Yeah i guess thats true :]
Grade 'Pay Up'
- Thread starter Top41
- Start date
Very late on this one, but thought I’d give my two cents anyway.
Grade = A.
This was one of the strongest episodes of the season – well-crafted with a good blend of action, drama, and character moments. Also good pacing and strong acting performances, especially from Eddie Cahill. He was fantastic in portraying different facets of grief as he reacted to Angell’s death.
Nelly/Terrance also gave a strong performance. I hadn’t been that impressed with his second appearance (“My Name is Mac Taylor?”), but he really did a good job with the role this time. The dynamic between him and Flack is interesting, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him back again.
The dynamic between Mac and Dunbrook was better this time as well. Maybe it’s because the stakes were higher (and the dialogue better), but their interactions had more depth and didn’t seem as petty as in the last outing prior to this one. I hope Dunbrook’s not behind the shooting at the end because it’d be nice to see him back at some later time to spar with Mac.
Other characters had good moments as well. I liked the scene between Sid and Flack, a pairing that we haven’t seen much onscreen, but both actors did a great job in making the interaction believable. Also, I liked the Mac/Stella scene at the end, reminiscent of the early seasons with Stella reaching out to a sort of broody, melancholy Mac. Adam also had a chance to shine, doing a bit of field agent work to install the tracking device.
I was glad to see Danny show up at the hospital to support Don. And I was ok with the way they handled Danny’s reaction after finding out Angell was dead. It was perhaps a different choice to show Danny punching the wall followed by a close up reaction shot, but for some reason I thought it worked –maybe because it sort of mirrored some of the audience’s emotions at the time – shock, hurt, and anger.
A couple of things kept me from giving the episode the full A+. The kidnapping scenario and motive seemed a bit weak to me. Would it be normal practice for a police protection detail to take a high profile, well-known prisoner for breakfast in a public diner before a grand jury hearing? (Weren’t there one or two other guys sitting at the table with Dunbrook or am I mis-remembering?)
And what exactly was the kidnappers’ original plan anyway? Were they just following Dunbrook’s son hoping to catch him somewhere -- anywhere along the transfer route? I don’t know, seems like too many risk factors and unknowns in this plan. I know Mac explained why the kidnappers went after Dunbrook’s son, but it didn’t really make sense to me. I think the motive would’ve been stronger if there had been some other (past) connection between the kidnappers and Dunbrook that explained why they targeted his son.
The other thing that bugged me a bit was the last scene in the bar. Having Sid reminisce about a prank that happened to Angell sort of took me right out of the scene, especially since I can’t recall much onscreen interaction between Sid and Angell. And Lindsay’s comment about not turning the event into a tear fest had the same effect for much the same reason. I would’ve preferred if the reminiscing in that scene had been left to other characters (Danny for example) who actually worked with Angell. Poor Don…he looked so sad and broken sitting on that bar stool at the end.
Speaking of Don, I have to give the writers credit for doing the unexpected with Don and the wounded kidnapper that he chased down. (And I am one who thinks that Don actually did shoot Cade.) When watching it initially, though, I was sure that Don would shift his gun at the last minute or that Mac or Danny would come in and stop him, but surprisingly neither happened. I am curious to see if and how they follow up on Don’s actions during season six. Seems like it would be fairly simple for the M.E.s and CSI’s to determine what actually happened in that room, and even if they don’t figure it out, I’d expect Flack to experience guilt and eventually tell someone because he’s always seemed to be such a decent, upstanding guy. And considering that both he and Mac were involved in the Moran and Truby cases, it would be interesting to see what happens if Mac actually finds out what Don did.
As for the cliffhanger, I may be in the minority because I liked it. It leaves open a number of options for the upcoming season, and I would much rather have the writers take some extra time to really think about who could/should be injured and the identity (and motive) of the actual shooter so they can plan the storyline out carefully and not be locked into a scenario that might be limiting. I do wonder if the budget cuts are a factor in why the cliffhanger was so open-ended. It could be they are giving themselves some flexibility in case more changes are needed.
