Is there too much romance in CSI: NY?

[andunesilme]

Definitely some lovin' for Hawkes :lol: But everything else is too much. I'm more a fan of possibilities-to-have-a-relationship-sometimes, but actually seeing those relationships come 'true' takes all the fun of thinking 'what would happen if..' And yes, I watch the show for the crimes (mostly.. ), although I love scenes where the characters have good (witty :guffaw lines, and I think I'm waiting for those moments more than the actual crime solving.

I must say that I liked D/L until Snow Day, and now the last ep was torment to watch 'cause of the romance. Or of the baby. Or both, actually. And for these pairings given, I don't like Stella/Adam, nor Mac/Gillian -thing. Both of them (mac and stella) should have somebody outside the work, like in the past seasons (haha, but if this isn't possible, i would love to see Mac/Stella happen [and every other romance from the show disappearing, or at least fading to back and not having such big attention], I'm kinda smacked shipper at some level ). As for the Flack/Angell -thing, I think that it's not disturbing and it can happen, only if the writers won't pay too much attention to it (don't make it another D/L!!). Luckily we haven't seen a thing about Flack/Angell after that one smooching-scene (i even don't care if they're jumping on each other, as far they keep it away from the screen ).

I'm almost sure that i had something more to say, but now i can't think about anything else.. nah.

 

[cSiNyFrEaK30]

I voted "Yes" on waaaaaay too much Romance on CSI:NY...

I totally get that in real life, people hook up all the time. I live in real life, I can see it happening every day.

That being said, this is a crime show. If I wanted to see Romance all the time, I would watch a soap opera, or a romantic movie. Yes, the show would be boring if it was simply find a body, find the murder weapon, find the killer, and so it is important to work character development and interactions into it, which CSI NY did beautifully in season one.

What we are seeing now IMHO is overkill. Every episode tries to cram in some aspect of characters hooking up or intense flirting or romance, and its taking away from the main idea of the show-CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. The D/L relationship takes away character development for other characters as well as the characters involved, as well as being given valuable time in the episode that could be used to further develop the case and make it more interesting. The Flack/Angell random makeout session, although both characters have great chemistry, came out of no where and hasn't been referenced since, and only further drags down the continuity and development of their relationship (since they were friends one minute, and kissing the next). Adam and Stella are both wonderful characters, and while Adam might have a crush on her, it doesn't mean they should be pushed together like this. Both are great in their interactions with other characters, and by reducing them both to each other's romantic interest would be a waste.

You can show real life problems and interactions with characters on crime shows and not have it turn into a love fest...it just needs to be balanced with the overall aim of the show, which the writers aren't doing. It seems to me like they are letting romance become their focus, and allowing that to influence everything they write...and its hurting the flow of the show in a visible way.

 

[christalann]

I don't think that it is so bad. I mean I've seen more drama from CSI Miami then I have in NY. Lets add Las Vegas with Sarah and Grissom. It adds a level to the characters that makes you feel like you know how they live. It could be so much worse.

 

[dutch_treat]

For me it's not too much because I actually like the combination of solving the crimes the CSI-way and an insight in the personal lifes of the CSI's.

Poppet said:
I think it woudl be better to show them having relationships with people outside work.

For one, it would show a side to the characters that we don't get to see in the normal crime investigation part of the show and secondly it would help keep the romance in the background and stop it from distracting from the crimes.

Well, we've seen Stella being involved with people outside work, only that did definitely not stay in the background. And Flack's girlfriend was also a victim.

 

[athens]

Right now, there are two couples of sorts in CSI: NY: Danny and Lindsay and Flack and Angell, and two potential ones: Mac and Gillian and Stella and Adam. Is it overkill? Or do you like seeing the love lives of the CSIs?

It does seem a little like overkill to me, but at the same time I am definitely wondering when Hawkes will get some love? :lol:

Seriously though, I don't mind a little romance every now and then, but I don't watch the show for the love lives of the CSI's, so I would prefer for it to be kept in the background. I'm not saying I dislike all such scenes, but sometimes less is more.

I definitely agree with you.The CSI shows are both about the crimes and the characters and it is logical I think to have some romance as long as it doesn't get a significant part of the show and the episodes.

Most of us have a ship or don't mind one and we talk about the scenes and the moments some characters have,their chemistry.We like bits and pieces of that.But that's about it.

Too much romance/ many romantic relationships is not CSI.

