Thursday, November 20, 2008

Examining the Evidence

After watching a zillion hours of crime shows, I am now qualified to gather evidence... right? Right? Probably not.

In the past week I've watched CSI (all it's incarnations), Cold Case, Without a Trace, Bones-- and others that I no longer remember the titles for. I have a question. Why do they use a flashlight in a room that has perfectly working lights? Why do they use a flashlight inside of cars that are sitting in the sun? Is it magic? Does the flashlight use some special light?

Then there are all the weird things the characters do that their real counterparts would never do. Since when do CSI techs interview suspects? Huh?

Or... since when do detectives move evidence at a murder scene before the CSIs process it? Aren't there procedures that are supposed to be followed? Isn't the detective the one who is supposed to analyze the evidence after the CSIs process it?

Maybe it would take too many hours and too many characters for them to do it correctly on television series. Imagine how disappointed some kid will be when he decides he wants to be a detective and only finds out after the fact that he will be expected to follow the rules.

I have to admit that it's been an interesting week. But I think I've seen enough crime shows to last me for a few more years. I think I'm ready to move on to some good books.

Yesterday we drove to the top of a mountain and looked out at the surrounding smoky blue mountains as they marched into the distance. It was wondrous. Then we stopped at Heavener Rune State Park where I walked down into a canyon and marveled at marks left by Vikings' hands fifteen hundred years ago. Good thing I took pictures. I don't reckon I'll be able to make it down that trail again. The knees and ankles are still protesting.

We stopped in Henryetta, Oklahoma for lunch and gas. Odd things... The Sonic was not permitted to have an outdoor trash can due to a town ordinance. Seems that trash cans attract flies. When I asked where we were supposed to put our trash, the waitress graciously offered to take care of it.
At the gas station, we discovered that gas was $1.71/gal. Think that's our new low price for this trip. Also the cigarettes were $3.80 a pack unlike New York where my daughter reports paying $8/pack. So, yay, Henryetta!

Finally arrived at my aunt and uncle's home where we were served a delicious dinner before settling in for a nice visit. On this 20th day of November, let us be thankful for safe travelling!

anny

6 comments:

  1. I like watching all the actual real life forensic docos on TV - now they're fascinating...and CSI (Vegas) was never the same after Sarah and Grissom had that fling....sigh

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  2. I'm on a couple of Yahoo loops where retired detectives & forensics guys post. Boy do they hate CSI -- and the flashlight thing is one of their pet peeves, as are the women with long hair who run around the crime scene with their boobs falling out of their blouses.

    Hey, it's fiction, and as we all know, in fiction anything goes (yeah, right).

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  3. Crimescenewriters is a yahoo group both JL and I are in. It's monitored by a couple of ex-detectives and current consultants who answer all the crime questions you can dream up.

    I also have sound clips you should hear. Contact me off-blog if you're interested.

    Anny, you've been tagged for a meme about you and your relationship with books. See the Marstad blog for more!

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  4. Glad you arrived safely and have some great pics of the Viking carvings! Will you post one or two later, please?

    Yeah, that flashlight thing has irritated me for a while. I suppose it's so they'll 'see' evidence w/o noticing extra stuff. But as someone with bad eyesight...I'd never make it if that was a job requirement. I need full lights!

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  5. Ah, wish I could've seen the Viking Runes. How cool! I seldom watch (make that NEVER watch) Crime shows. At least the fictional ones. Love Forensic Files though. That is really really cool.

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  6. I still watch the original CSI, even though I know it's highly fictionalized. It's the only one where ALL the characters aren't perfectly pretty people. Love Hodges and David and the other geeks in the lab. Criminal Minds is a sometimes-watch. Numbers was good the first season, then devolved into silly. Other than those, I stick to Sci-Fi and Comedy Central.

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