Either way, CSI NY ended with a strong episode and hopefully enough momentum to carry over into the next season. I am looking forward to it.
Note: I forgot to comment that Zachary Reiter is credited as co-writer on this one (along with John Dove), so I can once again say that he’s contributed to some of the strongest NY episodes in recent years like “Admissions” and “Enough." (I consider “Green Piece” to be an anomaly for him.) Hope he gets to write more next season.
Grade = A.
This was one of the strongest episodes of the season – well-crafted with a good blend of action, drama, and character moments. Also good pacing and strong acting performances, especially from Eddie Cahill. He was fantastic in portraying different facets of grief as he reacted to Angell’s death.
Nelly/Terrance also gave a strong performance. I hadn’t been that impressed with his second appearance (“My Name is Mac Taylor?”), but he really did a good job with the role this time. The dynamic between him and Flack is interesting, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him back again.
The dynamic between Mac and Dunbrook was better this time as well. Maybe it’s because the stakes were higher (and the dialogue better), but their interactions had more depth and didn’t seem as petty as in the last outing prior to this one. I hope Dunbrook’s not behind the shooting at the end because it’d be nice to see him back at some later time to spar with Mac.
Other characters had good moments as well. I liked the scene between Sid and Flack, a pairing that we haven’t seen much onscreen, but both actors did a great job in making the interaction believable. Also, I liked the Mac/Stella scene at the end, reminiscent of the early seasons with Stella reaching out to a sort of broody, melancholy Mac. Adam also had a chance to shine, doing a bit of field agent work to install the tracking device.
I was glad to see Danny show up at the hospital to support Don. And I was ok with the way they handled Danny’s reaction after finding out Angell was dead. It was perhaps a different choice to show Danny punching the wall followed by a close up reaction shot, but for some reason I thought it worked –maybe because it sort of mirrored some of the audience’s emotions at the time – shock, hurt, and anger.
A couple of things kept me from giving the episode the full A+. The kidnapping scenario and motive seemed a bit weak to me. Would it be normal practice for a police protection detail to take a high profile, well-known prisoner for breakfast in a public diner before a grand jury hearing? (Weren’t there one or two other guys sitting at the table with Dunbrook or am I mis-remembering?)
And what exactly was the kidnappers’ original plan anyway? Were they just following Dunbrook’s son hoping to catch him somewhere -- anywhere along the transfer route? I don’t know, seems like too many risk factors and unknowns in this plan. I know Mac explained why the kidnappers went after Dunbrook’s son, but it didn’t really make sense to me. I think the motive would’ve been stronger if there had been some other (past) connection between the kidnappers and Dunbrook that explained why they targeted his son.
The other thing that bugged me a bit was the last scene in the bar. Having Sid reminisce about a prank that happened to Angell sort of took me right out of the scene, especially since I can’t recall much onscreen interaction between Sid and Angell. And Lindsay’s comment about not turning the event into a tear fest had the same effect for much the same reason. I would’ve preferred if the reminiscing in that scene had been left to other characters (Danny for example) who actually worked with Angell. Poor Don…he looked so sad and broken sitting on that bar stool at the end.
Speaking of Don, I have to give the writers credit for doing the unexpected with Don and the wounded kidnapper that he chased down. (And I am one who thinks that Don actually did shoot Cade.) When watching it initially, though, I was sure that Don would shift his gun at the last minute or that Mac or Danny would come in and stop him, but surprisingly neither happened. I am curious to see if and how they follow up on Don’s actions during season six. Seems like it would be fairly simple for the M.E.s and CSI’s to determine what actually happened in that room, and even if they don’t figure it out, I’d expect Flack to experience guilt and eventually tell someone because he’s always seemed to be such a decent, upstanding guy. And considering that both he and Mac were involved in the Moran and Truby cases, it would be interesting to see what happens if Mac actually finds out what Don did.
