The Screentime Tallyboard

Discussion in 'CSI: Miami' started by mjszud, Mar 24, 2009.

  1. C.H.E.A.R.

    C.H.E.A.R. Pathologist

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Messages:
    1,048
    Likes Received:
    0
    Does anyone see a pattern here? Like Calleigh and H get the same/nearly the same # of scenes and Eric falls inbetween and then it falls downhill from there. If there were most of the three to four CSIs shots (as in them in the same scene) then the numbers would go up. And if Calleigh's and H's go down about lets say two or three #s, and if Eric's go down one or two scene then Ryan and Nat and Tara would get more, like two scenes more.
     
  2. hiphugger17

    hiphugger17 Coroner

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,445
    Likes Received:
    0
    Cool, Frank got four :)

    I agree C.H.E.A.R., if they did more scenes with all of them in the same room the amount of scenes for each one would be more balanced. I've always thought that it all started when someone got the brilliant idea of doing everything in pairs. Season 4 was it? It was always Eric and Horatio, Calleigh and Ryan... then they just kept on with it only with different pairs. They need to stop it already and have 4 of them in one scene, heck 5 of them and they'll see the Miami universe won't implode.
     
  3. CSIMandy

    CSIMandy Lab Technician

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2007
    Messages:
    679
    Likes Received:
    0
    I wish the writers could go back to how they were in the earlier seasons where Ryan, Calleigh and Eric would have scenes together as a team. They've done it this season but not as much. I've noticed Calleigh and Natalia rarely have scenes together. When Natalia is fortunate enough to get screentime, she interacts with Eric, Ryan and/or H.
     
  4. Nightrider

    Nightrider Witness

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2009
    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    0
    Either it's time for Jon and the rest of the cast to renegotiate their contracts, or they just need to bribe the writers! :lol: The screen time is obviously unbalanced. I just want to know why.
     
  5. forza juve

    forza juve Hit and Run

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2008
    Messages:
    84
    Likes Received:
    0
    The only 2 reasons that can justify that lack of screen time for some would be personal or professional commitments elsewhere. Failing that I will never except any other reason for certain characters lack of screen time. I knew things were bad. Just not that bad. Natalias got the worst deal out of all of them.

    There is no reason why they can't do like they do in LV or NY and have 5 or 6 of them brainstorming round a table. Those are always my favourite scenes in these shows.
     
  6. Florry86

    Florry86 CSI Level Three

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2007
    Messages:
    3,791
    Likes Received:
    0
    :guffaw:. Sorry but this things cracks me up so that I don't have to cry.
    This scene was probably the worst thing they could ever do. I mean it would have been better not have any scene than having this scene when you're a regual actor on a show :p

    Anyway I'd like you to notice how during Ryan's episode the person who had most scenes (right behind Ryan :)) wasn't H or Calleigh. It was Eric :rolleyes:

    Anyway it is sad that regular actors like Eva, Rex & Jonathan have so few scenes on this show. I wonder what are they regular for.
    Unless there's a storyline for one of them (one every some years, I must say) they're totally underused. Too bad b/c this wasn't the original idea of the show since it was all about the team.

    forza juve I perfectly know what you mean, but I guess that for our beloved TPTB is a mission impossible :lol:
     
  7. electra

    electra Pathologist

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2008
    Messages:
    1,124
    Likes Received:
    0
    It definely seems like things are not equally distributed.NCIS proves that when attention is given to continuity and details ,things pay off at the end.I think the writers mainly focus in the characters that they think the audience is more interested in(Eric,Calleigh,Horatio and some Ryan) and neglects the rest.While they are still doing well ,things could get better if they write good storylines for everyone.I may care about Natalia had she done something interesting.Is a problem with most shows ,unfortunely.
     
