Smallville or Dullsville

[Ranger REG]

CSI (and most other cop shows that rely heavily on forensic investigation) typically vastly overstate the accuracy of labwork, and vastly understate the time required. In CSI they get their stuff analysed in hours or days, when typical tiems are more like weeks and months.

So, what are they supposed to do? Air the conclusion/result three weeks after?

 

[Ranger REG]

Soon all TV will be reality shows and CSI spin-offs and clones, there seems to be no end to them!

You forget Law & Order. They even did a reality show spin-off titled Crime & Punishment documenting a real-life criminal trial.

But that's nothing compared to FOX's earlier concept of "When ___ Attack!" series.

 

[Fast Learner]

The major issue I have with CSI isn't the fake science -- heck, I like sci-fi, so I can just pretend it's a sci-fi show if I have issues with it.

No, my problem is that in the vast majority of the episodes I've seen -- and I watched the week-long marathon of CSI a few weeks ago, so I've seen at least a few dozen -- the main characters are dumb as bricks. They constantly miss incredibly obvious basic deductive clues so that some kind of scan can be run, they use flashlights almost constantly when there's a perfectly good lightswitch nearby, the females regularly stumble into incredibly dangerious situations when they should know better, they apparently only use cell phones when they don't have anything important to say to each other while holding back important information for in-person meetings, and in general they just can't seem to figure anything out if there's not some complicated lab test or laser sighting or test burning or whatever to do.

I understand that the show is about crime scene investigation, so I appreciate that it is the focus, but the plots need to be rewritten so that the only way to figure it out is through CSI. It's the lack of basic detective work that drives me nutty.

But that's me.

 

[Ranger REG]

I dunno. Sometimes it is much easier to use a flashlight to direct the lighting rather than the room light. For example, I was clipping my nails in the evening and one flew somewhere on the light-colored floor. I couldn't find that errant nail until I turned off the room light and use a flashlight.

 

[Orius]

Stargate may be a bit hokey, but not nearly as much as Smallville.

Damn right. The whole premise to Stargate is something that I normally would consider very lame, but they made a pretty good movie, and an even better TV show out of it. They're really good at doing long-term storylines and yet having weekly episodes that are unconnected to anything else.

Smallville's alright, but it's not a favorite of mine. I'll watch it from time to time. There's two things that keep me from getting interested in the show: 1 I've never been a huge Superman fan, and 2. angsty high school teen dramas have no interest for me. I do enjoy the Lionel and Lex bits though.

 

[Orius]

Interestingly enough, believability is my biggest sticking point with Stargate, which I personally think is so bad the only sci-fi show that's worse is Enterprise. How they expect the viewer to believe that SG-1 can survive mission after mission facing hostile, technologically advanced and heretofore unknown alien empires with Jack O'Neill in command is beyond me. It's like the alien from Predator being beaten by the Three Stooges. Riiiiight.

Heresy!

Ok, I do agree that sometimes the show make you wonder just how the hell O'Neil became an Air Force colonel. He doesn't take anything seriously.

But regardless of Jack's goofiness, Stargate has successfully managed to to the same types of stories Star Trek used to do, without getting preachy, stale or boring, IMO.

And the Goa'uld frequently lose because they're so arrogant that they don't think anything can stop them. Plus it would be bad TV to see the good guys lose.

 

[Ranger REG]

Heresy!

Ok, I do agree that sometimes the show make you wonder just how the hell O'Neil became an Air Force colonel. He doesn't take anything seriously.

But regardless of Jack's goofiness, Stargate has successfully managed to to the same types of stories Star Trek used to do, without getting preachy, stale or boring, IMO.

And the Goa'uld frequently lose because they're so arrogant that they don't think anything can stop them. Plus it would be bad TV to see the good guys lose.

Meh. I still prefer Kurt Russell's portrayal of Colonel O'Neil. After having seen James Spader on Boston Legal, I prefer Michael Shank (aka, the villainous bastard who knocked up beloved Lexa Droig and spawned a child).

 

[Steverooo]

Well, no great revealations, there, but at least this wasn't a "Freak of the Week" Episode, for a change... (and no more shower scenes)!

AND THEY GOT RID OF LOIS LANE!!!

 

[drothgery]

Spoiler

Well, no great revealations, there, but at least this wasn't a "Freak of the Week" Episode, for a change... (and no more shower scenes)!

AND THEY GOT RID OF LOIS LANE!!!

Y'know, some of us don't live in the Eastern time zone, and so haven't seen the most recent episode yet.

 

[CrusaderX]

AND THEY GOT RID OF LOIS LANE!!!

She'll be back. Thank goodness, too, since she's now the main reason I watch this show. Heck, I'd faithfully watch a solo Lois Lane show as long as Erica Durance was in the role.

She's so dreamy.