Anyone feeling like we're in season 3

[Naj]

It seems odd to me. I feel like I'm still waiting for the season to begin. I found myself really enjoying Strange Fruit last night although I've always considered that ep one of the better episodes of the series. I wish CBS would rerun season 1. (missing not having tnt). But, anyway, here it is going to be November and I don't feel like I've felt about the show other years. And isn't it time for some Award show to be on Sunday night?


And darn it last night was on schedule with it's time slot!


Naj

[TVFan]

I think we're clear of awards show until about January. CC should run uninterrupted through November sweeps. I'm betting that's the reason CBS ran a repeat last week, so it would have four new epsiodes for sweeps.

Regarding the "feel" of this season, I really think it has been off. Honestly, throwing in another detective character, no matter who it is, just didn't work. It wouldn't have mattered if the new detecive had been male or female, it just wouldn't have worked. Cold Case is a complex show because it incorporates a heavy use of flashbacks and you lose the last 2 minutes or so to the ending montage. Most of the rest of the episode has to be dedicated to solving the case in the present, so you are left with very little character development and screen time for the existing five characters. As Matt Roush from TV Guide said, CC is the least flexible when it comes to personal storylines because of the flashbacks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that now that we are back down to the original five, that things will get back in order.

Another problem with the current season is the lack of Lilly (and I really don't think that was due to "Josie chippy"'s arrival). This show may be about cold cases, but the heart and soul of the show is Lilly. Without her, it suffers. I've been recording and saving the season one eps on TNT, and I've managed to catch a few. What made season one sparkle and stand out from other cop shows was Lilly. I know critics and insiders and such want to point to the cold case concept, but I disagree. It was refreshing and new to see a woman carry a show, especially one in which she was playing a character that is working in a boys' club. Over the past couple of seasons, Lilly has lost some of her edge. She's softer now, so we're not getting as many great quips from her as we did in season one. I really wish they would re-elevate the role of Lilly this season, but I know it's most likely not going to happen. I visit other message boards all over the net that are dedicated to television, and the one theme that remains constant throughout all of them is to bring back Lilly! People who have much less of an emotional stake in this show are wanting more Lilly as well, so I know it's not just us, the "die-hards." It's frustrating, but there isn't much I can do about it, so I choose to enjoy the moments they do give us with her and realize that I'm lucky just to have the show on the air because so many other quality shows don't make it.

I'm also frustrated with the lack of continuity from last season's finale. I thought Lilly would be more affected than she has been. The premiere was the only episode to even address it, and it was just a brief mention. Is that the only reaction we're going to get? I really hope not, but I'm beginning to believe it is. This one is a big disappointment for me.

I really didn't mean to make this a b*tch post because I LOVE this show! I really do, but I'd like to see it continue to be one of the best on television, so my b*tching is simply in a constructive way. :smile41:

[Naj]

You're bringing up some very relevant points about the show, TVFan. I've kinda felt jerked around with this show. I don't watch the other Bruckheimer shows except for The Amazing Race. When CC was being adverstised like "Close To Home" was all summer it gives a person a concept of what to expect. Cold Case gave the concept of what we initially received first season.

I asked myself why Strange Fruit is a high caliber episode and it's because it incorporates all the things I would like to see as a viewer. Lilly is heavily involved in the case because that's the show's concept and what I would expect. Jeffires is also involved heavily. The rest of the cast is there too but in a lesser involvement without appearing so. What is that called?

Rethinking the episodes that I liked the best "always" revolves around the best Cold Case story and how it is presented and the original idea that Lilly is solving it and is invovled in doing it. Sure there was some good scenes between Lilly and Christinia in Red Glare but Red Glare was most possibly the weakest episode or most dislked episode of season two.

I'd like to see more consistency. There doesn't seem to be any--anymore. The only thing that appears consistent is it's inconsistency and it's wandering from the central theme. I so miss the season one quality all around.

This show may be about cold cases, but the heart and soul of the show is Lilly.

Yes. Coming on board here since Nov 2003 and watching the posters it has appeared to be the appeal. There are also other fans too. But when you look at the supporting cast area not too much there about them. All talk is generally surrounding the Lilly character and the cases.

Lilly seemed to lose her edge early in the series. Why? I miss it. I miss her outfit too!

Yes, I float around the boards too. And everywhere I've floated it's been about the cases and if it's about a character it's Lilly. So will "Close to Home" next year de-emphasize that character? I don't watch it so I don't know that main actors name. It's just odd for me to see this going on. And it's more noticeable running a forum. It's difficult to miss it. It's difficult to watch and see a show you really liked give you less. If I had a choice, I'd take 20 exceptional cases over any personal storyline and keep the original concept of the show. I feel that's what they should emphasize.


As far as the cases, I would like to see more in depth discussion about the cases here. Hopefully R2k's new idea will promote some more thought provoking insights.

