Melina Kanakaredes Leaves CSI: NY

Discussion in 'CSI: New York' started by Top41, Jul 12, 2010.

  1. CRM

    CRM Prime Suspect

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    Back to Melina, I'm guessing that despite alot of viewers being saddened of her surprising departure and Sela automatically being brought on board in Mel's place, I'm sure that it's a matter of "we shall see..." before the whole boomerang effect comes in, and Mel does appear in one, or some episodes, or perhaps come back as a regular. Either way, I would really hate for this show to end due to declining ratings. Yes, I do believe that a boomerang effect would exist, especially when it comes to a solid character like Stella Bonasera. With Adam Rodriguez's and Jorja Fox's situations, now this situation with Melina, part of me feels as if this (86ing an almost leading character) can't be coincidencial.

    During CSI: NY's first seasons, they had used alot of occuring characters (played by Kelly Hu, Ron Yuan, that Jaime Bell-looking fellow, among others), as well as the Gothic dimly-lit M.E. lab, which I don't see anymore. I figured that I'd see them again as the seasons continue on. Which was the same as the old M.E. in the original CSI, season 1, episode 1, then being replaced by the good ol' Dr. Robbins. Which is okay since I can't stand that former S.O.B. with the whole Holly Griggs thing. That has also occured in the earlier episodes of CSI: Miami, with one of them being this handsome dark-skinned dude with the dreadlocks.

    The thing is, one could never really know if the CSI creators pay attention to the viewers' opinions and criticisms. It makes me wonder if having guest stars or getting in a police department/crime lab employee would somehow keep the ratings up, and then never using these characters in a long while again in case viewers weren't feelin' them, precede over better storylines or character situations.

    Even if I haven't been watching much of CSI: NY, not because of questionable storylines or episodes but rather because of personal reasons keeping me from watching T.V., I will try to keep an open mind in what Sela has to bring in, and if the show can still go on sans Melinamou. I would really hate for this show to tank or to get poor reviews to the point where production and creators were to say, "Stuff this, let's just end this and not exceed in making anymore pay cuts!" I guarantee that they'll find a way to keep this show on the air. However may they roam.
     
  2. Andromeda

    Andromeda Police Officer

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    Well, I have read all your elaborate thoughts and opinions eagerly and I agree with a lot of it.
    One thought I want to add: Couldn´t it just be that the CSIs are just facing a situation that sooner or later every show has to bear: The Worn Out Symptom?
    All three franchises, even the "youngest" NY, have come quite of age now, they´ve reached their zenith, they´ve had their peaks, the novelty effect is gone, also the surprise effect (well, apart from such negative surprises as MK´s departure :rolleyes:) and the viewers are slowly moving on.
    Isn´t it like that or do you really think it´s just a coincidence that all three CSIs suffered from more or less dramatically decreasing ratings? I don´t think it is, thought one could still argue that at least NY (can´t speak for the other two, as I don´t follow them regularly anymore) lost perhaps viewers mainly due to a very bad last season. To prove this we´d have to wait if the next season will improve story-wise, if yes, but still no increasing ratings, than my theory would be right that the time for this special crime format might just be over soon. Also, from my opinion of S6, I think the writers find it from season to season more difficult to write good stories; there has always been the one or other "filler" that was poor, but this season had way too many of them. Again: temporary crisis or will they bring in fresh writer- wind, now that Lenkov has gone? We will see, but I´m not too optimistic.
    Many things have just become predictable, like the lab and field investigation stuff; even super high tech state-of-the-art lab tech and science can become tiring and boring after years instead of exciting. And the character stuff? Many wasted opportunities, say I, usually case and character stuff should complement each other, but in S6 it was rarely the case and there was a constant feeling of a lacking continuity.
    Maybe the CSIs are a patient with a not yet lethal desease, we´ll see what the next season will bring: full recovery or death bed?
     