As for the cliffhanger, I may be in the minority because I liked it. It leaves open a number of options for the upcoming season, and I would much rather have the writers take some extra time to really think about who could/should be injured and the identity (and motive) of the actual shooter so they can plan the storyline out carefully and not be locked into a scenario that might be limiting. I do wonder if the budget cuts are a factor in why the cliffhanger was so open-ended. It could be they are giving themselves some flexibility in case more changes are needed.
Either way, CSI NY ended with a strong episode and hopefully enough momentum to carry over into the next season. I am looking forward to it.
Note: I forgot to comment that Zachary Reiter is credited as co-writer on this one (along with John Dove), so I can once again say that he’s contributed to some of the strongest NY episodes in recent years like “Admissions” and “Enough." (I consider “Green Piece” to be an anomaly for him.) Hope he gets to write more next season.
Bryn Elizabeth
Rookie
In the beginning, I wanted it to be Adam. It made sense to me. He got a lot of screen time this episode, so I thought that maybe that was a teaser. Also, he hasn't been there forever. Hawkes was my second choice. I said not Mac or Stella, because they are the main characters and then the show would go the same way as CSI. Also, we've been making leaps and bounds fo SMacked. It would have just been wrong for it to be Danny and Lindsay, though I guess having, say, Danny be a single dad would be cute. Flack and Angell were my favorite and I prayed it would not be one of them. 
My best friend actually told me who it was since I did not stay up to watch it. The next day, I saw that she was alive and hoped that she was confused... no such luck.
I must admit, I cried throughout the entire episode.
I have loved the F/A banter and was smiling as it happened. And then the fear on Flack's face as he heard the gunshots? That was amazing. I cried the second he found her lying on the floor, bleeding. Him not waiting for the ambulance strengthened my love for him (which I thought was impossible).
His face as Danny asked? I sobbed for a while. He seemed so lost, so broken. It broke my heart to see him like that.
Later on, in autopsy, I cried more as Flack did. It was an excellent portrayal of emotion for both Flack and Sid. I think that Flack was so torn up over autopsy because he's seen so many, and then she becomes just another victim. That scene was perfect.
Flack and Angell's dad was okay. I think it was a great scene for the episode, and I'm glad we got more insight into Jess's character. It was very sad but not as heart-wrenching as it could have been.
I was glad to see Flack so angry and vengeful when he saw the man who killed his precious Jess. Iwas cheering him on to kill the man. The look of anger on his face blew me away. It was a great ending to the situation. I definitely think that, by the book or not, Flack loved Angell so much he had to seek revenge on her murderer.
As for Danny and Lindsay, I am a fan. I like the whole Lucy storyline. I am glad the baby wasn't there, though. As for Linds, I think there was no way she would have missed the investigation into the death of someone she knew. I am sure that Lucy was with a babysitter. We're not kicking Linds off the show here, and the lab is most definitely not a day care.
I think that Sid and Lindsay talking about Angell was nice. We didn't get to see any interaction until then. I think the writers inserted that for us, to show us that it wasn't like they didn't care. I would have liked to hear Stella, though, because of their whole Greece thing. But, unfortunately, the memories were cut short by those stupid shooters.
It was a good cliffhanger, though, all in all. It was fitting, and leaves me wondering who will be hurt, if anybody. It's a nice scared moment for everyone.
This season finale tops the last one by a ridiculous amount. It was so emotional, and extremely well-written. Eddie Cahill did a fabulous job. He broke my heart even more than it already was about Angell. he had such a great range, and his emotions were flawless. I can't wait to see how Flack is affected next season and the things Eddie will get to do.
I'm going to give this finale an A+, as sad as I may be.
My best friend actually told me who it was since I did not stay up to watch it. The next day, I saw that she was alive and hoped that she was confused... no such luck.
I must admit, I cried throughout the entire episode.
I have loved the F/A banter and was smiling as it happened. And then the fear on Flack's face as he heard the gunshots? That was amazing. I cried the second he found her lying on the floor, bleeding. Him not waiting for the ambulance strengthened my love for him (which I thought was impossible).
His face as Danny asked? I sobbed for a while. He seemed so lost, so broken. It broke my heart to see him like that.
