What happens when we get a mediocre writer, a competent director, and a storyline with a bit of heart? Surprisingly, a decent—if some what forced—episode of CSI:NY. (I won’t lie…I was very shocked I didn’t hate this episode.) When I see Aaron Rahsaan Thomas credited with writing an episode I cringe, and make sure to bring a book because I have thus far been bored to tears by the episodes he has presented. His color-by-numbers approach to storytelling sends me diving under the kitchen table as I have horrific flashbacks to my first year of Creative Writing class. The episode Air Apparent was just that—very apparent. However, there was enough skill in the directing and acting department to enhance Thomas’ attempts at emotion.
The episode opens with the juxtaposition of brothers; one in prison, one on the basketball court, or rather one in hell and one in heaven (the announcer to the game even calls the winning shot as one from “heaven”). The story begins moving between the two brothers, showing closeness in nuances and thoughts but clearly separated by circumstances or choices—Hank the Inmate and Riley the Good. I am not a big sports fan. I had enough of basketball growing up with three brothers who were obsessed with the game. Oddly though, basketball and prison sent my memory a’scramblin’ and I remembered reading a story about a basketball player from BYU named Jimmer Somethingorother (later found it was Fredette) who had gone with his brother to play basketball with inmates in prison. I can’t help but seriously consider this the idea that inspired the episode. Even the teams colors were blue and white (BYU’s colors) as well as having Jimmer…I mean Riley…shown as a clean-cut, religious young man. The dynamic is set up clearly from the beginning of the episode. A bit too clearly in fact since before the opening sequence was over I knew who the “killer” was. We have two very distinct characters introduced to us in the first five minutes, but we also had a third character heavily hinted at. Coach Gavin was declared the “winningest coach in ADL History” after already being mentioned by name moments earlier. In a show that keeps a great deal of details generic or vague it is always pretty telling to have a character so well touted. This again goes back to Thomas’ lack of subtly and finesse.
Yet director Anthony Hemingway (who managed to work his name into the opening sequence “Hemingway passes the ball.”) was able to add enough flash and pizzazz to take the heavy handed emotional manipulation and actually make it meaningful. Though I may never forgive either of them for the embarrassingly obvious jump to Don’s storyline. Don basically says “You should watch out for your sibling with an addiction problem.” Then cut to Mac who asks, “So Don, how is your sibling with and addiction problem?” Ugh! Really? They aren’t even going to buy us dinner first? But, again, there was something to save it and this time it was Eddie Cahill and Kathleen Munroe as the Siblings Flack. The dialogue was very “After School Special” but Cahill and Munroe managed to deliver their lines with easy and grace. Their chemistry kept the scenes engaging and heartfelt even as I could feel the proverbial gun of emotional manipulation to my head. Don wants to look out for his sister. “NYPD. Open up!” And Samantha wants her chance to be an unsupervised adult. “You’ve been knocking on my door like that since the Academy.” These two played well with each other, even if they both needed to be put in time out for a moment. Munroe’s performance added a splash of color to Cahill’s character. It was wonderful to see. We usually get a scene report, and a line or two of laughter from his character so this was a great departure.
If they could have gotten the pacing of the episode a bit more on target then they really would have had a strong episode. The scene where Don is following his sister was so fast and choppy that I had to go back and watch it three times just to be sure I didn’t miss anything. But the scene where the two brothers play basketball seemed to go on forever. I later realized the 3 minute basketball game in a male psyche is equivalent to the gratuitous naked dancing woman we typically get. There needs to be someone making better calls in the editing department.
Everything wrapped up nicely in a disgustingly Disney-esque fashion. Both sets of siblings paralleled each other by making up in the end. But that’s just because Thomas lacks refinement (and Alan Menken was unavailable to provide an award winning musical number). However, there was a lot of old school CSI magic here too. I can’t remember the last time we had a “good ol’ fashion internal organ getting stabbed” shot. Morbid, but interesting. Also having Lindsay perform the blood analysis was great continuity, and I am totally digging the stronger, sassier Lindsay this season. And Mac wasn’t doing everyone else’s job this week. There was a strong season two vibe to this episode—it just missed the great DL interaction from that season.
The show is getting closer to finding the balance between plot and character. They still have a way to go but this one was definitely a lot closer to knocking it out of the park (that’s a basketball reference right? …Right?)
So which do you prefer: an episode that features a character’s story heavily with a case being the subplot or the reverse? Or are you a “keep the drama in the kitchen I just want some crime solving” type? Or how about the “case shmase—just give me the character stuff” type?