  3. Ballettmaus

    Ballettmaus Hit and Run

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    Whatever they do, I guess pretty much all their plans for season 7 were altered :p

    Exactly, what are the odds. It's like GfD when they cramped all that material into 45 minutes which made the beginning seem like flashbacks when Stella and Mac argued etc.

    I guess they could do great things with it. The problem is that there's not a lot of "great" that I can remember.
    However, I think it'll be also difficult to do without MK present. The only thing they could probably do in that case would be having her disappear. Which I would like. That way they can decide later on if she's dead or not; they still have time to discuss a re-appearance of MK and if they really can't get her back they can still have her never be found or found dead at the very end of the show.
    I like variety and this would also open up some great storylines and archs for the characters and following episodes. Though we're talking CSI NY here...

    True. Though Sheldon, I can only remember the first episode, not much about him being new to the field afterwards.
    Lindsay... the same. I liked though how they introduced her. Liked that scene with Stella and how she searched for sth in the lab later :) But episodes were better in general in season 2 than they are now ;)

    I guess that would be the best and I would love a little chaos actually because they're all not adjusted yet to Stella being gone. That could be fun :D

    Then I misunderstood. Because, as you saw, it sounded like you were blaming AB for a dull Lindsay.
    I have to agree, there were some episodes in which I wasn't impressed with her acting either. Not sure if they could have done more of her or if AB didn't bring more potential.

    MK did though; they had done better episodes with her than a lot of season 6.

    But that is exactly where the problem lies that I have. By dropping them into that hole, they make the character unnecessary. Would they bring them back and tied them into the show, they would have more of a purpose.
    As I said with Sam Flack. They gave Flack a sister, so use her.
    I also agree with what you said about liking Adam talk about his father, Sheldong about his uncle etc. However, I also would like that it would be addressed more. Not just because they needed a personal connection in one episode and afterwards it gets forgotten again.
    Like with Stella, in episode 15 of the first season she was said to have lived in St. Basil's ever since she could remember, in episode 22 of season 3 though they needed her to have lived in foster care, so out the window it went that she lived in St. Basil's ever since she could remember and foster care it was.
    I would have loved to see Sheldon being the main character in Yahrzeit. Not Mac. Because that was too forced in my eyes. Just to bring him into the focus but Sheldon would have been great. Stella would have worked to in connection with her past even.
    It's how those things appear and disappear that I'm bothered about.


    Probably. I often felt like season 6 could have been called CSI: Mac instead of NY. He was so shoved into our faces at points. Not that I mind the visual... ;)
    Agreed with D/L because I had to laugh at some scenes because they were so "acted".


    Yes but simply to shove into our face a connection with Mac so she can be closer to Mac and the love triangle makes sense: "Here I understand you, I was in Afghanistan, we have something (else) in common, don't you see."
    Without that triangle we wouldn't have known nearly as much about Aubrey as we did with it.

    As long as things make sense and then go back to "normal" I don't mind. But it's not just natural, as a human to suddenly change everything around either. You do change with time but other things don't change. You do have a routine. And dynamics between people is one of those things because unless you discover something drastic or have an argument, things don't change in a dramatic way. Of course, there was Angell's death, however, by mid-season things had gotten back to normal, mostly. So, no reason to change dynamics afterwards again.
    And with CSI or any other TV show, there's a reason why people watch and if that reason is suddenly not there anymore or forgotten or whatever, well, CSI NY experienced first hand what happens then.

    But since you brought that up... that could be interpreted in quite an interesting way that Mac allows his ex-girlfriend to look around the apartment of someone he supects to have nerve gas without back-up or anyone who's armed close by...
    Excuse me but what kind of pain-killers did Mac take? Or did he secretely hope he could get rid of Peyton that way or saw it as some kind of revenge? :p
    Seriously though, I don't think any sane person would have done that. He saw what that gas did to that bird and how quickly.

    Impersonal? I would think it's the opposite.
    You get a mention here about a background, a mention there in the other's. But NY established characters, "people". Which is what makes Stella's departure so "difficult" and upsetting for me.