Later on, in autopsy, I cried more as Flack did. It was an excellent portrayal of emotion for both Flack and Sid. I think that Flack was so torn up over autopsy because he's seen so many, and then she becomes just another victim. That scene was perfect.
Flack and Angell's dad was okay. I think it was a great scene for the episode, and I'm glad we got more insight into Jess's character. It was very sad but not as heart-wrenching as it could have been.
I was glad to see Flack so angry and vengeful when he saw the man who killed his precious Jess. Iwas cheering him on to kill the man. The look of anger on his face blew me away. It was a great ending to the situation. I definitely think that, by the book or not, Flack loved Angell so much he had to seek revenge on her murderer.
As for Danny and Lindsay, I am a fan. I like the whole Lucy storyline. I am glad the baby wasn't there, though. As for Linds, I think there was no way she would have missed the investigation into the death of someone she knew. I am sure that Lucy was with a babysitter. We're not kicking Linds off the show here, and the lab is most definitely not a day care.
I think that Sid and Lindsay talking about Angell was nice. We didn't get to see any interaction until then. I think the writers inserted that for us, to show us that it wasn't like they didn't care. I would have liked to hear Stella, though, because of their whole Greece thing. But, unfortunately, the memories were cut short by those stupid shooters.
It was a good cliffhanger, though, all in all. It was fitting, and leaves me wondering who will be hurt, if anybody. It's a nice scared moment for everyone.
This season finale tops the last one by a ridiculous amount. It was so emotional, and extremely well-written. Eddie Cahill did a fabulous job. He broke my heart even more than it already was about Angell. he had such a great range, and his emotions were flawless. I can't wait to see how Flack is affected next season and the things Eddie will get to do.
I'm going to give this finale an A+, as sad as I may be.
danny-lindsay4e
Witness
A+
didn't do nothing for my D/L obsession but it was finger gripping great funny thing is i don't even thing the writers have decided what to do lmao
didn't do nothing for my D/L obsession but it was finger gripping great funny thing is i don't even thing the writers have decided what to do lmao
talkingtocactus
Coroner
:lol: i feel that way sometimes too
i liked it too, and it definitely makes sense to have a more flexible one in current economic circumstances or something.
i watched it today - it airs in the uk on saturday but i couldn't wait any more! i really liked it, i would say more but elwood21 and curiosity, between them, pretty much said everything i was going to say.
i did think flack/eddie did an amazing job though, he was just brilliant, it was really upsetting to watch, which was the point so that worked. i also liked mac's speech - it could've been all preachy and righteous but he managed to stop himself
Angel death meant nothing, she was in maybe 10 episodes of CSI NY all together, and most of those were generic female cop type lines.
If they had not killed her off people would have totally forgotten about her, and nothing would have been said.
as for the ending, kind looks to me like everyone had ducked before there was a chance or someone being hit.
If they had not killed her off people would have totally forgotten about her, and nothing would have been said.
as for the ending, kind looks to me like everyone had ducked before there was a chance or someone being hit.
I don't know I thought she was a good character and she brought a lot to the show I doubt people would have just forgot about her
Duke
Witness
Brilliant season finale, almost as good as the S2 finale "Charge of this Post".
There were a few moments I could have done without, Danny slamming his hand against the wall when Flack told him Jess was gone was unnecessary, for me it took away the grief and despair of what Flack was feeling. And when Lindsay and Hawkes were processing evidence in the lab and she said, "I can't believe she's gone" - Say it like you mean it already!! Mind you, I was surprised at the flicker of actual emotion when she arrived at the diner and saw the pool of Jess's blood on the floor, for a brief moment she actually appeared human.
I think Dunbrook being somehow involved in the shootout at the end is way too obvious given that his parting words to Mac were, "You be safe" - I think that's a red herring. I'm not entirely sure what or who it could be, I did initially wonder about the kidnappers but didn't they all get shot/caught?? I guess it's something we'll have to wait until next season to find out. My bets are on Danny being injured [although I'd much rather it be Lindsay], Danny's been a little erratic of late and I think because he's a new father, him being injured in some way will make for a great opening storyline - maybe Lindsay might even shed a tear. I won't hold my breath.