Next Week: H-A-double L-O-W-double E-N spells a case that looks eerily familiar, almost like we had a someone come out of the grave in a previous episode…oh yeah it was called Boo from season 4! Hmm…here’s hoping this episode isn’t just a zombie! Wait…that actually just spells HALLOWEEN…I knew I should have paid closer attention in school.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Tammy Wynette Eat Your Heart Out 8X04 Review (***out of 5)
As the old adage goes, you can never go home again.
Wait…what’s that?
Oh, sorry.
Take two: As the old adage goes, you can sometimes go home again. Was that the moral message of this week’s episode Officer Involved? Or was it good will out? Or how about make some really dumb mistakes but get off scot-free? To tell you the truth I was left scratching my head. As an episode made up of spare parts from season’s passed—I got it! This episode is in direct correlation with season one’s On the Job. If the circumstances didn’t give it away then the constant reminders in the dialogue more than adequately spelled it out. I mean geez guys! Danny wasn’t the only one with head wound by the end of the episode!—it lacked the cohesiveness of a truly well crafted tale. It didn’t bring Danny’s story full circle so much as it drove half way around the block, stopped for some lemonade before crashing into a light pole.
Last week we had a moment where Danny confronted a rookie, then immediately doubted himself, ultimately apologized to said rookie, then went out drinking with his team. Officer Cooper called Danny an excellent boss. Mac said Danny was an excellent Sergeant. That’s not we’ve seen on screen. Here’s what I saw very well summarized by IAB Lt. Mitchell Adler (perfectly portrayed by Dean Norris), “Let’s review your choices: you went out drinking with your patrolmen, you brought a loaded weapon to a crowded bar, got into an altercation with a patron, ended up the night half unconscious on the pavement as one of you officers shot the patron to death with your own weapon. You seem capable Sergeant Messer. The things you did in that lab, way over my head. But as a boss, your way over yours.” I nearly had whiplash from Danny’s change in attitude. Two episodes ago we hear about how his heart is breaking over not getting to see his wife. Last week he is irate over having to be stuck with overtime due to missing his family. This week however he is perfectly content to spending “hours” at a bar, until what I can only assume was early in the morning since the sun is clearly up by the time they start processing the scene and taking statements. I don’t have an issue with him going out with his team, but a bit excessive there Sergeant.
And thank goodness I spent all that time actually believing that the writers were coming up with something original rather than the utterly clichéd “cheating” storyline…um, be careful I am actually dripping sarcasm here…I don’t want anyone to slip. Despite my love of Carmine Giovinazzo’s portrayal of indignant, emotional Danny (and let’s be clear, I do LOVE it) it wasn’t enough to make me feel connected to his character. I thought this was going to show how much Danny’s grown, but really it just showed that he wasn’t ready to lead a team. A point well emphasized by the fact that he voluntarily turned in his stripes. Why did he do that exactly? ‘Cause the other kids were mean to him? It was too hard? I’m not sure because one line from Danny about trust does not a convincing argument make. He’s back in the lab and I have a little less respect for his character than I did before.
As much as they bitch-slapped Danny, they solidified Lindsay’s strength. I originally thought this episode would inspire feelings of sympathy for Danny, but I was surprised to find Lindsay was the character I felt the most for. Her obvious concern for her spouse (which was never reciprocated) was perfectly portrayed. Her worries and fears were apparent in her mannerism, dialogue, and personified in her confrontation with Officer Cooper (Jeananne Goossen). There were times when I could see those emotions strongly in Anna Belknap’s face and eyes. Sadly, my favorite interaction of the entire episode was between Lindsay and Cooper. It was real, it was powerful, and it was believable. Goossen and Belknap found the perfect median between overly dramatic (As the CSINY Turns) and the hysterical (Jerry Springer style).
For me the episode lack a sense of balance between the intense and the quiet. In season two’s Trapped we have Danny stuck in a highly emotional, highly charged situation. Yet amidst that we have the small still moments as he thinks about the victim, or his own brother. There was none of that here. The dead body remains just that, the dead body. It was cold. In fact, IA corrects Danny at one point in reminding him that this guy was a victim. A big part of that also has to do with the true lack of interaction between Danny and Lindsay. If you’re curious, because I know I was, they spent 49 seconds together at the beginning of the episode—only 26 seconds of that were spent actually communicating with each other, and a total of 40 seconds at the end. That is a total of 89 seconds out of an episode that was nearly 45 minutes long (about 2700 seconds). The rest of the episode was Lindsay running around everywhere Danny wasn’t and Danny making no reference of any import to his wife. (I refuse to count his “I’m married” line, because I know how Danny would respond to a perp if he heard that regurgitated.) They missed a prime opportunity to really connect the season one episode. S1 Danny laments not having someone to watch his back, but S8 Danny clearly has a wife who is devoted to helping him and we get nothing from Danny. ZERO. Writer Christopher Silber needs to keep as far away from DL storylines as possible.
