My vote is definitely for family/friendship 'personal' stories over romantic stuff - I think we can and should see the characters have full lives, which includes romantic relationships, but it does NOT always have to be someone within the very small group of core characters. They can date a colleague without dating someone else in the main credits - that lab is bigger than those few people.
They can date a recurring character (and I don't mean 'recurring' like Angell is recurring - she's a long-term recurring character who might be more minor than the other characters on the show, but she's been around for 20+ episodes over several years. She's a pretty major character, all things considered, and while that doesn't make two canon relationships among
main characters, it does make two canon relationships among
major characters - she's been the only secondary detective for three years, I'd say that's a more major character than the three-episode recurring people we seem to get recently) - anyway, they can date a recurring character that shows up in one scene every few episodes, or who is mentioned every once in a while and shown more rarely, be they a 'colleague' or someone who doesn't even work in the NYPD in any capacity.
Whether they intended Mac and Stella to have chemistry from season one is irrelevant to me personally - if they get together, they won't be the first couple, they'll be the third couple. Even with Angell dying, effectively taking one of the canon couples out of the equation, they'll still be third. And honestly, I'm going to doubt it until they prove me wrong. I've had my doubts - and continue to have my doubts - about Flack/Angell, and that's considering that I think they have chemistry and have even enjoyed most of the stuff we've seen with them. I know people love Mac/Stella and think they can, should and
will get together - but I'm not one of those people, and I will remain skeptical until TPTB prove that I should feel otherwise.
The spoilers about 5.24 certainly don't say for sure that Mac and Stella will suddenly get together or even contemplate that direction, but I don't like the way it's being hinted. The show has a lot of problems that need to be fixed before TPTB even
consider trying to put their two lead characters together. Many people obviously feel otherwise (as is their right), but that's my view on it. I like their friendship, and I think TV doesn't show the power of platonic love often enough.
Anyway, the reason I came into the spoiler thread was to post about this
article I just came across - they're building a fake building in LA for NY, and it mentions these details:
On Monday and Tuesday, CSI:NY will be filming, and the scene involves a semi truck getting rammed into the prop structure, which is supposed to be a diner.
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR SINGLE SHOT, FULL LOAD GUNFIRE. BREAKING GLASS, SIMULATED BULLET EFFECTS ON BODY/ THINGS, DUST HITS & SPARK EFFECTS. (SIMULATE A SHORT, POWERFUL GUN BATTLE) Pending Community Survey Camera cars. Condor and crane. Generator. Picture vehicles. Scissor lifts. Atmospheric smoke effects. Weapons brandished. Driving scenes. Emergency vehicles with flashing lights. Equipment on property, sidewalk, curb lane and across the street. Interior and exterior dialogue. Occasional traffic and pedestrian control. Near hits & misses. Stunt driving. Running & toe shots. Wetting of the street. Semi tractor driving into diner set built in parking lot. Simulated gun fight & kidnapping.
Definitely sounds like the finale - and the "simulated bullet effects on body" makes me think this is the scene where Angell gets shot.