Naj

[sonny]

Wow, TVFan you said it all as far as I'm concerned, agree with everything you said.

I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season and will try and put the last 5 episodes to the back of my mind. They have been average and not what we have been used to over the last 2 seasons.

In my opinion season 1 was still by far the best. I mean season 2 had some great episodes but season 1 had it all. Lilly was different, her character was tough and funny and very down to business. We had a relationship to follow, a developing friendship to watch and Lilly dealing with being a woman in a blokes job. The comments perps and collegues would say to her were just so good and amusing to watch cos Lilly would just blow them off and not be intimidated by them. I just loved season 1.

Like you've said we won't see the show return to the way it was in season 1 but it will be nice to see more of Lilly being the clear lead character in the show again.

The cases do interest me alot but I have to admit I am more drawn to the show because of Lilly, the way she solves the cases and the way she interacts with the people around her. She is a truly fastinating character and written so well. There is so much potential for what they can do with her that I hope th writers do take full advantage of it.

Like TVFan said they seem to have totally missed a great opportunity to bring up the George issue but because of the introduction of a new character this got pushed to the side lines when I feel it is what everyone wanted to see. That tiny scene was good but overall the whole way the George thing has been forgotton is disappointing especially after they created such a dramatic conclusion at the end of season 2.
It may come up again later but I think it will be too late then. None ofne of the guys has mentioned it or are reacting and treating Lilly any differently.
In fact it seems this season so far has been totally devoid of any kind of non-case social interaction apart from Scotty and "Josie chippy" and a few very brief convo's about first thursday and a poker game.

Anyway enough of my rambling i was only going to post and say I agree with TVFan and Naj and look what I've ended up doing!!!

Here's to a fantastic rest of the season, I hope. ;D

[Disasterfreak]

I agree with all 3 of you. You've brought up really valid points and I back you up 100%. What I'm most pi$$ed about though is how they blew the George concept. Such a perfect opportunity and they threw it out the window to bring in another character that didn't fit. Why???!!!

I've also not been too satisfied with the cases so far. They're too much of a mishmash, nothing fully developed. It bothers me. Hope the rest of the season will be better. Anyway--it will not drive me away.

[r2k]

I'm sensing a difference now that Season 1 is being rerun on TNT. Those early episodes really were Lily and the cases and nothing else. CSIs and Without a Trace kind of fell in the same trap. The first season followed a cliche. Each episode was mostly about the case. The second season began to experiment. Cold Case Season 2 experimented big time. Season 1 always followed the predictable pattern with a few surprises here and there. But more personal information came up. Much as Scotty's life was interesting, it was overdone. Maybe with "Josie chippy" gone, the show can return to it's roots. But as always, I love the cases. But I realized this season that Lily is just as important too. As I've said before, I can't imagine this series without her.

[sukkerspinn]

Great points everyone. I don't have anything to add... Just that I too hope they'll get back on track 100% from now on. Seeing this weeks preview gave me a hope that that's what's gonna happen. Seemed like a good case and an emotional ep with lots of Lilly:)

[TVFan]

Like TVFan said they seem to have totally missed a great opportunity to bring up the George issue but because of the introduction of a new character this got pushed to the side lines when I feel it is what everyone wanted to see

I think this is exactly what happened Sonny. Since there is so little time for personal stuff on CC, they were stuck with either ignoring the George thing (or simply brushing over it) or ignoring the new character. Since the new character was much more of "an elephant in the room," they most logically had to introduce her to the audience at the expense of dealing with the George storyline. It does seem like any attempts to rectify the situation would come off as "too little, too late," but I still think they could address it. Maybe a case could come up that draws Lilly back to the incident or maybe she could be faced with possibly shooting someone and everything that's she has been trying to surpress comes flooding back. Fellow Bruckheimer show CSI has done a nice, subtle job of having Nick deal with his incident from the finale. I wish CC would follow suit.

Naj, I feel your pain. I found this dispatch from my favorite television critic Matt Roush from TV Guide. I thought you would appreciate the beginning part:

Falling in love with TV shows can be such a risky business.

We're so used to heartbreak (when a great show is canceled) and disappointment (when a once-great show collapses) that when we recklessly take the bait again, it seems we almost can't enjoy it while it lasts.

For the record, the dispatch doesn't mention Cold Case, but the point remains. It is difficult to watch your favorites not live up to the greatness that they have shown. I'm not saying that CC is no longer great, just that it had a rough start out of the gate this season. And from the same Matt Roush Dispatch:

My advice as these new favorites return amid a wave of nervous anticipation: Relax, don't rush to conclusions, have patience. We've made it past the courtship phase. Why nip a new relationship in the bud?

The good news is that the season has only just begun, and the new character is gone. Perhaps now we can get back to our regularly scheduled Cold Case! ;D