Actually, he can stay away from character stories period. Vigilante is the only episode he’s written where he was able to successfully include some character—which was also a strong Lindsay episode—but ultimately his strength lies is the cases. However, that wasn’t so much true with this episode either. Hawkes at one point tell Lindsay “there’s no empirical evidence IA is on a witch hunt” however, Cooper admits to having made the shot, but they are riding Danny. Then Cooper admits to lying, but only because Danny told her to, so IA goes after Danny. Danny knows how GRS works. He would know that the lab would figure out who actually shot or didn’t shoot the gun. Why would he tell Cooper to lie? Mac confronts IA, pressing for information on who is politically grinding an ax against Danny, because (and I agree) there’s no real reason why IA is busting his chops so hard. So is it a witch hunt or not? And who is this “man in black” who is always out to get Danny?
We got our weekly “Jo characteristic that emulates Lindsay” moment. We got Adam looking like an idiot and trying to talk about the case with Lindsay, just so the audience could be reminded that she couldn’t work the case. I hate it when they do it to Lindsay, and I hate it when they do it to Adam. There were several lines that actually didn’t make sense. At one point Jo says “Danny and the other two cops” confirmed the sketch of the Rockaway Killer as one of the guys they fought with that night. Except Danny makes no mention of seeing a friend with the victim and we know he was unconscious during the brawl. There are other such inconsistencies throughout the episode. Not to mention when one drinks absinth I thought they saw Kylie Minogue…am I wrong about that?
I appreciate the show’s attempt to give us something of substance, but it was too disjointed and uneven to actually reach a level of meaningfulness. It is interesting to see that in season one Danny was taken off the promotion grid following the circumstances surrounding Danny’s own “good shot” then voluntarily gives up his promotion following the circumstances of a “good shot.” A decent enough concept, just not well executed. It was a great episode for Lindsay, a terrible episode for Danny, and an “o.k.” episode for this viewer.
So, what do you think, did Danny return too soon to the lab or are you thinking "It's about damn time!"?
Next Week: The team must follow the writing on the wall! And watch out, Lindsay's gotta gun!
Wait…what’s that?
Oh, sorry.
Take two: As the old adage goes, you can sometimes go home again. Was that the moral message of this week’s episode Officer Involved? Or was it good will out? Or how about make some really dumb mistakes but get off scot-free? To tell you the truth I was left scratching my head. As an episode made up of spare parts from season’s passed—I got it! This episode is in direct correlation with season one’s On the Job. If the circumstances didn’t give it away then the constant reminders in the dialogue more than adequately spelled it out. I mean geez guys! Danny wasn’t the only one with head wound by the end of the episode!—it lacked the cohesiveness of a truly well crafted tale. It didn’t bring Danny’s story full circle so much as it drove half way around the block, stopped for some lemonade before crashing into a light pole.
Last week we had a moment where Danny confronted a rookie, then immediately doubted himself, ultimately apologized to said rookie, then went out drinking with his team. Officer Cooper called Danny an excellent boss. Mac said Danny was an excellent Sergeant. That’s not we’ve seen on screen. Here’s what I saw very well summarized by IAB Lt. Mitchell Adler (perfectly portrayed by Dean Norris), “Let’s review your choices: you went out drinking with your patrolmen, you brought a loaded weapon to a crowded bar, got into an altercation with a patron, ended up the night half unconscious on the pavement as one of you officers shot the patron to death with your own weapon. You seem capable Sergeant Messer. The things you did in that lab, way over my head. But as a boss, your way over yours.” I nearly had whiplash from Danny’s change in attitude. Two episodes ago we hear about how his heart is breaking over not getting to see his wife. Last week he is irate over having to be stuck with overtime due to missing his family. This week however he is perfectly content to spending “hours” at a bar, until what I can only assume was early in the morning since the sun is clearly up by the time they start processing the scene and taking statements. I don’t have an issue with him going out with his team, but a bit excessive there Sergeant.
