Review of C.S.I. Miami 4.1

Introduction

The CSI franchise keeps going strong and if you happened to miss Season 4 of the Miami contingency then I`m pleased to report that it`s pretty much business as usual, all nicely presented (as ever) on this half-season set, which is also positively brimming with audio commentaries.

In Season 4, the mix of long story arc with single episode cases continues in the main - though there is one extremely irritating cross-franchise episode that spills from New York to Miami and back again, in an effort to cross pollinate viewership. You`re left with a complete cliff-hanger that can really only be resolved by seeking out the sister episode on the New York set.

So how can I give a few hints of what to expect without spoiling all the fun…which after all generally comes from the individual case resolutions? I`ll try, though with the caveat that you`ll forgive me if I give a little too much away. If that`s a worry then please - look away now!

There are no significant changes to the regular team line up here though we certainly see Eric Delgo go through a slippery patch. Things look very bad indeed for him on several occasions with dark hints abouthis poor finances and the possibility that he`s buying drugs from a dealer who is later in custody.

There`s also still a lot of tension between Delko and Mr. Wolfe who is. Of course, a relative newcomer and something of a do-gooder. It`s only when Ryan Wolfe is shot in the eye with a nail gun that the two bond with Delko rushing him to hospital and who is there to pick him up when he`s discharged.

Caine comes under a lot of personal pressure too as the X-Files like sub-plot surrounding the disappearance of his brother takes on a new momentum (Caine sends him away in the Season 3) and in an epsiode called `Under Suspicion` a serial killer sets Caine up as a murder suspect. Only the skills of his forensic team save the day.

As ever, it`s necessary to suspend disbelief to really enjoy these episodes. Every database search is accompanied with hundreds of flickering images, and occasionally dumbed-down dialogue is absurd as the team explain every aspect of what they`re doing for th ebenefit of the audience. (`This may not be the victim`s blood. In a knife attack the attacker sometimes cuts themselves` is a line delivered to Togo, who otherise seems to know everything there is to know!)

The DVD contains four episodes per disc over three discs; 12 episodes in all.
Episodes:

From The Grave.
Blood In The Water.
Prey.
48 Hours To Life.
Three-Way.
Under Suspicion.
Felony Flight.
Nailed.
Urban Hellraisers.
Shattered.
Payback.
The Score.

Video

A nice anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen transfer. The stylised digital video enhancements (a noticeable film-like shudder) gets occasionally irritating but generally doesn`t get in the way too much. It`s remarkably crisp and satisfying despite having been through the usual NTSC to PAL transfer journey which the most discerning eyes may see manifesting as a slight loss of clarity in some of the interiors. Those familiar with the series will already know about the almost documentary like camera wobble, and the shocking illustrative detail close-ups that play out the CSI suppositions in full. It all works fantastically and it`s hard to imagine how it could look much better.

Audio

The soundtrack work on CSI: Miami is absolutely superb. Its use of lovely close dialogue sound, perfectly selected soundtrack (I love the use of The Who`s `You won`t get fooled again` in the titles for example. Inspired!) and perfect Foley effects make it really thrilling to watch.

Features

There are an incredible 6 audio commentaries across the three discs on the following episodes. I listened in briefly to a couple and can confirm that they`re standard fare from cast and crew with descriptions on how the episode was written, planned and shot. You`d have to be pretty dedicated though to sit through half the episodes again with someone talking in your ear though. Here`s what you get ...

· From The Grave Commentary.
· Prey Commentary.
· Felony Flight Commentary.
· Urban Hellraisers Commentary.
· Shattered Commentary.
· Payback Commentary.

Conclusion

As ever, Season 4 Part 1 (12 Episodes) of CSI: Miami delivers the goods. All wonderfully transferred and jam-packed with audio commentaries for those fans interested enough to endure them.

Whilst the standard of storytelling and execution, as well as production values, remain high, the longer story arcs, used to bring soap style continuum to the programme, are becoming increasingly unlikely. Indeed, some of the conspiracy elements against Caine and his team are becoming almost X-Files like.

But with that caveat aside, the show remains freshly entertaining, despite the rich-farming of the franchise, drawing upon a rich resource of real cases for inspiration.

Horatio Caine remains as corny as Steve McGarrett in Hawaii 5-0 , whipping his sunglasses on and off whilst delivering killer lines without a trace of humour. Yet somehow it all works, especially as he never lets up with this humourless and earnest delivery. So it`s consistent if nothing else.

I always feel as if my love of this series should really be in the `guilty pleasures` category as there are probably a hundred reasons why I shouldn`t be enjoying this formulaic series as much as I do. But sometimes I think it`s better to just forget about that, reach for the remote and once again drop into the alternative reality that is CSI.