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!)