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CSI - I just don't get it
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Posted by: Steveknj

Can someone explain to me why CSI is the top rated show? I've watched it once or twice and I can't see how it is THAT different from a dozen or so other detective / cop shows. Am I missing something?

Posted by: BeanMeScot

It's about forensics. Not cops. I never recall NYPD Blue talking about the hair that cracked the case or linking mud to a pair of boots because it had Vidalia onion residue on it. The only shows that deal in forensics are copy cats of CSI. CSI copies some of the elements of another show I used to love called Quincy. It was more about science than shooting people.

Posted by: TiVoLance

Character Development. CSI really gets involved in the characters lives (and not just as a afterthought). It makes you really care what is going on with the characters and how they react to stressful situations. I also personally like that the main character isn't a suave tv guy but just a geeky scientific nerd. But somehow hes still cool.

Posted by: David Platt

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoLance
Character Development. CSI really gets involved in the characters lives (and not just as a afterthought).

I'd have to disagree here. While the characters are pretty well developed, we actually know relatively little about their private lives. We know a few random things about each one -- Grissom likes roller coasters and Catherine used to strip, for example -- but we rarely if ever see them at home.

Posted by: Steveknj

quote:
Originally posted by BeanMeScot
It's about forensics. Not cops. I never recall NYPD Blue talking about the hair that cracked the case or linking mud to a pair of boots because it had Vidalia onion residue on it. The only shows that deal in forensics are copy cats of CSI. CSI copies some of the elements of another show I used to love called Quincy. It was more about science than shooting people.

I'll buy that. I guess where other shows might touch on the forensics aspect of detective work, CSI develops a whole show around it. I found it a bit boring myself, but I guess there's a lot of people really fasinated by it.

Posted by: Steveknj

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoLance
Character Development. CSI really gets involved in the characters lives (and not just as a afterthought). It makes you really care what is going on with the characters and how they react to stressful situations. I also personally like that the main character isn't a suave tv guy but just a geeky scientific nerd. But somehow hes still cool.

Actually, the couple of times I watched it, I found it hard to follow all the different characthers. Shows like NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, and many other cop shows that are or were on delve into the charachters a lot more than this show.

Another thing I thought about is that maybe it's popular because there is a lot LESS violence in this cop show than many others that are on. At least there wasn't on the couple of episodes I watched last year..

Posted by: acropolis

I think it is one of the few cop/detective/forensic shows that gives you all the clues you need to figure out who did it before the characters do.

Law & Order doesn't count... there you just pick the person least likely to do it and by the end of the episode they will have done it.

CSI also has witty dialogue and the knowledge of just a touch of each persons personal life makes you want to stay tuned to learn more about each person.

Plus the grusome special effects are awesome.

Posted by: Marc

quote:
Originally posted by acropolis
Plus the grusome special effects are awesome.

I don't know... I don't think I need to see another in-the-body view of just how that bullet lodged itself into whatever crevice it was found, or a telescoping shot of watching the ME extracting some foreign object.

Along with gushy, squishy sound effects, of course.

Posted by: philw1776

The ex-stripper in halter tops doesn't hurt the ratings either.
I gotta admit that I like the characters especially the enigmatic Grissom. But then, I liked the characters on Boomtown even more. Go figure.

-p (do not fwd post to wife)

Posted by: tanstaafl

I agree that part of it is because the show isn't an action show. I also think that because of the way they explain what they are doing (even if parts of it are closer to science fiction than reality) that people feel like they are watching a "smart" program that they can understand which makes them feel smarter themselves.

Posted by: DreadPirateRob

I never thought I'd get into it, but once I did, I got hooked - and hooked fast. The geek appeal can never be discounted, as can the fact that it's not like any other cop show out there. I grew bored with NYPD Blue a long time ago because it was always the shame. At least with CSI, every week is a new puzzle to solve. Plus, they have Warrick - the coolest scientist geek ever.

BTW - how hot is Marg Helgenberger? She was hot on China Beach, and that was almost 20 years ago!

Posted by: philw1776

quote:
Originally posted by DreadPirateRob
BTW - how hot is Marg Helgenberger? She was hot on China Beach, and that was almost 20 years ago!

Not as hot as Faith, Buffy and whats-her-name together in a sleeping bag...
But she'll do for me. Hey, I like the gap-toothed CSI babe as well (Sarah).

Posted by: Hoffer

I loved CSI the first season. Then I got sick of how these lab rats act like they are detectives. They are interviewing people, arresting and pretty much doing everything else. Not to mention the women all dress like pornstars. Would a woman really go to a crime scene in high heeled boots and pants 3 sizes too small? It just seems like such a glammed up version of a cop show.

Law & Order is real police television IMHO.

Posted by: LlamaLarry

philw1776, Faith, Buffy and Willow? Now that would work for me and would drive any thoughts of KC out of my mind.

b11051973, I think you are mixing in the lamer glam cousin, CSI:Miami - now with a weird looking Emily Proctor in low slung pants and the too tight shirt wearing sister-in-law hottie detective. ;)

Posted by: Hoffer

I don't know. Marge wears some pretty tight pants. Not that I'm complaining about how she looks. She's a gorgeous woman. It just doesn't seem very realistic for a cop show.

I did watch the first episode of the Miami version and found it to be 100 times more glam than the original.

Posted by: Mr. Funny Pants

I'm in the "don't get it" category. I found the dialogue horrible and the already mentioned mangling of what CSI people actually do is ridiculous. If I want to see shows about crime scene forensics, I'll watch Autopsy on HBO, or some of the similar shows on other cable networks.

