Grade 'Right Next Door'

[Dawni]

Finally got to watch the episode and i managed to spend all day without coming to this place to read the reviews was determined from all the spoilers to see it with a clear head as usually when i read this before i watch i'm somewhat clouded. And i think it actually helped.

The beginning was wierd, i kind of expected it to be straight with the Stella story but it wasn't and i got a little bit confused but it was a good lead in. Her apartment looks different from "all access" which confused me a second.

I really liked her storyline and declining Macs offer of a spare room, it was like she knew she had to do it on her own like all access and not rely on people. Her and Mac this ep i felt kinda showed more just how much they know each other. Macs talk about taking her off the case was classic it just showed how even if he tried she wasn't going to move so why try.

I liked Flack he seemed a lil less in it but more gritty than usual more determined as it was someone he knew.

Hawkes had a good share more than previous eps did think ooh we're seeing him more but i guessed it was more because Danny came in later.

Adam was cute... he has the geeky charm I study computing so see a fair few geeks and it kind of reminds me of them in a way. It was almost the writers way of showing he is part of the team now not just a lab tech who's in and out which is probably now Kendall.

Random note was we got a kind of timescale which i never see in episodes or i don't here it was nice to see cos gave us an idea more of where it stood.

the DL thing... thats what i kind of called it.
Danny I felt as much as could be classed as what i partly read a jerk i never thought he was. People grieve in different ways and maybe this was a way as probably complicated as it is made it feel better, like he was doing something to help. His excuses i would have possibly sussed, they are totally plausible but something in how he said it all made me think i would have thought hmmm.

The danny/rikki thing i think has been played really well, it was obvious i felt that something must have happened and the way they both admit its nothing serious kind of made me feel they knew it wasn't the right way to go about things but it worked. I'm interested to see if she appears any more because as much as i didn't really want to see it go that way they have played it well that we can sympathise with them.

Lindsays lil speech i was surprised about, i kind of expected the worst from reading spoilers thinking it could just be dangerous. At work i agree wasn't cleverest idea. But i thought it actually came across quite well and that the fact she has dealt with it herself came up because its something she knows... the love part i like she was honest it gave it some sense that she thought they had something and the best friend part i thought i would more have seen them as that than a couple.. best friends with benefits. I think she was kind of childish but it wasn't overlly b*tchy bar the 1st scene which i thought to much but it was enough to say it hurt.

I am interested to see where it pans out because it could either make them closer which i would hate to see as much as i like them together. Or it drives them apart. and from what we've read in future eps could be interesting.

I think for me its that they almost have to much in common to work that they both shut how they feel away and don't really talk and only do when its got to breaking point.

I did really enjoy the ep showed more of a family side to the team kind of nice to see a personal ep and the case had nice twists to it with the kids it was cleverly done.

Must actually be a long review for me apologise if half doesn't make sense i'm still not awake after my 2hr lecture which sent me to sleep but if i didnt write it now would loose my train of thought.

 

[PerfectAnomaly]

I'm thankful to see I'm not the only one who read the episode/D/L relationship that way...I suspect there's more, they're just shy seeing as this thread has turned into yet another D/L-yes/no-war.

Why must people discussing different opinions always be turned into "ZOMG! This board is so anti-DL and the posters are so mean that they make the poor, persecuted DL shippers afraid to post without being bashed and jumped all over?" Seriously, it's gone way beyond old. :scream: :brickwall:

 

[flackie_boo]

well I really enjoyed last nights episode, I thought it was really good. It was almost unpredictable I guess you could say.

Love Adam, he's soooo awesome. I get excited seeing him because he's just awesome any scene with Adam is a good scene.

Loved Flack last night too, well I do in every episode, but he was really good last night he was good with Bonnie the creeper, and his scene with that Sean guy was good too.I like at the end the look on his face when the girl was reunited with her family, Flack has a good heart.

I want more Hawkes because he is such a good character, and I agree with everyone that Hill is so underused. Hawkes needs more than just 2 or 3 scenes in an episode.

And poor Stella, she never gets anything good. She always has bad stuff happen to her, she needs to have something good happen to her for once. She's a strong character she's been through a lot of crap and has held it together really well.

