Sunday, August 31, 2008

CSI and Sex Appeal


Okay, first off, talking about CSI on a science fiction blog isn't as Off topic as you'd think. There's a lot of science fiction in all the CSIs... in the sense that the scientific tests used to find the criminals are all "accelerated" (it takes 3 months to do a DNA test, not 3 minutes) etc. Indeed, the CSI shows may have even done a bit of harm in real life trials because jurors expect all the evidence to be as clear and definitive as it is in the CSI shows, when in actual fact it's not. (Similar, many years ago, to those echo-soundings that took place in the first Jurassic Park movie. On the big-screen, when demonstrating this technology, the skeleton showed up bright and clear, but in real life, the same technology was all fuzzy and indistinct.

Anyway, back to my rant yesterday about CSI: Miami, whch, I gotta tell ya, stank on ice. I can't believe that show has run for 7 years! Perhaps it's because of all the beautiful girls in skimpy bikinis that are shown (if this episode is any indication).

But the episode was poorly written, poorly acted by all of the principles, badly photographed...just a mess.

And Michael Goorjian got on screen for less than 5 minutes!

That was one of the problems with this episode, each of the "suspects" had 5 minutes face time and that was it. Of course that might have been driven by the exigencies of the plot - a woman passenger in a car going through a toll booth gives a bloody bill to the attendant, on which she has written "He's going to kill me" and this starts up a woman hunt. (Never mind the fact that in every toll booth I've been in, it's the driver that is on the side that pays.)

I read up on Wikipedia about CSI: Miami, and found some of the explanation of David Caruso's "schtick" of not looking into people's eyes and always wearing sunglasses. (I'm sure Caruso does it because he thinks it looks cool!) Apparenlty his character (Horatio Kane) was abused as a child. Well..I think someone who can't look someone else in the eyes is not going to rise far in the law enforcement profession.

And I must admit that the voices of all the characters just grated on me. Caruso's with his low, growling type of voice, the two women (black medical examiner and the blond chief CSI) with their high-pitched voices. No comic-relief guys like Hodges or Greg (although I admit I don't think either Hodges or Greg are funny!)

Also, I suppose from a personal aspect, I just don't go for guys with red hair. On the other hand I think William Petersen is very handsome (kind of like George Peppard) and Michael Goorjian is also cute. Totally wasted in this episode, but it was fun to hear his real voice -- in which one could hear the traces of the voice he'd used as the autistic Aaron Pratt in CSI - and his facial expressions.

I never watched Party of Five, in which Goorjian starred in an ensemble cast for several years, and probably won't as those types of shows have never appealed to me... but anytime he's in a police drama or something similar I'll check out the role...

It's interesting to try to decide why you find people attractive... I see young women today going crazy over weedy-looking men - the various rock stars with their long hair, etc, and I just go, ick. Give me a well-set up man any day of the week! (Okay, I'll be honest...that's probably why I won't be checking out Michael in Party of Five. Though he's 100% cuter than David Caruso, he's not as muscular as I like 'em...Think William Shatner is his prime...George Peppard as Banacek...William Petersen in the early years of CSI...)

And every time I watch baseball - which is everyday, I admit I just cringe at all their facial hair.... you think women follow trends, you should look at the guys and the weird thigs they do to stand out... "soul patches" , "soul stripes", imperials....so affected and so silly looking. But they must think they look cool or they wouldn't do it...

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I like your three latest posts very much. While I like the original CSI I fail to see David Caruso's "SEX APPEL".
He was way better when the season started. Right now he doesn't even try to act anymore. he just sleepwalsk through the motions.
Yesterdays post was spot on.
No explanation as to WHY the serial killer killed all those girls. "Criminal Minds" does a good job in explaining things and keeping the storz interesting.

maven said...

Sex appeal is a meaningless phrase; so is the assumption CSI Miami is popular because of the bikinis. I prefer David Caruso to Billy Petersen any day. I prefer the light and bright of Miami to the dark and sinister of LV and, at times, NY. Some of the cast are very good. The worst actor, imo, is also one of the most popular, Emily Procter.
If good acting was a prerequisite to popularity, George Clooney and Brad Pitt would still be unknowns.

Barbara Peterson said...

>>>Sex appeal is a meaningless phrase;

On the contrary. Sex (appeal) drives the world.

>>I prefer David Caruso to Billy Petersen any day.

I'm speechless. ; )

>>>If good acting was a prerequisite to popularity, George Clooney and Brad Pitt would still be unknowns.

I don't think I've ever seen Clooney in anything...but didn't appreciate his "joke" about Charlton Heston so he's off my radar anyway, as for Brad Pitt, I quite liked him in Mr and Mrs Smith. I don't seek out his work, as I do for my favorite actors...

Cole said...

I prefer Petersen OVER David Caruso ANY DAY.