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C.S.I. Miami - The Fifth Season DVD Release Date: 29th October 2007

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C.S.I. Miami - The Fifth Season DVD Review:

Crime scene investigation shows have a lot of potential. The reason they are different from the other crime dramas is their ability to solve crimes using technology. The first CSI was so new and different that it captured an audience that wanted hard facts and use of science to find a murderer. When CSI: New York started, the reason it was successful was that it had a great cast, which made up for the fact it was exactly the same show as CSI. CSI: Miami was not as fortunate. Though CSI: Miami does have compelling stories, fresh spins on an overdone genre and outstanding supporting actors, what it does not have is a likeable main character. As it is crucial to any show, the audience must like the main character(s). In talking to others about the CSI shows, I found I am not the only one who feels this way. David Caruso’s acting draws me out of the entire show.
I watched episodes hoping he wouldn’t have a large part. His delivery is so flat and boring that questioning his acting cannot be helped. Not only is his acting barely qualifying as such, but also he doesn’t seem to contribute much to the show overall. Horatio says simple one-line starters for the episodes and then a similar one-line closer. He usually states obvious things after other characters have already realized something or he makes vague statements that could mean anything. The latter issue is more of a script-based problem though. In the season opener, “Rio,” Horatio was the main character and it was extremely painful to watch Caruso’s awful performance drag on for an hour. He under-acts in a lot of scenes and one that stands out from the rest was when Horatio found his brother beaten, hanging upside down from a shack ceiling. It should have been a very emotional scene for this character. He sees so much death, but it never really hit close to home before. This was his own brother and it was as if he was just another dying person. Even though the episode was a well-crafted tool for the character to use to develop emotionally, it doesn’t matter when the actor doesn’t use it as it is intended.
The stories are all very different from each other and if anything is even close to being as important as acting, it’s the writing. The fact that the writers are able to give new spins on a murder mystery is a magic trick, I’m sure. The whole idea of “Backstabbers” was so interesting the way forensic details changed everything half way through the episode. Another episode that was especially outstanding was “Rush.” There were enough twists in both of these episodes that I know story is never a lacking area for this show.
Visually I think the show is very monotonous. The way the lab work is done is always the same – little variation. The flashbacks are always interesting, but it seems like they are all done in the same jumpy camera manner. Some claim this is the “style” because in an investigative field a shaky shot will place the audience more easily in the scene. However, I feel when overused the effect doesn’t deliver that feeling anymore- it just gets annoying. Also in “Rio,” the visuals are monotonous because they are redundant. Yes, I realize that because they are on location in Brazil it only makes sense to take advantage of the visual aesthetics, but instead they beat the same shot over and over again until it was dead and had no meaning. The shot I am referring to is of the Cristo Redentor. It is a famous statue, but within the first fifteen to twenty minutes it was used at least nine different times. Can we say, “overkill?” There are other aspects that make Brazil look different from Miami that are worth shooting: landscapes, markets, homes, people, and more. They did not need to resort to that single shot so much.
Overall, I think the script is executed well and I thoroughly enjoy the supporting actors in the series. It is very unfortunate for me that I so loathe the acting “skills” of the main actor because if it weren’t for that, the show would be almost flawless.

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C.S.I. Miami - The Fifth Season DVD review written by: Laura Parent