I don't want anyone to hate on me for this... but I'm kind of sick of Danny, maybe not Danny but I'm getting sick of Danny drama. For me Danny Drama is just getting old, give Danny something super happy and awesome, instead of drama all the time. With the way it's going now, by the time the show is over Danny will be an emotional wreck.

I like Lindsay though I felt bad for her in that situation I think she really wanted to help Danny but he wasn't opening up to her about anything. I'm not really a D/L shipper but I do like D/L... so maybe that does make me a shipper but I don't know.

One thing that is starting to bug me on the show is all the crazy stuff that happens and theres no after affect. Stella basically gets raped by her psycho boyfriend for 1 episode it effects her well I guess a couple. Danny's brother gets the living daylights beaten out of him and is left in a coma, but after that episodes over he comes back like nothing ever happened. Flack is almost killed after being in a bomb blast but he comes back with no sign of PTSD or anything, like the others, Flack comes back in the third season like he has been dancing in cotton candy feilds with fluffy bunnies. Danny and Adam are held hostage and get beaten pretty badly but neither of them has anything to show for it. Stella gets a stalker, nothing. And after all that crazy stuff we're FINALLY getting some continuity! The continuity fairy came into play, with none other than Danny Messer. I mean for the one time we get continuity from a storyline, its Danny drama. give the poor guy a break! I kind of wanna kick the writers in ... yeah and tell them shed some light on some of the other characters for once. Poor Danny can only handle so much and he's starting to look like the bad guy to me...

anyhow I'm done my crazy lady rant as long as I get more Flack,Hawkes, or Adam sometime I'll be happy. I really,really, want to know more about them. And I want Danny and Stella to have a happy storyline for once.

 

[MacsLady]

I give it an A.

-So Suspect X can run about in an under-construction building in high heels and be fine, and the lady at the beginning of this ep is just walking home in some heels, gets them caught in a grate, and dies? :lol: Looks like the writers maybe talked to some women this time re high heels.

-Loved Mac and Flack being gents and insisting Stella go home.

-Stella's boobies! No negligee, though, thank God!.

-Woo-hoo, Action!Stella. Loved how she was in authority and totally calm during the fire and saved that kid. Very cool. I felt so sad for her that all her stuff was ruined, that's really bad- she tries for a fresh start after Frankie, and this happens. I also felt sorry for her when she was blaming herself for not realizing Bonnie was a kidnapper, and that Austin just wanted her help. That final scene with her and Austin was amazing. Melina's such a talented actress. I like that Stella was all independent - not accepting Mac's offer of a room, it's so in character.

-Mac was so sweet to Stella! He brought her coffee, hugged her, offered her a room, and knew better than to ask her to step back from the case. This ep was a great one for showing the depth and solidity of the friendship between these two. It's so refreshing to see an attractive guy and an attractive woman in a platonic, yet warm and caring relationship that doesn't stray into the Romantic area.

-Flack was also very sweet in this ep. I LOVED how he was all pissy with that arsonist guy and referred to Stella as 'Someone I care about' and threatened that the guy would have to answer to him if he found out he was guilty. That arsonist guy is very, very lucky he wasn't guilty. Flack's not a guy you want to p*ss off. I loved how Flack used a very different, much genetler technique with Bonnie, he seemed to feel sorry for her a bit and really want to find that little girl.

-Danny shirtless, yummy!:devil:

-Danny and Rikki are hot together and their chemistry is much more natural than Danny and Lindsay's. Danny seeed much more open/caring towards Rikki than he ever did towards Lindsay. Pinol is a fantastic actress. I'm interested to see how this relationship will develop.

-Adam was so cute! I think he definitely has a lil crush on Stella. When he said he was glad she was ok, he was just adorkable. I love that he got assertive with her when he needed to give her that crucial piece of evidence to save Austin. It's great that he helped save a kid in trouble.

-Yay - some continuity from All Access. Poor Stella, though, not having any company in her apartment.

-Hawkes -yay! Loved that he was in SuperBrainy mode again talking about the fish. It was funny when he said to Mac 'My man is getting sneaky.':lol: Though Mac is MY man, Hawkes, let's get that straight.

