Thursday, February 14, 2013

CSI Second Crossover Event


CSI - CSI:NY
CSI FRANCHISE CROSS-OVER EVENT
February 2013

The CSI Franchise shows recently had a second Cross-Over Event. Technically they had had a few other crossover episodes before that blockbuster event but that was the first one to go across ALL The shows in the franchise not just two (mostly to jump start a new series). Since there are only two shows now, the Original CSI set in Las Vegas and CSI: New York, it was more manageable and in my opinion more enjoyable than the three parter they had back in 2009. Was it that long ago? Of course once again they only had the main star(s) Cross Over. This time at least Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) got to go to Vegas. If I recall correctly, the Trilogy from '09 only had the then Main Vegas CSI Dr. Raymond Langston (Laurence Fishburne) traveling through all three of the shows. [CSI: Miami was cancelled last year.] I had taped the trilogy x-over, I didn't tape this one. Yes I still have a VCR I haven't broken down and joined the 20teens by getting a DVR. I almost don't really need one. Plus it has been ages though since I've gotten a "new" tape so I will have to go through my old tapes sometime and decide what to tape over. It is difficult to find blanks now-days.

Here is my sort of mini-review of this cross-over.

WARNING: This Review contains spoilers.

CSI - Episode 1: In Vino Veritas
To get this party started we attend a fancy black tie private invitation only High Quality wine auction in Vegas (or just outside). Lots of fancy dresses and pretty women barely wearing those fancy dresses. A group of men discuss some sort of private deal and go to the wine cellar. Cut to some young men in an alley shooting at a wooden wine barrel. Oops that's blood. The CSI team discovers a pickled person in a tux in the barrel. Meanwhile at CSI Crime Lab Vegas Detective Mac Taylor (Sinise) is in town and is scheduled to meet up with his girlfriend Christine later. She is supposed to be in Vegas to meet up with a potential restaurant owner who plans on opening a restaurant like hers. Crime Lab Boss D.B. Russell shows Mac around and then goes with him to meet with Christine. They arrive at her hotel room to discover a crime scene with blood and no Christine. As they piece the mystery together they discover that an eccentric wine connoisseur is counterfeiting super valuable fine wines. A botched jewellery store robbery uncovers Christine's cell phone, blood from an unknown female suspect at the scene matches blood from the hotel crime scene. The crime lab tracks down the wine counterfeiters, and the killer who stuffed the victim into the wine barrel. They find the jewellery store robber, who is also suspected of kidnapping Christine. He is Christine's co-worker but he isn't her kidnapper. He has to hand over the stolen diamonds to the real kidnappers, whom he owes a large sum of money to, or they will kill Christine and his brother in 24 hours. The snag is Christine never left New York.  Mac has no choice but to take the robber back to New York with the stolen Diamonds to make the trade for Christine. D.B. tells Mac that he isn't going to stop him, but that he will need his help in doing it. So "To Be Continued..." In New York.

CSI: NY - Episode 2: Seth and Apep
Mac and D.B. arrive in New York and get to work to arrange the exchange. The kidnappers are of middle-eastern descent and are part of an Egyptian gang. They learn that Christine is Mac's girlfriend and make some adjustments to the plan to string Mac along and separate him from his people. A connection with a dry-cleaners and a protection extortion ring for businesses in the "Little Egypt" Neighborhood. After a long day of playing cat and mouse with the kidnappers, who are behind the extortion ring, Mac solves the case, gets the crooks and gets his girl back.

All in all these two episodes were very good. The original CSI has improved with the switching out Fishburne and bringing Danson in. I had my doubts at first but he makes a fine addition to the series. I give this x-over 4 out of 5 stars.

Previous CSI Cross-Over Postings:
CSI Trilogy Crossover Special Episodes
CSI: Crossover Episode 1
CSI: Crossover Episode 2
CSI: Crossover Episode 3

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