CSI Case Study

TV CRIME DRAMA: CASE STUDY

 CSI: Miami

Production Details: Episode Name – Stoned Cold Actors – David Caruso, Emily Procter, Jonathan Togo, Rex Linn, Eva LaRue, Omar Benson Miller, Adam Rodriguez, Christian Clemenson, Erin Sanders, Eric Lange, Leven Rambin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Brett DelBuono, Susan Santiago, Wendy Benson-Landes Creator – Anthony E. Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue Writer – Tamara Jaron Year – 2011 Channel – Channel 5 Director – Allison Liddi

Slow                 1          2          3         4         5         Quick

Technology      1          2          3         4         5         Mind

Narrative          1          2          3         4         5         Action

City                  1          2          3         4         5         Rural

Stylish              1          2          3         4         5         Gritty

Sexy                  1         2          3         4         5         Ordinary

Extreme Crime             1          2          3         4         5         Petty Crime

Humorous        1          2          3         4         5         Sombre

Details of the Narrative A popular “mean girl” is found stoned to death in the middle of her high school’s football stadium, following the unknown events of a high school house party. The CSI team tries to figure out who would want her dead, which turns out to be pretty much everyone. The girl, Blaine, had a whole host of students across her school who hated her guts, and each for a valid reason. The CSI team is investigating whose hatred turned murderous out of all their suspects, when the most unexpected suspects are found guilty – the parents of Blaine’s ‘victims’.

Protagonists: Each member of the CSI team is presented to be intelligent but also attractive, as the women wear their hair down but wore long white lab coats to stay in character. Presenting female characters like this will attract certain audiences. All of the CSI team are within a close group and they all get on very well, to ensure their jobs are made easier and more bearable.

Key CHARACTER indicators of Crime Drama: The main profession within the CSI team is crime scene investigators, as this is the basis of the programme. These work alongside the law and help the police officers to solve crimes. The CSI team work in partnership with the law and policing by collecting DNA and evidence legally, and sharing all information they collect with the police force.

Key VISUAL/AUDIO Indicators of Crime Drama Settings- Main setting throughout the episodes is either the laboratory or the crime scene. In ‘Stoned Cold’ it is a high school football pitch meaning no CCTV is used, so it’s harder for the CSI team to find pieces of evidence. Montages- Similarly to Sherlock, at the beginning of the episode, there is a short clip of murders and images of the victim’s body. Flashbacks- Flashbacks are used throughout the episode giving the audience an insight to the murderer and how the crime was committed. Props- the majority of the props are used as evidence such as, the basket full of stones covered in blood, a walkman with headphones, a slightly broken CD. There are also many props within the laboratory to emphasise the setting e.g. - microscopes, goggles, different solutions & computer technology. Costumes- All of the CSI team wear long white coats where as extras wore normal clothes, to play the roles of high school teenagers. Music- heavy rock music was used at times to make the situation a bit less tense and enjoyable for the audience, and to highlight that it is based around an average high school. Camera- the camera movements were all very fast and snappy and majority of the camera shots were at midshot.

Key NARRATIVE Indicators of Crime Drama Multiple suspects are involved, but the guilty suspect is usually who the audience didn’t expect to commit the crime (e.g. – in ‘Stoned Cold’, the parents of peers the victim treated badly are found guilty of the teen’s murder). Lots of evidence is found, which confuses the CSI team as they are sometimes unaware of what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

Key THEMATIC Indicators of Crime Drama The CSI team use technology to solve crimes – collecting fingerprints and blood samples to take their investigations further. In the episode ‘Stoned Cold’ the team find it hard to come up with suspects as the victim also victimised others, before her death.

Audience Pleasures: Audiences of a younger age may enjoy watching the CSI:Miami series as at least some of the episodes contain teenage characters, situations that viewers could have come across in real life. On the other hand, the audience may perceive CSI to be an escape from their own lives, as the crimes involved are dramatic and grip the audience – if you start watching it then the probability is that you will follow through with the episode, and possibly watch the next one due to the shocking atmosphere about the programme.