CSI

I've now watched the first nine episodes of CSI (a good way to feel like you're being productive when you don't want to get out from under the blankets), and my reaction to the series so far: Meh. I have to say, considering all the hype, so far I'm not impressed. It's incredibly pretentious without much substance underneath. Maybe I've just been so spoiled by Without a Trace, but I was expecting a lot more from the show that's been dominating US TV for years and has a fandom of impressive size (for a procedural drama).

A big part of my problem is that I loathe Grissom. What a self-righteous, empty platitude-spouting little prig of a man. If someone would just stuff a sock in his mouth, I would be so much happier.

Warrick and Catherine I actually like quite a bit as characters, but unfortunately most of the fanfic doesn't seem to be about them.

Nick and Sara are okay. I like them well enough when they're onscreen, and don't think of them at all when they're not. Nick and Warrick are (non-slashily) darling together, I admit.

I liked a couple of the episodes better, and that's probably because they were the only two episodes that focused entirely on one mystery. It's very hard to care about the plot when you have three different cases being crammed into 45 minutes (again, kinda spoiled by WaT). The one with Dakota Fanning (before she set off on her life's mission to upstage every leading man in Hollywood before she can drive) was pretty engaging, as was the one with the airplane. But I'm constantly thrown out by the very bad dialogue and the way they just pull stuff out of their asses. I'm happy to suspend belief to a pretty forgiving degree with regard to procedure, technology, motivation, and so on. But you gotta give me something to anchor the bridge on. "It's a dove! A dove means peace! That means peace of mind, and what brings peace of mind? Justice! The killer wants justice for a past wrong and he won't stop killing until we figure it out!" Wha-huh?

But I'll keep watching because I'm kind of compulsive that way, and the DVDs aren't costing me anything. I figure there has to be a reason there's a fandom. Maybe it's just one of those shows that took a while to hit its stride? Or do I just need to tune out the things that annoy me until I get used to them? I can be patient for the good stuff if I know it's coming.

CSI

I've now watched the first nine episodes of CSI (a good way to feel like you're being productive when you don't want to get out from under the blankets), and my reaction to the series so far: Meh. I have to say, considering all the hype, so far I'm not impressed. It's incredibly pretentious without much substance underneath. Maybe I've just been so spoiled by Without a Trace, but I was expecting a lot more from the show that's been dominating US TV for years and has a fandom of impressive size (for a procedural drama).

A big part of my problem is that I loathe Grissom. What a self-righteous, empty platitude-spouting little prig of a man. If someone would just stuff a sock in his mouth, I would be so much happier.

Warrick and Catherine I actually like quite a bit as characters, but unfortunately most of the fanfic doesn't seem to be about them.

Nick and Sara are okay. I like them well enough when they're onscreen, and don't think of them at all when they're not. Nick and Warrick are (non-slashily) darling together, I admit.

I liked a couple of the episodes better, and that's probably because they were the only two episodes that focused entirely on one mystery. It's very hard to care about the plot when you have three different cases being crammed into 45 minutes (again, kinda spoiled by WaT). The one with Dakota Fanning (before she set off on her life's mission to upstage every leading man in Hollywood before she can drive) was pretty engaging, as was the one with the airplane. But I'm constantly thrown out by the very bad dialogue and the way they just pull stuff out of their asses. I'm happy to suspend belief to a pretty forgiving degree with regard to procedure, technology, motivation, and so on. But you gotta give me something to anchor the bridge on. "It's a dove! A dove means peace! That means peace of mind, and what brings peace of mind? Justice! The killer wants justice for a past wrong and he won't stop killing until we figure it out!" Wha-huh?

But I'll keep watching because I'm kind of compulsive that way, and the DVDs aren't costing me anything. I figure there has to be a reason there's a fandom. Maybe it's just one of those shows that took a while to hit its stride? Or do I just need to tune out the things that annoy me until I get used to them? I can be patient for the good stuff if I know it's coming.