Mini-DVD Review: C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Second Season (Oct. 17)

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Mini-DVD Review: C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Second Season (Oct. 17)

Start spreading the news, we're bringing you another Saturday mini-DVD review! Today we take a look at Paramount Home Video/CBS DVD's C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Second Season. The sophomore season of the third series in the C.S.I. franchise comes to DVD on October 17th.

C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Second Season (Paramount Home Video/CBS DVD, $64.99)

Perfect for the city that never sleeps, this complete DVD collection includes every shard of brutal evidence, every unsolved murder, and every dangerous secret of CSI: NY Season 2. Detective Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) and his forensics team face the shocking loss of one of its members, followed by a provocative new addition to the force, Lindsay Monroe (Anna Belknap). The stakes get even higher when a Miami serial killer strikes in Manhattan and CSI: Miami's Horation Caine (David Caruso) joins the riveting manhunt. Start spreading the news: CSI: NY Season 2 is unforgettable.

My Review: Although I am a big fan of C.S.I. and C.S.I. Miami, I didn't enjoy the first season of C.S.I. New York as much. The show was very dark and cold and filmed in a hard blue light. Starting with the second season, they started to lighten the mood a bit. It worked and made it a more interesting show to watch. The show is still gritty and bloody but not as depressing.

This 6-disc set contains all 24 episodes of the second (2005-06) season. The episodes are featured in Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio. It has a running time of 17 hours, 19 minutes. Notable season 2 guest stars include Joel Brooks, Lori Petty, Michael Gross, Kelly Hu, Mia Sara, Wayne Knight (Hello, Newman), Rance Howard, Joel Gretsch, Dick Enberg, Eugene Robert Glazer, Michael DeLuise, and Kid Rock. The attractive packaging features a photo of Gary Sinise and Melina Kanakaredes, with a embossed, holofoil outer slipcase.
The inside case is in a book format that you can flip through to get to the discs.
Each disc features a different photo of one of the cast members. The menus are also very stylish and easy to navigate. They have a montage a video clips, with some instrumental music playing in the background. Options are available for Episode Selection, Set Up, Previews (only on Disc 1), and Special Features. On the Set Up menu, you can choose either Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround or Spanish 2.0 Surround. Closed captioning is availble for all of the episodes. As you would expect from such a recent show, the video and audio quality is outstanding. One of these days, I'll get myself a high definition TV to see what I'm missing.

There is an impressive amount and variety of special features included. There are 5 audio commentaries available on the first three discs. Director David Von Acken and Editor Bill Zabala provide commentary for "Summer in the City." Story Editor/Writer Zachary Reiter and Director Scott Lautanen comment on "Grand Murder at Central Station." Co-creator and Executive Producer Anthony E. Zuiker and Writer Elizabeth Devine discuss "Manhattan Manhunt." Story Editor/Writer Zachary Reiter and Director Duane Clark do the commentary for "Bad Beat." Co-Executive Producer Peter M. Lemkov and Director James Whitmore Jr. shared their thoughts on "Trapped." There are five entertaining and interesting featurettes that add up to around 40 minutes.
"Top of the Heap: The Cast and Crew Look at Season 2" (10:02) includes interviews with Co-Creator/Executive Producer Anthony E. Zuiker, Actor/Producer Gary Sinise, and Actors Melina Kanakaredes, Carmine Giovinazzo, Anna Belknap (who is cute as a button), Hill Harper, and Eddie Cahill. They talk about the changes that were made and how things were lightened up in season 2 to make the show more entertaining. Although the show is set in New York, the bulk of the show is shot in Burbank.
"Rolling with Jamalot" (7:43) includes interviews with Anthony E. Zuiker, Director Jonathan Glassner, Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes, Stunt Coordinator Norman Howell, LA Derby Dolls Sondra Frame (aka "Tara Armour") and Redjenn Schilling (aka "Red Jenn"), and Eddie Cahill. This was the roller derby episode. They talk about how they shot it in a 17,000 seat stadium, with a limited number of extras. They also show how they did the shots on the roller derby track.
"A New Look From the 35th Floor - CSI: NY Set Tour" (8:28) - Anthony E. Zuiker provides a tour of the new season 2 set. He is very energetic and funny as he shows Mac Taylor's office, the audio/visual lab room, trace labs, break room, the bullpen/Stella's office, coroner's lab, and autopsy room. The set cost them millions of dollars and looks very authenic to me. "Behind-the Scenes "Heroes" (7:34) includes interviews with Writer/Supervising Producer Eli Talbert, Vanessa Ferlito, Gary Sinise, Executive Producer Pam Veasey, and Anthony Zuiker. This episode featured the return of Vanessa Ferlito as Aiden Burns. The b-story was about Fleet Week. They shot some scenes on the Intrepid. "Season 2 Ends with a Bang" (6:28) includes interviews with Melina Kanakaredes, Pam Veasey, Gary Sinise, Anna Belknap, Techincal Advisor Bill Haynes, Anthony E. Zuker, and Supervising Producer/Writer Timothy J. Lea. This featurette deals with the final 2 episodes of the season. They talk about the blowing up the building and about Mac Taylor's military background and the flashbacks.

Overall, this is a very nicely packaged set that any fan of the series will enjoy. The special features were well-produced and interesting. CSI: NY will never be my favorite CSI series, but I've grown to like it and look forward to the new episodes on Wednesday nights. My only disappointment with this set is that they didn't include the first part of the CSI Miami/NY cross-over episode. You'll have to buy CSI: Miami - The Complete Fourth Season to see that one.

-- Reviewed by Todd Fuller