Re: 'CSI' Season Opener Loses Battle Against 'Grey's Anatomy
One thing that really made me laugh was a promo for CSI I saw about a week before its premiere. It had all kind of light-hearted moments with a happy-go-lucky song playing in the background. Grey's Anatomy had that exact promo running all summer. In fact, the two songs are eerily similar. That's when I knew CSI was in trouble, when CBS had to steal ABC's promo technique to get some viewers. Other than that, however, I didn't see ONE promo for either CSI, Miami, or New York. Not one.
I knew this would happen, and not because of poor plot choices or whatever, but because CSI has been on for 7 years and as Top said, it's basically the same thing in every single episode. I did tune into the premiere a couple of times, and it was just the same song and dance again: the CSIs process the scene while some techno lounge song plays in the background, two CSIs are at the lab while a tech explains something to them, or Grissom is in the field, discovering a weird crime scene. How many times have we seen that? How many times have they explained to us the same procedures and whatnot? After 7 years, you sort of get tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. I think a lot of people tuned into CSI originally to learn about crime scene investigation. At this point, what else is there to learn? I think the novelty's worn off.
The fact that CSI chooses not to focus on the characters is another element that probably made it suffer. For a lot of people, there is no difference between CSI and say, CSI: New York. It's pretty much the same thing, with different actors. A lot of people I know couldn't tell you the name of the characters if their lives depended on it. So to them, watching CSI and watching NY is the same thing. Miami has done something creative, in that it's made a name for itself with really bad writing and cheesy character driven storylines. It's bad, really, really bad, but bad attracts viewers. CSI and New York, to me they're kinda clones. They're good shows, better written, but they don't take a lot of risks. You got the aging, reclusive, workaholic in both shows, with his sassy, sparkly, and sexy partner. In fact, that type of character is in pretty much every procedural. It's even on Cold Case, only with a vagina. On the other hand, you're not gonna find another McDreamy easily. It's the little things that make GA stand out.
You might say that going with GSR was risky, but I don't see it that way. I think they took the coward's way out. They knew there was an audience for it, but they also knew there was an audience against it. So at the last minute they revealed they've been having a secret relationship, to make the GSR supporters happy, but to please the anti-GSR people, they decide not to show it. I'm almost positive we'll never see Grissom and Sara kiss. They know it might alienate some viewers. Fuck it, if you're gonna do something, do it. Don't be a badass while hiding behind a curtain. Go for it, explore it, if it doesn't work out end it and recover. It would be more realistic for me to see Grissom and Sara attempt a relationship and fail. That'a million times more interesting than, "hey, Grissom/Sara fans, good news! Grissom and Sara hook up and they live happily ever after! And good news, Grissom/Sara haters, you won't have to see it!" Not only is it manipulative, it's just bad storytelling. This pussyfooting around makes the show, and the writers, look really weak.
The writing has suffered a lot. I caught this while switching channels.
[Warrick asks Hodges for something]
Hodges: What's the magic word?
Warrick: Shut up, Hodges.
Holy crap, I feel embarrassed for the person who wrote that incredibly lame dialogue. It's so bad, so, SO bad. In fact, that joke is so old I'm pretty sure I first heard it on Family Matters. I can't believe that in this day and age, CSI is using 80s humor. Meanwhile, Grey's has a great team of writers who really know how to write humor.
CSI needs to stop taking itself too seriously, start focusing on the characters lives a little more (30 million tuned into the premiere last season to see the aftermath of Nick's case. It was never given a satisfactory continuation), and some more interesting ways to tell their stories, because every time the techno music starts while Warrick stands in front of a centrifuge, I change the channel, find something more interesting and forget all about CSI. Unforunately, times change and you have to be open minded enough to try and evolve. If you don't, you stay behind.
