A disappointing season

If someone had told me just last year that I would completely lose interest and quit watching CSI Vegas as faithfully as I did since their first season, I would have laugh my head off thinking if the person actually know me at all. But right now, the person might have made a pretty good career as a prophet. I not only lost the drive to watch it episode-by-episode (as though missing any will cause me my life), I switched allegiance to Heroes and CSI New York. I still do catch episodes of it here and there when I have the time.


The recent season was an absolute bore and disappointing. Even incorporating the Grissom-Sara relationship didn’t spark off any fireworks – firstly because there wasn’t any chemistry between the two, secondly because I found them to be such an odd couple, and lastly the idea of them being finally together sort of killed the excitement rather than bringing ‘em. Maybe the other reason being that I never liked Sara Sidle’s character.

Lack of any character development also made the story rather bland. Greg Sanders definitely lost his wicked sense of humour. Makes me wonder if one does become more pessimistic, gloomy, joy-less and humour-less when they become a CSI. And Hodges... he's funny sometimes but annoying most of the time. Hope he'll be less annoying in the next season.

This season finale is probably, by far, the most boring-est finale ever. I thought they would give us some shock at the identity of the miniature serial killer. But much to my – and anyone’s – chagrin, the identity was revealed within minutes of the finale! With the team nowhere close to identifying the killer! Totally killed the entire episode. It ended with Grissom desperately trying to fish out the location of Sara from the miniature killer, who was way beyond psychosis by the time they arrested her. And in the final scene showed someone pinned under a car in the middle of the desert struggling to get out. The hands presumably belonged to Sara. The end.

Yes, the end. Nobody knows whether she’ll be found alive or not. Until the next season, that is.

Oh, please kill off the character! That’ll be exactly what this series need. Revamp and revival. Besides, with Sara Sidle killed off, then it brings some kind of reality to the series. The last time Nick Stokes got buried alive (the finale directed by Quentin Tarantino), the team finds him in time and he survived. They can’t be that lucky every time, right? Might as well rename it to CSI Pleasantville, where everyone is happy, everything is smooth and justice is always served. Or have her comatose with 0.05% likelihood of coming out of it. Can always decide to pull the plug sooner or later. Or if killing her off is too much to bear, lose her memory. The point is, get the character out of the show.

Grissom retires to lecturing and to his insects (he looks more tired each season). Maybe a new character for chief supervisor but I think that would be a bad idea though. Loses the touch somehow. The idea is to bring something new to the series without wiping out the original touch. It’s high time to bring in a woman as the big boss (currently all CSIs have men bosses). Have Catherine Willows promoted to the chief CSI supervisor with Nick Stokes second-in-command. Bring in new characters as CSIs. Perhaps more racially diversed – Hispanic, Asian, etc. Archie Johnson as CSI? Hmm. That’s not a bad idea.

Killing off one or more characters is not being mean. Neither does it ruins the stories. I think it does help strengthen the stories and characters alike. Issues can be brought up. Stories come alive. The Miami and New York spinoffs had their turn at killing off a number of main and recurring characters. And they remain as interesting, if not more, as ever. So why not do the same for Las Vegas?

Boring holidays

1) Sneeze and cough. This probably lasted for slightly more than 2 weeks. No thanks to the fact of being the only one surrounded with two other coughing and sneezing individuals in the house for most of the day (dad's not counted because he's hardly in). My motivation to get well = Durians! Hahaa. Why not?

2) Sorted, arranged and packed up my last semester's notes, reports and assignments. My mom has been waiting for this day ever since the semester began. After I shelved away my stuff/mess, it was the first time seeing the dining table ever so empty. And gleaming... not! The table's made of wood.. how can it gleam?

3) Finally bought very-much-needed formal black slacks. My previous one didn't fit me anymore over more than a year ago. Since then, had no time to hunt for a good pair. And if I did get the time, never came across ones that looks good, feels good, quality good and priced good all in one. Now need formal shirts and shoes. Always excuses to shop.

4) Typed out my CV. Yes I know I've applied for Honours. But no harm typing out my CV first right? Besides, there is still room for non-successful application despite the fact that I already have 4 subjects with average of 70 and above from my first semester and research project. The offer letter only comes after the release of the recent semester results. Argh.

5) Watched tons of movies. Sampai mata terbeliak :) - Shrek 3 (cinema), 200 Pounds of Beauty, My Wife is a Gangster 3, Cicakman, Transformers (cinema), Stranger than Fiction, Hot Fuzz (funny and lame British comedy), Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix (cinema). I haven't watched Die Hard 4. Is it very good?

6) Watched episodes of Taiwan's variety game shows - Tian Cai Go Go Go, Guess show, Yu Le Bai Fen Bai. Especially the ones featuring He Jun Xiang, Wang Lee Hom, Gary Cao, Lin Yu Zhong, Zheng Yuan Chang, etc. I particularly liked this episode where Zheng Yuan Chang pranked He Jun Xiang into lending 1,000,000 taiwan dollars (I hope I translated this figure right), supposedly in trouble with loan sharks.

7) Jamming with my piano lorrr. Of course. I think it needs tuning now.

8) Sleep.

9) Eat.

10) Mandi.


When the semester is in progress, you wish for holidays. When mid-semester holiday comes, it doesn't feel like a holiday because you still have to work all day long within 7 days to finish up heavy-weighted assignments and reports (usually no less than 5 in total). Then when the end of semester arrives, this is the most boring holiday ever. Especially the mid-year holiday. Bah.