'Ponderous Superficialities' An Amusing Critic's Perspective

Lucy

Lucy

Colonial Fleet Librarian
Premium Member
Here in the UK, the bestselling TV magazine, the 'Radio Times' loves to poke fun at CSI:Miami. Each week, there is a review of each episode (we are currently on Season 5), and I find myself agreeing with almost all of their amusing comments. I loved the first 3 seasons of Miami, but have been growing increasingly less impressed with the show over the past couple of seasons. For me, the Radio Times nails exactly why I feel this way.

The opening salvo for Season 5 was:
If you're trying to be cool, you're not cool. CSI: Miami tries hard to be cool.
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I appreciate that the definition of what is 'cool' is purely subjective, but I do agree that it tries too hard in this sense. For example, on the subject of 'Going Under', the reviewer asks:
Is there anyone in Miami who's ugly? Or even a teensy bit unattractive? If there is, Horatio Caine and his team never meet them, because this show is like an hour-long shampoo commercial. Everyone is impeccably groomed. When ballistics expert Calleigh Duquesne (Emily Procter) ends up in a swamp, we're not chewing our nails with worry in case she drowns. We're simply marvelling at how lovely she looks as she emerges with fully intact make-up.
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So, has Miami become so bogged down with all things superficial, that it is beginning to lose the plot? You may feel it has always been this way of course. It has always been over-the-top escapism, but is it getting worse in this respect?

Regarding the episode 'Death Pool 100', this was the reviewers take on that final scene on the beach:
I love CSI: Miami for its random scenes of sublime pointlessness. There's a classic at the end of this episode, when Horatio and the team, for no reason whatsoever, all gather on the beach before walking into the sunset. Why? Wouldn't it make more sense to chat over coffee or a vodka and tonic? But of course, it looks good, and CSI: Miami is all about such ponderous superficialities.
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This week, the point was made that it would be nice, once in a while, if CSI:Miami were to touch down on earth.

So, do you feel that the show lacks depth and substance? If so, do you care? Is it just all about 'sunny escapism and glorious emptiness'?

I hope some of you will post your thoughts. :)
 
I agree on the last quote that you posted Lucy. It is true that they could've jsut chatted at a bar or something but since it seems that Miami wants to be different and not like other shows.
 
I agree with it all! The second quote I totally agree with. They basically never meet and ugly person or even a poor person's place. They make it like everyone is rich and look like supermodels. :rolleyes:

And the last quote I completely agree with too! I mentioned it before but everyone was like "Whatever."
 
Well in seasons 1 and 2 we saw some families and some cases that involved people that weren't exactly "glamorous". I guess that they lost that on the way.
 
Seasons one and two were a lot more realistic in the residents department. Now the show is telling me that the worst crimes only happen to the rich and that is who they are most concerned with.
 
It seems that everyone, including myself, would like CSI:Miami to become more down to earth. I would love to see the different groups in Miami. It would be great to see the middle class and the working poor. The story of the immigrants would be fascinating. The real Miami must be a fascinating place. They are shortchanging it by ignoring a large part of the society.
 
Regarding Radio Times Review:

Sublime pointlessness? I haven't seen "Death Pool 100" yet; however, assume the ending similar to "Innocent". Sunset on the beach is common meeting ground in Florida (especially Gulf Coast). So, no, I have to disagree.

:) :eek: Chat over coffee or vodka tonic? Not necessarily. Again, same answer as above. And, after all, that's one big distinction between Miami & LV & NY. Yes, they've played it to the hilt; I would do the same thing if I was a PTB.

;)Ponderous superficialities? Of course, that's what it's about. :rolleyes:Too many pretty faces & bikinis? Of course, they've beat that drum to a bloody pulp. Please, even the female cast are into mass cleavage action.

:(Character Development? Unfortunately, not happening. Too much concentration on the factors above.
Yes, snippet here & there; just enough to generate some interest; certainly not sufficient to hold interest.
 
Lucy wrote
So, do you feel that the show lacks depth and substance? If so, do you care? Is it just all about 'sunny escapism and glorious emptiness'?
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Well, considering I started watching this year, this was part of what drew me in. It was a fun escape on Monday nights. Then I got caught up on the first two seasons on A&E and realized this used to actually be a good show with real characters. I still watch the current episodes for escapism, and I'm recording the early eps to keep for a different mood. Guess it just depends on what kind of a day I've had which version I want to watch. :D
 
I think the writers set out to make Miami this way in the first place, so yeah it was meant to look superficial etc.

