(S05E10) Did this episode seem weird to anyone else? Weird as in something that shouldn't have even been tackled by Horatio and his team? One character even pointed it out during his interrogation: "Isn't Iraq a little bit out of your jurisdiction?" My thoughts exactly. Maybe it's just me, but damn near everything in this episode seemed like a bit of a stretch.
If anything, I appreciated that the writers for this show were willing to take on a tough subject like the war in Iraq but I think they handled it the wrong way. The episode had a clear negative view on the war (which was great) but I didn't agree 100% with the way they negatively portrayed the Marines and their recruiters. They made everyone seem so devious and two-faced which came across as disrespectful if you ask me. Although it is only one interpretation of what's going on and as I said, you have to at least give them a pat on the back for going near the topic.
There were actually two cases that the CSIs dealt with, both involving marines. The first made sense. A marine recruiter was found dead on a civilian gun range. Definitely something Horatio and Co. would look into. But the second case? A marine killed in Iraq and Horatio opened up a case in Miami on it? Way too hard to believe and far too convenient to solve. It was laughable. A dead marine shot by an independent contractor that just so happened to be from Miami as well? Not to mention that his truck was back in Miami also? Everything fell into place far too easily.
Anyone else notice how Rob Estes was back for about five seconds as Natalia's ex, Nick? He was asking Valera out on a date. The story this sets up is great but man... Rob Estes must really be hurting if he's willing take tiny roles like that. From The Evidence to this? Although, I suppose this does set him up for more screen time.
One thing that's been starting to bug me is Horatio's involvement with the team. He's strictly just playing detective with Tripp now. He's never in the lab doing work like he used to be. He's qualified. According to his character profile on the CBS website, he has a degree in chemistry! I just wish he'd get his hands dirty once in a while like Gil and Mac do on the other CSI shows. Maybe people would stop ragging on him if he did something other than cock his head and drive his Hummer.
Nice touch ending the episode with Johnny Cash's "Like A Soldier." One of my favorite Cash tunes. Speaking of ending though, now that November sweeps is coming to a close this will probably be the last new CSI: Miami episode we'll see in a while. Heck, we're not even into December and the season is almost half over. Hopefully some better episodes will emerge after the holiday season.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-28-2006 @ 10:52AM
Nicole said...
Hated the episode. What the hell? Far fetched? This is way out even for CSI Miami. I don't like the way the protrayed the military at all. If it was not for them I doubt our life would be free in the USA. Anyways, i have hated season 5 all the way and most likely won't watch it all the way through. This show is too much and even though it's funny to watch at times now I am just getting mad or bored at it. The only characters I love is Emily's and Rexx Linn characters. The doctor is good too but the rest I think need to be written out or shown less of. Captain Caruso is jsut a hog for screen time.
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11-30-2006 @ 12:01AM
Andy said...
I have not watched the last 3 or 4 episodes due to the rising stupidity of this show, and I used to think this was the best of the CSI's....was this as unbearable as the latest bunch?
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11-28-2006 @ 1:51PM
Richard said...
CSI Miami is getting very unbelievable. It's so far fetched and so many things don't make sense. I turned the TV off after watching the show for 20 minutes and went to bed.
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11-28-2006 @ 1:43PM
Cat said...
Hmmm... a dead Marine recruiter 'killed' by a disgruntled Marine reject... sounds suspiciously like a first season NCIS plot.
I was really hoping at the NCIS team would show up to enliven this show, which seems to be getting worse and worse by the episode (and I just started watching this fall). CSI: NY and the original are way better than this.
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11-28-2006 @ 2:51PM
Jimmy said...