-Mac and Flack in bulletproof vests again, very nice.:drool:

-Mac was absolutely adorable in that scene when he carried the little girl out of the building, put her down, brushed her hair out of her face and pointed to her parents. He really showed his gentle, compassionate side, and again when he was talking to Austin's mother. I liked that scene too, not just for Mac being sweet, but also because I thought it was realistic. A kid would be screwed up after going through something like that. I'm glad they didn't do a scene with Austin running to his mum going 'Mommy!' and everything being hunky-dory. The way they did it was much more realistic.

-Loved Mac and Flack's smiles as little Bailey was reunited with her parents.

-Danny did not cheat. He just made a mistake in understanding his and Lindsay's relationship, which isn't surprising since Lindsay's been sending him mixed signals. While I feel sorry for Lindsay because she fell in love with a guy who didn't feel the same way, or who didn't recognize that, I didn't like her complaining about Danny not turning to her. She didn't even try to be there for him! But still, she must be hurting a lot, and I do feel sorry for her because of that. But Danny is not a b*stard or a moron. He's just a flawed guy who made a mistake, like lots of people do.

-I liked Danny's rumpled dark blue shirt.
-I didn't like Lindsay's long blue cardigan thingy.

-Loved the twist with the kids. That was unexpected for me.

-Bonnie was absolutely nuts.

 

[Top41]

I watched the episode again today with lunch and found I liked it just as much the second time around as I did the first.

On the whole issue of Lindsay, I do feel more sympathy for her this time around than I did last night. There's something kind of hard and brittle about Anna Belknap that makes it hard for me to sympathize with Lindsay at times, but I was able to pick up on some genuine hurt at the end when she was telling him she'd fallen in love with him.

I also noticed a hardness in Danny's voice when he asked her why she has to like this. I think he got genuinely frustrated with her, and to me that indicated he's always thought of their relationship as casual, and perhaps never seen Lindsay as someone he could confide in. I can't think of a single time when he's turned to her of his own volition about an emotional hardship. Danny always goes to Flack, or sometimes Mac. And now he's turned to Rikki. He's been there for Lindsay countless times, but she's never returned the favor. And when she had the opportunity, I think she bungled it.

It's obvious that Danny still blames himself for Ruben's death. As for Lindsay, it looks like Danny never thought of her as a girlfriend. Lindsay talked about wanting to help him through his grief but I've never seen her try. I remember when Ruben died and Danny was a wreck, she told Mac that she didn't know what to say to Danny now all of a sudden she's saying she knows what its like to lose someone. It seems to me only now Lindsay is starting to reach out to Danny but it's too late IMO.

Bingo. There have been four episodes in between this one and "Child's Play," and we've never once seen Lindsay reach out to Danny. Not once since that first half-hearted attempt at calling out his name. She could have gone after him then. She could have gone after him in "All in the Family." She didn't. And now she's decided to "be there" for him, but she hasn't told him that. She just seems to expect that offering to buy him lunch means she'll listen to all of his woes. It doesn't quite work that way.

That aside, I do feel for her. I think she's an awkward, somewhat selfish person who has genuinely fallen in love with a sweet, very emotional guy. I buy that she doesn't quite know how to be there for him, and I do think this was a genuine attempt. She's just so bad at it. And really, she needs to work on getting past herself because when she opens her mouth it's still, "Me, me, me!" I think if she'd said to him weeks ago that she was there if he needed to talk and left it at that, all of this might have been avoided. But she didn't, and now it does feel like too little too late.

One thing that is starting to bug me on the show is all the crazy stuff that happens and theres no after affect. Stella basically gets raped by her psycho boyfriend for 1 episode it effects her well I guess a couple.

Not to be nitpicky, but--thankfully--Stella wasn't raped. She did get attacked, but she was not raped. And really, given her comments in tonight's episode, I think she's still being affected by that. We've seen other hints of it, too--in her reluctance to get close to Drew and her reaction to the woman claiming she was attacked in "Open and Shut." I think the writers have done a good job of continuity there.

And after all that crazy stuff we're FINALLY getting some continuity! The continuity fairy came into play, with none other than Danny Messer. I mean for the one time we get continuity from a storyline, its Danny drama. give the poor guy a break! I kind of wanna kick the writers in ... yeah and tell them shed some light on some of the other characters for once. Poor Danny can only handle so much and he's starting to look like the bad guy to me...