    I agree but I also think that they writers lost their grip on the characters sometime during season 5, it seemed and then they slipped even further in season 6 which makes it a pity. So many characters had so much more potential yet season 6, as I said, felt like it focused on Mac. The other characters did get their episodes, yes but somehow it felt like Mac was also always in the foreground and I didn't get that impression from the first few seasons.
    Secondly, if you do establish characters and what CSI NY established continuity is even more important. Respecting the characters is more important and respecting the bonds and relationships you established between characters. If you focus on what CSI NY focuses on, you cannot take one step into that direction and the next day take a step into a different direction and go down that path. You can do that with CSI Vegas, because there's not so much personal information and while we did get a hint that Catherine liked Warrick in one or two episodes, it did take me completely by surprise when she confessed, well sort of, her feelings when Warrick got married.
    NY seemed sort of aimless in season 6 and that's very bad for such a show that doesn't live, as you said, of the cases. I often felt, especially in season 5 and 6, that they were going down a path and suddenly became scared when they realized how far they had gone, ran away and desperately tried to find a new path so they wouldn't have to go the one that had scared them any further. Which though breaks the continuity and logic and is upsetting.

    Having a new lead brings a lot of risks as well though because they established characters, as I said, "people" and viewers became attached. They made the individuals more important than those on CSI and Miami, so any departure will have more effect on CSI NY than on Vegas or Miami.

    I think NY had its characters had and have so much potential but only a fraction has been used because it wasn't used wisely. Or the potential wasn't realized. I don't know.
     
  4. Axatullux

    Axatullux Lab Technician

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    Sometimes, I never thought I would literally teeter on the edge of tears over the very possibility of a TV character actually being killed off but if Stella actually is killed off, I will be going through the fall going through serious CSI-withdrawal. It was horrible to see Jess go but then Stella? OMG my chest hurts at the thought that when I go to Wikipedia that the name "Stella Bonasera" is followed by the word 'deceased'. So long CSI:NY.

    Desperate Housewives is now the last major TV-Show that still stands as of this writing as others have fallen like dominoes, at least to me.

    Here is my current theme song as of this writing. It is "I Grieve" by Peter Gabriel. It really reflects my true opinion right now.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ3wpjdYMqk
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2010
  5. CSI17

    CSI17 Hit and Run

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    COMPLETELY POSITIVELY FREAKING AGREE!! I still haven't completely recovered from Jess' death. :(:(:(
     
  6. CSI17

    CSI17 Hit and Run

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    COMPLETELY POSITIVELY FREAKING AGREE!! I still haven't completely recovered from Jess' death. :(:(:( And now they're going to take away Stella. Gaaaah.
     
  7. Queenie

    Queenie Witness

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    Marg Helgenberger
    I honestly believe that was the reason why Melina left. Pay cut rumours make sense now and if they offered Marg a pay cut I'm sure they offered Melina too. Marg is doing 19 episodes but Melina didn't take any deal.

    Read the Marg interview here http://allaboutmarg.com/wordp/?p=14651
    and the original source is TV Guide.
     
  8. ECRocks

    ECRocks Witness

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    Hello Melina Fans,
    I saw a few pages back there was a facebookpage for Melina Kanakaredes. My friend has created this site she is not really into the spoilers so she asked me to post the link and ask you guys to add the page. She want to try to show CBS what would happen if they throw Melina out of the show and what kind of damage it will leave behind on the ratings of the show, when they are broadcasting it without Melina. So please join this site because we have reached over the 600 people in 2 weeks and we really want Melina to come back. this is the link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!...NY-without-Melina-Kanakaredes/125788230797640 . Thanks for reading and we hope you will join.
     
  9. PerfectAnomaly

    PerfectAnomaly Resident Smart Ass

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    Melina chose to leave. CBS didn't "throw [her] out of the show."
     
