Static Zombie

C.S.I.: Tarantino

I watch all three C.S.I. shows, but the spin-offs are only filler. The flagship show is and always has been the original. It's like something straight out of 1950's science fiction: they cloned the show's format well enough, but they couldn't duplicate its soul. Ostensibly, part of C.S.I.'s success is that it's a self-contained procedural drama-- that it's all about the hows and the whys. But it's not. As fun as all of that is, it's built on a solid foundation of the whos. The cast, and the characters they embody, have terrific chemistry. The details of Grissom's character are brilliant, from his social ineptitude to his entomological obsession. The subtleties of the relationships among the characters that have been built up over five seasons form a vital subtext. Quentin Tarantino is a fan of the show. He's seen every episode. He loves the characters and their history. And he didn't waste his opportunity to play in their sandbox.

Tonight's 2-hour C.S.I. finale, written and directed by Tarantino, was brilliant. Snappy, poignant, clever, and unexpected, the finale gave all of the show's characters their moments. This is what great television can be. It doesn't matter if you don't know that there's been sexual tension between Grissom and Sara, or that Catherine only recently discovered that billionaire casino mogul Sam Braun is her father, or that Grissom almost lost his hearing and can read lips, or that Nick is like a little brother to the rest of the team, or that Greg used to be the DNA guy. It doesn't matter. This is a season finale that should not be missed.

And so I leave you with a single parting word.

BitTorrent.

Posted by Peter at May 20, 2005 01:17 AM