CSI: NY

Having watched my share of NYPD Blue some years back, it was strange seeing David Caruso in a crime drama set in New York without Dennis Franz at his side.

That's right: New York. Just prior to its season finale, CSI Miami sends Horatio Caine to the Big Apple in search of a killer. Caine's lead seems to dead-end when he arrives at another crime scene and discovers his suspect was murdered two days prior to the Miami crime he is investigating.

Enter Gary Sinise as Detective Mac Taylor. The scene of Caine and Taylor's meeting features a moment of lighting genius in which Caine stands in a beam of warm amber sunlight while Taylor's key matches the cool blue ambiance of his native New York atmosphere. (Who says these things only happen in films!)

In this pre-pilot, Taylor and Caine discover they are searching for the same killer. At first they refrain from joining forces, but once they establish through chit-chat their mutual admiration for the death penalty and its liberal enforcement, the two are inseparable.

While the CSI counterparts get acquainted, two more murders take place in New York. These are uncannily similar to the Miami slayings. A bloody fingerprint in Miami points Caine and Taylor to a convict, a rooftop chase and a narrow escape for their new prime suspect.

The New York CSI team pieces together the facts of the most recent murders. The introductions of Taylor's staff are brief and forgettable. This episode was created to establish an emotional connection between Caine and Taylor, presumably to generate interest in CSI New York's "real" pilot. If all goes well, the show will have an entire season to develop supporting characters.

For those who didn't see it and are hoping to catch the repeat, I'll refrain from revealing who hired the hit man and why. And for those like me who are contemplating whether to watch the CSI New York pilot, I say "go for it." If the pre-pilot (CSI Miami in New York episode) is any indication, CSI New York will probably build on the solid foundation of tough-but-approachable characters, clever episodic plots and fast pace that typify the first two CSI shows. The intense simulations of violent crime forensics (the CSI trademark device) also make for hypnotic viewing.

Wow, what have we done to deserve this, another fantastic series from what has shaped up to be one of the best franchise's on television, CSI:NY has everything that a good cop show needs; strong leading characters, well thought out stories and above all else, cinematic production values, like the previous two series do. That it isn't to say that the show had the best start. I'll admit to being balled over by the pilot/crossover episode during CSI:Miami's second season and I couldn't wait to see how it would transpire as a fully fledged series. Initially however, the series did have a rough start. The show just seemed too dark and gloomy and any humour seemed to sit at odds with the show's dark milieu, but things happily changed as the first season progressed and by the end of it's freshman year I would have to say that CSI:NY was truly one of the best shows on the box, more than giving its sister series a run for their money.

Like CSI's Miami and Las Vegas, the show has a terrific leading man with a penchant for feature films and character acting, in this case Gary Sinise. For anyone who has seen Apollo 13, The Green Mile, Ransom or Mission to Mars, it is great to see this actor headlining his own show and doing it so well. Initially his character is so dark in the earlier episodes, much like the series, it is hard to like him, but like the show he comes out of his shell and we get to see a likable and at times nicely humorous character simply trying to move on with his life after the death of his wife. Like the other two series we have a superb leading lady, in this case Melina Kankaredes, simply one of the most beautiful leading ladies on television, and a damn fine actress to boot, with the two leads centered around a terrific supporting cast. Eddie Cahill and Hill Harper stand out almost straight away, whilst Carmine Giovinazzo really comes into his own as the first season develops culminating with a terrific storyline involving a shootout and a dead undercover police officer towards the end of the season. If there is a weak link it is possibly Vannesa Ferlito's character Aiden. While likable, she is essentially a third wheel and does nothing more than react to the other characters.

Like the other two shows, hell like every thriller/crime series on American television today, the production values are incredible, the aerial shots of New York are some of the best ever done on a television series budget and the show, especially on DVD, looks fantastic. If there is a nit-pick to be had it has to be that at times it is very obvious that the show is filmed on studio lots in Los Angeles, something not as obvious on CSI's Las Vegas and Miami. For anyone who has ever seen Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off Angel, one cannot help but get a kick nearly every episode of seeing the vampire with a soul's old office from season one in the background of many scenes throughout CSI:NY's first season. Aside from this, the show does very well with what it's given, which is fine acting and some of the finest writing currently on the crime genre in television. If you have yet to see this show, buy the first season on DVD, there are many fine episodes to watch, and many to choose from. I wouldn't expect anything else from a series created by Anthony E Zuiker.

I really liked this show. The did a great job with the cast. It's one of those groups that gel well together & you hope none of them ever leave the show. > It's a typical detective/forensic type show involving them catching different types of murders/ serial killers, and the continuing stories of the main characters lives, etc. > It's way funnier than you'd ever think it pull ne, it has a lot of that quick witted humor, that comes Out of the blue & makes you laugh out loud. >> It reminds me of the show Bones. Same type of show finding the serial killers with science & cool tech gadgets, with a great cast & lots of good funny humor thrown in. > And it's a tv show, so I'm not gonna pick it apart for being technically correct or not at every turn. Grain of salt people, if it as 100% accurate, it'd be a documentary.

Despite the fact that all three of the CSI franchise shows exaggerate the roles and scope of crime scene investigators, I enjoy them in varying degrees. As a retired cop, I've worked with CSIs on cases many times. They are mostly good, solid professionals who do their previously unsung job and help detectives solve cases. The CSIs on the CBS shows do far more than that and far more than they would be allowed to do in real police departments. I'll suspend disbelief and allow the wide dramatic license when I enjoy a TV show.

All of that aside, I was looking forward to CSI:NY for a variety of reasons, not the least its being set in my other home town. It also boasted Gary Sinise, a great actor, in the lead role. I think I still prefer William Peterson's Grissom, but Sinise as Mac Taylor is so far above Caruso as Cain that comparisons are hard to make. Yes, he is somewhat cold, but in police work it is rare to see someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. Cold professionalism is the hallmark of most cops. Add to that the loss of his wife in the tragedy of 9/11 -- which I do not think the show exploits; it is a legitimate plot point in the development of a character in NY and motivates Taylor to find justice wherever he can, something his wife was denied -- and his quiet demeanor makes sense.

If Emily Proctor leaves CSI:Miami, I'll quit watching. That will leave the original and this gritty, dark spin-off. With CSI:NY on hand, I won't miss Miami for a moment.

I just watched the season finale and am looking forward to next season. I agree that the spate of spin-offs shows a lack of creativity, but when it is done well -- as it is in CSI:NY and in Law and Order: SVU and Law and Order: Trial by Jury -- it can be good viewing. (I'd like to add Law and Order,: Criminal Intent -- I like D'Onofrio a lot -- but I just couldn't get into the show, try as I might.)With the loss this year of both Third Watch and NYPD Blue, we are left with only a couple of good cops and robbers shows. CSI:NY is one of them.

I absolutely LOVE the original CSI. I really can't watch CSI Miami - just a bit too much. So when they announced there was a third one coming out I was skeptical. But they've out done themselves! Although the original is still my favorite, this one steps away from the CSI format a bit. There's more of a glimpse into the characters and great story lines. There isn't the condescending tone that Miami has. Gary Sinise is, of course, brilliant as usual. If they keep it up this one will stick around. Combine this one and the original and I could watch all week! No one can beat Grissom, but Taylor is certainly going to give him a run for his money. Now a combined episode would be phenomenal!