Compared with Bones, CSI is practically a documentary.

L&O was pretty good at indicating that time was passing. The crime lab was backed up sometimes. They went home and came in in the morning. It took them time to get somewhere, as opposed to the magic transporter used on some shows. Then there were weeks or months before the trial.

I've only just started watching Waking the Dead, but so far it's treated forensic work as if it's done by real people on a budget as opposed to ninja wizards. I have a vague impression that UK procedurals are less inclined to present their investigators as having supernatural abilities. (For instance, compare Wire in the Blood or Cracker to Lie to Me or The Mentalist.)

There's a Brit crime show that turns up on PBS, New Tricks. That's always fun.

L&O was pretty good at indicating that time was passing. The crime lab was backed up sometimes. They went home and came in in the morning. It took them time to get somewhere, as opposed to the magic transporter used on some shows. Then there were weeks or months before the trial.

But, there's always a parking space in New York.

But in other episodes they have been concerned with getting convicitions and limited resources

The first few eps focussed heavily on plea bargains--have they been consistent about that? I got as far as "Rusty is still there. Rusty is still a brat." and there's only so much attention I can point in that direction, but I'm curious, because I don't remember watching a show that placed as much emphasis on the compromises you make to get at least some people punished at least a little, as opposed to a huge voila! or blatant entrapment or something else that has LEOs throwing things at the TV (and lawyers, and ....).

it's a common thing to have Abby complaining about workload

She still does have magical turnaround times, though. I mean, this is a show that seems to think that if more people type on the same keyboard at the same time work will get done faster (honestly, I tell myself that was a joke, because it's way too stupid to be anything else--however, it's not funny, and all of their tech stuff is pretty much Pig Latin).

Lisa Liu stands out.

Well, not enough for you to remember her name is Lucy....

Mostly. They had one that spit on the whole "Rader obeys the rules" thing. Kidnapping. Tortured one of the kidnappers to get location of victim. 2nd kidnapper spotted that the one they broke had finked and killed them. They managed to kill the 2nd kidnapper. So no live kidnappers to worry about making a deal with. And they totally spit on the constitution and broke a bunch of rules. I think there was one other where deal making was not the focus. But other than that - yeah getting the deal was the focus. Rusty has got a bit less unreasonable, not reasonable but along the spectrum. Too much damn screen time though.

Homicide got beaten by Nash Bridges for not being glamorous. But then everybody loves that one with D'nofrio and the subway train...I hate that one.

it's as if they really didn't understand Watson as a character

This.

What I loved about the new Holmes on BBC was the immediate getting if why "Sherlock and Watson". Watson completely geeking out over Holmes and getting him like no one else does made for a compelling premise of just why exactly these particular characters needed to be seen together and have their stories told.

Elementary doesn't have that zing pow BOOM. Watson could be anybody in that role. There's no special zing, no reason why THESE TWO YESl

I really don't like characters that fuck with another character for no good reason. That's Elementary.

I didn't get that sense in the BBC version. Holmes kept shit from Watson, but didn't fuck with him for no good reason *most* times.

I'm entertained marginally by Elementary, but it is wearing on my patience a bit. I think the overgrown manchild shtick wears me out after 1-2 seasons.