Well, I love Danny and his drama, so I've been enjoying it, but I've seen people downplaying Ruben's death and that frankly baffles me. Danny feels responsible for the death of a 10-year-old boy. That's something he's never going to get over. We're talking about a child here, a child who will never grow up, have a first kiss, go to college, get a job, become a parent, etc. I don't think you can trivialize that. It's a fantastic, untenable position to put a character in, and I love what the writers have done with it.

 

[flackie_boo]

One thing that is starting to bug me on the show is all the crazy stuff that happens and theres no after affect. Stella basically gets raped by her psycho boyfriend for 1 episode it effects her well I guess a couple.

Not to be nitpicky, but--thankfully--Stella wasn't raped. She did get attacked, but she was not raped. And really, given her comments in tonight's episode, I think she's still being affected by that. We've seen other hints of it, too--in her reluctance to get close to Drew and her reaction to the woman claiming she was attacked in "Open and Shut." I think the writers have done a good job of continuity there.

And after all that crazy stuff we're FINALLY getting some continuity! The continuity fairy came into play, with none other than Danny Messer. I mean for the one time we get continuity from a storyline, its Danny drama. give the poor guy a break! I kind of wanna kick the writers in ... yeah and tell them shed some light on some of the other characters for once. Poor Danny can only handle so much and he's starting to look like the bad guy to me...

Well, I love Danny and his drama, so I've been enjoying it, but I've seen people downplaying Ruben's death and that frankly baffles me. Danny feels responsible for the death of a 10-year-old boy. That's something he's never going to get over. We're talking about a child here, a child who will never grow up, have a first kiss, go to college, get a job, become a parent, etc. I don't think you can trivialize that. It's a fantastic, untenable position to put a character in, and I love what the writers have done with it.

I'm not downplaying Rubens death. A child should never have that happen, I saw it like that too he's never gonna get to do all this stuff because his life was cut short. It really is a tragic thing when it's a child. It's just the Danny drama that I just don't really want. I'd of rather seen someone else get something big. But I can't make you see it from my point of view I have to respect your opinion... I'm kind of in a ranty mood today I really do apologize if I come of sounding shallow or just annoying.

I gotta say too I'm glad you pointed the stuff out about Stella, I forgot about that. So yes I guess we have gotten more continuity. But there still is major issues with it for some other things.

 

[Top41]

^Ah, no worries...I think we each want drama or storylines for our favorite characters. I admit I'm totally biased...I love Danny drama because he's my favorite. :lol:

 

[flackie_boo]

^ lol thats the best way to put it! I gotta say last season I would have killed for this storyline, it was only around then that Flack became my favorite character. I started watching when I was 11 ,during the first season, after I saw the end of The Dove Commission I really thought Danny was an interesting and complex character, and also thought he was kind of cute( that probably sounds odd for an 11 year old). So he's the reason I watch the show and my favorite character shifted over to Flack when I saw Consequences.

 

[GypsyQueen]