I'm also on tenterhooks to see how Flack's story progresses, after shooting one of the kidnappers. The despair in his face was spot on, you could see he was struggling with what was right and wrong. In the end, wrong won out. A brief thought flickered through my mind when he shot the guy, won't they somehow discover that he was shot at quite close range?? If so, another great storyline in the making.
The opening scene between Flack and Jess was great to watch, even though I knew what was coming, I couldn't help but laugh when he replied, "Mom??" :lol: They had so much chemistry on screen, they sizzled! Perfect partnership. I'm still gutted that Jess has gone, she was sassy, sexy and smart, the kind of strong woman that I admire and respect, and that we need on crime shows. RIP Jess. You'll be missed.
I'm really looking forward to season 6 and to finding out who's been injured, [if there is a God please let it be Lindsay] how this new girl is going to fair [budget cuts my ass! you can't kill off a character and replace her with another!!] but mainly, what's going to happen to Flack.
I give it an A.
There were a few moments I could have done without, Danny slamming his hand against the wall when Flack told him Jess was gone was unnecessary, for me it took away the grief and despair of what Flack was feeling. And when Lindsay and Hawkes were processing evidence in the lab and she said, "I can't believe she's gone" - Say it like you mean it already!! Mind you, I was surprised at the flicker of actual emotion when she arrived at the diner and saw the pool of Jess's blood on the floor, for a brief moment she actually appeared human.
I think Dunbrook being somehow involved in the shootout at the end is way too obvious given that his parting words to Mac were, "You be safe" - I think that's a red herring. I'm not entirely sure what or who it could be, I did initially wonder about the kidnappers but didn't they all get shot/caught?? I guess it's something we'll have to wait until next season to find out. My bets are on Danny being injured [although I'd much rather it be Lindsay], Danny's been a little erratic of late and I think because he's a new father, him being injured in some way will make for a great opening storyline - maybe Lindsay might even shed a tear.
I won't hold my breath.I'm also on tenterhooks to see how Flack's story progresses, after shooting one of the kidnappers. The despair in his face was spot on, you could see he was struggling with what was right and wrong. In the end, wrong won out.
A brief thought flickered through my mind when he shot the guy, won't they somehow discover that he was shot at quite close range?? If so, another great storyline in the making.The opening scene between Flack and Jess was great to watch, even though I knew what was coming, I couldn't help but laugh when he replied, "Mom??" :lol: They had so much chemistry on screen, they sizzled! Perfect partnership. I'm still gutted that Jess has gone, she was sassy, sexy and smart, the kind of strong woman that I admire and respect, and that we need on crime shows. RIP Jess. You'll be missed.
I'm really looking forward to season 6 and to finding out who's been injured, [if there is a God please let it be Lindsay] how this new girl is going to fair [budget cuts my ass! you can't kill off a character and replace her with another!!] but mainly, what's going to happen to Flack.
I give it an A.
danny-lindsay4e
Witness
i already graded this i seen most of it on the net and i'm happy to say after watch it last night here in the UK i was still very happy i liked it and it's defo got me thinking?? what did he mean when he gave mac the paper "be safe" was it him ? was it nelly? (sorry can't remember who he played) i really dunno it could be someone we have never heard of and thats what season 6 is gonna run around.
anyway i guess we will have to wait til september comes i could guess and think all i want but i mean it hasn't even been filmed yet the story could have changed 3 times over since it was first thought of lol
talkingtocactus
Coroner
i thought that too - when she said that in the lab it was like she was reading, it was just so blank. danny's hand thing just really annoyed me. but i'm not the only one and other people have put it better than me!
i've been pondering that too - i think what dunbrook said could be a red herring, or it could be nothing at all, it's a weird one. it's just a slightly odd thing to say to someone (i mean, maybe if you're their mother and they're going out somewhere, but not as a corporate boss to a detective), especially in light of dunbrook suggesting that mac was right about what a nasty man he can be. i thought all the kidnappers got shot too but maybe one got away?
i thought it might be danny too, as has been said, he needs a bit of a shake up character wise and it might just be a good way to reboot him!