Posted by: EchoBravo

quote:
CSI copies some of the elements of another show I used to love called Quincy.

Holy S, you're right! I haven't thought about that show in 15 years. Good stuff and nice connection.

I had no interest in CSI at first. Most popular shows people can't stop talking about and that are highly rated, I just don't "get." (eg. Any Dumb Sitcom). I caught one episode of CSI while visiting my parents though and was hooked. And luckily, they're repurposed on cable, so I was able to quickly get up to speed with the series. Now it's my 5th or 6th place Season Pass.

Posted by: bareyb

I think the bottom line here is that it all comes down to personal taste. I can name several shows that people are just BONKERS about. I mean there are threads a mile along about some of them. I tried like crazy to "get it" and really wanted to "like it" but to be honest with you, I just never could figure out what people saw in those shows. In my mind most of them were extremely stupid. On the other hand, I'm sure there are plenty of folks who would be bored to tears watching some of the shows that I like. Go figure... It's all about what fires your Rocket. The truly GREAT shows manage to hook "most" people in one way or another. I believe CSI has enough to those types of hooks that it draws people in long enough to get... well... hooked. I like CSI but I I can easily see how some might not. There's a fine line between love and hate as they say... ;)

Posted by: cynthia

quote:
Originally posted by b11051973
I loved CSI the first season. Then I got sick of how these lab rats act like they are detectives. They are interviewing people, arresting and pretty much doing everything else. Not to mention the women all dress like pornstars. Would a woman really go to a crime scene in high heeled boots and pants 3 sizes too small? It just seems like such a glammed up version of a cop show.

Law & Order is real police television IMHO.

I couldn't stand CSI at first because they are questioning people and acting like police, it's ridiculous! My dad is a retired cop and could barely make it through one episode. But I started to watch it anyhow, and enjoy it - it's entertainment, after all - that's what TV is. I find the episodes intriguing.

I have been losing interest on Law and Order - it's become so formulaic:
1. Unsuspecting people stumble upon a dead body
2. Cops arrive, Lenny makes a joke and go to commercial
3. Investigation begins, they lean on the wrong person
4. Go to trial at 30 minutes past the hour, possibly with the wrong person possibly with the right
5. at about 20-15 minutes until the end of the show, McCoy is "aghast" at the judge throwing out his key evidence
6. They get the guy anyhow

They didn't use to win every case. Now it seems that they do. Maybe this season will be better, so far it looks to be.

Posted by: philw1776

quote:
Originally posted by cynthia

I have been losing interest on Law and Order - it's become so formulaic:
1. Unsuspecting people stumble upon a dead body
2. Cops arrive, Lenny makes a joke and go to commercial
3. Investigation begins, they lean on the wrong person
4. Go to trial at 30 minutes past the hour, possibly with the wrong person possibly with the right
5. at about 20-15 minutes until the end of the show, McCoy is "aghast" at the judge throwing out his key evidence
6. They get the guy anyhow

Thanks...NOT!
You just ruined L&O for me by 'splainin it. :)

-p (Boomtown, CSI & L&O fan)

Posted by: panictivo

I think this show is very different from other cop shows. Most cop shows start with a straight forward murder and they show detectives interviewing people and checking phone and business records to track down who is the murderer.

CSI starts each show with a puzzle, usually an inconsistent set of facts that do not explain how the murder happened of if a murder actually occurred. The CSI detectives are puzzle solvers rather than traditional investigators. I find the CSI formula a lot more involving. Because I am always asking myself "What could have possibly happened to create the situation shown at the start of the show?" Then I have to watch the show to satisfy my curiosity.

The question that a traditional cop show make you ask yourself is "I wonder who did it and why?". That is a lot less compelling because the person who did it and the motive could be anything the writer comes up with. You rarely have enough information to solve it at the beginning of the show.

As a computer geek, I like the puzzle solving aspect of CSI.

I also like CSI because it looks very good in HDTV. CSI: Miami looks even better the CSI in HDTV. It is too bad that the CSI: Miami writing is so much, much, much worse than CSI.

Posted by: WesE

quote:
Originally posted by BeanMeScot
It's about forensics...

It's theme is certainly about forensics, the actual show has little to do with any form of actual forensics, at least the 3 or 4 episodes I have managed to watch.

Having said that I must say that it has certainly increased the interest in forensic science and crime scene investigation though, and that makes it worthy to me.

Posted by: BrettStah

It is a little far-fetched when the CSI folks start doing interviews, etc., but I let that go.

When they delve into their personal lives (like the hearing loss thing) it tends to be distracting... not always, but it's a fine line.

When they did an episode that had some paranormal nonsense they really jumped the shark, but they've since jumped back to the other side. Leave the sci-fi/paranormal stuff to other shows... CSI should stick to science.

Posted by: drew2k

A lot of people have complaints that the CSI team interrogates suspects, etc., but what if this is what they really do? Any Nevada / Las Vegas posters here who can explain how this works in the real world, if the real-life investigators can carry guns and interrogate like they do on the show?

Posted by: WesE

In some places the crime scene investigator is a gun carryin' person. Depends on where it is and usually how big the town is but not always. Oklahoma City PD has some crime scene investigators that started out as street cops then moved divisions, while still retaining commission and status as peace officers, ie, still packin'.

-Wes
http://www.intruder1500.com/spammed/