And thank goodness I spent all that time actually believing that the writers were coming up with something original rather than the utterly clichéd “cheating” storyline…um, be careful I am actually dripping sarcasm here…I don’t want anyone to slip. Despite my love of Carmine Giovinazzo’s portrayal of indignant, emotional Danny (and let’s be clear, I do LOVE it) it wasn’t enough to make me feel connected to his character. I thought this was going to show how much Danny’s grown, but really it just showed that he wasn’t ready to lead a team. A point well emphasized by the fact that he voluntarily turned in his stripes. Why did he do that exactly? ‘Cause the other kids were mean to him? It was too hard? I’m not sure because one line from Danny about trust does not a convincing argument make. He’s back in the lab and I have a little less respect for his character than I did before.
As much as they bitch-slapped Danny, they solidified Lindsay’s strength. I originally thought this episode would inspire feelings of sympathy for Danny, but I was surprised to find Lindsay was the character I felt the most for. Her obvious concern for her spouse (which was never reciprocated) was perfectly portrayed. Her worries and fears were apparent in her mannerism, dialogue, and personified in her confrontation with Officer Cooper (Jeananne Goossen). There were times when I could see those emotions strongly in Anna Belknap’s face and eyes. Sadly, my favorite interaction of the entire episode was between Lindsay and Cooper. It was real, it was powerful, and it was believable. Goossen and Belknap found the perfect median between overly dramatic (As the CSINY Turns) and the hysterical (Jerry Springer style).
For me the episode lack a sense of balance between the intense and the quiet. In season two’s Trapped we have Danny stuck in a highly emotional, highly charged situation. Yet amidst that we have the small still moments as he thinks about the victim, or his own brother. There was none of that here. The dead body remains just that, the dead body. It was cold. In fact, IA corrects Danny at one point in reminding him that this guy was a victim. A big part of that also has to do with the true lack of interaction between Danny and Lindsay. If you’re curious, because I know I was, they spent 49 seconds together at the beginning of the episode—only 26 seconds of that were spent actually communicating with each other, and a total of 40 seconds at the end. That is a total of 89 seconds out of an episode that was nearly 45 minutes long (about 2700 seconds). The rest of the episode was Lindsay running around everywhere Danny wasn’t and Danny making no reference of any import to his wife. (I refuse to count his “I’m married” line, because I know how Danny would respond to a perp if he heard that regurgitated.) They missed a prime opportunity to really connect the season one episode. S1 Danny laments not having someone to watch his back, but S8 Danny clearly has a wife who is devoted to helping him and we get nothing from Danny. ZERO. Writer Christopher Silber needs to keep as far away from DL storylines as possible.
Actually, he can stay away from character stories period. Vigilante is the only episode he’s written where he was able to successfully include some character—which was also a strong Lindsay episode—but ultimately his strength lies is the cases. However, that wasn’t so much true with this episode either. Hawkes at one point tell Lindsay “there’s no empirical evidence IA is on a witch hunt” however, Cooper admits to having made the shot, but they are riding Danny. Then Cooper admits to lying, but only because Danny told her to, so IA goes after Danny. Danny knows how GRS works. He would know that the lab would figure out who actually shot or didn’t shoot the gun. Why would he tell Cooper to lie? Mac confronts IA, pressing for information on who is politically grinding an ax against Danny, because (and I agree) there’s no real reason why IA is busting his chops so hard. So is it a witch hunt or not? And who is this “man in black” who is always out to get Danny?
We got our weekly “Jo characteristic that emulates Lindsay” moment. We got Adam looking like an idiot and trying to talk about the case with Lindsay, just so the audience could be reminded that she couldn’t work the case. I hate it when they do it to Lindsay, and I hate it when they do it to Adam. There were several lines that actually didn’t make sense. At one point Jo says “Danny and the other two cops” confirmed the sketch of the Rockaway Killer as one of the guys they fought with that night. Except Danny makes no mention of seeing a friend with the victim and we know he was unconscious during the brawl. There are other such inconsistencies throughout the episode. Not to mention when one drinks absinth I thought they saw Kylie Minogue…am I wrong about that?
I appreciate the show’s attempt to give us something of substance, but it was too disjointed and uneven to actually reach a level of meaningfulness. It is interesting to see that in season one Danny was taken off the promotion grid following the circumstances surrounding Danny’s own “good shot” then voluntarily gives up his promotion following the circumstances of a “good shot.” A decent enough concept, just not well executed. It was a great episode for Lindsay, a terrible episode for Danny, and an “o.k.” episode for this viewer.
