Ugly creatures: David Caruso goes Star-Trek

Saturday, June 28, 2008

David Caruso goes Star-Trek

We search the net for noteworthy comments/articles/reviews on David Caruso daily.
More often than not we stumble across very interestng, insightful and accurate comments and critical reviews. The following post/review very clearky belongs to the group of the "must reads".

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CSI: Miami has succumbed to full-fledged Star Trek Syndrome.

This disease consists of two parts.

First, the delusion that they, the HEROES, are righteous, incorruptible demigods, angels of justice, protecting the poor, helpless innocents from either the machinations of the BAD GUYS or from their own ignorant foolishness.

The second part of Star Trek Syndrome is the unshakeable belief that they, the HEROES, are the only ones who can accomplish this task. For Star Trek fans, does the phrase “the only ship in the quadrant” inspire any eyerolls? This is how Star Trek Syndrome gets its name.

Now, this ailment afflicts a huge number of Hollywood films and prime time dramas to varying degrees, but it has struck CSI: Miami particularly acutely, and David Caruso’s Horatio Caine has been its chief victim. How many BAD GUYS has he dispatched with his sidearm? How many times has he made a righteous, bold statement as he puts on his sunglasses? How many times has he gone out of his way to protect the innocent (even when they did not ask for it)? Thanks to Star Trek Syndrome, Caruso’s performance has devolved into self-parody. Anyone can imitate a “Shades of Justice” moment.

Does anyone remember when CSI: Miami actually involved some measure of science, ahead of Horatio’s trigger-happy action-heroism? Now, I know that this is one of the most popular TV shows in the world, but do they need to inspire quite so many eyerolls during the course of an hour?