{ firsts and doubles }

[delga]

To me, there is something wondeful about being able to go back and watch early episodes of a series. I'm not, for the moment, speaking as a rabid fangirl; rather, as someone who enjoys watching television and loves the construct of a story.

Five showed the Miami/New York cross-over and Blink (the first NY episode) tonight (as opposed to Lost Son which be will a whole other disaster) and I remember watching these episodes the first time around - MIA/NY a year ago and Blink just this past February. I remember getting a feel for these new faces and the new setting, falling in love with the composition of characters and their little nuances. I remember the excitment at seeing the shiny new credits, the amusement at the throw-away dialogue and the intrigue in the new gadgets and gizmos, not to mention the case itself. Having watched the repeat today (and I am a complete sucker for repeats; they show the CSI and Miami pilots over and over and I watch them every damn time), I notice other elements that become trends, for example, Mac's hardline attitude towards Danny. I didn;t really pick up on the way Mac treated Danny until midseason but it's awesome to watch the cross-over and see that same attitude present from the very beginning. It indicates to me that unlike the Miami crew, they got the characterisations spot on for this lot, first time around.

With the second viewing, two things happen. Firstly, you remember the experience of the first viewing and how much you miss certain styles the show seemed to be piloting. Like the 'dreaed' blue filter. I know a lot of people found NY too dark but I loved it; I miss the blue filter. It's not that weird turns-people-orange farce that they used on the House pilot; it was subtle, it made the set colder, more serious. In contrast to Vegas and Miami, there was something historical to it. I miss the blue filter and the dark, foreboding lighting. I don't miss the HoCaine pose. Ugh, I remember The Sister and I watching for the first time and seeing that pre-credit shot - hands on hips, looking out across the water. We both screamed with disgust. I also remember hating Flack for being such an asshat in the first episode. And most of all, I miss the intensity of that first plot line; I miss that experience. All that suspense is derived from the show being new - the producers, actors, writers are all trying to find a comfortable position, they're still experimenting a little, with the feel of the show. The show's identity is still fluid. Even if you go back and rewatch those first few episodes, that brand-new quality lingers. Of course, it disappears. It has to. But there is a lovely feeling to watching a new television show and knowing that one way or another, you will come to love it.

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That being said, I love seeing episodes that I've never seen before. The best thing about L&O is that I don't care if I get spoiled for what's coming up.

Tonight's episode reminded me a lot of the WaT episode (S2) when the violinist disappeared. That gave me happy fangirl moments. But the story itself was different to usual; the script, for one, was far more comic than what I've become used to in the past two years. Also, Ed and Lennie have really become a set, now that they're in their second year. I can't help but feel sad every time I see Briscoe on screen; the character fit Orbach so well.

The law case was interesting, too, espeically with the judge's bias. But as soon as the conductor's wife got on the stand, I knew something was up. A brilliantly ambiguous ending. It's good to wath a show and just watch it, you know? As opposed to seeing it and picking holes in the quality, or looking too much at the fandom and not the canon. The canon of L&O is fantastically solid and I love it for that.

Fantastic Four tomorrow, House on Thursday. SVU on Saturday and then work Sunday night. Oh, might be going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday so that should be good. I should really go to sleep some time soon. Oh well.