  8. Orla_Dark

    Orla_Dark CSI Level Two

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2008
    Messages:
    1,568
    Likes Received:
    0
    Couple of eps where we see normal screentime for Ryan against of many. This thread show that Eric, Calleigh and Horatio is main characters, things i don't get, why tptb tell us that others main characters too? I mean, when you start watch show, you see main title and know that the people in main title is main characters. Tptb should change their main title and show there only Horatio, Calleigh and Eric. Then it would be true. :(
     
  9. greatfan

    greatfan Captain

    Joined:
    May 2, 2008
    Messages:
    4,560
    Likes Received:
    0
    Perhaps the writers need to challenge themselves to come up with better stories for the other characters.They should be trying to get the audience more interested in the others.I agree that things would be better if they could write good storylines for everyone.Two of the first three characters mentioned aren't even my favorites. The writers could perhaps try writing as if all the characters are favorites at least a few times a season because they all are someone's favorites.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2009
  10. hiphugger17

    hiphugger17 Coroner

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,445
    Likes Received:
    0
    The weird thing is that even in the main titles there is a marked difference. Horatio has 6 pictures, Eric and Cal have 3, Ryan has 2, Natalia, Tara and Frank each have 1. Maybe thereis a difference that the writers have established, IDK, but the same thing that happens in the credits happens in the show.
     
  11. mjszud

    mjszud Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2007
    Messages:
    4,870
    Likes Received:
    0
    Well, I don't think TPTB should have to make sure they all got competely equal screentime, but they need to do something to where the others are shown more but still leaving the most scenes to who they consider to be their "stars", if that's what they're wanting.

    I took notes during NY last night to compare. I won't go into the details, but there was such a huuuge difference, & Mac was pretty centered last night. Having said that though, the other characters still got better screentime than the characters on Miami.
    Before the credit intro - 4 of the main characters were shown, & 2 of them were shown twice.
    In the first 15 minutes of the show- Flack had 4 scenes, Stella had 5 scenes, Mac had 5, Danny had 3, & Hawkes had 2 - just in the first 15 MINUTES!!
    On 'Miami' we'd still be waiting for H to put his sunnies back on by then!

    I don't, & never would, expect for them to change thier formula, but the way they do things on this show leaves very little time for the main characters. NY had a lot of scenes "solving the crime" using science & the team putting together the puzzle (that alone increased character screentime) - less time using shots of murder flashbacks, scenery shots, & interrogating potential suspects who suck up all the screentime.
     
  12. Delynn

    Delynn CSI Level One

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2007
    Messages:
    971
    Likes Received:
    0
    Mjszud, you've explained exactly why I LOVE CSI NY. They still care about the science and the team!

    Isn't the showrunner on CSI NY Anthony Zuiker? If so, it doesn't surprise me that they stay the closest to the original concept.
     
  13. mjszud

    mjszud Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2007
    Messages:
    4,870
    Likes Received:
    0
    NY is a fave of mine as well. :) I miss the earlier seasons in 'Miami' when they showed the CSIs really wracking thier brains to solve the crime.
    Forensics is what drew me into the show, the characters (some) keep me here - it's a shame we're losing both. :(
     
  14. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    May 16, 2008
    Messages:
    18,941
    Likes Received:
    0
    For the most part, NY has always done better... but last night's ep they couldn't even find a way to squeeze Adam in there once? That kind of ticked me off, but the episode was boring anyway. :lol: Storyline wise, NY is definitely the weakest, but in terms of balancing out screentime for the characters, they do very well with that for the most part. Much better than Miami.
     
  15. hiphugger17

    hiphugger17 Coroner

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,445
    Likes Received:
    0
    This is one of the things that I like least about Miami. They spend way too much time on interrogations. I've always thought it's kind of the lazy way out since the science aspect is more complicated to research and present, so they just focus more time on questions and suspects. Since there's so much questioning a lot of screentime is spent on the guest stars and visitors. The only thing I would find positive is if Frank would do the interrogations more often like Flack and Brass, thus getting more screentime. I like that Vegas and NY focus much more on the experiments and science stuff and so we get the CSI's doing more processing with screentime dedicated only to them. Though I have to say that I don't enjoy that Vegas focuses so much time on the lab rats. Miami...too little, Vegas... too much. Guess NY got that balance right. Just some stuff I wish would be different.
     

Share This Page