Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2063 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-10-24
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3

Synopsis
The second of two spin-offs launched by the hugely popular television series 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', 'CSI: New York' distinguishes itself with an even darker, grittier tone than either of its predecessors by grounding the action in the gloomy aftermath of post-9/11 New York. The always brilliant Gary Sinise anchors the series as sternly professional former-Marine police detective Mac Taylor, whose stoic exterior masks the pain of losing his wife in the World Trade Centre attacks. Taylor's forensics team includes his tough-as-nails partner, Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes); the sexy but street-smart investigator Aiden Burn (Vanessa Ferlito); no-nonsense tough guy Don Flack (Eddie Cahill); smart-aleck detective Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo); and the briskly efficient coroner, Sheldon Hawkes (Hill Harper). Bathed in sombre, blue-tinged cinematography, the spin-off emphasises well-drawn character development without sacrificing any of the grisly criminal and scientific elements that made its parent show such a smashing success.

Customer Reviews

A great start
I saw the first 6 episodes of this show when it premiered on Channel 5 - I admit that I am a Gary Sinise fan, that's why recorded the first few episodes - but what I saw on tv I hated. It made no sense. Then this year I got the box set and with a degree of trepidation started watching and I was suprised by how much I liked it.

I wondered why I didn't like it when I first saw it, so I dug out my videos and took a look, and discovered that the first episode had been edited to 26 minutes in length (the 2nd was 32 minutes, the 3rd was 29 minutes), once I saw this I realised that the heavy editing of Channel 5 had ruined the show.

I was glad that I had watched and have watched them several times since, I admit that the later seasons are much improved on season 1 - the actors seem to fit and understand their roles better as the seasons go on.

I am, as I have said, a Gary Sinise fan and appreciate the motivation behind his playing of the role, the coolness towards others is understandable when you realise the tragedy his character has suffered - and it's nice to see that the recovery from such a devastating loss is not being passed over as quickly as other shows would have.

Overall a great series and a great season - (sorry but I'm back on my usual hobby horse) region 2 dvd = 2nd class dvd viewers or to put it another way, no extras!!!

Come on Hollywood, we pay more than Americans do for dvds so why the poor treatment

CSI:NY
Yes, it's another CSI spin-off and this time the seedy casinos of Las Vegas and the greedy gators of Miami are replaced by the grey and dull skyscrapers of New York. After a disappointing pilot episode (about a man attempting to fully paralyse his female victims but instead ending up killing them) the show really starts to kick off - and the characters are revealed to not only be super-slick crime investigating machines but to have actual feelings as well and the inter-character relationships also start to develop. As so many cases have already be done before on the previous two CSI series the plots in CSI:NY are unsurprisingly more elaborate/far-fetched - what with skeletons being dumped on buses; plastic bag massacres; hip-hop and sushi scandals; sleep walking slaying and much more! Therefore you've either got to accept it as some thrilling escapist fun or fume when Mac or Stella yet again finds the vital, case-solving piece of evidence. Despite being integral in the whole CSI genre the normal double murder case per episode can get a bit tedious especially when they don't link in anyway. Furthermore the fast pace of each episode detracts from its plausibility and ensures less time for character development. However despite all this, CSI:NY is definitely a boost and not a hindrance to the CSI franchise - once you've acquainted yourself with monotone Mac and 'freaky hair day' Stella and their crime solving style it's just a matter of sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the show, in moderation - I suggest only two episodes a week or it could get boring. The effects are also better as CSI:NY is the most modern of the trio and the bird's eye view shots of NY's impressive cityscape are used to great effect. As CSI:NY was the first of the trio I ever saw I prefer it to the original but in all fairness it probably isn't as good as it relies more on cool gadgets; shiny new sets; slick camerawork and fast paced action than it does good character acting - mainly because there just isn't enough time between the endless investigations for the characters to sit down and have a good chat...but do we really want to watch Stella and Mac discussing their favourite type of bagel when they could be out in the field solving some fascinating crimes?! (And just to warn you the opening credits are appalling and suitably cheesy for any US series).

Very disappointed
I really had high hopes for this series - they've taken a great formulaic general plot, a great location and a great actor (Gary Sinise) and what have they done? Churned out a second rate show with story lines that are too far fetched (searching for a single rat in the middle of NYC in the hope that it still has evidence in its stomach - AND FINDING IT!!!!) and characters that have little on screen chemistry. The whole thing is just not believable - even allowing for dramatic licence - and I was thoroughly disappointed. I bought both parts of this season and was not at all impressed with the first episode but I persevered thinking it just didn't start well. After subjecting myself to another three episodes I gave up and sold both box sets on marketplace.

Maybe I didn't give it long enough - some of the other reviewers say that it gets good - but I'm not convinced. The episodes just seemed to get more and more unbelievable.