And it takes liberties with reality although in recent seasons those liberties seem to be taken abit too far. It's hard not to scoff at some of them.

But no matter how hard I complain about the lack of reality of the show, and why they would chose to walk down the beach in the sunset, yeah it's superficial, but I must admit, it achieves it's effect. Even the 'burn baby burn' part ok yeah it took H all of 4 minutes to drive tothe beach, calmly take off his shades, shut the door and walk away, before the 4 minutes were up and the car blew up.

Bottom line is even though it's hardly believable, after scenes like that, I still find myself saying, "That was way too cool!" So I guess the show did acheive it's intented efffect. Well on me anyway, and for me the "cool" aspect it treis to achieve, although too far at times, is still a great draw for me to the show.
 
I absolutely love the Radio Times Miami reviews. :lol: Their reviews of LV and NY are also very entertaining and perceptive, but Miami just lays itself wide open to the great British sarcasm/humour.
It has always been over-the-top escapism, but is it getting worse in this respect?
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Much worse I would say. In the first 3 seasons, there was depth and substance to the storylines and storyarcs. It has very much lost it's way in my opinion.

"Random scenes of sublime pointlessness" is truly inspired! When I watch Miami these days it really is like watching an hour long shampoo commercial. Well said RT and great thread Luce. I hope there will be many more quotes to come. :D
 
I've never taken CSI Miami seriously. I just enjoy it for what it is. I don't crave for it to be more realistic or serious. Its the comic book version of CSI.

Although I do think the show has been on a steady decline from Season 3. But I don't know if I can pinpoint that down to the storylines.

I enjoyed DP100 last night. We used to have a mini Deathpool stake in our office :lol: I had Kirk Douglas, but then traded him for Paul O'Grady - but both are still ploddin' on :p :lol:

Even though the 'Walking along the beech' scene at the end was completely pointless I loved it as I flashbacked to Season 2 Innocent, when Tim Tim was there :p
 
Thanks for open this thread Lucy. :)

The Radio Times Miami reviews are more then amazing and amusing. All this British sarcasm/humour is right on the target.

If you're trying to be cool, you're not cool. CSI: Miami tries hard to be cool.
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I`m wonder when TPTB will realize that the perfect wallpapers and hot chicks, doesn`t mean quality and substance . Hope reviews like this at last to open theirs eyes and understand that 'most watched' tv show is not always equals 'the best'. The storylines seem to be very contrived and unconvincing - most of the time over the top. I would like to see return of balance between interesting cases and thoughtfully conceived character development. Season 5 is an improvement compare with S 4, but still this show seems to have become more about 'style' and less about 'substance' relying more on distracting split screen effects, overly bright colors, and color coordinated wardrobes. The storylines and character development are suffering because of it. Even good actos can`t save a bad script/plot, coz of this all stay cheesy. As a whole this ponderous superficialities in Miami this days flood the net with a lot funny articles and vids.
 
I hope there will be many more quotes to come. :D
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As long as the reviews are there, I will definitely share them. :D If not, I can go back to some of the S4 reviews. There were some great references to Marisol. I'm sure you can imagine!

You're very welcome re the thread - I find it interesting to read everyones' thoughts on this subject. Re taking Miami seriously, most of the time I don't at all. In the earlier seasons however, I think the depth and quality were very much in evidence writing wise, which made the show far more palatable. Steve Maeda anyone? ;)
 
I was just talking with my father about how we think the writers put what they think we all want to see. They think we want to see girls in bikinis and fake boobs, but that is what is kind of turning me off. I understand that they want to be different from the other two CSIs but they are almost making it into nonsense.
 
Wow, nice thread! I do agree, tho, on most. I too, would rather see them together having cocktails rather than strolling down the beach (in high heels not to mention), but then again i gues thats what makes CSI:Miami... CSIMiami. I suppose I wouldn't care much if all the CSI shows were the same, but I'd love to see more character development, especially on characters who tend to get left in the dark. I don't necessarily want them to change their image or anything, but this last season had me at a total loss. The whole season seemed 'thrown together' & it didn't all come together at the end like I would expect it to. As you said epi's that were 'over the top' is right... bears in the glades, scalping, triple threat, the hookers, oh, I could go on. I did however get one huge laugh out of the season & that was Horatio's cheezy one liner in 'triple threat'... "thats as cold as ice". I laughed soooo hard, it was just too much. I hope to see more humor & caring between the CSIs, actually show that they respect each other,'cuz im sure they do. I guess most important would be better & more realistic storylines!!
 
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