So, what do you think, did Danny return too soon to the lab or are you thinking "It's about damn time!"?
Next Week: The team must follow the writing on the wall! And watch out, Lindsay's gotta gun!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Turning Left For Four Hours 8X03 Review (**out of 5)
Well put the car in gear and run me over why don’t you CSI:NY? Last week I criticized the show for recycling themes and certain aspects of other episodes, but conceded to the fact that at least the episode did its best to redefine those ideas in creative ways. This week’s episode proved a giant flat tire while traveling on the road of mediocrity. Cavallino Rampante by my count is at least the third time the case has centered around cars (even more if one includes the cabbie killer), and as was made apparent by Multiplicity, the more something is copied the worse it gets. Obviously someone on the writing staff likes fast cars—along with every member of the crime lab incidentally—but enough already. This episode was running on fumes and I don’t think even the fancy driving of Lightening McQueen could have saved it.
It’s hard enough for me to not be bored by cars (the Click and Clack radio show has really been the only instance where I can deal with talking about cars so much…hilarious show by the way!) so it has to be some good, solid, entertaining writing to keep me interested. Season 4’s You Only Die Once accomplished that with its humorous parody, creativity, dialogue, intrigue and wit. Not so much in this episode. There were too many issues that took me out of the story. I know it’s not unheard of for a show to reuse an actor—Law & Order was rather known for it—but CSI:NY doesn’t do it very often and was I left scratching my head as to why they did it in this episode. As soon as Tim Guinee appeared on screen (last seen--and much better used--as the killer in season two’s Fare Game) I knew he was the bad guy. It usually isn’t too hard to figure out who is the guilty party on the show, but because it was so blatant I was left feeling cheated.
Not only was it easy to guess, but writer Adam Targum first made the rule—the killer was a criminal mastermind—then broke the rule having him caught so simply at the end. So he’s a ruthless law-evading genius one moment then a total chump the next? He works to rig a car (another recycling from Season 4, a la the cabbie killer), kills without guilt, and kidnaps for ransom, then in the last minute blindly accepts “undercover Jo” and her fake car? It’s like Targum forgot he had to write the end of the episode and in a panic just hit the breaks.
I also don’t understand why they chose to make Jo a car enthusiast. Is it a requirement that every member of the crime lab love cars? The show has well-established Lindsay’s interested and affinity for the fast and furious (as well as Mac’s, Adam’s, and Danny’s) so again it felt stale seeing Jo with a “gee golly” smudge on her cheek sliding happily out from under the car. Been there, drove that! I can’t even make a Speed Racer or Batmobile reference because then I would be stuck making the same mistake. A big issue for me is that they seem to give Jo very little that she can call her own, while steeling from Lindsay’s character. Is it that difficult to write two very distinct women?
AJ Buckley seems to be able to maintain chemistry with whomever he is paired with, but I wonder if his routine of humor is going to get old soon. They are very close to turning him into a caricature. I really enjoyed Adam’s character in the premier. They worked to give him depth and wrote him outside of his typical self. But he has now been relegated back to lab clown, which is funny right now, but I’m hoping they don’t make the same mistake they made in season 7 and stick to a formula.
The only thing I really appreciated was that this episode served as a vehicle…hee hee…for Danny’s storyline. I liked his interaction with the rookie. It felt very authentic. She was nervous and unsure around him but trying to play it cool, and he was a boss. It is his responsibility to help his subordinates learn the job and sometimes that involves taking the hard line. Danny had to learn things the difficult way and it seemed he simply wanted to save his team from taking that course (as well as ensuring he isn’t spending too much time away from his family cleaning up spilled milk). I was surprised by Mac’s response to Danny’s chewing out, but then immediately felt pleased. I, like Danny, was expecting Father Mac to sweep in and drop some sage words of wisdom. It was a pleasant shift in gears. The show is giving us a lot from this particular storyline and I am really enjoying how it is playing out.
So overall this was a big disappointment, especially so early in the season and following two pretty solid episodes. If the show wants another season they are going to have to stop relying on old material. If a writer pitches an idea as a reworking of a story that’s already been done the producers should flat out refuse. I will not spend the next 15 episodes stuck in neutral like last season. So fingers-crossed this was just a one time hiccup, because the Premier really was a jumpstart to a new life in the show, and I would hate to seem them drive this opportunity into the ditch. (Are there enough car references in this one? Wait…what? Too many?! Never!)
