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List Price: $29.98 | | Label: Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
Salesrank: 1114
Released: March 25, 2003 |
| Our Price: $18.09 |
| Used Price: $9.80 |
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MPAA Rating:
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Crime drama from the perspective of a Las Vegas forensic team.
Genre: Television
Rating: NR
Release Date: 10-APR-2007
Media Type: DVD
Description of C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete First Season:
Murder, and its tale-telling aftermath, is the compelling subject of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Since it premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000, CSI was a ratings triumph, spawning a spinoff (CSI: Miami) and positioning itself for long-term success. As the first season demonstrates, creator Anthony Zuiker's foolproof formula was established early on, bolstered by a fine ensemble cast and requiring minimal tweaking as the season progressed; its Las Vegas-based "criminalists" eventually became "CSI" steeped in the scientific minutiae of forensic investigation, but the series arrived essentially intact, with an irresistible (and seemingly inexhaustible) supply of corpses and the mysteries that surround them. Influenced by the graphic precedent of movies like Seven and Kiss the Girls, CSI matches morbidity with dispassionate methodology; viewers are so fascinated by the investigative process that they're unfazed by intimate autopsies and internal (i.e., digitally animated) views of traumatized flesh, bone, and sinew.
While keeping abreast of cutting-edge technologies, CSI combines the ingenuity (and fallibility) of villains with the appealing humanity of its heroes. CSI director and entomologist Gil Grissom (played by series coproducer William Petersen) is introverted but ethically intense; he's both mentor and moral compass for his night-shift team, including a former stripper-turned-CSI (Marg Helgenberger); a recovering gambler (Gary Dourdan); an eager ace (George Eads) with room for improvement; a workaholic (Jorja Fox) who can't always remain emotionally detached from her cases; and a chief detective (Paul Guilfoyle) who's a necessary link to police procedure. Like The X-Files, CSI supports its characters with feature-film production values, employing a Rashomon structure that turns murder into a progressively accurate study of cause and effect. Script quality is consistently high ("Blood Drops" and "Unfriendly Skies" are exceptional), direction is slick and sophisticated, and the mysteries are complex enough to invite multiple viewings. Despite a regrettable shortage of DVD features, CSI's inaugural season remains addictively worthy of its lofty reputation. --Jeff Shannon
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete First Season Reviews:
Christ, What a Dumb Show... 
2008-09-27 - Okay, CSI is such a standard show, it's really hard to watch. But everyone seems to love it, including my moronic neighbors who rag on The X-Files and love CSI. Stop right there, folks.
The X-Files was a gem, at least through season 6. But even the bad seasons are better than CSI. All three of these shows are bad, with NY being slightly redeemed by Gary Sinise, but the show is so uninspired and tries so hard to be gruesome that I just have to feel sorry for it.
Last time I checked, detectives do not all look like they belong in an Abercrombie mag. To prove my point, the girls I know that watch the show like it because "the guys are so hot!" Gimme a break, please. Good looking people does not make for good television.
I loved Gillian Anderson on the X-Files because she was thick-skinned, didn't take bull from anyone, and there were no lame side stories involving her. But the female characters here are morons, clearly hired to pile up viewers. And the thing is, the FOX network wanted a different Dana Scully because Anderson didn't have enough sex appeal. Sad, it really is. We're supposed to slobber over some fake-looking, idiotic female lead who in real life would have no conscious clue about being in that work. Pathetic.
And the other problem with CSI. The whole NIN choppy, quick-cut style that looks like it came right out of SAW. Now, maybe, SAW jacked that quality, but it looks outright dumb on a show that's supposed to be professional. And choosing The Who for theme songs? What, are these characters going out for a night on the town or are they doing police work? I expected them to start dancing right in the middle of an autopsy! Good god.
Point is, The X-Files was incredibly inspired, fun to watch, and had the two best leads in David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in history. Not to mention it was incredibly complicated, which is good. CSI dumbs down forensic work so that tubbys can sit home all night and get lost in its pathetic gruesomeness. X-Files was cleverly gory. CSI tries too hard going for shock value. It really is like the T.V. version of SAW. "Look at these kids popping random pills at a party, only to get their heads blown off by an intruder! Which makes you wonder the point of them doing drugs to begin with! Then let's do some stylistic special effects to cut upstairs real quick and show another dead girl bleeding through the floor! Neato!" Or..." Let's show this guy swallow some kobe, only to graphically cut to some horrible computer animation showing a tapeworm connecting himself to the guy's tissue! How fun! Which would totally eliminate the need for an investigation anyways because the guy just got his meat a little too rare..."
I don't know how this drivel stayed on T.V., but it's really, REALLY corny. Anyone who disagrees with me, which everyone will, doesn't know what good television is. The X-files is good dramatic television. People are gonna argue and say that it's about fake things like ghosts and aliens and such, but that's the point! Turn on the freakin' news to hear some graphic murder story! Television should be an escape to something fun, and for me, CSI is about as enthralling as watching paint dry.
Great service 
2008-07-27 - Living in the mountains of Idaho it gets plenty cold...this adds to my collection of thigs to-do...Thanks for your prompt service!
review
2008-07-18 - Am happy with video at this time however the plastic containing the box set was broken upon reciept.
Wow Wow Wow!!
2008-06-10 - I couldn't tear myself away from this collection. My favorite players are William Peterson and Marg Helgenberger. They are well paired and I only wish that they would be romantically linked! All of the actors are superlative and the writers know their craft well. I am on the edge of my seat when I watch these shows and they are all equal in brilliance. I have already watched the first two seasons and anxiously await my shipment of Collection #3 and #4. I will order all of them eventually. The best crime show on TV.
Best Bargain Ever!
2008-05-28 - I've been a fan of CSI for years, and have desperately wanted to add this excellent TV drama to my personal DVD collection. Unfortunately the season set DVDs were way out of my price range, so I had to be content to borrow the DVDs from my public library(thank goodness for libraries). But now I see that Amazon.com has season one of CSI on sale for $[...] Yes!!! I won't truly be content until I have all of the season DVD sets of CSI, but in the meantime, having the first season of this entertaining and intelligent show will do.
