CSI: NY

The beginning:

The show starts off with a beautiful dance and an interesting news report, only to be cut with death.



The cases:

It was interesting to see Danny with the gypsy cab driver. It seemed a little out of nowhere with his reactions to the cab driver. The subway worker was amusing, and then of course at the end we find out his humor was used to hide the fact he killed the driver.

It was nice to see that despite Danny’s original feelings on the cab driver, he was redeemed at the end for saving the girl from being raped. It was good to see he was generally a nice guy. And while it was uncalled for with how he reacted to the cab driver’s son, he in a way apologized before actually apologizing by round on the subway worker behind bars.



The commission report was twisted from the beginning. We have IAB pushing for results, and in the end we find out it was the inspector that did it! Perhaps he shouldn’t have pushed so hard? Though this was technically the A case, it seems that in fact it was the other case was the B case as it was so touching in the end. Favorite scene:

My fave scene had to be at the end when Danny was talking to the cab driver’s son and apologizing. It was just such a touching moment, and it was endearing to see how sad Danny felt about what he had said. I was happy that he apologized.

Another well written episode. Both cases got good air time, and both cases made the viewer think.



Mac and Stella's case was a hard one. On one hand they had the pending Dove Commission report which could implicate multiple people in the NYPD in various crimes. And on the other a complete stranger to the city was killed. Collateral damage or target? The killer took me by surprise, I did not expect it to be him at all. I thought initially it would be someone who's family had suffered due to a crime that the perpetrator of was named in the Commission report. But turns out the report had nothing to do with the murder, instead old fashioned jealousy was the motive. That poor girl comes to the big city for a night out and loses her life because she decided to wear a red dress. Sad.



Danny and Aiden's case was a good one, too. Danny got emotionally involved in the case, and I'm sure if Mac knew, Danny would have been off it in a heartbeat. Gotta give props to Aiden for calling Danny out on his behaior when they first meet the cabbie's kid and inform him of his father's death. Glad to see he got just as worked up when interrogating the murderer, and that he was man enough to apologize to the kid and tell him what a good man his father was. The gypsy cab driver was a good guy just trying to make a living, and helping people out in their time of need. Danny was right, the city, heck the world, needs more people like that.

I love this episode, first time I watched it I was really caught up in the Dove Commission shooting but on further viewings I have to say I think that the other case and especially Carmine steals the show. We get to see so much of Dannys personality and his vulnerable side in this episode. He is clearly deeply affected by the case and Carmine portrays that bubbling resentment and anger really well and yet we also get to see Danny still feeling like a little boy that got beat up and the shame and fear that must have created for a 10 year old boy. I suspect that it is also difficult for Danny to think about the affect the incident might have had on his relationship with his father and I wonder if he compares in his own mind that relationship with the cab driver and his sons relationship.



I also love how we see Danny at the end go and apologise and explain to the son. This shows us a lot about who Danny is, and that he is not afraid to admit he was wrong and admits his own failings. The actual scene with Danny waiting in the rain and getting soaking wet shows that need he has to finish things off and find a resolution to cases and probably his own issues. He could have just let it go but he needs to have some sort of end to the case for himself and the son. This is also one of the few times that we get to see Danny without his glasses (forget about the fact that with all that rain he wouldn't be able to see in them anyway), which I think is also supposed to be showing us he is opening himself up to show how vulnerable he is.



When else do we see him without glasses? In Snow Day of course with Lindsay, again when we are seeing the more vulnerable side to tough NY Detective Messer.



The juxtaposition between the two cases is really well done, on one hand we have the authors of the Dove Commission and IAB who are supposed to be fighting corruption and exposing dirty cops but who are in fact highly paid, cheating, murdering, self-obsessed individuals just looking out for themselves.



On the other side we have Danny (who we know has a murky family background) and the gypsy cab driver who is doing what he can do make ends meet. We can assume that both the driver and Danny haven't had the opportunities or advantages that the others have had yet it is Danny and the cab driver who do what is right and are in fact the "good guys" in the episode. Danny even says that NY could do with more people like the cab driver - someone willing to do the right thing just because it is the right thing and not because there is something in it for them. Great episode, well acted and written. Some great character development with Danny and an introduction to Mac and IABs relationship which we know will be taken further in later episodes. My final thought though on this episode is where did all the lab staff go to? Seriously here we have the woman helping Stella, the DNA guy, Chad (what happened to you Chad?) to name but a few. I think for S4 Mac needs to do a spot of recruitment and get Adam so lab buddies!