I absolutely loved this episode. I liked the fact that Stella is getting some character development although I do wish it didn't have to come at the expense of her ENTIRE apartment! That place is jinxed. First she almost gets killed in it by her 'boyfriend' and then she almost gets killed in it by a fire.
I do have a couple of bones to pick. The first is those damn goldfish! The apartment was on fire! It was so badly damaged that the firemen thought the fire began in that apartment. There was a flashover and the furniture went up in smoke. I believe the word used was 'incinerator'. And in all this chaos, we're supposed to believe that two itty bitty goldfish survived? Come on! There are about a million different ways that those two little fish should have died. Two obvious ones, 1) the heat should have boiled the water, 2) if it hadn't boiled the water, it would have shattered the glass and fried em'; either way, they're dead.
The second bone of contention is the fact that they did not explain the sprinklers failing to work. Was it mere coincidence? Or are we to believe that Jason wrecked that too?
The third one and for me, this is a big one; why didn't Stella realise the significance of the notes earlier? I mean come on! She was perplexed when she found them, which is understandable. But she unrolled them to read what was written on them and she actually recounts the story to Adam and we see in the flashback the table and everything and still Stella doesn't make the connection. Seriously? Short of those notes spontaneously appearing in her apartment, she must have been thinking about some way that it got in? Air duct, window sill, vent, pests with sticky feet/paws or maybe, just maybe, it was the kid next door who had ingeniously built a little hole in the wall directly above the table? This irritated me. Stella is smarter than this.
Besides these three though, it was a stellar episode. I especially liked this episode for Stella because despite the loss that she suffers, there is not the exploitative, misogynistic feel to it as in 'All Access'.
It is also wonderful that Stella has effortlessly garnered the respect, support and loyalty of all the men in the lab. From the geeky lab tech Adam, (who is oh-so-cute when he blushes, stutters and stammers) who probably has a slight crush on her to the hunky detective who promises to bring the wrath of God down on the suspect who has hurt a woman he 'cares very much about' to the stoic boss who trusts her enough to let her work through her loss and her grief in her own unique way. Contrast this with Lindsay who has failed to make a meaningful connection wtih any character on the show. Don't get me wrong, I in no way condone what Danny has done. He cheated on her. The shocked expression on his face aside, he knew they were in a relationship. I mean come on, he knew he was in the doghouse over the birthday fiasco and he was obviously lying to her about the things he had to do. Having said that, Lindsay's little temper tantrum did nothing but make her seem even more like a two dimensional cliche than ever. She has a go at Danny about not leaning on her for support during the Sandoval killing and she claims to know what it is like to lose someone close. She has conveniently forgotten the fact that she spent months pushing Danny away despite the fact that the loss she suffered was years previously. Ruben Sandoval has not even been dead a year and in all that time, we have not seen Lindsay reach out to Danny once, except for the brief moment she clumsily covered for him with Mac in 'All in the Family'. I am quite happy for this relationship to end here because honestly it just isn't working. I'm actually hoping that this spells the end of Lindsay Monroe because without the twin crutches of 'the relationship' and Danny, she is even more of an insipid character.

 

[LpoHeartsNick]

I dont understand why everyone hates Lindsay? She is such a great character. Lindsay is the perfect country girl and she is like a breath of fresh air. I mean, granted, all this Danny/Lindsay drama can be a little over bearing. But I don't get how people can gang up on Lindsay when it is Danny who f*cked up.
Not to mention... that Anna's acting on this episode was so well done. She was great with the attitude with Danny, she has a lot of depth and I like her character far more then Aiden! Aiden had two faced "Pissed off Model Face" and "Model Face" her attitude was annoying and I don't miss her on the show.
I love Lindsay, and now... I don't ship DL but I definitely dig Lindsay Monroe. She's awesome.

 

[Faylinn]

I don't get why I'm supposed to suddenly hate Danny's guts. He's such a complex and interesting character--far from perfect, and not always likable, but so interesting. Sure, he's hot, but that doesn't do much when most of the guys on TV are hot. He's a believable 'city boy' and his characterization is a welcome contrast to the usual 'strong guy' vs 'damsel in distress' cliche--he's emotional and needy, and he's usually the one in distress rather than coming to the rescue. Plus, of course, Carmine is a great actor.

Slight sarcasm aside--nobody's ganging up on Lindsay. We're just not going to blindly rally behind her and call Danny a useless b*stard when they both have a share of the responsibility in their 'relationship'. What Danny did with Rikki is on his own head, but any lack of communication between Danny and Lindsay involves two people: Danny and Lindsay. I'm not going to automatically write Danny off just because he quote-unquote 'cheated' and Lindsay was wronged.

Even if Danny f*cked up, I still like him. And even if Lindsay is hurt, I'm not going to suddenly love her.

Also, Aiden is dead and gone. Long gone. Let it go.

 

[PerfectAnomaly]

I don't get why I'm supposed to suddenly hate Danny's guts. He's such a complex and interesting character--far from perfect, and not always likable, but so interesting. Sure, he's hot, but that doesn't do much when most of the guys on TV are hot. He's a believable 'city boy' and his characterization is a welcome contrast to the usual 'strong guy' vs 'damsel in distress' cliche--he's emotional and needy, and he's usually the one in distress rather than coming to the rescue. Plus, of course, Carmine is a great actor.

Slight sarcasm aside--nobody's ganging up on Lindsay. We're just not going to blindly rally behind her and call Danny a useless b*stard when they both have a share of the responsibility in their 'relationship'. What Danny did with Rikki is on his own head, but any lack of communication between Danny and Lindsay involves two people: Danny and Lindsay. I'm not going to automatically write Danny off just because he quote-unquote 'cheated' and Lindsay was wronged.

