Season OneWhat do you get when you transplant CBS's successful franchise to the  Big Apple? Cases involving sewer rats as witnesses, a victim whose head  was slammed in a pizzeria oven, and murders of commodities traders,  and--of course--a Red Sox fan. Fun as that may sound,CSI: NYis a bleaker, grimmer version of its Las Vegas and Miami cousins. The team is made up of a pleasantly NewYawkbut indistinct cast of characters: Detective Stella Bonasera (Melina  Kanakaredes), Detective Don Flack (Eddie Cahill), medical examiner  Sheldon Hawkes (Hill Harper) and younger CSIs Danny Messer (Carmine  Giovinazzo) and Aiden Burn (Vanessa Ferlito, who has since left the  show). Their leader, Detective Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise), fares better as  one of the few characters in the CSI franchise to have a back story (he  lost his wife in the 9/11 attacks). But the formula has always worked  best by avoiding personal storylines, thus any mention of this became  nearly nonexistent. Sinise may be less intense than Miami's David  Caruso, but lacks the wink-wink humor of the original's William  Petersen. You kinda wish the whole crew would lighten up a bit, maybe go  on a company retreat or something. Nonetheless, the franchise continues  its trademark zooming cameras, gruesome crimes and way-cool forensic  gadgets. New York makes an intriguing backdrop, but a message for  producer Jerry Bruckheimer: We're saturated now. Please don't give usCSI: Omahanext.-- Ellen A. KimSeason TwoTheCSIfranchise continues to thrive with the second season ofCSI: NY,  which aired on CBS during the 2005-2006 season. The kickoff episode is  filled with lots of drama--but not much suspense--as the investigators  delve into the death of a jewelry designer who is found wearing an $8  million diamond bra. The other case involves the shooting of a thrill  seeker who is killed while climbing up a skyscraper. Though neither  crime is particularly challenging for the viewer to solve, it's the  little things that make the series an enjoyable viewing experience. A  mosquito, for instance, provides more data on a potential killer than  fingerprints or witnesses. And in a later episode, a discarded coffee  mug provides the evidence to convict someone of killing a plastic  surgeon. There is drama within the department as well: One of the  investigators, who gets too caught up in a rape case, tampers with the  forensic evidence and is told to resign from the department. While the  chemistry between the main characters isn't as strong as it is with the  cast of the originalCSI--starring William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger--Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump,Apollo 13)  makes a strong presence as lead investigator Mac Taylor. And Detective  Don Flack (Eddie Cahill) gets to show more dimension in a storyline  where he's trapped inside a panic room. All 24 episodes are included on  this 6-disc set, which includes audio commentary on five episodes, as  well as a handful of behind-the-scenes featurettes. This season also  includes a little stunt casting, with David Caruso (playing hisCSI: Miamicharacter Horatio Crane) in a compelling crossover episode that  involves the kidnapping of a young girl. Both strong silent types,  Horatio and Mac make for a wonderful team, despite their different  methods.--Jae-Ha KimSeason ThreeThe third season ofCSI: New Yorkis 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 onFriendsand Sarah Jessica Parker onSex 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  thatCSI:NYwants to stand out from other dramas--including those in theCSIfranchise, 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.--Jae-Ha KimSeason FourBeginning with a spectacular murder at the Statue of Liberty and ending  with an unusual plea from a bank robber, the fourth season ofCSI: NYmoves along at a quick, exciting pace that belies its almost 15-hour  run time. Spread over six discs, all 21 episodes--which originally were  televised during the 2007-2008 season--are included. Led by head CSI Mac  Taylor (Gary Sinise), the core group of Stella Bonasera (Melina  Kanakaredes), Lindsay Monroe (Anna Belknap), Danny Messer (Carmine  Giovinazzo), Detective Don Flack (Eddie Cahill), and Dr. Sheldon Hawkes  (Hill Harper) returns to solve compelling and often ghastly crimes.  Sticking true to the format of the popularCSIfranchise, a crime  is committed, the viewer is left to guess whodunit, and then Mac and  his team come in to tell us what really happened. Sometimes the plots  aren't that difficult to figure out. But in many instances--such as  watching a horrifying stalker's obsession with Mac build throughout the  season--the viewer is left almost as unsettled as the victims. One of  the most powerful episodes of the season centers around Stella, who  comes to the realization that her neighbor may have harbored (or  kidnapped) a missing child. Kanakaredes succinctly captures the complex  nuances of what it might feel like to wonder if you could have helped  someone who lived right next door. If being completely honest, an  objective viewer might admit thatCSI: NYisn't wholly unique in  terms of story arcs. However, Sinise is a compelling leading man who  shares strong chemistry with the rest of the cast. Even when dealing  with a convoluted storyline centering around his deceased wife's son, he  makes it work. And when Danny goes through some personal turmoil,  viewers sense that he will be OK, because he has his colleagues'  support. The season finale falls a little flat, but it does offer a  cliffhanger-style ending sure to entice viewers to tune in to the fifth  season.--Jae-Ha Kim