CSI vs CSI vs CSI

[Illuminatiprimus]

@Bryan_Ekers

Here’s how I picture the first Fishburne season: there’s been a horrible murder, but the CSIs are mystified to find there are no usable fingerprints or DNA samples. The only out-of-place object at the scene is a small wedge made of bright yellow plastic. The next four episodes will be consumed by the search for the Trivial Pursuit Killer, with Fishburne expecting there to be six murders in all. They focus in on a suspect early, a guy who has trophies from Trivial Pursuit contests, and who knew the victim, and has no alibi for the time of the murder, but Fishburne has his doubts because “the profile doesn’t match.” After much time-wasting and four more murders, the actual killer commits suicide on camera, holding a pink wedge and making his last words: “That’s Entertainment!” It’s over.

Or is it? In the final seconds of the episode, an anonymous letter arrives for Fishburne containing only two words: “Roll again…”

Wow! Everyone, we’ve got one of the CSI writers posting here!!!

[glee]

@jayjay

There ARE differences. Miami is like the high camp version of this show…everything is more over-the-top than a 6’6" drag queen in a sequinned bikini. Everything is the MOST. DRAMATIC. PLOTLINE. EVER!

New York is the snarky version. It seems like every promo for it includes at least one Lenny-Brisco-esque throwaway line.

The original is…well, it’s CSI.

@Bryan_Ekers

When Grissom leaves CSI: Vegas, that’ll be it for me. I might catch the occasional rerun when nothing else is on, but I like the lead character to be a nerd, not a cliché tough-guy like Sinise or Caruso or (I suspect) Fishburne.

I agree with both of these.

Vegas is set at night - in a desert town built entirely on casino business.
It has a wonderfully unusual lead of a true nerd. (Have you got an insect for my collection?)

Miami is set in the day - in a coastal town with drugs, immigrants and boats.
It has a lead who tries to combine absolute toughness (‘you’re going down for this!’ with overstated empathy (don’t worry, I promise you we’ll find who did this!"). (Takes off sunglasses, looks up…)
P.S. All the women are gorgeous and they hype the Spanish angle too - no wonder it sells well in Latin America!

New York is set in an amazingly-diverse city. You can have any nationality, any crime and any (absurd) plot you like.
The lead is an ex-marine who is tougher than the Terminator. :smack:

[omni-not]

Despite its ups and downs over the years, loved CSI Original with a passion for one reason : William Peterson

Hate CSI Miami with a passion for one reason : David Caruso

CSI NYC falls somewhere in between

[Bryan_Ekers]

@glee

Miami is set in the day - in a coastal town with drugs, immigrants and boats.
It has a lead who tries to combine absolute toughness (‘you’re going down for this!’ with overstated empathy (don’t worry, I promise you we’ll find who did this!"). (Takes off sunglasses, looks up…)

I’ve only seen a few episodes here and there, but to conform with Caruso’s tough/soft black/white character, doesn’t that mean victims are invariably sympathetic while bad guys are invariably ultrascum? With the Vegas version, they could at least have quirky/funny episodes, like the loser who accidentally kills his wife, and accidentally kills his neighbor, then accidentally get stuck waist-deep in cement. How would Horatio deal with that?

“I am going to bury y… Oh, you’re already kinda, well…” [puts on sunglasses to cover moment of confusion]