Are cars overdone on the show or do you think there is still plenty of storytelling left in them?
Next Week: Uh oh Rookie, you did a bad thing and you’re about to learn you don’t mess with the Messers! (Cue a member of a boy bad!)
It’s hard enough for me to not be bored by cars (the Click and Clack radio show has really been the only instance where I can deal with talking about cars so much…hilarious show by the way!) so it has to be some good, solid, entertaining writing to keep me interested. Season 4’s You Only Die Once accomplished that with its humorous parody, creativity, dialogue, intrigue and wit. Not so much in this episode. There were too many issues that took me out of the story. I know it’s not unheard of for a show to reuse an actor—Law & Order was rather known for it—but CSI:NY doesn’t do it very often and was I left scratching my head as to why they did it in this episode. As soon as Tim Guinee appeared on screen (last seen--and much better used--as the killer in season two’s Fare Game) I knew he was the bad guy. It usually isn’t too hard to figure out who is the guilty party on the show, but because it was so blatant I was left feeling cheated.
Not only was it easy to guess, but writer Adam Targum first made the rule—the killer was a criminal mastermind—then broke the rule having him caught so simply at the end. So he’s a ruthless law-evading genius one moment then a total chump the next? He works to rig a car (another recycling from Season 4, a la the cabbie killer), kills without guilt, and kidnaps for ransom, then in the last minute blindly accepts “undercover Jo” and her fake car? It’s like Targum forgot he had to write the end of the episode and in a panic just hit the breaks.
I also don’t understand why they chose to make Jo a car enthusiast. Is it a requirement that every member of the crime lab love cars? The show has well-established Lindsay’s interested and affinity for the fast and furious (as well as Mac’s, Adam’s, and Danny’s) so again it felt stale seeing Jo with a “gee golly” smudge on her cheek sliding happily out from under the car. Been there, drove that! I can’t even make a Speed Racer or Batmobile reference because then I would be stuck making the same mistake. A big issue for me is that they seem to give Jo very little that she can call her own, while steeling from Lindsay’s character. Is it that difficult to write two very distinct women?
AJ Buckley seems to be able to maintain chemistry with whomever he is paired with, but I wonder if his routine of humor is going to get old soon. They are very close to turning him into a caricature. I really enjoyed Adam’s character in the premier. They worked to give him depth and wrote him outside of his typical self. But he has now been relegated back to lab clown, which is funny right now, but I’m hoping they don’t make the same mistake they made in season 7 and stick to a formula.
The only thing I really appreciated was that this episode served as a vehicle…hee hee…for Danny’s storyline. I liked his interaction with the rookie. It felt very authentic. She was nervous and unsure around him but trying to play it cool, and he was a boss. It is his responsibility to help his subordinates learn the job and sometimes that involves taking the hard line. Danny had to learn things the difficult way and it seemed he simply wanted to save his team from taking that course (as well as ensuring he isn’t spending too much time away from his family cleaning up spilled milk). I was surprised by Mac’s response to Danny’s chewing out, but then immediately felt pleased. I, like Danny, was expecting Father Mac to sweep in and drop some sage words of wisdom. It was a pleasant shift in gears. The show is giving us a lot from this particular storyline and I am really enjoying how it is playing out.
So overall this was a big disappointment, especially so early in the season and following two pretty solid episodes. If the show wants another season they are going to have to stop relying on old material. If a writer pitches an idea as a reworking of a story that’s already been done the producers should flat out refuse. I will not spend the next 15 episodes stuck in neutral like last season. So fingers-crossed this was just a one time hiccup, because the Premier really was a jumpstart to a new life in the show, and I would hate to seem them drive this opportunity into the ditch. (Are there enough car references in this one? Wait…what? Too many?! Never!)
Are cars overdone on the show or do you think there is still plenty of storytelling left in them?
Next Week: Uh oh Rookie, you did a bad thing and you’re about to learn you don’t mess with the Messers! (Cue a member of a boy bad!)
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sheena is a Punk Rocker! 8X02 Review (****out of 5)
Confession time: Punk doesn’t really do it for me. When I hear of the Ramones I usually get them confused with series of children’s novels. However, this week’s episode of CSI:NY definitely got my toe a tappin’ and my heart a thumpin’!
The episode, Keep It Real, opens with the pumping tones of “Blitzkrieg Bop” as a crowd of young hipsters reinvent the glory days. The band is fronted by a vivacious blonde. The focus is immediately brought to a young man who clearly thinks she’s a sensation. Some secret smiles and a few ogling looks and it’s apparent the magic isn’t just happening on stage. Cue the dead body.
