- #1
Loren Booda
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Crime Scene Investigation offers some gruesome clues and lab wizardry to catch the bad guys. Are you impressed or amused?
What's unbelievable about the TV show CSI?
- Thread starter Loren Booda
- Start date
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the TV show "CSI" and its portrayal of crime scene investigation techniques. Participants express their views on the realism of the show's technology and methods, comparing it to real-life forensic practices and other crime-related shows.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Exploratory
Main Points Raised
- Some participants find the show's use of technology, such as powerful Maglites and image enhancers, to be exaggerated or unrealistic.
- Others argue that while the technology may be improbable, the show serves as a mix of police drama and science fiction, with engaging characters and storylines.
- A participant critiques the portrayal of image enhancement, suggesting that enlarging pixels does not yield clearer images, and expresses frustration with its frequent use.
- Some mention that certain cases in "CSI" are based on real-life events, although they note that the resolution of cases in the show occurs unrealistically quickly.
- There is a reference to a different show, "The First 48," which depicts real criminal investigations and is viewed as more authentic by some participants.
- One participant shares a memory of a real CSI show that featured actual crime scenes and bodies, contrasting it with the dramatized nature of "CSI."
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a mix of opinions, with some agreeing on the show's unrealistic elements while others defend its entertainment value. There is no clear consensus on the overall quality or realism of the show.
Contextual Notes
Participants highlight limitations in the show's portrayal of forensic science, particularly regarding the feasibility of certain technologies and the speed of investigations, but do not resolve these issues.
- #2
mgb_phys
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Is that the one with the unbelievably powerful Maglites?
- #3
Loren Booda
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Or the image enhancer that transforms an unintelligible blur (in this case a smeared nightclub stamp) into crystal-clear evidence.
(The Maglites just now revealed a stuffed human head trophy.)
(The Maglites just now revealed a stuffed human head trophy.)
- #4
Evo
Staff Emeritus
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Oooh, yeah they can bring anything into perfect focus.Loren Booda said:
- #5
Loren Booda
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All diagnostics are seamless, equipment beyond state-of-the-art and no clue overlooked. Roll over, Sherlock Holmes.
- #6
Thrice
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They can solve just about anything given 42 min and commercial breaks.
- #7
moe darklight
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I LOVE csi (the original one at least. I hate the miami and NY spinoffs).
I take it more as a mix between a police drama and a sci-fi show. I mean, most of it is entirely possible in principle; it's just that such technologies (or labs that would afford all that) don't exist ... it's also understandable why they would want such a small cast of characters investigating everything instead of a realistic larger team... I mean, it's still a show that has to entertain with all the character love triangles, drama, and all that good stuff.
It's really one of the only shows I follow religiously (south park, daily show/colbert, and house). Other than the somewhat improbable technology they use, the characters are great, and the mystery is still engaging. I just approach it as a borderline sci-fi premise.
Many of the cases are actually based on real-life cases (which were NOT solved in a day like they do on the show, obviously)
I HATE THAT THING! agh, every time they use it it makes me cringe... their research department should tell the writers that, when you enlarge a bunch of pixels, all you get is: A BUNCH OF REALLY BIG PIXELS.— or you can use special graphics software that turns those really big pixels into really big and blurry pixels... that's about as good as it gets.
They use it on CSI miami a lot more, they've stopped using it as much on vegas. which is good because miami csi sucks so I don't really care.
I take it more as a mix between a police drama and a sci-fi show. I mean, most of it is entirely possible in principle; it's just that such technologies (or labs that would afford all that) don't exist ... it's also understandable why they would want such a small cast of characters investigating everything instead of a realistic larger team... I mean, it's still a show that has to entertain with all the character love triangles, drama, and all that good stuff.
It's really one of the only shows I follow religiously (south park, daily show/colbert, and house). Other than the somewhat improbable technology they use, the characters are great, and the mystery is still engaging. I just approach it as a borderline sci-fi premise.
Many of the cases are actually based on real-life cases (which were NOT solved in a day like they do on the show, obviously)
Loren Booda said:
I HATE THAT THING! agh, every time they use it it makes me cringe... their research department should tell the writers that, when you enlarge a bunch of pixels, all you get is: A BUNCH OF REALLY BIG PIXELS.— or you can use special graphics software that turns those really big pixels into really big and blurry pixels... that's about as good as it gets.
They use it on CSI miami a lot more, they've stopped using it as much on vegas. which is good because miami csi sucks so I don't really care.
- #8
Cyrus
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They had this real CSI show once on (A&E)? From a detectives standpoint. They would film on location like cops and actually show real dead bodies on the street. It was the real deal. You'd see some dead siff guy pale white laying on the road before they put a body bag on him. I think the detectives had 48 hours to solve the crime because after that the leads become too cold.
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- #9
Evo
Staff Emeritus
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I'm trying to remember which show I watched recently where the investigator was looking at a really blurred security camera video and shouted "stop! what is that?" They zoom in on a button on the victim's coat and there is a tiny spot. They zoom into the spot, do some magic, and lo and behold, there is a perfect image of the perpetrator reflected in the shiny button. 
The fact that the video was so bad that they couldn't make out life size images didn't stop them from being able to get a high resolution picture from the button.
The fact that the video was so bad that they couldn't make out life size images didn't stop them from being able to get a high resolution picture from the button.
- #10
mgb_phys
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In Bladerunner they go around a corner into another room in the picture - but that is a SciFi movie so it could be a hologram (not really)Evo said:They zoom in on a button on the victim's coat and there is a tiny spot. They zoom into the spot, do some magic, and lo and behold, there is a perfect image of the perpetrator reflected in the shiny button.
- #11
Danger
Gold Member
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I pretty much agree with Moe, except that I like the spin-offs and can't stand South Park. It's good entertainment. I really like 'The New Detectives' as well, which are re-enactments of real criminal forensic investigations.
Cyrus, I believe that the show you refer to is 'The First 48'. It airs here a couple of times a week, but I've only seen a few episodes due to conflicts. Good stuff.
Cyrus, I believe that the show you refer to is 'The First 48'. It airs here a couple of times a week, but I've only seen a few episodes due to conflicts. Good stuff.
- #12
Cyrus
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Yep, that's the show danger.