 

[electra]

It is certainly too much for CSI.I hate what Sara and Grisson did to CSI LV and even worse what D/L are doing to NY.If I wanted that amount of romance,I would be watching Grey's or desperate housewives.I stopped watching Miami becouse of that and I am close of doing the same with CSI NY.

Some shows like NCIS do it nicely but what is happening now is too much.Every time I see Lindsay now I cringe.WAY too much drama.

 

[adamandeva]

yes and no

i like DL in seaon 2-3 but the hole rikki thing is toooo much and yes hawkes need some love and adam and the stella/mac i see them more as friends

 

[Faylinn]

I think having Danny and Lindsay together plus Flack and Angell in some sort of relationship (enough so to have kissed once, at least), plus Adam's crush on Stella, plus Mac's apparent interest in the new deputy inspector - I'd say it's too much.

One canon relationship isn't too bad theoretically, although I still don't like the idea of pairing up two main characters. But when there is so much other stuff they could delve into for these people, it's disappointing that romance seems to be the only option the show takes.

I'd like to see more of Flack's family - if they can successfully show us him flirting with Angell and more of him with Sam and *crosses fingers* perhaps his father, I'm pretty fine with it. (However, it is a bit aggravating that I don't think we ever saw two detectives working on the same case, and now suddenly there are two detectives on some typical cases [not even big ones] which provides opportunities for Flack and Angell to flirt - it's obvious that the show changed it's formula of one-detective-per-case in order to accommodate romantic tension, particularly since their very first scene together was flirtatious.)

I'd like to know more about Adam, and while his crush on Stella is cute, I think they're starting to lay it on too heavily. We don't have to see him flirting with her in every episode to get it, and I feel like they're neglecting his interaction with other characters (like Mac and Danny, for example) which is also fun to watch. I enjoy seeing him be a bit of a bumbling dork around Stella, but I don't want to see most of his scenes eaten up by that dynamic. Plus, I'm just not sure I could see that as a viable relationship. I wouldn't be against it, exactly, but I'm not convinced at this point. They should do it slowly if they must do it at all.

When a character like Gillian Whitford (or whatever her last name is - the press release was wrong) is introduced and has all of two scenes before a main character asks her out - that bothers me. The character might have some merit on her own, but instead she doesn't seem to be much more than a potential love interest and/or pain in the ass for the team. I'd like to see a more dynamic supporting cast with more character depth, rather than come-and-go recurring roles that do little more than flirt or cause trouble.

Plus, of course, there's the fact that these people all work together - does that not cause a conflict of interest? Are there no rules? Not that I'm saying it would happen, but if Danny and Lindsay are on a case together and something happens to them (the bomb in "Charge of this Post" comes to mind) - their kid would lose both parents at once. Are there not perhaps rules put in place not only to protect the perceived integrity of the workplace but also to safeguard families and whatnot?

The argument that people date and fall in love with coworkers is valid, I'll give you that - but if you look around during an episode of NY, there are a bunch of other people in that lab working, not to mention in the precinct when you add that to it. That's a lot of people they 'work' with, so why do they need to be involved with someone in their very small team? Do people never develop deep, platonic relationships with co-workers?

I'm not saying each situation is not realistic in and of itself, I just think when you combine them all together, it gets to be too much. Thinking in terms of real people: Danny and Lindsay's relationship might happen in real life (heaven knows I've seen people in relationships that make no friggin' sense to me), Flack and Angell might realistically flirt and perhaps date out here in the real world (and they could have pretty, pretty babies together), I could easily see Adam having a big-ass crush on Stella, Mac just might actually flirt with his new superior after just meeting her (although I would think that would be a dangerous thing to do, not knowing how she might respond to romantic advances as his friggin' boss), etc - but it's all too close and concentrated to have them all at once.

And while romance is part of the characters lives (and when a show is created with everybody single, it's going to happen), that's not the only thing that would allow the show to be character-driven. Family, friends, neighbors, personal struggles, characters' pasts, etc - all of those things are overflowing with possibilities, and it's disappointing to see that romance is deemed worthy of focus in countless episodes while other stuff gets pushed aside. There is far more to the people I know than who they're seeing, and the show should reflect that IMO.

However, Hawkes definitely needs to get some. I want to see him get some of everything (screentime, individual focus, a chance to be the hero of the day, family, friends, etc), but he should also get some lovin' if everybody else is getting some.

 

[dutch_treat]

Faylinn said:
Plus, of course, there's the fact that these people all work together - does that not cause a conflict of interest? Are there no rules? Not that I'm saying it would happen, but if Danny and Lindsay are on a case together and something happens to them (the bomb in "Charge of this Post" comes to mind) - their kid would lose both parents at once. Are there not perhaps rules put in place not only to protect the perceived integrity of the workplace but also to safeguard families and whatnot?

