In terms of tv shows, I am a late adopter (maybe in all terms, but here in particular). Until two years ago, I would have insisted that the only tv shows I watch or watched are / were "Twin Peaks", "X Files" (only the Mulder ones, of course), and "24" (well: "Kir Royal" and "Monaco Franze" for the Germans out there – but that is a completely different league and will never be matched by anything). Meaning all those that had a story with a beginning and something like an end to them, in other words (in the case of X Files that would be the promise of a forthcoming end that was never kept and killed the show. I hope it died in pains. Didn’t watch). With (1) more interesting stuff coming up recently, and (2) the best invention since bicycles: DVD box sets! … that changed a bit now. "Heroes", "Lost", "Jericho". Now that the "Sopranoes" are done I am considering catching up with those, too. But at the end of the day, I guess I am in for thriller, mystery things more than for the drama. So even though I never liked Quincy, the hardcore version of Quincy is just my thing, as it combines best of "Seven", "Silence of the Lambs", and Jeffrey Deaver’s "Lyncoln Rhyme" books. So then: CSI.
Now this posting is more like a justification for the poor record on film watching and reviewing lately: that is what happens when you are hooked up with a show that you never watched before, start enjoying, and realise that seven seasons have already gone bye – not to speak of the two or three spin-off shows that I haven’t even touched yet. So the world had to arrange itself into little 43-minute clusters (sometimes multiple 43-minute clusters. Most of the times, actually) over the last months, and now that we are moving towards the end of Season 7, there is room to spread some praise for a show that not only evolved quite a bit over the seasons, but that showed some particular improvements especially in the latest one: with the introduction of what the "X Files" or "Lost" makers would call a "mythology" thread, or at least a red thread resurfacing again and again and having some great potential (miniature killer). Also the development of characters, them getting shot (Season 6) or tired (season 7), falling in love (Season 6) or starting to admit it (Season 7). Great stuff, even though I think I will for the moment stay away from those Miami and New York sister shows, as it is hard to imagine that the characters established in the original Las Vegas CSI can be matched if you start watching the other ones that late in life. And you learn so much about what to do and what not to do when committing a crime that one should compile some form of handbook for junior murderers.
CSI Season guide at IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247082/episodes
thomas4cinema 