The CSI: Crime Scene Investigation debacle.

[¡Roján!]

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, once was a juggernaut that was on top of the world. It used to get around 25 million viewers in its heyday, but now, all wobbly knees and adult diapers aside, CSI isn't quite doing what it once was. Viewers are dropping like flies and with so many other quality shows easy to come by in what I feel is the golden era of television, CSI is getting pushed to the side. And, with season 13 being announced a few days ago, you really have to wonder whether enough is enough for CSI.

Don't get me wrong, CSI will always have a place in my heart. It was the first real TV show I ever watched. I still remember the glory days where CSI was the hottest thing going. Quentin Tarantino's buried alive episodes, the miniature killer episode, the Nate Haskell episodes and of course, the Lady Heather episodes are all classic TV moments which I will never forget. But, as of late, none of these moments have really been able to be replicated, at all. Season 12 has really fallen flat on its face for me, and the x factor CSI once had that made me hooked to the show in the first place.

I think one of the bigger problems CSI has now compared to before is the awful characters. Let's face it, Laurence Fishburne was no William Petersen and don't even get me started on Ted Danson. Gil Grissom brought something to the table that Raymond Langston (I had to google his name, that's how forgettable he was) and D.B. Russell just didn't ever or ever will do. William Petersen had chemistry with everyone on the show and his relationship with Warrick, Sara and Dr. Al were all memorable and he made the show what it was with his quirkiness and likeability. The same can be said for Willows (Marg Helgenberg) who's replacement Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) isn't worth a speck on Catherine's shirt. The show also deeply misses another CSI. It feels understaffed somehow, with no actor having a real presence over the show.

Another one of the main problems is that they seem to have ran out of ideas to make CSI fun. It has lost all of the appeal and awe it once had in the uniqueness field. There are about 10 other crime shows out there which do the same job, and now, the whole crime drama idea just seems so stale and overdone that I can't be bothered anymore. I feel like I've seen everything I needed to see. I've given up.

So, what about you?

Do you still watch CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on a regular basis?
Do you still enjoy it as much as you used to?
What are your thoughts on the new cast of late?
And finally, is it maybe time to just cancel CSI and be done with it?

Quick note; this is about CSI Las Vegas only, not all three shows.

Thank you.

 

[Mustang Sally]

There are about 10 other crime shows out there which do the same job, and now, the whole crime drama idea just seems so stale and overdone that I can't be bothered anymore

I think that's the reason for the declining ratings more than the quality of the production. This version of CSI spawned other versions.....and then came a bunch of other shows that deal similarly with the "guts" of crimes.

Personally, while this version of CSI may have exhausted it's shelf life, I do like most of the replacement characters. After William Petersen, it was tough for Lawrence Fishburne and Ted Danson to follow......it would have been tough for anyone to follow. But while I didn't care for Fishburne, I kind of like Ted Danson; he's aloof, much in the manner of Grissom, yet makes the character his own by adding an eccentric edge that I find appealing.

Always, my favorite is Jorja Fox. As Sarah Sidle, she's always been the most "human" of all the characters on the show; she is the one most easily hurt by the degradation she has to experience on a daily basis. Plus, I rooted for her for years to finally nab Grissom as her man. Of course, in recent years since her contract problems with the production company, her role has been understated and elements of her "maverick" personality have been submerged.

But you're right, after 13 years, it's tough to come up with original stories, especially since there are so many other similar shows eating up the original storylines. But as Grissom used to say, it's in the science and the way CSI keeps us abreast of the technology, blood & guts, will keep them in the game for some time to come.