I don't think there are actually rules to safeguard families, but I can imagine there are rules that state that people in a relationship can not work cases together; not so much for their own well-being, but to ensure that their attention in a dangerous situation stays focused on the case and every one involved and not just on their significant other.

 

[Ceindreadh]

For me I think it's not that there's too much romance in CSI NY, it's that none of it involves 'my' ships of Flack/Mac (hey a girl can dream!) or Flack/Stella.
If either of those pairings were canon, I'd be saying "Hey, not enough romance, give us more of this pairing", but because I'm not particularly interested in the canon & potential canon pairings, i'm more inclined to say "too much romance going on"

 

[PerfectAnomaly]

I voted "Yes," but I think it's really too much romance between co-workers and too much badly written romance. DL is a disaster that needs to just go away and although I don't mind Flack and Angell, having them hook up with the Drama Llama still going strong is just too much. Now we've got Mac interested in the new Deputy Inspector and Adam and Stella getting pretty chummy (although I think it's likely to stay an unrequited crush on Adam's part - at least I hope so).

If they want romance on the show they should have the main characters hook up with people they don't work with and leave it completely in the background and only brought out once in a while. If they absolutely have to have a couple that works together then stick with Flack and Angell. Angell is only recurring and so far they've been palatable even if TPTB is rushing things with them a bit.

 

[Half]

I don't really know. I mean, I put "no", but that just because I feel like I'd be a hypocrite to put "yes". It's no secret that I'm a F/A shipper, and I feel like saying that there's too much romance would be kind of stupid. Do I think that some of it is overdone? Yes. I didn't mind D/L in Season Three. But then Season Four and all of this drama happened and I can't honestly say that I like that ship anymore. Stella/Adam I can't view as a ship because it'd be weird. About Mac and Gillian... I still miss Peyton, so I won't be happy no matter what they do.

I feel like the discussion on D/L and F/A, which have been somewhat verified as legitimate ships, needs to be mentioned once more before I post this reply. I liked when Danny went to Montana. After that, something just felt off. It felt like it couldn't be a real ship. I may be ship-biased, but I agree with what Faylinn said about F/A- that feels like it could actually happen in real life. I just feel like D/L has been so forcefed to us that if it even had a chance it can't anymore.

While maybe there isn't necessarily "too much" romance on CSI:NY, there certainly isn't that much "good" or "realistic" romance on CSI:NY.

 

[DetHiggins]

I voted for Hawkes on this one. He's been on the show since the beginning and he has had NO ONE. I remember in Crimes and Misdemeanors that he mentioned something about someone hooking him up with someone. But nothing since. Of course not because obviously someone as attractive as him and as articulate as him would not be able to attract anyone. Not to mention someone as smart as him. No, he wouldn't have a chance in the dating world.

Okay, I honestly could care less about DL. So what? I mean Lindsay can't get a story line that isn't connected to Danny, and Danny, well, let's make him someone who will wait for the girl, but as soon as he has her cheats on her. I used to like DL. But TPTB seem to either focus entirely on it or completely ignore it. Like I was pretty indifferent on the baby story line, but now I'm not too sure. I mean like this is really only going to lead to one of them getting fired or hurt or killed. The only thing I am really looking forward to with this whole baby thing is the team's reactions. That will be funny. Sorry, but I find humor in these type things.

Okay, Flack and Angell, I like them. I don't like however the inconsistency. I mean come on, I don't know if Flack's one to not kiss and tell, but we could at least mention Angell.

Stella and Adam. I can see that he has a crush on her, but I don't think she would ever go into a relationship with him.

Mac and his new boss. Well, I don't like her to begin with because I'm a Mac/Stella shipper, but I kind of would have liked if Mac hadn't asked her out. It would have been great to see a woman intimidate Mac since she's his boss. At least we didn't meet her in his bed.

I actually like the romance, but there is a certain way to balance it. And a relationship does NOT define a person. I mean who is Lindsay besides Danny. Okay, I'll get ranting again which you won't want. I'll just leave with saying that Hawkes deserves a girl...

