CSI: Vegas

As a huge fan of all the CSI franchises (even Cyber) I was looking forward to this. I binged the first series and had high hopes with the return of a few familiar faces but something just didn't seem quite right. The camaraderie was missing between the characters, they just didn't gel and it seemed like they were literally just reading lines. No fluidity, it was obvious they were all strangers, yet in the original series you genuinely believed they were colleagues and friends at the same time. I've just started the 2nd series and it hasn't got any better. I am British and have lived and worked all over the UK yet Mandeep Dhillon's accent is overbearing and annoying to the point it's making me want to switch off. It seems forced. I doubt very much I will finish this series.

Season 1 with Gill and Sarah and Hodges was OK. Didn't have the cohesiveness of the original CSI but Sarah did a great job keeping up. Petersen felt very reserved and distant from Sarah. The 2nd season somehow just fell flat even with Catherine back. Overall, good acting by Lex Medlin, Matt Lauria and Paula Newsome and returning character guests, Gill, Sarah, Hodges and Catherine.

I do wish that Mandeep Dhillon and Aruana Guerra would disappear. Dhillon is way too over the top with her constantly surprised wide eyes and attitude. Guerra is just not a comfortable nor eexy character. The show has none of the brilliance and magic of the original. Maybe we're all too old and tired.

Mandeep has about 5 expressions but without emotion. Her lackluster walking thru the lines detracts from a diverse and otherwise interesting group of cast members. Also, the actress heading CSI is rather lacking in the intensity that role requires! The show needs a dynamic leader with dimension. If you could replace those two with seasoned character actors/actresses it would improve the show overall. The previous leaders possessed layers, history, paradoxes and edginess that kept me returning to find out more, so far I can't get invested with these boring characters. This WAS such a well played series until they got into long drawn out storylines that eventually I just wanted it over with. Please don't fall into that trap again.

The major problem with this is that the actress they have chosen to play the lead is just a lead actress. She was ok in castle when she played a supporting actress but just isn't up to carry a show like CSI. Needs to be recast.

I want to love it but come on, the clichés are killing me! Every scene has a handful. Who talks like that? And the supporting cast? Their roles are cliché as well. Sticking to the standard crime drama formula is too safe. Break out of the mold please! You can do better. This stellar cast of well loved veterans deserves better.