I was a little concerned because my mind immediately went to season three episode The Ride In where a body is found covered in cash, as was this week’s unfortunate victim. I worried because we have seen the writers regurgitate past episodes, and they were just as pretty as the image of regurgitation inspires. But again, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though there were several themes and ideas that were repeated, I wasn’t left feeling like I wasted my time. There were so many wonderful new elements that it kept my interest. That is a direct correlation to the show’s use of character. For two week’s in a row we have been given more character interaction than, I would argue, we got in the entirety of season 7. From Danny and Lindsay’s several conversations about life with the new promotion, Flacks tender interaction with victim’s girlfriend, to Hawkes’ childhood revelation, and Jo’s college boy drama, we have gotten to see and learn about our favorite characters.
I never understood why the show would invest so much time in each episode on people we’ve never met before and seem to ignore the cast we return to watch week after week. This episode, as did last week’s episode, had a superb balance between a plot driven storyline and character driven story lines.
As the case progresses, we find out that the rock star girlfriend likes expensive guitars and to kick in windows (clearly well prepared for fame), but probably didn’t murder her boyfriend of only a few weeks. In fact, Aly Michalka delivers a rather believable performance as a girl who has lost the potential for true. I found her relationship with Michael to be exactly as she described him, “sweet and genuine.” Writer Bill Haynes gave us a few twists and turns, keeping the case interesting and engaging. Not to mention the guest actors and their characters were a lot of fun to watch and played their parts well. Even those who weren’t a big part of the case, like the tattoo artist, helped to keep the story evolving and moving.
Director Alex Zakrzweski managed to keep things flowing and moved between the case and the sub-plots well. There is one aspect of his directing that frustrates me; too many flashbacks. I can’t stand it when a show “flashes back” to a scene we saw only 5 minutes previous because they think the audience is too stupid or too slow to pick up on the details. This isn’t CSI: Sesame Street, we don’t need everything spelled out for us! (Although, how cool would that show be? Brain now running rampant with images of Muppet crime scenes…)
Outside of the case, Mac’s sudden return to the lab left me a bit confused at first, as well as a little disappointed. Last week he was lamenting about never coming back and then he suddenly walks off the elevator and back into his old position? It nearly gave me whiplash! But at the end of the episode as Mac stares at the plaque from last week’s episode, I was reminded of the storyline involving Joe Vincent, the firefighter who lost his son on 9/11. Joe insisted over and over again he wasn’t coming to the ceremony. This paralleled Mac’s own feelings on returning to the lab. Perhaps Mac realized his own words of support and encouragement needed to be directed inward, and seeing Joe show up at the ceremony provide Mac with the realization that he too needed to show up. I really wondered about Joe’s story line in Indelible, but now I see it making perfect sense when married to this week’s episode. That’s pretty strong writing.
We really are getting to see the characters dealing with life outside the lab. Danny and Lindsay’s storyline is being well plotted and nicely paced. The concept of life with separate jobs was well introduced with their initial interaction, “I’m looking for Danny Messer. He’s my husband; at least I think he is. I haven’t seen him for days.” Lindsay jokes to which Danny responds, “You tryin’ to break my heart?” Clearly they are trying to deal with the separation, but it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. This theme continues as they have their “lunch jacking” moment. This is an extremely interesting development in their relationship and the ground work is being well laid for them this season.
Jo’s own sub-plot with her son and his new roommate was also well integrated into the show. It provided humorous material from Adam, as well as a moment of insight into Hawkes’ life. It also continued to give shape and depth to Jo’s character. She broke the “Mom Code” but still managed to give her son the respect he deserves at this age. I am enjoying her character much more this season, and glad to see her interacting with more than just Mac. What an odd team she and Adam make, but it seems to really work.
Overall, it wasn’t the most suspenseful story, but I’ve always said if I get a decent case with great character interaction then I am happy. And this episode definitely makes it on Billboards Top Chart!
Question: So Jo was in definite mom-mode this week—going to extremes, overacting—but all in the name of love. Any moment come to mind when your own parent/guardian managed to embarrass you with such parenting skills?
Next Week: A bunch of girls with some junk in their trunks! CSI:NY is gone in 30 seconds, so too perhaps, Danny’s new promotion? Hmm….
