A question mark. That pretty much sums up my feelings for this episode of CSI. What a bizarre ride this one was. I'm an outspoken guy and usually have plenty of words to convey my feelings, but I'm not sure what to say for this one. I can't take the straight-up recap approach because there was only about 10 minutes of new, interesting substance. So instead, I'm going to bullet-point my thoughts and you can feel free to comment on them. — First of all, half of this episode was like a bad greatest-hits CD. Greatest-hits CDs are made for the casual fan or the newbie who's never listened before but would like a good summary of an artist. This episode wasn't even career-spanning but rather one of those late-period throw-offs. I would take a bet that the majority of regular viewers of CSI would have been able to remember the basics of the previous miniature crimes without having to recap them like this. I understand the other lab techs had to be brought up to speed, but there had to ...
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It's time for everyone to disagree with me again. When my opinion about an episode sways drastically one way or the other, it usually means everyone will think the exact opposite. So here's your chance. This was the best episode of the season! If there were still any lingering questions about Keppler possibly showing up in a few episodes with Gil, they are all gone now. Last week, what I thought was a clear assumption that Keppler killed this "Amy" girl wasn't true at all. And thinking he killed the guy he thought raped her also turned out to be false. So I guess Mike really was trying to put his past behind him and move on. He was a cop that killed an innocent man, but in the end he actually didn’t seem that dirty compared to his buddy Frank. Man, Frank was really just going to hand the gun over so they could finger his buddy for the murder? That's crazy. And now, Mike is gone. A tough break since we finally saw some real emotion when he slammed the pimp's head into the table....
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Question: I love your column, but I get the distinct impression that you don't like my favorite show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, because you very seldom write about it. Now I am perplexed. Where is Gary Dourdan? It seems to me that every episode that airs, he is on less and less. Why bring the new guy in to replace Grissom? Why not give more airtime to the regulars? Who can I ask this of, if not you?
Answer: If I don't write much about CSI, it's a result of the fact that even the most popular of procedurals don't generate as much mail as more serialized dramas, cult shows, etc. I have always been a fan of the original CSI, and still am. As for Warrick: He's not going anywhere, but the reality is that he's part of an ensemble, and his fans are never going to be satisfied with his supporting status in many episodes. That said, I'm a bit puzzled as well, because when Grissom left, didn't he tell Warrick that he was the unsung hero of the CSI team or some such thing? You'd think that
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No, no, no. I'm just kidding with the title of my blog. I wouldn't want to start a quarterback controversy here. Is the show better off without William Petersen? Is the fresh blood of Liev Schreiber a nice jolt of energy? Can no one ever match up with Gil Grissom? All very good questions, which I can let you decide. But let me share my thoughts. Hello, Mr. Mike Keppler. A nice dark, mysterious intro followed by him walking up to the body and touching it. Good start, buddy. And right there we begin a show filled with attitude, as Catherine chastises him for touching and explains how they do things in Vegas. Ain't no messing around in the Vegas crime lab. It wasn't just Cat, though. Almost everyone seemed a little on edge with the new guy in town. There was Sofia telling the Doc not to whistle as he cuts people open. Sara, jawing a bit with the slacker detective. Even Keppler was able to get in on it when Catherine asked him how he knew all the deaths were related, and he firmly said,...
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Welcome to 2007, everyone. I planned on an emotional ride for my first new episode of the calendar year, but I really didn't get that. Grissom's going on sabbatical — we knew that part. How the last episode played out was going to be the story. But it really wasn't. There wasn't that much drama at all. Hodges was the first to find out and got him a college sweatshirt and started talking to Gil about his "crazy times" at the school since he was a student there. Cat then found out she was going to be acting supervisor and, like a good CSI, she'd be focused more on her cases instead. The moment with Warrick was good, when Gil told him he was "the rock of the team... be there for Catherine like you were for me." That's cool coming from a guy who gives out such little praise. Nick is certainly the funniest one, though. Thinking Gil won't be back at all, he goes up and hugs him:Gil: "I'll be back in four weeks, stop hugging me."Nick: "Yes, sir." Ha! The scene with Sara is what I was ...
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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
After more than six seasons in Sin City, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation's top investigator is leaving Las Vegas. At least temporarily.
Beginning with this week's episode (airing tonight at 9 pm/ET, on CBS), William Petersen's grim Gil Grissom is going on sabbatical to deal with the frustrations that have been making it difficult for him to do his job. "We've seen Grissom suffering from burnout," explains executive producer Carol Mendelsohn. "Now he has an offer to teach a seminar at Williams College, which he finds enticing."
Grissom's break is coming about because Petersen himself wanted time off — to do a play in Providence, Rhode Island. And while both departures seem temporary, Grissom's will permanently change relationships in th
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Hey everyone, Tonight's episode is a repeat from earlier in the season. This is the one where the five dead bodies talk. I'm reposting my commentary from that week. Feel free to comment here if you watch the show again and feel inclined to leave your thoughts. Next week is a new episode so I'll be back then to recap. Recap from 10.5.2006As many of you already know, I'm more of a fan of one or two cases that take the entire show to solve. I love all the intricate details of the case and the mystery surrounding the evidence and I usually hate the episodes where things come too easily for everyone involved. For once though, I think the quick and relatively easy worked for me. To start, I was pleasantly surprised the show wasn't all dead bodies talking to me. I was at least expecting them to narrate the crime scene but it's great they didn't. I liked the whole — hey neighbor, here's why you're talking to me — type of thing. The four stories were kind of interesting as well. Wi...
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As many of you already know, I'm more of a fan of one or two cases that take the entire show to solve. I love all the intricate details of the case and the mystery surrounding the evidence and I usually hate the episodes where things come too easily for everyone involved. For once though, I think the quick and relatively easy worked for me. To start, I was pleasantly surprised the show wasn't all dead bodies talking to me. I was at least expecting them to narrate the crime scene but it's great they didn't. I liked the whole — hey neighbor, here's why you're talking to me — type of thing. The four stories were kind of interesting as well. With the first story about the cop being drowned in the bathtub the thing that stood out most to me was the fact Grissom had to tell Catherine to use the partials to get a full fingerprint. Really? After all these years on the job, someone had to tell her to combine fingerprints? I find it really hard to believe that she didn't think of th...
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William Shatner
This, folks, is a cautionary tale about what happens when you put a Grammys producer in charge: The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, airing Sept. 18 on CBS, will feature actors performing classic TV theme songs throughout the telecast. At the end of the show, a winner (determined by viewer votes) will be declared the "Emmy Idol." The playlist includes The Apprentice's Donald Trump and Will & Grace's Megan Mullally doing Green Acres (OK, that could be fun); Boston Legal's William Shatner and opera star Frederica von Stade channeling Star Trek (There are lyrics? I'm scared); Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell taking on Fame; and CSI's
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