CSI: NY, the third incarnation of the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation franchise and the spin-off of CSI: Miami, is a crime drama about forensic investigators who use high-tech science to follow the evidence and solve crimes in The Big Apple.
Beginning with a spectacular murder at the Statue of Liberty and ending with an unusual plea from a bank robber, the fourth season of CSI: NY moves along at a quick, exciting pace that belies its almost 15-hour run time. Spread over six discs, all 21 episodes--which originally were televised during the 2007-2008 season--are included. Led by head CSI Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise), the core group of Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes), Lindsay Monroe (Anna Belknap), Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo), Detective Don Flack (Eddie Cahill), and Dr. Sheldon Hawkes (Hill Harper) returns to solve compelling and often ghastly crimes. Sticking true to the format of the popular CSI franchise, a crime is committed, the viewer is left to guess whodunit, and then Mac and his team come in to tell us what really happened. Sometimes the plots aren't that difficult to figure out. But in many instances--such as watching a horrifying stalker's obsession with Mac build throughout the season--the viewer is left almost as unsettled as the victims. One of the most powerful episodes of the season centers around Stella, who comes to the realization that her neighbor may have harbored (or kidnapped) a missing child. Kanakaredes succinctly captures the complex nuances of what it might feel like to wonder if you could have helped someone who lived right next door. If being completely honest, an objective viewer might admit that CSI: NY isn't wholly unique in terms of story arcs. However, Sinise is a compelling leading man who shares strong chemistry with the rest of the cast. Even when dealing with a convoluted storyline centering around his deceased wife's son, he makes it work. And when Danny goes through some personal turmoil, viewers sense that he will be OK, because he has his colleagues' support. The season finale falls a little flat, but it does offer a cliffhanger-style ending sure to entice viewers to tune in to the fifth season. --Jae-Ha Kim
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Far-fetched Fun:
CSI-NY is getting better every year. Problem is, they're getting too analytical and are starting to sound like medical experts when dissecting clues. Not sure why they need a Medical Examiner since they seem to take turns explaining complex findings, almost like a walking encyclopedia of minutia. It would be nice if they spent more time on character development and less time cutting open dissected brains! We live in a world where mistakes happen, but the show is getting too cut-and-dried perfect. CSI-NY has... more info
Human connections against a backdrop of inhuman crimes:
My husband and I had seen only half this season on TV before we moved and opted out of having television piped into our house. But we missed our favorite shows, CSI:NY being one of them. This season brought back the humanity in the characters, building on the past that haunts Mac Taylor and drawing Bonasera into it as well. Danny makes some rough life choices that challenge his relationship with "Montana" and Sid and Adam get funnier and quirkier. The last episode left us in suspense and we just can't wait... more info
Even Better:
This is the best season of CSI NY yet. Better stories, better drama and brilliant writing.
Unquestionably the worst:
Without a doubt, this is by far the worst season of the CSI: NY franchise. The predominant theme of the season was re-packaging plots from previous seasons to have Mac as the center of attention. The season finale featured the same plot (bank robbery) with the same plot twist (accessory to the crime claims to have been motivated by family being held hostage) as the season 1 episode Rain, but with an utterly suspenseless kidnapping of Mac thrown in at the end. The major multi-episode story arc of... more info