The episode, Keep It Real, opens with the pumping tones of “Blitzkrieg Bop” as a crowd of young hipsters reinvent the glory days. The band is fronted by a vivacious blonde. The focus is immediately brought to a young man who clearly thinks she’s a sensation. Some secret smiles and a few ogling looks and it’s apparent the magic isn’t just happening on stage. Cue the dead body.
I was a little concerned because my mind immediately went to season three episode The Ride In where a body is found covered in cash, as was this week’s unfortunate victim. I worried because we have seen the writers regurgitate past episodes, and they were just as pretty as the image of regurgitation inspires. But again, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though there were several themes and ideas that were repeated, I wasn’t left feeling like I wasted my time. There were so many wonderful new elements that it kept my interest. That is a direct correlation to the show’s use of character. For two week’s in a row we have been given more character interaction than, I would argue, we got in the entirety of season 7. From Danny and Lindsay’s several conversations about life with the new promotion, Flacks tender interaction with victim’s girlfriend, to Hawkes’ childhood revelation, and Jo’s college boy drama, we have gotten to see and learn about our favorite characters.
I never understood why the show would invest so much time in each episode on people we’ve never met before and seem to ignore the cast we return to watch week after week. This episode, as did last week’s episode, had a superb balance between a plot driven storyline and character driven story lines.
As the case progresses, we find out that the rock star girlfriend likes expensive guitars and to kick in windows (clearly well prepared for fame), but probably didn’t murder her boyfriend of only a few weeks. In fact, Aly Michalka delivers a rather believable performance as a girl who has lost the potential for true. I found her relationship with Michael to be exactly as she described him, “sweet and genuine.” Writer Bill Haynes gave us a few twists and turns, keeping the case interesting and engaging. Not to mention the guest actors and their characters were a lot of fun to watch and played their parts well. Even those who weren’t a big part of the case, like the tattoo artist, helped to keep the story evolving and moving.
Director Alex Zakrzweski managed to keep things flowing and moved between the case and the sub-plots well. There is one aspect of his directing that frustrates me; too many flashbacks. I can’t stand it when a show “flashes back” to a scene we saw only 5 minutes previous because they think the audience is too stupid or too slow to pick up on the details. This isn’t CSI: Sesame Street, we don’t need everything spelled out for us! (Although, how cool would that show be? Brain now running rampant with images of Muppet crime scenes…)
Outside of the case, Mac’s sudden return to the lab left me a bit confused at first, as well as a little disappointed. Last week he was lamenting about never coming back and then he suddenly walks off the elevator and back into his old position? It nearly gave me whiplash! But at the end of the episode as Mac stares at the plaque from last week’s episode, I was reminded of the storyline involving Joe Vincent, the firefighter who lost his son on 9/11. Joe insisted over and over again he wasn’t coming to the ceremony. This paralleled Mac’s own feelings on returning to the lab. Perhaps Mac realized his own words of support and encouragement needed to be directed inward, and seeing Joe show up at the ceremony provide Mac with the realization that he too needed to show up. I really wondered about Joe’s story line in Indelible, but now I see it making perfect sense when married to this week’s episode. That’s pretty strong writing.
We really are getting to see the characters dealing with life outside the lab. Danny and Lindsay’s storyline is being well plotted and nicely paced. The concept of life with separate jobs was well introduced with their initial interaction, “I’m looking for Danny Messer. He’s my husband; at least I think he is. I haven’t seen him for days.” Lindsay jokes to which Danny responds, “You tryin’ to break my heart?” Clearly they are trying to deal with the separation, but it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. This theme continues as they have their “lunch jacking” moment. This is an extremely interesting development in their relationship and the ground work is being well laid for them this season.
Jo’s own sub-plot with her son and his new roommate was also well integrated into the show. It provided humorous material from Adam, as well as a moment of insight into Hawkes’ life. It also continued to give shape and depth to Jo’s character. She broke the “Mom Code” but still managed to give her son the respect he deserves at this age. I am enjoying her character much more this season, and glad to see her interacting with more than just Mac. What an odd team she and Adam make, but it seems to really work.
Overall, it wasn’t the most suspenseful story, but I’ve always said if I get a decent case with great character interaction then I am happy. And this episode definitely makes it on Billboards Top Chart!
Question: So Jo was in definite mom-mode this week—going to extremes, overacting—but all in the name of love. Any moment come to mind when your own parent/guardian managed to embarrass you with such parenting skills?
Next Week: A bunch of girls with some junk in their trunks! CSI:NY is gone in 30 seconds, so too perhaps, Danny’s new promotion? Hmm….
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