Out with a Bang

I’m an infrequent watcher of the CSI franchises which may seem odd as they appear to be most other people’s favourite shows – CSI Miami is in fact the most watched programme in the world! But if there is nothing else on, I will watch a CSI in bed, more often than not falling asleep half way through.

But the other night I managed to watch a complete episode of CSI New York, the final episode of the season that was showing on Channel 5. What a season finale! There was a suspected gas leak in the offices of the CSI team but it turned out to be an elaborate plan by a drug gang to steal back their drugs and avenge the arrest of some of their men.

The baddies were led by a rather sexy Irishman (as is often the case in fiction – in reality I don’t think IRA supporters are normally that good-looking – Gerry Adams certainly isn’t). It was tense and exciting but all ended well with Mac being reunited with his woman and agreeing to go on holiday to London with her. As I don’t watch it very often I knew nothing of their relationship but was struck by her English accent which is that generic English accent that you only ever hear on American television or films – even if the actor is English, it is not how anyone here speaks.

Anyway, these gripes aside I did enjoy it and am looking forward to the next season.

Why I Don't Love CSI

I've tried, I really have, but I just don't love CSI and I don't understand why it is the most popular franchise of programmes in the world.

• I find it far too formulaic - I know that's a bit rich coming from a Columbo fan, but really does every episode have to have two separate investigations running through it?
• If I miss the first few minutes of it, I find it hard to keep up with which investigation is which - probably because of the next point
• I have trouble distinguishing between the investigators and don't have any real sense of their characters, except in the case of..
• Horatio in CSI Miami - he stands out because I can't stand him - posing with his sunglasses on, looking wistfully (I imagine as I can't actually see his eyes) out to sea
• Motivation isn't so important as method of killing. A reason will be given why someone has committed the crime but it isn' t anything in-depth - everyone is 2 dimensional
• Because the method is the most important thing, these are ridiculous - rarely is anyone just shot or stabbed
• They don't seem to liaise with any other specialists - no criminal psychologists etc - just forensics
• Back in the real world, it is apparently getting harder to convict without lots of impressive CSI type evidence as this is what juries now expect having seen it on television
• We had a break-in at work a while back and a forensics expert came to look at the scene - she was no where near as glamorous as the CSI teams - she was quite dull in fact.

I will admit I haven't seen that many full episodes as I tend to watch this in bed and fall asleep and I prefer the original series, then New York and absolutely loathe Miami.

CSI NY: Tigers and Prom Dresses

I managed to stay awake for through a whole episode of CSI New York last night, which I think is a first.

What I particularly like about this (and the Law and Orders) is seeing parts of New York. Last night's episode took in Bronx Zoo and the Meatpacking District.

It also contained some pretty harrowing scenes - a man torn limb from limb by a tiger, Gary Sinise hacking a pig with a range of sharp implements, and general scenes of butchery (unlike my great aunt Meggy, I've no interest in seeing what goes on in a slaughterhouse - it was her idea of a good day out, but that was in the days before television).

The secondary plot involved a debutante, a carousel, experimental cosmetic surgery and a deadly spider. Pushing the boundaries of believability somewhat, but then anything is possible in America and it wouldn't be much of a programme if everyone was just shot.