I'm with everyone else here. This episode, like nearly every episode this season, is written and acted in such a ham-handed way. The plot was totallly far-fetched. There is no way in hell the military would allow a local crime lab to insinutate themselves so easily into what is obviously a military investigation. As to the way the military was portrayed; I wasn't all that upset about it. The sentiment expressed by the show about the Iraq War is one expressed by millions of everyday Americans, not to mention soldiers themselves. They did present a very negative view of recruiters, but what they discussed is not unheard of. There has been a lot of talk over the years about the tactics used by recruiters to encourage enlistment. The problems is that there seems to be no middle ground in presenting soldiers on television. You have the extremes like The Unit which portrays the military as the sainted soldiers of God and freedom; and then you have this portrayal which focuses on the negative. Soldiers are human beings; they have strengths and weaknesses. I wish someone could learn to write them that way.
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11-28-2006 @ 5:54PM
Chris said...
Yes. I was getting into CSI Miami this past year by catching some of the older episodes on A&E. These newer episodes, however, are quickly pushing the show down my list of things to watch during the week. I don't appreciate partisan politics in prime time. Also, finding the perfect video on YouTube to solve the case? I'm sorry, but that's just silly.
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11-28-2006 @ 5:54PM
Chris said...
Yes. I had been getting into CSI Miami the last few months with the older episodes on A&E. These newer episodes, however, are quickly pushing the show down my list of things to watch during the week. I don't appreciate partisan politics during prime time. Also, finding the perfect video on YouTube to solve the crime? That's just silly.
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11-29-2006 @ 7:54AM
Stephanie said...
OK OK Comming from a former Sailor, & a current Navy Spouse. RECRUTERS LIE or at the least stretch the truth alot. The fact that someone who signed up, and got the jitters HECK NO NOT FAR FETCHED AT ALL! The fact that someone would go write that kind of letter to their recruter for "stretched the truth" and talk to their recruter about how they changed their minds. Just the Murder part 99.9 percent of the time dosen't happen!! I don't think this was a far stretch at all in my opinion. I espically like the way they portrayed how the brother felt about his brother getting killed. The war does alot to these soldiers, both phisicly and mentally. I also liked the fact that Alexx was alot more visible in this one. Peace to all and love love to ya!
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11-29-2006 @ 7:55AM
Brendon Carr said...
I didn't think the CSI:Miami portrayal of the Marines was as horrible as the usual television standard. There was no grand conspiracy with an evil Colonel behind it, for example. There was a generalized attempt to figure out the milieu -- for example, they correctly portrayed Marines as being served by Navy hospital corpsmen and Navy chaplains. The haircuts were on-target. I thought the junior enlisted Marines were a little too "ate up" and stiff, but you could tell the writers, producers, and actors thought they were being very respectful to the institution.
Being Hollywood, though, CSI:Miami couldn't resist embellishment with its anti-war slant. Why does that one recruiter in Miami end up with so many dead recruits? According to his wife it was a stream of them, usually two a week! That would be something like 100 dead Marines per year, all attributable to the poor murdered Marine Sergeant. Wow! That's some hard fighting. No wonder he felt guilty. But according to the Iraq Coalition Casualties website, for the most recent period December 2005 to now, US forces have only averaged a little more than two fatalities per day, let's say 15 per week. Getting two of them. this poor guy was just snakebit! Why can't we just try to stick close to the truth, Hollywood?
BUT, the grieving brother's final salute to the casket was completely soup sandwich. They would have broken his thumb right off in boot camp if he was saluting like that.
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11-30-2006 @ 2:21PM
drew said...
meh... this episode was alright. i did like the older episodes of older seasons better, and agree its going downhill. i hope this show gets back to where it used to be, which was the status of a damn good show... i am getting more dissapointed with the show after each episode...
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11-29-2006 @ 5:07PM
Michelle said...
I ask myself why..why...this show is on the air still? Maybe because these questions remained unanswered
Can anyone tell me why Caruso has to stand sideways to...deliver...his...lines..very...slowly, my friend?
Why, after Caruso has explained procedures to his team for the benefit of the viewer doesn't one of the team just holler 'I know!' at him?
