CSI – The Ninth Season (CBS Blu-ray + DVD) + CSI Miami – The Seventh Season (CBS DVD)
Picture:
B/B-/B- Sound: B+/B-/B- Extras: C Episodes: B/B-
After two
spin-offs and almost a decade of CSI
there seems to be no slowing down the series that turned viewers across the
world onto DNA Testing and the scientific uses of a black-light. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD is CSI – The Ninth Season, as well as CSI Miami – The Seventh Season on
DVD. Even as both series have gone through
a number of cast changes and have seemingly turned into semi-caricatures of
themselves; fans can’t get enough. The
series harbor many of the great elements of murder mysteries that have always
intrigued audiences, whether it was on stage, text or even radio. Granted, to this reviewer, there does not
seem to be much of a rewatchable quality to either series, as once the mystery
is solved the fun is over; but there is something charismatic aspect of the
series that keeps dragging us back for more.
In all
honesty I stopped viewing the both series on television years (seasons) ago; as
it got tedious and uninspiring, while there are so many other great series to
partake in. That is in no way to say
that either series is “bad,” but it somehow lost me. Most of my CSI guilty pleasures are fulfilled via Blu-ray and DVD these days
as, like gorging on a huge bowel of ice cream, it seems better in huge doses
rather than waiting week to week for a new episode to air. The original CSI is definitely the better scripted, acted and cast of the two
series, but CSI: Miami also has its
own merits and huge fan base. Actually,
originally I liked CSI: Miami better;
that is before I found David Caruso to be ridiculously tiring with his
one-liners and fabricated sincerity.
But, as I previously mentioned each series is good and bad for their own
reasons and even after nearly a decade on television both series remain
entertaining.
CSI – The Ninth Season (unsurprisingly) continues where Season 8 left off, but with a host of
changes; a host of changes that SHOULD HAVE reinvented the series. Instead of reinventing the series, however,
the writers decided to stick to the formulaic workings that have allowed them
skim by effortlessly for years. This
season saw the departure of the series figurehead, the death of a (personal)
favorite and the entrance of a big screen star in the form of Lawrence
Fishburne. I wanted to turn this season
on and be ‘wowed’ by what I was seeing, but instead I got a dose of the same
old, same old. The series maintains its Las Vegas backdrop, but
in a very sad 10 episode (loose end tying) arc lost the brilliant William
Peterson (who played Gil Grissom).
Granted the solid and charismatic Laurence Fishburne nicely steps into
to take his place; it is undeniable that Peterson was in part the “heart and
soul” of the series and losing him (even in a nicely written manner) is very
difficult. The send off of Gil Grissom
was a good one with true and deep emotion that was more than just acting. Laurence Fishburne enters the picture as Dr.
Raymond Langston an experienced college professor who had previously helped the
CSI team with a difficult case and now has agreed join the ranks. Fishburne does an excellent job filling in
Peterson’s shoes as he is also a veteran actor; but his “new guy” routine grows
old fast and each episode suffers.
Whereas the series should have taken this huge staff turnover as an
opportunity to change things up, they instead played it safe. The whole season (after Peterson departs) centers
on Raymond Langston getting snubbed by his fellow staff members that seems very
fabricated and unrealistic.
Yes, I
did expect the characters to not accept Langston with open arms, but the
ridiculous degree of “cold shoulders” and rudeness makes me think the writers
just weren’t trying. Let’s leave this at
the season was good, but far from the best.
I hope the series continues to thrive, but more initiative and risks
most definitely should be taken.
In terms
of CSI Miami – Season Seven I would
have to say the series is as good as ever with captivating crimes and a solid
cast. Even as I say the series is as
excellent as ever; I still can not excuse the ridiculous antics of David
Caruso, but that is neither here, nor there and can be overlooked as white
noise (by most) at this point. Like the
original CSI the series, over the
years CSI Miami has managed to not
only deliver a tantalizing crime drama, but also infuse an element of character
development that gives the series greater depth and intensity. Season
Seven starts with the CSI’s leader “slain” as at the end of Season Six he had been involved in a
shootout with alloy, body armor piercing bullets. The beginning of Season Seven centers on an elaborate plot by the good guys to get
the bad guys and their bullets off the street; part of which involves making it
appear as though Horatio (David Caruso) is dead. Though Caruso has assisted in orchestrating
the entire plot, fellow CSI members are completely left in the dark and are
left in mourning; which later leads to an array of emotions when it is revealed
Horatio is alive. The series goes in a
variety of directions as feelings are revealed, pasts surface and layers are
added. If nothing else CSI Miami is thoroughly entertaining
with an ever evolving storyline that continues to add elements that only deepen
and expand a great series.
The
technical features on both the Blu-ray and DVDs are not all that amazing, but
they get the job done. The Blu-Ray is
superior to the DVD of CSI: The Ninth
Season with its 1080p 1.78 X 1 AVC-1 transfer that does a great job of
balancing the dark inky blacks with the bright colors of the Vegas Strip. The series on Blu-ray demonstrates great
detail, a crisp image and a nice degree of depth; but there are a degree of problems
here and there that exist in each episode with noise and artifacting that make
for an inconsistent image. The DVD is
just a downgraded Blu-ray as the colors fail to pop and the clarity is just not
there. The sound on the Blu-ray is
presented as a DTS HD Master Audio 7.1 Surround Track that is a step up from
the picture as it immerses the viewer in every crime scene and every gruesome
lab experiment. The Dialogue is crisp and clear as it projects from the front;
leaving the rear and surrounding speakers to pick up all the ambient noises and
soundscape that make the series so memorable.
The DVD
of CSI Miami is right in line with
the DVD of the original CSI, but the
image appears much brighter with the Florida
backdrop giving the series a much different atmosphere. The sound is a tad lacking on both series DVD
releases falling somewhat flat in its Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. The sound is nice, but after experiencing the
Blu-ray the sound just can’t hold water.
The
extras on the Blu-ray and DVD of CSI –
The Ninth Season include the following:
Audio Commentaries – offering 2 commentaries (even
though there are 24 episodes) that are nice, but fail to include the new cast
in the discussions; which would have been better.
Investigative Mode – Probably one of the cooler
features the Picture in Picture image on 2 key episodes allows viewers to gain
a better understanding of the series as well as the special effects and some
pop-trivia.
Crime Scene Initiative – A feature that discusses the
new cast members and their contributions to the continually “evolving” series.
CSI Mode – A feature that gives real life
facts about the CSI process and how it is used to inspire and propel the series
forward.
Rats in Space – A featurette that in great
depth explores the series “Lab Rat” episode; offering up more information than
many of the other featurettes mixed throughout the extras.
From Zero to 200 in Nine seconds – A look back at the series
200-episode run
Goodbye Grissom – As titled the featurette looks back
at William Peterson’s work on the series in a very touching and appropriate
goodbye to a great actor
Deleted Scenes
The
extras on the DVD of CSI Miami – The
Seventh Season include the following:
Audio Commentaries – 2 commentaries exist (on
“Wrecking Crew” and “Gone Baby Gone”) that are nice, but in no way thrilling
Miami Classified
The Miami Sound Machine
The New AV Lab
Heating Up Season 7 – Discusses the variety of
changes this season and its creative opening.
Two great
series that I would watch any day.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
