The uniqueness of “CSI: Miami” in terms of colorful story content is still its main strength and one that sets it apart from the other two “CSI” shows.
This DVD set consists of seven DVDs but only six of them are used to hold all the twenty-four episodes (four on each disc) from Season Three. The last disc is set aside for bonus material only.
Disc 1: "Lost Son", "Pro Per", "Under the Influence", "Murder in a Flash"
Disc 2: "Legal", "Hell Night", "Crime Wave", "Speed Kills"
Disc 3: "Pirated", "After the Fall", "Addiction", "Shootout"
Disc 4: "Cop Killer", "One Night Stand", "Identity", "Nothing To Lose"
Disc 5: "Money Game", "Game Over", "Sex and Taxes", "Killer Date"
Disc 6: "Recoil", "Vengeance", "Whacked", "10-7"
Video:
If your cable or satellite provider does not offer the CBS network in HDTV, you are left with viewing the show in its horrible pan and scan version. The original aspect ratio for "CSI: Miami" is 1.78:1 and it is presented here on this DVD set in that ratio and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Although it won´t beat out highly detailed video images from the high-definition broadcast, this DVD´s 480p images are no slouch either. Like the other previous "CSI" DVD releases, this one again lives up to the same high expectations with vivid colors and error-free transfers. All the three "CSI" series are one of the consistently better releases seen for any television series when transitioning to the DVD medium. Like the previous DVD releases for this show, there are no subtitle options.
Audio:
There is nothing like consistency. The English language Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is quite dynamic and makes use of all the five channels including the .1 LFE to provide a great and encompassing sonic experience for the home theater audience. Again, the audio quality for all the "CSI" DVD releases is unmatched and this DVD set is no different. Also available is a Spanish language Dolby Surround 2.0 audio option.
Extras:
Except for the audio commentaries, all the other bonus material can be found on Disc 7. First, let me describe the six audio commentaries. They are:
"Lost Son" – Elizabeth Devine
"Under the Influence" – Marc Dube, Corey Miller and Scott Lautanen
"Crime Wave" – Elizabeth Devine and Karen Gaviola
"After the Fall" – Marc Dube, Scott Lautanen and Ildy Modrovich
"Shootout" – Corey Miller and Sunil Nayar
"Whacked" – Ann Donohue
In what is beginning to seem like a feature that every DVD release is expected to include, audio commentaries are usually not given much attention and here, they are quite generic and not very interesting. None of these commentaries really stand out as the participants mostly stick to the same tried and true script of providing some background information on each of the episodes. Still, avid fans of the show might want to listen to some of them to find out some of the finer details from your favorite episodes.
The rest of the bonus material is divided into the following five featurettes:
"CSI: Miami – Delivering the Goods"
Approximately thirteen minutes long, this segment is sort of a look back at Season Three where executive producer Ann Donohue and the cast reflect on the departure of Rory Cochrane, the inclusion of new CSI member Jonathan Togo and other challenges like having to produce two 90-minute episodes at the request of the network.
"CSI: Miami – Visualizing Season 3"
This segment focuses on the visual effects shots employed in all the episodes. For Season 3, an in-house special effects supervisor (Larry Detwiler) was hired to oversee the effects work that was previously contracted out to an outside firm. Here, you will get a behind-the-scenes look at how the big effects shots like the scene where the tsunami hits Miami from "Crime Wave" are done.
"CSI: Miami – Locations: Coast To Coast"
Contrary to its title, "CSI: Miami" is primarily shot in Los Angeles. This segment discusses how the location scouting team searches for locations within Los Angeles that can visually pass off as Miami. There is also a discussion about the use of special effects to digitally remove the mountain ranges from the backgrounds of some scenes. This has to be done because the city of Miami is geographically located on flat ground with no hills or mountains in sight.
"CSI: Miami – Deep Blue Sea"
As a direct consequence of basing the series in Miami, the film crew has had to contend with the real challenges of open water filming. Whether it is above water or underwater, we get some behind-the-scenes looks at how they go about filming under those technically challenging circumstances.
"Medical Examiner School"
This segment is divided into eight separate parts that are hosted by the show´s technical advisor, John Haynes. In each of them, Haynes explains the procedures that a medical examiner goes through in order to process a dead body. Pretty interesting stuff for M.E. wannabes. The eight parts are: "Introduction", "Crime Scene Process", "The Autopsy", "Gunshot Wounds", "Blunt Force Trauma", "Toxicology", "Stabbings" and "Asphyxiation".
Packaging:
The packaging for this new 7-disc DVD set is similar to the other "CSI: Miami" DVD releases, right down to the familiar yellow slip-off ring fashioned after the police "Do Not Cross" tape. An attractive plastic slipcase encases the translucent orange DVD trays that can be flipped like the thick pages of a book.
Film Value:
Although "CSI: Miami" endeared itself to me during its second season, the inclusion of the upstart "CSI: NY" and the continued excellence shown by the original "CSI" seems to have dampened my enthusiasm for this show. The main characters seem to have taken a step backwards and now lack the cohesion that I saw developing in the previous season. The uniqueness of "CSI: Miami" in terms of colorful story content is still its main strength and one that sets it apart from the other two "CSI" shows. I mean, where else could one write a hurricane of tsunami into the storyline other than in Miami? For that, the show certainly stands out. Now, if only the entire cast could be overhauled, then the show would definitely come into its own.
