years previously (1998). In the season 7 opener, viewers learn that she was married from 1993-98 and that her husband's last name was Dutton. In one episode, Eames mentions dating a man named Terry. This is a reference to Erbe's former real-life husband, Terry Kinney.

In 2003, Eames volunteered to serve as a surrogate mother for her sister Liz's baby. (Eames's pregnancy was written into the show to coincide with Erbe's.) Det. G. Lynn Bishop was brought in as Goren's partner while Eames was on maternity leave. Before giving birth, Eames could be seen working on cases with Goren and Bishop by doing desk work at the station house. While her pregnancy was, on the whole, a positive experience, Eames sometimes feels pangs of regret and emptiness for having given the child up. During an investigation of Goren's arch-nemesis, Nicole Wallace, detects Eames' vulnerability on the subject and mocks her for having "eggs ripe and ready for hire" in an attempt to throw off her concentration. Regardless of whatever regrets she has from the experience, however, she is consoled by a very close relationship with the child she carried, stating that she sees her nephew three times a week. The maternity leave served to highlight the incredible compatibility and closeness she shares with Goren, who was shown to be somewhat lost without his partner; he consistently makes comparisons between Bishop and Eames in which it is strongly implied that Eames is the superior partner.

In the 2005 episode "Stress Position", she and Goren include Det. Mike Logan in a case they are investigating. This paves the way for Logan to join Major Case a few months later.

She is kidnapped in the 6th season premiere episode "Blind Spot" by Jo Gage, the daughter of Dr. Declan Gage, Goren's mentor, in an attempt to get her father's attention. Jo was originally going to kill Eames. When talking to Goren in the hospital, Eames mentions that her kidnapper was trying to make her scream. When she revealed that she remained quiet, Goren told her that was likely what kept her alive. After the incident, Eames returns to duty, but (in the episode "Siren Call") it is revealed that she is seeing a therapist to deal with the trauma.

In the first episode since the 2007-2008 Writers Strike, Eames works with another detective after Goren is suspended from duty. After learning that Goren is in an undercover operation to gain his badge back, their relationship seems to take a turn for the worse, as she feels betrayed that he did not feel he could tell her about the assignment.

Eames began partnering with Zach Nichols (Jeff Goldblum) in the season eight episode "Major Case" as Nichols' regular partner, Megan Wheeler, goes into labor and gives birth. This coincides with Julianne Nicholson, who plays Wheeler, giving birth while CI was still in production. Eames will work with both Goren and Nichols through the remainder of the season. In the episode "Revolution", Eames mentions that Nichols reminds her of Goren after Nichols suspects a foreigner may have sent a written message to the New York Times due to the "not very good English" in the note. To this, Eames responds, "You're starting to remind me of someone." Capt. Danny Ross (Eric Bogosian) then remarks, "This one is taller."

Eames, Goren and Ross will be leaving the Major Case Squad after the season 9 premiere 2-part episode, "Puntland".^{[citation needed]}

Joseph Dutton

The season seven premiere "Amends" has to do with the murder of her husband Joe back in 1998. Joe was shot by a Puerto Rican gang member named Manny Beltran during a drug bust where Joe had gone undercover. Manny's older cousin, a drug dealer and witness to the incident, quickly got him out of the country and testified that someone else did the shooting. DNA evidence uncovered Manny's guilt from a cigarette left at the scene.

Robert Goren

Although Goren and Eames have never been romantically involved during the show, they both have shown a great fondness for one another and even have problems with jealousy. For example, in Season 4, Episode 1 "Semi-Detached", Eames shows obvious envy and anger when Goren interacts with an attractive nurse to solve a case. Goren, in turn, seems to show anxiety and jealousy when Eames becomes friendly with another cop in the Season 6 episode "Silencer". Another example is during Eames' absence due to her maternity leave, specifically in Season 3, Episode 10 "F.P.S.", when Goren makes the connection to the suspect missing his partner. While suspended, Goren went undercover in hopes of returning to work. Eames and other police officers burst in to the room and the scene ends with Goren and Eames facing each other, guns out. She becomes very upset that her partner kept this from her. Regardless of whether or not there is a romantic attraction, Goren and Eames obviously care very much for each other.

[To Bishop] Goren: It's about yearning. He misses his partner.

Details

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (November 2009)

• Eames visits her nephew three times a week.
• She can name all 62 of New York state's counties in alphabetical order.
• Her mother is victim of a stroke.
• She drinks vodka martinis, double, easy on the vermouth.
• She has also been known to drink bourbon on the rocks.
• Badge number is 3798.
• Was prom queen in high school.
• Used to help her father restore old cars.
• She has was married from 1993 to 1998 to Joseph Dutton, who was also a cop and died in the line of duty
• In the season 4 episode "My Good Name" it is said that Alex's father's name is Johnny, and he used to work at the 29th Precinct.
• Is a fan of ABBA.
• She was vaccinated for anthrax after the September 11 attacks in 2001.
• Her husband, Joseph Dutton, bought her a taser gun for their Wedding anniversary.
• The song, "The Wild Rover" was the "only song" Joe Dutton knew.

Notes

External links

• NBC biography of Alexandra Eames
• USA's Law & Order: Criminal Intent site, including 18 "Character Insight" videos