Grade 'Right Next Door'

[PerfectAnomaly]

melgeo said:

Faylinn said:
I think making excuses to avoid her is believable, though--maybe he doesn't want to say he doesn't want to have lunch with her because he doesknows she likes him--but he doesn't quite realize the extent of her feelings until she actually tells him.

His choice is plausible, just not honorable. Danny is a mess... and a little ADD, I think

Even though Lindsay called herself Danny's "girlfriend" and professes her love to him, it doesn't mean they are in an exclusive relationship. This episode made it appear Danny is "cheating" with Rikki, but that hasn't been proven yet. Like Fay said earlier, he didn't lie to Lindsay. He just made excuses as to why he didn't want to have lunch with her. People do that all the time, so I don't see it as not being "honorable."

Danny is a mess, but I think that's a good thing. With Ruben getting killed the way he did, it would be a disservice to the character for him to be anything other than a mess. Danny is a very human, flawed character and that makes him realistic and sympathetic in my book.

 

[Faylinn]

Danny is a very human, flawed character and that makes him realistic and sympathetic in my book.

Mine too. Sure, he's made mistakes, and I'm sure we could go so far as to say he's majorly f*cked up sometimes over the years--but that makes him relatable and believable. The guy isn't always going to do the right thing and say the right thing and be the perfect CSI or the perfect person or--heaven forbid--the perfect 'boyfriend'.

Danny did some stuff that wasn't too great in this episode, but I certainly don't feel like it's anything I should hate him for at this point.

 

[melgeo]

Even though Lindsay called herself Danny's "girlfriend" and professes her love to him, it doesn't mean they are in an exclusive relationship. This episode made it appear Danny is "cheating" with Rikki, but that hasn't been proven yet. Like Fay said earlier, he didn't lie to Lindsay. He just made excuses as to why he didn't want to have lunch with her. People do that all the time, so I don't see it as not being "honorable."

Danny is a mess, but I think that's a good thing. With Ruben getting killed the way he did, it would be a disservice to the character for him to be anything other than a mess. Danny is a very human, flawed character and that makes him realistic and sympathetic in my book.

I think we have to agree to disagree. As I see it, his excuses were not the truth, but a purposeful attempt to mislead her. That's a lie in my book. I comprehend why he did it, and people do do it all the time, but let's call a spade a spade. This doesn't make Danny all bad and Lindsay all good or vice versa. As for my "Danny is a mess" comment, this is for the greater good of the show. If he were simply pretty, I would not have hung on this long. I'm not invested in their relationship, I just call it as I see it.

Sorry, if I'm off topic.

 

[Faylinn]

Nah, you're not off-topic.

I guess I don't see much of a problem with the excuses because we as the audience know it's the least of Lindsay's problems--Danny sleeping with Rikki is a much bigger deal, and she doesn't have a clue about that. If he opened the door and made excuses so she wouldn't know Rikki was in his apartment, then I might think he was trying to mislead her. I think the excuses were just an easy way out of having lunch (and proof that he didn't consider his relationship with Lindsay serious, whatever that 'relationship' was--would you give your girlfriend/boyfriend excuses like that?), for better or worse.

I think we have to agree to disagree.

Absolutely--It makes for good discussion.

 

[nikkilou31]

Not seen this episode, but am gutted from what I have heard. Not sure I look forward to seeing it over here.

I hope someone post clips/piccie on here soon

 

[Top41]

I gave the ep an A. I was entertained from start to finish, and for once I didn't feel it was convoluted or complex simply for the sake of being so. I get that CSI show episodes have to be both of those things to eek out 42 minutes of show, but sometimes it's just so obvious. Not so here.

It was nice to see a Stella-centric episode with her kicking ass. And yes, without some stupid man bringing her down (I'm looking at you, Frankie and Drew ). She kicked ass.

The goldfish were a tad convenient, but Hawkes got to show off his smarts so I don't care.

Adam, crushing on Stella anyone????

As for Lindsay, I might feel bad for her if she'd tried to be there for Danny during his ordeal with Ruben. But she wasn't and now she's stepping in at the 11th hour when he's pulling away and trying to rewrite history. She hasn't been there for him, hasn't supported him and suddenly she's claiming girlfriend rights? Ugh, this character is a wretch, and Belknap just portrays her as a snotty, one-note bitch. Can we ship her out of NY yet, please????

This episode (and the posts that accompany it) shoved me out of longtime lurker status to first time poster. I apologize for what is sure to be a long post.

B+. Overall, I enjoyed the episode. Season One aside (which is a different and better version of this program),

Great to have you here, melgeo, and can I just say how much I agree with this statement???

Was anyone else bothered by the fact that Stella was allowed to work a case where she was a victim in the crime? Conflict of interest anyone?

Normally, yes, but she really was more of an incidental bystander this time.