Miyukiseta
Rookie
*Steam comes out of ears, face is all red with fury*
Okay, I can't take it anymore...
Budget cuts killed Jess off?! Bullsh*t, TPTB, real bullsh*t!!! :scream: :scream: :scream::brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:
Would't it have been cheaper to kill off a series regular...? I thought they would cost more.0_0 Jess has been in what, only like 10 to 15 eps...how the hell much could she cost? Guess I thought wrong= . = *glares, rolls eyes*
Aww, Donnie... You two were so good together... *tears up and starts sobbing*
Jesus Christ, another cliffhanger finale... ...second season/year in a row...not good, TPTB. Tsk, tsk, tsk. *shakes head*
Even though I hated Jess getting killed off (and they kept on showing the flashback when she got shot:scream:; I was ready to smash the TV remote:devil and the damned cliffhanger, I have to give this ep an A+. There was action, some moving scenes, and it was a very team-oriented episode. (The part when Adam had to plant the tracking device on Dunbrook's car was kinda scary. Funny when Stella honked the horn...:lol:...and ducked.)
And to add, the rest of the season basically sucked like crap (other than Yahrzeit) and this one was one of the best eps this whole season.
Okay, I can't take it anymore...
Budget cuts killed Jess off?! Bullsh*t, TPTB, real bullsh*t!!! :scream: :scream: :scream::brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:
Would't it have been cheaper to kill off a series regular...? I thought they would cost more.0_0
Jess has been in what, only like 10 to 15 eps...how the hell much could she cost? Guess I thought wrong= . = *glares, rolls eyes*Aww, Donnie...
You two were so good together... *tears up and starts sobbing*Jesus Christ, another cliffhanger finale...
...second season/year in a row...not good, TPTB. Tsk, tsk, tsk. *shakes head*Even though I hated Jess getting killed off (and they kept on showing the flashback when she got shot:scream:; I was ready to smash the TV remote:devil
and the damned cliffhanger, I have to give this ep an A+. There was action, some moving scenes, and it was a very team-oriented episode. (The part when Adam had to plant the tracking device on Dunbrook's car was kinda scary. Funny when Stella honked the horn...:lol:...and ducked.)And to add, the rest of the season basically sucked like crap (other than Yahrzeit) and this one was one of the best eps this whole season.
Yh I agree the hand slam was pretty unnescessay, and lindsay's painful 'emotional' scenes weren't the higlight of the series, I didn't even know she knew jess that well, have they ever had a scene together
Yh I think the writers were counting on us to pick Dunbrook as our first guess and they're gonna make a big shocker by making about something totally different. At least I hope they do that would make it a lot more intresting. I do think it might be Danny injured but I hope it's not he has had enough storylines lately I think I personally hope it is lindsay or maybe Hawkes because he rarely gets a good storyline:shifty:
maybe Lindsay might even shed a tear
I wouldn't:lol:
I'm also on tenterhooks to see how Flack's story progresses, after shooting one of the kidnappers. The despair in his face was spot on, you could see he was struggling with what was right and wrong. In the end, wrong won out.
Definitly would be a great storyline and although he might have chosen the wrong i think Eddie played that scene brilliantly
:lol:That scene made me laugh so hard:guffaw: and i'm sad that csi:ny best couple is over
:lol:That part was hilarious:lol:
My money is on Dunbrook Jr. He was amoral enough to kill the federal agents, so why not swindle dear old Dad out of $10 million and disappear?
It was HIS suggestion that they go to the diner. Angell mentions it to Flack on the phone--that Dunbrook Jr. is "treating."
$$, means and motive--isn't that what's it all about?
It was HIS suggestion that they go to the diner. Angell mentions it to Flack on the phone--that Dunbrook Jr. is "treating."
$$, means and motive--isn't that what's it all about?