CSI hasn’t changed much in its first four years. Expect more of the same here. The unique photography and f/x material is pretty much as solid as it was in the first episode. I’m not sure I like the “scruffy” Grissom look, but the show is as good as it’s ever been. As in each of the previous season, Gil Grissom leads a team of Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) on the night shift in Las Vegas.
Audio
This Dolby Digital 5.1 sound once again reinvents TV sound. Highs and lows both exhibit dynam…c performance. Dialogue is crisp and always clear. There is noticeably more sub range than on the previous two seasons. This fact is most evident during the music cues.
Video
Once again the season’s episodes are presented in a great HDTV 16 X 9 wide screen ratio. Colors are dynamic and the transfers are flawless. Blacks maintain the high standard set in Season 2. You won’t be disappointed in this release.
Special Features
Instead of the usual small collection of shorts you will find one longer feature, clocking in at just under an hour. There are four distinct parts of this “Evolution of an Episode” feature. The program tackles the essential elements of Script, Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production, all with good insight. You’ll probably find more than you ever wanted to know about episodic television here.
There are commentaries on 7 episodes this time. Still, the commentaries are primarily technical. I got more out of the feature than these commentaries. Unfortunately, any words from the cast are still MIA.
Final Thoughts
CSI and its sister programs continue to burn up the ratings. It seems we can’t get enough of this stuff. Consider how quickly the sets are coming out on DVD after the broadcast. Only Law and Order has been able to successfully follow a broadcast year with DVD’s. This implies the show is far from peaking with its audience. Given the evidence, future editions of all of the CSI shows can’t be far off. After all, “Evidence doesn’t lie.”