TPTB continue to waste Hill Harper’s time. Hardly a new thought, I know, but come the f*ck on. All the commentaries on the DVDs talk about what a superstar he is, yet they continue to “put baby in the corner” each week. Has anyone else noticed that most of his screen time this season has been in process montages? Who is his agent?

His time is definitely being wasted.

As for tonight, Danny lied to Lindsay. Love her or hate her, he lied. Relationship or not, he still lied. He’s not wrong for the sex with Rikki, he’s wrong for lying about it, and turning it on Lindsay. How difficult is it to say, I don’t want to have lunch with you. Or better yet, I don’t want to have anything with you. If things were so casual, why lie?

I don't think he lied so much as didn't care to fill her in. Guys never want to come across as the bad guy, and clearly he didn't think they were as serious as she did. If they're not dating in his mind, why is he obligated to tell her who he slept with?

Danny also likes a fixer-upper and, apparently, a little dysfunction.

Agreed. I think Danny is so damaged himself that it's hard for him to conceive of being in a normal relationship.

As for Anna, I don’t think she’s as bad as many think. I think the character is poorly written and unfortunately for her, she has to own that every week.

Ehhhh, a decent actress could make Lindsay sympathetic and the uneven characterization at least palatable. It's a combo of weak writing and a wretched actress, I think.

Did Lindsay make it “about her?” Sure. I can’t really fault her for that this time. She’s hurt and he doesn’t care enough for it to matter.

Maybe not, but a better actress could have made Lindsay sympathetic.

 

[dutch_treat]

B+

I liked how the ep started with that total random accident and Stella and Mac with those kids were so adorable. That sweet boy, so afraid he had to go to jail because he started the fire to help that little girl.

I got how the girl in that apartment died, but I had trouble following how they exactly located that rooftop with those rare flowers?

I didn't like how they put Rikki in there to help the D/L storyline - that could've been done in so many different ways without using her. I wrote a whole essay about the 'did he or didn't he cheat' and I've already posted that in two threads so I'm not gonna bore everyone with it here. My conclusion is that he didn't btw.

 

[CSI808]

Top41, I noticed Adam flirting with Stella BIG-TIME. And as much as I'm really not a shipper, I couldn't help but get a little giddy and smile for Adam. He's so cute when he flirts.

I'm not touching the "cheating" topic with a 20 foot pole here. I've said my piece in the poll topic. I will say however that I don't blame Lindsay for letting her feelings go at work. I know what it's like to be emotionally distraught and kind of just lashing out at work.

I absolutely loved this episode. Stella was awesome and Mac played a good supporting role. I also really enjoyed the scenes where Stella, Mac, and Lindsay worked together. It was all business for Lindsay and I love it when she gets all scientific.

So what happened to the burned victim? She was in an accident and then...? And how did the kids get the body in there in the first place? Although I loved the turn of events with Jason... Austin... the boy.

And is it me, or did one of the other CSI shows use the name "Sean Nolan" before??

 

[melgeo]

As for Lindsay, I might feel bad for her if she'd tried to be there for Danny during his ordeal with Ruben. But she wasn't and now she's stepping in at the 11th hour when he's pulling away and trying to rewrite history. She hasn't been there for him, hasn't supported him and suddenly she's claiming girlfriend rights? Ugh, this character is a wretch, and Belknap just portrays her as a snotty, one-note bitch. Can we ship her out of NY yet, please????

Ahhhh...and now we have come the crux of the problem w/ D/L post Snow Day. There is so little we know about their relationship that we're reduced to inference. Who knows what she did or didn't do for him because there's so little proof. I try not to dwell on it too much because it will just make me stop watching the show.

Yay!!! I worked out the quoting thang.

 

[Elsie]

I give this episode a B. Partly because I always struggle with episodes about fire, they just aren't realistic, with fire like that Stella would simply have not been able to get in to the next door apartment, let alone find anyone alive in there. Although why I'm complaining I don't know, it's not like this show is ever actually realistic. And if it was, it would be dull. :lol:

I have to say Mac and Stella's hug was cute, and why did she turn down his offer of a room? A hotel room cannot possibly be better than Mac's place. I did feel bad for Stella, she moved in two years ago and never entertains, she really doesn't have any luck does she? Nor does she clean. Two year of not finding some notes that had been stuck through a hole (which she did notice)? I know she's a busy woman, but think of all the dust that must have accumulated over the years? :lol:

OK, Danny and Rikki. Nice, natural chemistry, I think that they certainly enjoy each others company, and Rikki doesn't blame Danny for Ruben's death, which was nice to know. Danny and Lindsay's undefined relationship was confusing, but I don't know that Danny 'cheated on her' as such, I think it was cleverly left undefined in that way. Danny's not a bad person, he's just a guy who seems to lack some understanding of the way that women operate. As for Lindsay, her so-called 'monologue of doom' was work inappropriate but otherwise fairly interesting, I don't think her mentioning that she has lost people that she loved was necessarily a bad thing, she certainly seemed to be trying to be both empathetic to what he is going through and still get her feelings on their relationship across. Although with Lindsay's delivery and timing of these things it does always make her seem a bit 'all about me' about everything. Their lack of eye contact when Danny first came into the lab, Lindsay looking obviously pissed off and Hawkes' obvious discomfort at the situation makes me wish they had decided to have the monologue take place outside of work, because they are hardly being professional, and there were much, much more important work related situations that they should have been focusing on, like finding a missing child...