Disc 1: "Lost Son", "Pro Per", "Under the Influence", "Murder in a Flash"
Disc 2: "Legal", "Hell Night", "Crime Wave", "Speed Kills"
Disc 3: "Pirated", "After the Fall", "Addiction", "Shootout"
Disc 4: "Cop Killer", "One Night Stand", "Identity", "Nothing To Lose"
Disc 5: "Money Game", "Game Over", "Sex and Taxes", "Killer Date"
Disc 6: "Recoil", "Vengeance", "Whacked", "10-7"
Video:
If your cable or satellite provider does not offer the CBS network in HDTV, you are left with viewing the show in its horrible pan and scan version. The original aspect ratio for "CSI: Miami" is 1.78:1 and it is presented here on this DVD set in that ratio and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Although it won´t beat out highly detailed video images from the high-definition broadcast, this DVD´s 480p images are no slouch either. Like the other previous "CSI" DVD releases, this one again lives up to the same high expectations with vivid colors and error-free transfers. All the three "CSI" series are one of the consistently better releases seen for any television series when transitioning to the DVD medium. Like the previous DVD releases for this show, there are no subtitle options.
Audio:
There is nothing like consistency. The English language Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is quite dynamic and makes use of all the five channels including the .1 LFE to provide a great and encompassing sonic experience for the home theater audience. Again, the audio quality for all the "CSI" DVD releases is unmatched and this DVD set is no different. Also available is a Spanish language Dolby Surround 2.0 audio option.
Extras:
Except for the audio commentaries, all the other bonus material can be found on Disc 7. First, let me describe the six audio commentaries. They are:
"Lost Son" – Elizabeth Devine
"Under the Influence" – Marc Dube, Corey Miller and Scott Lautanen
"Crime Wave" – Elizabeth Devine and Karen Gaviola
"After the Fall" – Marc Dube, Scott Lautanen and Ildy Modrovich
"Shootout" – Corey Miller and Sunil Nayar
"Whacked" – Ann Donohue
In what is beginning to seem like a feature that every DVD release is expected to include, audio commentaries are usually not given much attention and here, they are quite generic and not very interesting. None of these commentaries really stand out as the participants mostly stick to the same tried and true script of providing some background information on each of the episodes. Still, avid fans of the show might want to listen to some of them to find out some of the finer details from your favorite episodes.
The rest of the bonus material is divided into the following five featurettes:
"CSI: Miami – Delivering the Goods"
Approximately thirteen minutes long, this segment is sort of a look back at Season Three where executive producer Ann Donohue and the cast reflect on the departure of Rory Cochrane, the inclusion of new CSI member Jonathan Togo and other challenges like having to produce two 90-minute episodes at the request of the network.
"CSI: Miami – Visualizing Season 3"
This segment focuses on the visual effects shots employed in all the episodes. For Season 3, an in-house special effects supervisor (Larry Detwiler) was hired to oversee the effects work that was previously contracted out to an outside firm. Here, you will get a behind-the-scenes look at how the big effects shots like the scene where the tsunami hits Miami from "Crime Wave" are done.
"CSI: Miami – Locations: Coast To Coast"
Contrary to its title, "CSI: Miami" is primarily shot in Los Angeles. This segment discusses how the location scouting team searches for locations within Los Angeles that can visually pass off as Miami. There is also a discussion about the use of special effects to digitally remove the mountain ranges from the backgrounds of some scenes. This has to be done because the city of Miami is geographically located on flat ground with no hills or mountains in sight.
"CSI: Miami – Deep Blue Sea"
As a direct consequence of basing the series in Miami, the film crew has had to contend with the real challenges of open water filming. Whether it is above water or underwater, we get some behind-the-scenes looks at how they go about filming under those technically challenging circumstances.
"Medical Examiner School"
This segment is divided into eight separate parts that are hosted by the show´s technical advisor, John Haynes. In each of them, Haynes explains the procedures that a medical examiner goes through in order to process a dead body. Pretty interesting stuff for M.E. wannabes. The eight parts are: "Introduction", "Crime Scene Process", "The Autopsy", "Gunshot Wounds", "Blunt Force Trauma", "Toxicology", "Stabbings" and "Asphyxiation".
Packaging:
The packaging for this new 7-disc DVD set is similar to the other "CSI: Miami" DVD releases, right down to the familiar yellow slip-off ring fashioned after the police "Do Not Cross" tape. An attractive plastic slipcase encases the translucent orange DVD trays that can be flipped like the thick pages of a book.
Film Value:
Although "CSI: Miami" endeared itself to me during its second season, the inclusion of the upstart "CSI: NY" and the continued excellence shown by the original "CSI" seems to have dampened my enthusiasm for this show. The main characters seem to have taken a step backwards and now lack the cohesion that I saw developing in the previous season. The uniqueness of "CSI: Miami" in terms of colorful story content is still its main strength and one that sets it apart from the other two "CSI" shows. I mean, where else could one write a hurricane of tsunami into the storyline other than in Miami? For that, the show certainly stands out. Now, if only the entire cast could be overhauled, then the show would definitely come into its own.
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[release]17306[/release]