By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
October 9, 2007
The third season of CSI: New York is full of murder, mayhem, and mystery. And luckily for lead investigator Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise), it also includes a little romance in the form of the lovely Dr. Peyton Driscoll (Claire Forlani), a medical examiner who joins the staff.
All 24 episodes from the third season, which aired on CBS during 2006-2007, are included on this six-disc box set. And moreso than the previous two years, this season has a taut, cohesive feel. The characters have bonded and come into their own, especially Detective Don Flack (played by Eddie Cahill, who made his name playing the boytoy of both Jennifer Aniston on Friends and Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex and the City).
Mac’s team also includes Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes), Dr. Sheldon Hawkes (Hill Harper), and the aptly named Dr. Sid Hammerback (Robert Joy). When Sid, the medical examiner, goes off one of his lengthy tangents, Sheldon quietly points out, “You’re going to that creepy place again.”
Fans will be a little frustrated at the flirtation between detectives Lindsay Monroe (Anna Belknap) and Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo), which falters before it really gets to start.
This season includes guest appearances from tennis player John McEnroe, singer Nelly Furtado, magician Criss Angel, former heartthrob Joey Lawrence, and a real-life Goth burlesque group that goes by the name Suicide Girls. The latter make for interesting visuals, but they slow down the scenes with their stilted acting. While it’s understandable that CSI:NY wants to stand out from other dramas–including those in the CSI franchise, it’s odd that the producers would give such a big chunk of air time to a group of women who aren’t completely convincing in roles playing themselves.
On the other hand, Edward Furlong (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) is perfectly cast in the role of a college student who’s not quite right after his brother is executed for a crime he insists wasn’t his fault. The boxed set includes audio commentary on four episodes, as well as behind-the-scenes featurettes.
If you’ve got the stomach for it, take a tour of the “body farm” (where the decomposition of bodies are studied) with Hill Harper.