Anyway, Flack was cute and great in interrogation as always.

Adam, crushing on Stella anyone????

Oh yes, that was so very awkwardly cute!

Final comments. I teared up at the end, and I'm not sure why because it wasn't sad. :lol: And, Danny's lack of vocabulary is really, really grating on me now. 'Boom' is not a word that he needs to use every week. Sometimes less is more.

 

[Faylinn]

Yay!!! I worked out the quoting thang.

Woot! :lol:

Their lack of eye contact when Danny first came into the lab, Lindsay looking obviously pissed off and Hawkes' obvious discomfort at the situation makes me wish they had decided to have the monologue take place outside of work, because they are hardly being professional, and there were much, much more important work related situations that they should have been focusing on, like finding a missing child...

Seriously. The important thing is to find the little girl.

And, Danny's lack of vocabulary is really, really grating on me now. 'Boom' is not a word that he needs to use every week. Sometimes less is more.

'Boom' is the new white shirt--they know it works and they run it into the ground.

 

[Twinkletoes]

'Boom' is the new white shirt

Just as well we know what you're talking about Fay, otherwise that would be a very strange sentence indeed

The weird thing about the whole D/L stuff is that neither actor knew what the outcome of their scenes were going to be either. I've said this before so sorry for repeating myself but we're reading stuff into the scene between them that they don't know about themselves, how hard must that be for them?? Still doesn't excuse Anna's acting mind you...

And if I were Hill I'd be packing my bags. That man need a major storyline pronto.

 

[TylerDalton]

I wonder how many people criticizing Danny here are females? lol. Instead of typing why I don't think Danny should be crucified I'll just refer you to Brad Paisley's song "I'm Still A Guy". :lol:

Overall I give the episode a solid A, I love episodes that contain, to quote NUMB3RS, a "black swan" (the guy that was convicted of arson having nothing to do with starting the fire, then the death turned out being accidental).

 

[ClarkF1]

I had to give this a C and that was only cause of the Danny/Rikki/Lindsay stuff

I liked the way Adam seemed almost embarrassed by telling Stella he was glad she was okay.

The only reason why I stuck around to watch the entire episode was to find out what happened to the kids and whether there was any more Danny/Lindsay stuff.

Apart from that, it was a bit of a disappointment cause it was way too obvious. I prefer things to come out of left-field.

 

[Elsie]

Seriously. The important thing is to find the little girl.

I know. Could she have chosen a more inopportune time to rant at him? I think not. And it was that, rather than the actual monologue which irritated me.

'Boom' is the new white shirt--they know it works and they run it into the ground.

It's run it's course. The writer's need to let it go. It's almost like I'm waiting for it in each episode, I know as soon as Danny figures something out about the evidence he'll come out with it. :lol:

The weird thing about the whole D/L stuff is that neither actor knew what the outcome of their scenes were going to be either. I've said this before so sorry for repeating myself but we're reading stuff into the scene between them that they don't know about themselves, how hard must that be for them?? Still doesn't excuse Anna's acting mind you...

Hmm, yes but interpretation is half the fun. It was an interesting scene to me because it can be read in so many different ways, I think the discussion of their 'relationship' was deliberately vague and undefined. I'm not sure what you mean by it being hard for them? As actors they work with scripts and direction, so they do, to some extent, know what the outcomes will be (or should be). They don't necessarily know what the future holds for their characters, but I don't see how that it would impact on the scene or our/their understanding of it.

What I find interesting is that some people are so quick to vilify Danny, when it's difficult from these scenes alone to actually determine what, if anything, he did wrong other than failing to communicate better.

I wonder how many people criticizing Danny here are females? lol. Instead of typing why I don't think Danny should be crucified I'll just refer you to Brad Paisley's song "I'm Still A Guy". :lol:

Well, the vast majority of regular posters in here are female so you can't really make a comparison. However, wanting to crucify Danny is more likely to be down to whether or not our interpretation of Danny and Lindsay's relationship suggests that Danny has in fact 'cheated'. I'm not sure that men are more likely to be accepting of other men cheating, because that's 'what men do'? Nor that all women will think that men who cheat are scum regardless of the circumstance, that's far to generalised in my opinion.