Even if Danny f*cked up, I still like him. And even if Lindsay is hurt, I'm not going to suddenly love her.

Also, Aiden is dead and gone. Long gone. Let it go.

I agree completely and couldn't have said it better.

This whole "everyone is ganging up on Lindsay" complaint is beyond old. Not everyone is convinced Danny "f*cked up" in the sense that he wronged Lindsay. There is no CANON proof he "cheated." And Carmine himself said Danny is CSI: NY's "go to f*ck up," so even if Danny and Lindsay were exclusive it wouldn't be out of character for him to screw that up.

I personally don't understand how so many of the same people who cited CANON ad nauseum to "prove" that Danny and Lindsay were ZOMG! so in love and together are now completely ignoring CANON to "prove" that Danny is a lying, cheating bastard, Rikki is a homewrecking whore and Lindsay is the innocent, faithful girlfriend who has been stomped all over by these evil, heartless people. :wtf:

I used the word "prove" because I couldn't think of a better one. I know opinion is involved and opinion can't be proved.

 

[Springmoon]

I'm not a D/L shipper so I don't really care what happens to them.

Your signature says otherwise...

Actually my signature says Mac/Stella Shipper and open to a bunch of others ships. There's a difference.

Oh I guess that's my mistake. I must have imagined this.

GypsyQueen said: The first is those damn goldfish! The apartment was on fire! It was so badly damaged that the firemen thought the fire began in that apartment. There was a flashover and the furniture went up in smoke. I believe the word used was 'incinerator'. And in all this chaos, we're supposed to believe that two itty bitty goldfish survived? Come on! There are about a million different ways that those two little fish should have died. Two obvious ones, 1) the heat should have boiled the water, 2) if it hadn't boiled the water, it would have shattered the glass and fried em'; either way, they're dead.

Yes! That's another thing that bugged me about the episode that I forgot in my earlier post. How did those goldfish survive such a fire? I guess it was just to give Hawkes something to do? As so many have stated, Hill Harper remains criminally underutilized, but I wonder if this isn't as a result from the strike? During the strike it seemed that Hill stepped up his work on Senator Obama's Presidential campaign, and he may have made some commitments during the strike that he does not want to break now, so he is working less?

 

[privatename]

Lindsay is the perfect country girl and she is like a breath of fresh air.

I get that you like Lindsay and honestly while I dislike her, you are as entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. But, I am really curious as to how you think she is the "perfect country girl." What to you makes her feel like a "perfect country girl?" I don't particularly get a country vibe from Lindsay and the only reason I think about her as a country girl is because Danny calls her Montana and they occasionally throw in some reference to where she is from. I guess though the better question is -- how, as a country girl is she different from someone who is a city girl?

This is a real question. Maybe there is something I am missing. I still won't like her, but I am curious.

 

[owlki]

Lindsay is the perfect country girl and she is like a breath of fresh air.

I get that you like Lindsay and honestly while I dislike her, you are as entitled to your opinion as I am to mine. But, I am really curious as to how you think she is the "perfect country girl." What to you makes her feel like a "perfect country girl?" I don't particularly get a country vibe from Lindsay and the only reason I think about her as a country girl is because Danny calls her Montana and they occasionally throw in some reference to where she is from. I guess though the better question is -- how, as a country girl is she different from someone who is a city girl?

This is a real question. Maybe there is something I am missing. I still won't like her, but I am curious.

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing and more: Why do we need a perfect country girl in a NY show? I watch a NY show to see NY and new yorkers, even if it's filmed in LA. I'd love to see other new yorkers besides the filthy riches but, oh well, you can't always win, huh?

Also, how is she a breath of fresh air? On polluted New York, you mean? :lol: Or do you think the characters on CSI:NY except for Lindsay are difficult to watch? :wtf:

I, personally, love season 1 and was very sad to see that shadowy atmosphere go away. For me, it needed no change or breath of fresh air.

Must admit that, in the beginning, didn't like Aiden but she grew on me. First time I watched the first season, thought 'Yay!' when she was fired in the second season. Second time I watched the first season, I was very sad when she was dismissed.

Must also admit that, in the very, very beginning, liked Lindsay but she went down the hill for me. She can go back to Montana.

And, of course, Danny has been my favorite character all the way. If you ask me to choose any character or him, I'll always choose him. And this includes having his personality back.