CSI: Miami: Season Five

We live in a world of wonderful technology. What we are able to do and discern about the world and ourselves is simply incredible. This renewed fascination with the scientific has manifested in the staple of television, the crime drama. Sure there was Quincy with the medical examiner with a faithful lab technician and (for then) futuristic laboratory. The new shows built around forensic science are multiplying fast than bacteria in a culture dish. For CBS this meant the cloning of their flagship series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’. The second spin off had the same basic set up only instead of the bright nighttime lights of Las Vegas the setting was moved to the beaches of Miami. When the studio executives cloned the original series they did what any good genetic engineer would do, they tweaked the DNA to make a variation of the first show. Here there are crimes that happen in the hotel suites of the super fancy resort hotels. Bodies wash up on the beaches and are fished out of alligator infested swamps. Many spin offs fail usually because they are unable to carve out their own unique identities, connected to the original but still distinctive. This is where CSI: Miami succeeds. The series has a look, feel and cadence of its own. Season Five is now released by Paramount and even if you have never gotten into the series this is a good place to start. You may feel like you are coming in at the middle and in many respects you are, but the action and quality of the show will keep you coming back.

Lieutenant Horatio Caine (David Caruso) heads up the main sift of the Miami-Dade Crime Scene Investigation Unit. He is an odd mixture of caring and taciturn willing to literally go the extra mile to uncover the truth. Unlike his counter parts in Las Vegas and New York he is more often found out of the laboratory instead of searching for clues. That arduous scientific side he leads to the able hands of the experts under his command. Usually Caine works closely with the lead detective on any given case, Frank Tripp (Rex Linn). It appears that the Miami lab is funded more than most country’s military; it is a high tech wonder worth millions of dollars in the latest and greatest equipment the mind can imagine. For such a demanding boss and expensive lab you need the best team around and they have it. CSI Level 3 Calleigh Duquesne (Emily Procter) looks and sounds like a flower of southern womanhood. This is a case where looks can be deceiving. She is an expert at ballistics including any weapon that can be shot. She has moved into a broader spectrum of work than just gun shots and is Caine’s right hand both in and out of the lab. CSI Level 3 Eric Delko (Adam Rodriguez) is the go to man for anything mob or gang related. He can identify a person from the most meager scrap of evidence left behind. Ryan Wolfe (Jonathan Togo) is a former beat cop who worked his way on to the team. Due to being at the wrong place at the wrong time his tenure in the police department is hanging by a thread for most this season. CSI Trainee Natalia Boa Vista (Eva LaRue) is an expert in DNA analysis. Some personal problems threaten her career in this season. Last there is Medical Examiner Dr. Alexx Woods (Khandi Alexander). She is compassionate frequently found talking affectionately to the corpse of the day.

The firth season starts off with a real bang. Caine had married Delko’s sister Marisol (Alana De La Garza) at the end of season four only the marriage did not have long to blossom. She was murdered by a notorious gang lord, Antonio Riaz (Vincent Laresca). The FBI is investigating the lab but Caine has to get Marisol’s killer and follows the murder down to Brazil. He takes Delko with him and leaves Calleigh in charge. In a foreign country with no official sanction or authority Caine faces the biggest moral and professional challenge of his life. Even after this is resolved and Caine is back in Miami things don’t go well for the team. Natalia’s deranged ex husband, Nick Townsend (Rob Estes) begins to stalk her. He takes things so far as to take a job with the company that cleans up crime scenes. This brings him in constant contact with Natalia.. When he winds up dead all eyes turn to her. Her problems don’t end with this. In one episode Natalia’s sister may be the next victim of a fashion photographer who is actually a serial killer.

All members of the CSI franchise weave together the usual ‘A’ and ‘B’ crimes each episodes with the personal lives of the team. With Miami the concentration on these personal issues is stronger than the other shows. This gives this series a more character driven feel than the others. It also gives this series a definite soap opera vibe. There is also more open opposition to the federal government here. Not only did the FBI investigate the mob one case leads Caine and company to investigate a potential governmental cover-up of a soldier’s death in Iraq. They also find a government under cover agent involved in another murder. With such a large ensemble cast it would be difficult to have them all on one case. The way out is tried and true for such shows, have a major ‘A’ case for the leads and give a ‘B’ case to the others. Occasionally they will overlap. Part of the look for this series is the cinematography. The color palette is often pushed towards the yellows. This gives a hot, steamy feel as well as making the scenes almost uncomfortable.

David Caruso seems to have learned his lesson after his ill advised departure from NYPD Blue after its first season. He is in this one for the long haul and there are no signs of him going anywhere. This is a good thing since he embodies the series. He plays Caine as a conflicted and angst ridden man who deep down is capable of great empathy and understanding. His trade mark is often parodied; he takes off his ever present sun glasses, looks at the camera and speaks some line of dialogue in a low, almost menacing voice. To balance Caine’s rough exterior is Calleigh, perfectly portrayed by Emily Procter. She is a southern belle with a bullet. She is smart, beautiful and efficient. She takes her job seriously but still finds some time for a personal life. Procter is a talented actress who can hold up to the rigors of a series like this.

Let’s face it, Paramount has brought CBS to the number one television network for good cause, they have some of the best series around. They are also at the top of the pack when it comes to DVD season sets. Not only do you get all the episodes but they put thought into the extras they provide. The technical specifications are, of course, perfect. The video is in 1.78:1 anamorphic while the audio is presented in a rich, pounding Dolby 5.1. Five selected episode have commentary tracks where cast and crew examine the details of production. The first featurette looks at what it took to take the show on the road to Rio. The special effects makeup department gets a featurette all their own and they deserve it. The set designers are showcased in a featurette that focuses on what it takes to get the series’ unique style. The wardrobe department tells how they get the Miami look to the screen. Lastly Jonathan Togo takes a tour with the real Miami-Dade Police Department. This is a keeper, something you can enjoy over and over again.

Posted 10/19/07