From the first chords of “Who are you,” I run from my room to jump on the couch. Ah time to relax! Nowadays I rarely watch “idiot-box”, but Crime Scene Investigation (the original) manages to pull me away from the routine of my school life and into the surreal life of science and the process of human thinking that attracts me so much. Well, I should admit, sometimes it also works as an excuse to slack off from my homework. 
At first, it was a challenge for me to admit that I actually like soap-operas, or the series. My mother, quite fond of soap-operas, drove me absolutely insane by limiting my TV time back home. It always irritated me that a plot that could be told in 3 hours had to be stretched for 2.5 years. However CSI went beyond my expectations! A mini movie that runs for an hour (with our favorite commercial interruptions) contains the psychological and scientific method of crime solving by the crew of forensics: Grissom, Catherine, Warrick, Nick, Sara and detective Jim. However, despite the bright and interesting characters, the show focuses specifically on the process of crime solving. Hi-tech technology and a mixture of science and justice spice up the show quite effectively.
Of course we can all argue that TV is flunked with typical crime-solving, order-protecting, justice-bringing shows. Law and order, The Closer, and NCIS are only a few examples of the genre that is rocking TV listings nowadays. However CSI clearly differs from all of the above. Though I have heard many arguments that movies of this genre might lead us to lose the value of human life; eventually we will all be guinea pigs, cut open and examined. My answer: don’t watch TV in that case. Death is all over the TV programs and people should find the capability of separating the celebrity life from the real. But there is something more to CSI: the cloud of innocence of this movie. I guess it raises the belief that justice always wins, good defeats evil and everything will be OK. Thus, is it really right to say that CSI emerges me in the unreal life, creating an atmosphere of reality? I guess. Maybe that is the reason I run from my room to jump on the couch.
Art de la Critique 
8 comments
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February 9, 2007 at 1:35 am
snookju
Ah, Perry Mason… My favorite crime dramas are the narrative documentary ones, such as City Confidential, where everything is real. I can’t help but love the guy who’s voice gives me a dose of hard-core reality in such clear terms that I could appreciate it just the same without even having to look at the TV.
You make a very interesting comparison between shows that compress large amounts of time into small packages and shows that expand small amounts of time into drawn-out, suspenseful drama. I wonder which are more popular.
My advice is to make more use of your word count–focus on a thing or two and really write about them with details and examples.
February 10, 2007 at 3:56 am
rawra
I love that your post includes a lot of personal insight. However, I thought you could’ve perhaps put in a little more analysis. You’ve done a wonderful job explaining why the show is great. Now just tell us why we should watch it. The last paragraph also seems a little disjointed when compared with the rest of the post. Otherwise, very effective.
February 10, 2007 at 9:11 pm
donnadb
You are really putting a lot of yourself into these blogs, and it makes for lively reading. I like your explanation of how this series overcame your objections to what you call “soap operas” — I assume you mean what I would call “continuing dramas,” or series with ongoing storylines. (Soap operas are very specific romance/melodramas that air every day — it’s not a generic term for any show with continuity.) Continue to refine your diction (“flunking” is not the right word in the last paragraph), and watch sentence fragments — there are a couple of them in this post.
February 10, 2007 at 9:12 pm
donnadb
Oh, and don’t forget to add your author’s note, as described here, in the comments.
February 10, 2007 at 11:43 pm
ularaannepage
Oh, I was just going to tell you that the word you were looking for when you used emerges is immersses or submerges. Don’t take my word on the spelling though. What is is about CSI that makes it so different from the other shows in the same genre?
February 11, 2007 at 2:34 am
grubbenator
Good review. CSI is a pretty good show and I think you do it justice. I especially like your conclusion. Your application of what we talked about in class is excellent.
February 11, 2007 at 6:05 am
Sarah
Oh CSI! How I love thee. You say you like shows that focus on how the mind works. But how do our minds work that we are so fascinated by shows like this?! Your comparisons are good, just watch your wording. I got lost for a second on the soap opera thing. Interesting point though, and well thought out.
February 24, 2007 at 7:47 pm
W.E.B. Adamant
Good review! I used to watch CSI marathons like crazy, but then I got tired of the show’s repetition and mostly static characters.
I think it’s interesting that you chose to call a science show surreal, but it’s very true, isn’t it? Within a week, they’ve solved the crime.
Maybe the word you meant instead of “flunked” is “flooded?”