  10. ~Sarah~

    ~Sarah~ Lab Technician

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    From what I've heard no one forced her to leave, she did it off her own free-will, just like Vanessa Ferlito decided to leave the show. It sucks that Melina is unwilling to come back for even one episode, but I think we just have to accept that she won't be returning ever. If anyone was thrown off CSI: NY it was Emmanuelle Vaugier and possibly Sarah Carter. I'm sure that they weren't all excited that she didn't want to renegotiate her contract, but they dealt with it - and they got Sela Ward to come in and be on the show. I know I'll be tuning it to see the show without Melina, it's not the Stella Bonasera show. Everyone else will still be there... and a lot of people seem to look forward to seeing Flack, Adam, and the other characters on the show. It's plausible that Sela Ward (an Emmy winning actress) will be just fine on the show.
     
  11. Ghawazee

    Ghawazee CSI Level Three

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    I believe whatever the reason is for what Melina is not coming back (either money or any other reason) must be respected. It breaks my heart not having my fav character :( It's not going to be the same for me :( but i must accept it either i like it or not (No!)

    The show without her...well, for me it will be like food without salt. People can live without salt but definitely it's not gonna be the same.
    At the same time I hope CSI NY can reach S8 because it's my most beloved show in the world and i wish it the best luck (still i won't have my fav character)

    So my only hope is Mac and others can mention her time to time (It's gonna be worse if she is killed during the 7.01)
     
  12. belle

    belle Dead on Arrival

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    SPAM
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 28, 2010
  13. Andromeda

    Andromeda Police Officer

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    How will you know that she was unwilling, were you at the negotiations? We still don´t know what exactly happened, maybe she had very private and personal reasons to leave which then is not our business; and maybe she would have loved to do a"Goodbye-Episode" or two, but for whatever reason it was not possible.
     
  14. Axatullux

    Axatullux Lab Technician

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    (NOTE: Pasted from another thread on a different part of the forum)

    You know, I've been noticing a pattern of incredibly misogyny on this show, much more so than the others but all of them seem to be exhibiting it but especially CSI:NY.

    "All Access" was the first example, the way they pointlessly turned Stella's supposed boyfriend into a psycho when they could've instead made it so that he was involved in some kind of racketeering or other fraud but when Stella is endangered because of this, he goes out of his way, takes a bullet and is paralyzed from the waist down while protecting Stella. Stella breaks up with him, thanking him but also telling him he'll have to face the consequences of what he had done and Frankie goes out in shame.

    The second was the HIV-Scare which bothered me tremendously especially the dubious nature of the way she was potentially exposed considering how rare it is to become infected via this route. The story was also poorly written out too although the episodes weren't necessarily affected much.

    Now a hot and marvelous potential lady character Jessica Angell who I thought was far better developed than Lindsay was killed off in "Pay Up", geesh! It just never ended at all. What do these people have against strong female leads. Hell, sure I have my other side who is a fan of damsels-in-distress but even that side got offended by the way the misogyny had reared it's ugly head.

    Now that Melina has left the building and gotten on another train, I wonder if she had seen that CSI:NY was becoming and combined with facing another pay cut after another, she finally pulled the plug on the show. If so, then I can't say I blame her one bit.

    I'm still reeling over the news, not to mention sick at the possibility that they could even kill Stella off, but until Melina reappears in future projects, it has gone from Goddess Melina to Mad Max Beyond Kanakaredes.

    The CSI era of the 2000s was a really fun, sexy, and adventurous ride but with the new decade, the changing of TV-Guards is at hand and new shows will now have to fill in the roles CSI once had.

    AU-Stella will live on regardless of what happens on 7.01 but even though I don't deny Sela Ward's talent, (Not too familiar with her thought), I doubt even she will convince me to stay.
     
  15. mandy9578

    mandy9578 CSI Level Two

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    We finally have word from TPTB how Stella is being written out. Check out this article by Ausiello. Warning though, it is spoilery.
     

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