Let me just start by saying this was an incredibly difficult episode to review. I battled with myself. Can I review this episode like it was just any other episode? Should I? The fate of CSI:NY may still be up in the air, but I can say that if this is the last episode they release into the universe, then they can be proud. The episode wasn’t flawless, and I’m not giving it a sympathy vote. There were weaknesses, but there were also strengths, and thankfully this week the latter out weighed the former. Exit Strategy truly was strategically presented.
I am critical of the writers (and offer no apology for that) but this week I am giving them credit where credit is due. This episode brilliantly weaved Mac’s emotional upheaval with my own. Within the first five minutes of the episode beginning Mac comes face to face with his own mortality, even as I sat wondering if this would be the last time I would be excitedly watching a new episode. Mac’s situation brilliantly paralleled the show’s, which added depth to each scene. This episode beautifully reinforced why Gary Sinise is such an established actor. His ability to inspire both heartache and strength is phenomenal. Mac’s vulnerability, while it seemed to come out of no where, was still believable.
The episode was peppered with small, intimate moments. Watching the team sit around the conference table discussing the job was more entertaining that the multiple Danny/Don chase scenes we were subjected to this season. The wonderful scene between Danny and Lindsay as they teased each other with ease, followed by an involved discussion about their future was marvelously written, and wonderfully executed by Carmine Giovinazzo and Anna Belknap. It encapsulated everything I have been longing to see in their relationship. It was a great touch to have Danny’s character—one of the more central characters of the show—to come full circle. The first season he was wild, and lost his chance for promotion, now he is grounded and moving up in the world. Don’s friendship with Mac has really been honed the last few episodes and I’m glad they gave Eddie Cahill the screen time he deserved. It is a little disheartening that we had to wait until the last episode of the season to get this kind of emotion, but it is reassuring to know that the show’s producers and writers are still capable of achieving that power.
Even the case was well done. It was messy and confusing. We have a little girl (who was being neglected and abused by an alcoholic mother) taken by a ruffian who then devotes his life to taking care of her in a way her own mother had been unable to. Clayne Crawford embodied that conflict well, as Wes he came off as gruff and unapproachable, perfect for someone who was willing to tag along and make an easy buck in a robbery. However, he also exuded a subtle tenderness that allowed Olivia/Madison to find a person who would love and care for her. Because the show is what it is there was a bit too much convenience involved. It worked out perfectly that Olivia’s mom is no longer an alcoholic, that Wes was killed, that Olivia had a heart problem etc., but those are things that just have to be accepted as part of the show’s narrative style.
While I struggled with some of the directing, there was some pretty notable camera work. As Mac stood in the lab towards the end of the episode with Jo standing in the distance, a level up, I was moved by the implications—she stood on his shoulders, as either his conscience or as his predecessor.
Oddly enough, one of the most emotional moments for me was to see Mac watching Adam as he struggled to get the light working on his magnifying glass. It showed that despite the upheaval, and potential for change, some things always remain the same. The song choice seemed to have been written for this episode. It met the tone of the episode and then enhanced it:
It's everything you wanted, it's everything you don't
It's one door swinging open and one door swinging closed
Some prayers find an answer some prayers never know
We're holding on, and letting go.
Typically I end my reviews with a Guilty Pleasure and Highlight of the Episode, but this time I would like to invite anyone who may be reading this to post/comment what you would pick as a guilty pleasure and/or highlight.
And if you’ll indulge me for just a moment to say thanks to those who encouraged me with my reviews and have supported me in ways I never imagined. The administrators of DLChem have been wonderful, and the members have helped make this an experience I will always treasure. I am so grateful I’ve had a chance to in some small way contribute to the board. I’m staying optimistic and saying I’ll see you guys next year!
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