Is Adam Rodriguez (Eric), the Cuban Zoolander?
Can anyone except dogs hear Emily Proctor (Calleigh) when she speaks?
What exactly is Horatio Crane's job - is he:
a) a bomb expert?
b) a sunglasses model?
c) a one-man SWAT team?
d) God?
e) all of the above?
Was Speed the only intelligent member of the team and proved it by committing suicide?
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12-11-2006 @ 4:08PM
kathy ginda said...
I have be a caruso fan a long time, but the old csi are much better then some of the new one. And he also had better suits and shirts. What happen to the bugget. I cant stand that black shirt with the strips and that black suit the only one he seen to have on the show. I would like to write the producer but dont know how, and tell how bad the show has gotten and how bad caruso is looking(like he is 60)but he did marry a girl in he 20. I tought it was a big joke. laugh for weeks.
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12-01-2006 @ 8:29AM
erroneous_nick said...
I think the most aggravating thing about this show is that the last time I looked, it beat the original CSI (Vegas) in the ratings!
I need to find a new planet to live on.
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12-03-2006 @ 11:37AM
Jeannine said...
I'm w/you guys all the way on this last episode. And I agree w/ Chris- I too, am more entertained w/the re-runs on A&E, than I am w/the current season on CBS. Let's get the Natalia vs ex-psycho/abusive hubby (Rob Estes) out of there. It's not an attractive story line to "be continuing", either. The writers need to listen to us out here. Or am I being out of line?
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12-02-2006 @ 8:51PM
Jeannine said...
I said the same thing the other day to my sister about Horatio and his sunglasses. LOL
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12-07-2006 @ 7:55PM
JQ Grace said...
OK, Let's get down to some specifics: Why couldn't a Navy Corpsman tell the difference between a 5.56mm(M-16) & 9mm (M-9 pistol) when he removed the bullet? Why would the government send the Florida truck driver's truck to Iraq and back? Why would the Marines release the body to a civilian investigative agency?
This show is REALLY going down hill fast!
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12-05-2006 @ 7:54PM
Bschott said...
I'm with you all on this episode. First off, What was with the opening line "The war maybe staged but the murder isn't". This was the first time I litterally groaned then laughed at the silliness of it all. Who is writing these lines...carrot top? Miss Jamison's 5th grade class?
I was really hyped at the start of the show when the marine recruiter was found dead. Perfect set up for an NCIS cross over! I could just hear Gibbs, Tony, and Mcgee working the case... But as the show unfolds I was left confused. How is it that JAG would allow a civilian agency to investigate the death of a Marine Recruiter? NCIS, a federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction on crimes involving persons and property associated with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, would have been ordered to investigate, and local CSIs would not be authorized to conduct the investigation. I can understand H wanting to clear the marine of any involvement in his brother's death but come on. As pointed out a 9mm slug is easy to tell from a 5.56 round and any military mortitian would be able to tell the difference so this name-clearing for the living brother should never have been an plot-point. Now a woman that knows a co-worker had an abusive husband...that man went to jail for his abuse, and the co-worker had a restraining order on him...that woman is going to date the abusive ex-husband? I guess it's darwinism. If H cares so much for his team, why didn't he step in and tell the guy to get lost? Nope, too busy standing around and looking cool.
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12-10-2006 @ 2:27AM
reah said...
hi my name is reah
i live in uk so were still watchin series 4. so i dont know wat happened in come as u go episode am sure it was'nt dat bad da episode anyway i luv da show nva missed and episode of csi miami huge fan of adam rodriguez. god his sooooooo hot bless him so kepp up with the good work
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12-11-2006 @ 10:37AM
reah said...
hi my name is reah
i live in uk so were still watchin series 4. so i dont know wat happened in come as u go episode am sure it was'nt dat bad da episode anyway i luv da show nva missed and episode of csi miami huge fan of adam rodriguez. god his sooooooo hot bless him so kepp up with the good work
Reply