Huh. CSI is better this season, with Sam Malone and whatever writing changes they made (sorry, Morpheus--I don't think it was your fault), but this ep (mob assassination), everyone's running around handling evidence with their bare fingers and dropping it into their pockets, and moving things around at the scene before it's processed.

I thought they had their own rules (like, shedding your own DNA into a scene is totally copacetic, and who cares about footprints), but aren't they usually better about their universe rules? I mean, Nicky is wearing gloves and putting things in bags right now, so it almost feels like a callout...

Then again, I haven't seen anyone take pictures or draw a scene recently.

I caught that - on scene, with the security guard's body, he pulls out his cell phone and takes a picture of "tire tracks in the water" and then Willows ... 'cause she looks good?!?

I had, at one point, worked out an argument for why CSI is the opposite of a procedural for its disregard for procedure and inconsistency with its own rules, but that may be going too far. It's always been a loose cannon, though.

There were tire tracks in the water? Heh.

I had created my own list of CSI universe truths:

• DNA contamination is a non-issue
• Zoom! Enhance! Rotate!
• Lab people perform interviews and regularly shoot people

You know, that sort of stuff. I'd been lazily figuring they were consistent with those. Well, Orange excluded--their main consistency is being crappy. I swear I just saw a promo where Horatio said "It must be twins!" and all I can think is--you did that already. You extra did that. Colin's ep had doubles and triplets. There are no bigger lampshades.

I admit, once I made my peace with their break from reality I didn't worry about in-universe consistency. That could be slipping and I would never know.

Orange excluded--their main consistency is being crappy.

And orange. Very, very orange.

Part of my brain keeps crying out for order, even if it hasn't been trained to expect it. You should see my list of demands for The Vampire Diaries.

For some shows, all I expect is what one critic said about a show from many, many years ago: "it's brightly colored and moves fast" (for ita ! I'll accept "brightly coloured")

I am truly grateful for whatever switch in my brain can send up the "Oh, this is nonsense!" alert systemwide and shutdown most calls for order. It's obviously what's letting me enjoy Ringer so much (although now my critical faculties are all tied up trying to figure out to what extent everyone involved in that show gets how hilarious it is)