CSI: Miami's 200 Episode Reveals Cops' Dark Side

CSI: Miami's 200th episode is appropriately called "Happy Birthday." But while a celebration usually is marked with cake and streamers, CSI: Miami commemorates the occasion by showing a darker side of policing and putting our upstanding team in a difficult situation.
"This episode is special in that we cross over into a grey area for cops, where you're trying to do the right thing, and you are the good guys, but you have to do grey area things to get your information," says Eva La Rue, who plays Natalia Boa Vista. "[The suspects] have beaten an 8-month-pregnant lady, and left her for dead by the side of the road, and we have found one of the guys, but not the other. He won't give up his friend, so he gets roughed up a bit."
The entire cast agrees that fans are being treated to a grittier season of Miami — perhaps a testament to its move to Sunday nights. "I have to say that the intensity level is way, way up," says series star David Caruso, who plays Lt. Horatio Cane. "The stakes are higher, and there's a really renewed attack on what we're doing. Ithink that the level of energy and possibly testosterone could very well appeal to more male viewers [than before]."
Their newfound creative energy could also be a result of bringing new guest directors into the mix. Tim Story (Fantastic Four, Barbershop) recently directed an upcoming episode. "It was great to have a cinematic director come in to shoot this hour and catch his perspective on things," says Omar Miller (Walter Simmons). "The big thing cinematic directors bring is scope. The show is going to look bigger and cooler." Next up is David Arquette, who will direct the 202nd episode. "I expect a lot of energy from him," says Adam Rodriguez (Eric Delko). "And he comes off as a funny guy, so probably some good times." But in light of Arquette's recent announcement that he's separating from wife Courteney Cox, the cast would be happy to let him explore the grittier side of Miami as well. "Bring the dark times, too," says Rodriguez. "What's wrong with a little darkness?"
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