It all begins with a double murder on the 65th floor of a high rise. As it turns out the victims a Charlotte DuBios and Dan Stanwyk. It is "assumed" that Mr. Stanwyk was the target. He was the head of an investigation committee to bring focus to corruption within the NYPD. The report was going to be released to the public the next day. As Mac and Stella process the scene they got forward using the report as motive. Mac tentitively dipping his toes into the political game "calls in a favor" to get a preview of the report. "To find possible suspects." Meanwhile, a gung ho Stella dives right in processing the bullets casings from the scene and seems to be having fun at the same time. Mac going on information he found in the report leads him to Precinct Chief Robinson and TARU Officer Jasper, both of whom are eventually cleared but not before Mac "irrates" them, slightly :D. Then Mac also has Inspector Markconi pushing Mac to close the case and let IAB handle the fallout. However, based on what they have so far, Mac & Stella decide to take a new perspective. Maybe it's not even about the report. They go back to the evidence and find that it's not, it's about good ol' fashion passion and jealousy. Dan Stanwyk was the intended target, but so was Charlotte DuBios, sort of. Charlotte was killed due to a case of mistaken identity. The intended target was Grace Walderson the new mistress of Dan Stanwyk, the former mistress of Inspector Markconi. Loved the twists and turns this case took. Also LOVED the remote control helicopter used in the murder. Very Cool. Two things though. First shame on Flack - "collateral damage" very cold. Second, I want to see Stella and Calleigh from Miami exchange guns stories. That would be neat.



Our Secondary case has Danny and Aiden covering the murder of a gypsy cabby named Reyes. Immediately you can tell that this case is going to be personal for Danny. We determine later that Danny and his father were beaten badly by a gypsy cabby when Danny was a kid. Unfortuately due to that, Danny's has a predetermination that Mr. Reyes was a bad guy. As they come up on the scene due to it being a "gypsy" cab, there is fare log book or dispatcher. So there is no way to determine who was Mr. Reyes' last fare was, so they go to the body. Which is determined to have to beaten and then stab in the neck. Mr. Reyes put up a fight, but with who? Danny & Aiden talk with some people at the scene and get no leads. They go back to the lab and get to work. In an attempt to get some information regarding Mr. Reyes, they go and talk with his family. Danny, having the preconseptions that he does, goes on the attack. Tony Reyes defends his father. Aiden calls Danny to the mat. They go back to the evidence where they get more confused. The DNA is female. But the physical evidence on Mr Reyes from the beating to the stabbing shows male. Dr. Giles, has the answer. There are some cases where male DNA can register female.The trace evidence also revealed steel, like from the subway. It dawns on Danny and Aiden that they have already talked to the guy. They bring him in and get the confession. Mr. Reyes stopped an attempted rape and it cost him his life. Danny is the first to apologize to Tony and tells Tony that his father was a good man and something NYC needs more of, Tony appreciates the gesture as Danny returns a photo of Tony and his Dad that Mr. Reyes kept in his cab. Good for Danny. Overall I loved this episode. I thought it had a lot of interesting twists and turns. Interesting suspects. One of the things I picked up on in this episode is that AZ and the gang every now and then, throw in a twist to confuse us. Meaning, the killer ends up being someone that initially is not on the radar. Which I like, it keeps us guessing. Maybe we will never know if this is where Mac was put on the political radar or not but it's something to think about.

OK, I've seen the chapter, here go my thoughts...



* The case of the lady in the red dress was very well written, all the reconstructions were amazing, this little helicopter was great, but that at the end all was a passionate crime was hard to believe. But I like it although...



*The case about the cab driver was great too. All the investigation and all the story of the female DNA that turns out to be from a man has really surprised me.



* About the different characters: as more as I watch the first season I like more Stella, she is really awesome!! Mac: he is amazing as always. Aiden: Well...I usually don't like her too much but the moment she argues with Danny made me change my opinion about her. Flack: my blue...wonderful. DANNY: the best for the end. He shows us again that he is impulsive, aggressive but that he can recognise his mistakes and at the end he apologizes to the son of the cab driver. And him all wet under the rain...Gorgeous!!!