"Mascara" 200th Ep Discussion *SPOILERS*

Friedkin should not be allowed to direct more eps. I'm sorry, but this one was just plain bad despite the desperate trials with interesting camera angles. The last ep he directed had the same old 70ies feel about it too. It was just sloppily told and became boring because I don't yet have the investment in Ray that I have with the old crew. It should have been about them, not about Ray for the 200th.

Brass and Nick saved what little was savable.

I am fearing TPTB are making a big mistake in pushing the crew that worked to the back in favor of a new character. Have they learned nothing?

I had my hopes up after Turn, turn, turn but now? I may be dropping the show again. Bring the old crew back, please! Give them the time of day that they haven't had for a couple of seasons. They're worth it! *points to ratings*

 

I havent disliked an episode of CSI before, until now. I'm just so horribly dissapointed.

Because it wasnt on last week the expectation was so much greater, and then to find it was just the Ray Langston show really annoyed me. It was a milestone episode, and it should have been shared with everyone, not someone who's only recently joined the regular cast.

I'm not saying that Lawrence Fishburn isnt a good actor, or that the character isnt very good, i'm just really annoyed at how they've chosen to handle his arrival. Grissom was what CSI Vegas was known for, but the others were given equal screen time as well when he was in it. It should be the same with Langston, regardless of how big an actor he already was. Dont the others deserve some recognition for the hard work they've already put in making CSI the amazing show it has, up until now, been.

Not to mention that i had to wait 19 minutes before Greg was in it, only to get a really cringy and slow scene that was hardly worth the wait.

I've got annoyed about this during previous episodes, where Langston seems to be the primary on most cases while Greg, a CSI 3, seems to be doing less than him. He was doing more when he was still training. It's just such a waste of an amazing character.

Anyway, rant over...hopefully the next episode will be better...

 

And since WHEN did they EVER give a 'newbie' such huge screen time?!? And since WHEN did they let Level One's do so freaking much by themselves!?!? I mean COME ON. I appreciate LF's attitude toward his part and everything, but I'm seriously cheesed off that they are making all of these stupid exceptions for him. It's unbelievable....HUGE shame on the writers (whoever wrote this)....I mean honestly...
What was the other episode (or was it episodes?) Freidken directed? I'm thinking it was a combo of bad, evil, writers and his directing style, like someone earlier said, but I'm not gonna say for sure....It's just quite disturbing that the show went from sorta kinda reasonably normal, to this...this....disappointing, theme songless crap....Sorry, no offense to anyone, I don't want to put anyone down, necessarily, but wow.

*ahem*

Sorry...

I'm done....for now

 

I'm just going to add another item.

In no way do I feel my dislike has anything to do with Laurence Fishbourne. I think he's a great actor and I think this episode would have worked better had it not been the 200th episode. This was an eppy better served in the latter half of the season or perhaps the second or 3rd.

I do find the character very intriguing, but my bond with the old crew is strong and it takes time to form an attachment to a new character.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm starting to miss Grissom, or at least I'm missing his narrative of the show.

 

I haven't even watched the episode yet and I already want to cry. To have everyone hating it and being angry about it, I'm seriously disappointed in TPTB and I don't even want to watch the episode.

I always thought CSI was an ensemble drama. Sure there were 'lead' characters but they shared the spotlight, they didn't hog it.

I'm not holding out much hope for the rest of the season. And my excitement is certainly dampened by reading what people thought of this milestone episode. The 200th episode should been a celebration of team effort and a (formerly) brilliant ensemble cast. Sounds like it was the exact opposite.

Shoot. Now I really am crying.

 

egeria:I agree....I'm very sad that this BIG DEAL episode became the biggest disappointment in CSI's recent history....at least.... It's not enough that I seriously miss Billy and whatever, but now the BIG 200th has to be crap....it's so disappointing... I love what you said about the "celebration of a team effort and a (formerly) brilliant ensemble cast." It's so true, and it seems the tight knit cast has just totally disappeared and it seems everything is starting to fall apart at the seams...am I being too much of a downer?

 

I agree....100%....Wow....I can't get over how amazing that statement is. You rock.

 

I wouldn't go as far as to say that the cast is any less tight knit. From interviews with LLS and GE, I definitely got the opposite impression. However, given the short period of time Riley and Ray have been on the team, as well as the scars left by Warrick's death and probably by the two departures, it seems inevitable that the team itself wouldn't have had a chance to become as tight knit. That said, Riley definitely seems to already be close enough with her coworkers. She and Greg already seem close, and the interaction between Nick, Greg and Riley in No Way Out seemed to indicate that she's already very much a part of the team. Ray's been on the team for less time and seems to be a more introverted character than Riley, so it seems inevitable that he wouldn't be as close to his coworkers just yet.

 

I am just wondering was TPTB trying to attract viewers with this episode or repel them? I mean seriously If I were a new viewer to the show I would have turned it off 20 mins in and would never watch the show again. I live in Nebraska and I can honestly say that watching corn grow is way more exciting than this episode was.

 

:guffaw::guffaw::guffaw:

Wojo, I spit pop out of my nose when I read that. That was funny!

My friend (who I watch with every week) finished knitting her scarf during the show. She was very proud of herself. She figures if the show had of been more interesting, she never would have got it down. In fact, she started a knitting blanket towards the end of the episode!

 

CBS has a feedback form.

They wouldn't have a form if they didn't want to hear what fans thought about the shows they pick up.

CBS feedback link

I think we should all write in. Seriously, people are crying over this episode, we're hurt, angry and disappointed. Someone needs to know!!

I'm drafting my message now but I'm going to have to watch the episode first.

 

THANK you! I'm ALL Over that.