I miss S1 so much! I loved the blue filter and the grittiness of the show. I started watching LV and NY (never cared for Miami) around 2005 if I'm not mistaken, while I was living in UK. I remember that, back in the day, I'd identify the CSIs by color, not being familiar with the characters yet. Green for LV, blue for NY and I'd change channels if it was orange (Miami). :lol:
Then, I obviously became addicted and bought all the DVD sets for both shows.
The NY sets were amazing, had a charm and a melancholy that set them apart from everything else. Hawkes having a little room in the morgue where he could sleep between all the workload was pure gold. I remember that in the DVD commentary they said that they thought that he had so much work to do because of the 9/11 attacks that he decided to sleep there. It showed his commitment with his job and the wish to bring answers to the vic's families ASAP. I could feel 9/11 affecting the city and not only through Mac.
Mac's bio was incredibly touching. For me it was romantic and beautiful the idea of a powerful and driven man that couldn't bring himself to take his wedding ring off, even after years of widowhood, still haunted by his wife's tragic death. It was love in its purest, not the soap opera we see now.
And Danny... Danny was instinct and obsession, seeking restlessly for justice. His eagerness to prove to Mac that he could be much more than a punk coming from a troubled neighbourhood was truly endearing and kept me on the edge of my seat all the time.
Flack didn't change much for me but I can say that I like him best now, snarkier, sans leather jacket and fluffy hair. I also prefer Stella now, she was too uptight before, almost rude at times.
I'm not saying I don't like CSI:NY now... It's my favourite show, after all... but the storylines and the atmosphere used to stir my emotions much more back then. I don't know, I think the crimes and the criminals were much more believable, seemed harder to catch the guilty ones... finally finding the evidence to condemn them seemed much more pleasurable... Now everything seems easier, if you know what I mean. I don't sit all tense anymore, wondering if they'll be able to find the evidence to catch the bad guy or not... Now I'm sure they will and this is just sad. Takes much of the watching experience away.
Season 1 is when I fell in love with the series. I don't know if it would be the same if I started watching it during season 3 or 4. Now is much more comical and I miss S1's morbid humour - but don't take me wrong, I love Adam and Sid. They are part of what makes me keep watching after so much of the old character of the show was taken...
Aiden was never a favorite character of mine while she was on the show...but having seen what came after, I guess it's a case of you don't know what you've got til it's gone. I have a far greater appreciation for Aiden Burn and Vanessa Ferlito these days.
That so sums up my thoughts about Aiden and her replacement.