 

[mandy9578]

Oh definitely, there's waaaay too much romance on the show. A little flirting now and then doesn't hurt as long as it doesn't take away attention from the crime/case/science. But a full-blown romance like D/L is too much of a big disaster and then the F/A thingy going on is definitely overkill. F/A flirting was fine but that kiss they shared was so out of context that I don't understand why it was written into the show. Plus, I really like Angell as a character since she's smart, tough and she can really hold her own with the best of the boys. It's just a shame she's just being written merely as Flack's love interest. There's more to her than that. The writers should just stick to what they know best, the science and the crime.

 

[Elwood21]

Teetering on the edge here. Yes because DL perpetually threatens to swamp the show, but ever so warily voted 'No, incredibly close but not just yet' with regards to the others. I do agree that taken all together it sounds like there's barely enough time to get to a crime scene, but at the same time, people have lives and relationships. Even workaholic CSIs. But yeah, mebbe they should branch out a lil' more and not default to inner office type pairings... :lol:

No romance should never infringe on or detract from the overall premise of the show, being Crime Scene Investigation in New York. What I do think is valid is seeing a little of these characters off the clock, and in there romance is fine, and can be fun and interesting. That said, romance is not the only way to give us insight into these characters.

As many have pointed out, it generally seems to be more successful to pair a main character with a recurring one. That's how I'd prefer to see any romance depicted, because it by default places it secondary to everything else the show is supposed to be about.

I most definitely think DL needs to end. It's having an impact that is hugely damaging to the show. I think it will only get worse now with the decision to include Anna's pregnancy and write it in for them. DL's gone far beyond a background romance (that term very loosely used here) to being a major usurping waste of screentime. It does detract from the show. Not a trade-off I wanna hafta sit thru to watch teh rest of the show. The last episode was a prime example of how writing to accomodate them made for a substandard hour of airtime. ...Aaaaand I'm just gonna stop myself right there, and stay on topic.

From what I understand, Julia Ormond/Gillian is appearing in only three episodes. Meh about bringing her into the show, but that kind of contained capping on things I can handle. And so far there's been nothing beyond flirtatious coffee. So far so good. Only brief moments devoted to it, and if Mac is actively pursuing someone who holds his interest, in that respect it lets us in on something new about his character. It would be nice to have recurring characters who were more than cut-out foils, but with only three eppies alloted, I doubt Gillian will have opportunity to become too much more than that. Cautious, but no substantial complaints so far.

(As for Conflict of Interest, here's http://www.nyc.gov/html/conflicts/html/about/intro.shtml if anyone's curious. As for practices regarding risks associated with the job, perhaps that'd be more specific to each department within each city service).

As for Stella and Adam, I really hope the writers leave it solely as Adam crushing on Stella and nothing further. I really think the writers are getting caught up in over-using what has been a cute, engaging interaction between the two. But it's starting to affect the nature of Adam's screentime. For the past few eps he's primarily had scenes with Stella only, and only the most superficial interaction with anyone else. Bring back the airplanes and pez. Let da boy mingle.

With Stella, there's more to wonder about. She was apparently gonna have a romantic flirtation written in for her this season too, with the fireman dude, Brandon Whassiname. That was actually a set up that would have managed to pair a regular with a recurring who was not in the NYPD or labs at all and still fit. Not much has come of that so far. While I wouldn't mind seeing her fare better with a relationship, I do not in the least mind that she's also been given this other more susbtantial storyline about the Greek coins. I also think the little scene of her taking some batting practice was fun, concise, and is a good example of a small scene that allowed a glimpse into her and to a life outside work. If she is gonna have any romance written for her, I'd rather Stella start sumthin up with Brandon than Adam, if only (a) to avoid two main characters pairing up, and (b) urg, I'm sorry, I really just don't see them as a couple, nor thought it a likely development.

As for Flack and Angell, I think the writers jumped things too erratically this season. Their initial subtlety last year was a nice change compared to the DL melodrama, but the subsequent handling this season was beyond perplexing. I didn't think I'd mind the pairing, but I'm no longer willing to just assume that their getting together would be a good thing for their characters or the show. If they do amp things up between them, I hope that Angell's screentime does not suddenly transition from strong, secondary homicide detective to being traded off to accomodate a romance instead. Don't do it TPTB. Don't cater, don't do it gratuitously. Handle it smartly, or leave 'em alone to viewer imaginations instead. Maybe it's ultimately best that way.

Hawkes has been massively over-looked in terms of delving into a backstory, off duty interests, and insights into his personal life. I think the writers started to refocus on him a little, but with nothing that really revealed a whole lot that was new or surprising. Okay, him kicking keisters 3-on-1 surprised me :lol:, but his continued integrity didn't. Romance or not, I hope he gets more time and depth devoted to him this year.