CSI: Cyber

So far...episode 1 = not good, not good at all - bad acting all round, even from Patricia Arquette which really surprised me, below par script/plot, just so run of the mill not what you expect from CSI...very disappointed by it's lack of originality or sophistication. Surely they don't think this is what the average viewer wants nowadays, a paint by numbers plot with absolutely no challenge to the grey matter? So tired of these shows that are written for people with low to no intellect there are only a handful of shows still airing that I can say do that and this certainly is not one of them. (Why do they take off air the really good shows (sci-fi especially and replace it with this mindless drivel), well that is my late night rant, fueled by yet another disappointment in what looked to be a promising show over and done with.

This a deeply flawed TV show.

I am not a big fan of Bruckheimer's CSI franchise but I watched some episodes of NY, Miami, Vegas etc. for purely "informational" reasons. I mean to see what the forensic science can do nowadays. Many of these stuff seem highly unlikely to be true but you can swallow them with a pinch of salt.

In the latest member of the series CSI Cyber however, the lack of realism reached unbelievable heights and the show is a joke to follow even for mere entertainment.

Who ever writes this has absolutely no clue about how technology works and what is possible and what is not. Surprisingly enough that goes the other way too! Not only you see a constant overestimation of what technology or a hacker can do BUT you often get the exact opposite where the computers "geniuses" of FBI seem to ignore the simplest truths and possibilities that any kid with a mobile phone knows. I'm now watching episode 6 and the computer "experts" of FBI are amazed by the fact that it's possible to create ...fake SMS into your phones, something that a gazillion apps out there are doing in a split second.

The direction, effects, editing and music of the show is also an over-the-top version of the CSI series. Either you like it or not. The fact is that is difficult to have any emotions with such a fast-paced pseudo-modern presentation. You are not going to feel sorry for the victim, or pity, or sadness or joy. The acting is wooden. Even the most sentimental line is been delivered like from robots.

And there are more flaws. A long uninspired intro, a lame song and credits, a couple of background stories that no one seems to care about and of course the ...terrifying message in every episode " It can happen to you "!! As I wrote I'm now watching the 6th episode. If you hate it why you watch it? you might ask. Well...I'don't...not really. Somewhere I read that the 7th episode something about cyberbulling is good, so I'm watching till this. And, yes. Sometimes you want to see how much more ridiculous a show can be...

I'm sad. There are some great actors in this show, but if I didn't know them from other works I'd rate the acting as terrible. The writing is so incredibly bad that it makes even Patricia Arquette (who is usually lovely) look less than stellar. Poor dialog, plots that aren't fully fleshed out, and inaccuracies abound. I'm bummed. I tried 3 episodes, but I don't like the characters, the stories are sufficiently flawed to detract from my enjoyment, and I'm just done. I tend to rate pretty generously and that's reflected in my 5 star review. I must have seen some glimmer of possibility because I came back 2 more times. But that's all you're getting from me CSI: Cyber.

What can I say?!

Just: awful, awful, awful.

I cannot believe that - having cancelled all 3 of the other 'CSI' programmes - the producers then give us yet another programme of the exact same style!

It has been churned out with techniques identical to the last few series of 'CSI's 1 to 3. This sadly resulted in a first episode with the following flaws:

~ meandering plot ~ dull story ~ inconsequential events ~ confused schematic ~ none of the wit or humour hoped for ~ zero warmth from the protagonists ~ no depth or scope i.e superficial ~ nil characterisation or back stories for the players (until at the very end, when it was far too late to enthral me in any way!)

I was hoping to see another programme of the quality of the first few series of the original 'CSI' - when "Grissom" et al really grabbed my interest, and the plots were feasible and properly fleshed out. Instead, this CSI-4 simply - and unbelievably - reproduced the very death throes of 'CSI' & the other 2 'CSI' series.

Yet another US show with a fatal case of style over substance. Gloss does NOT equate to quality.

I had SO looked forward to this new series. So I was HORRIFIED to see such a lazy production being rolled out.

The episode was proving abysmal even after the first 5 minutes, and dropped ever lower in my estimation the further the drama went on.

I would have hoped to be able to watch the second episode, in order to give the whole series a critique - i.e. after perusal of more than just one storyline. But, having seen the exact same style of programme in the last days of 'CSI's 1 to 3, there is clearly NO hope that CSI-4 will change. So I am signing off the series as of now. And have in fact already deleted the 10+ episodes that we had so far recorded... 1 hour is enough of my life wasted! ,-) After all, if the 'CSI' studio haven't learnt by now, then from this first episode they have proved that they never will.

Sadly, I can give this programme no more than 1 out of 10, as the production studio should have known better.

No-one can blame the actors, so please, please - Patricia Arquette, Peter MacNicol, et al - MOVE ON to something worth your skills.

I just HAD to get my opinion down. A form of catharsis, no doubt!! ,-)

One last point: the best thing about this programme? In fact, the ONLY good thing? Is ANOTHER superb theme song from the catalogue of 'The Who'. So I am off to YouTube to listen again to the great 'I Can See For Miles'. Now that WILL be 4 minutes well spent!

I've never been a fan of Arquette and now that she won an Oscar I'm sure the shows written post-Oscar will include even more of her unfortunately. I am a fan of Peter MacNichol however he won't be able to save it either. It seems they are trying too hard to "dumb down" the show by explaining each and every technical aspect. Using the tried and true formula of animation and music is pointless. Too bad they just can't allow CSI to end gracefully! I will continue to watch each show until I simply can't stand it but if you are wanting to get in to some great new series, this will only disappoint! My suggestion would be to go and watch the entire "The Wire" series or Kevin Spacey's early days in the "Wiseguy" series!