[phantom4570]

The trend started with The X-Files and untouchable Cancer Man. the Über Criminal has unfortunately metastasized into most of the cop shows I watch from time to time. CSI had Nate Haskell, CSI NY had Shane Casey, The Mentalist has Red John, Bones had Gormogon, Castle has the conspiracy that killed Beckett's mother and shot Beckett, NCIS had the Port to Port killer, Criminal Minds had several including two with seemingly omniscient powers. These Mcguffins know where everyone is at all times, they can hack any computer, acquire any address or phone number. The frequency of these evil geniuses is sucking the life out of cop shows. The writers churn out this recycled, formulaic twaddle while the suits at the networks wonder why ratings are down.

 

[Snake45]

Amazing that the only one of the shows you mention I've seen is Castle. I guess the rest of them must be on CBS.

Does life imitate art? We now have an uber-criminal occupying the office of Attorney General of the United States.

And then there's George Soros....

 

[TommyGunn]

Let's not forget the great grantpapa of all Über Criminals: Professor Moriarty!!!!!!!

 

[Patrick Sweeney]

Because it is easy.

Writing a self-standing episode of a police procedural, with twists, turns and the "ah-ha" moment, is hard work.

The Genius serial killer makes the job easier.

Unfortunately, while the suits and accountants in the various production companies can get a fast and accurate read on costs and schedules, they have a tougher time figuring out why viewers are "staying away in droves" to steal a line.

What I hate is when a particular meme suddenly crops up, and we then see it in show after show. It's as if the writers do what the producers tell them, after the producers all had the same bright idea at a cocktail party.

 

[IrishCop]

I getting completely disgusted with the big 3 (or 4 now with Fox, I guess) networks. I can make it through a few of the half hour sitcoms okay but...

...most of the hour-long "dramas" (actually about 40 minutes or less minus commercials and credits) just flat out SUCK. The made-for-other-network series like The Walking Dead, Justified, etc are SO much better. I know they have a shorter run than the 22-26 week schedules for the regular networks, but I think they are proof that it CAN be done. Yeah, I know, Standards and Practices...but the networks run all over that when they want to, so WTF?

 

[Retmsgt.]

Other than Bones(Cause I'm hot for Cam) and NCIS, I don't bother with TV Cop Shows.

BTW, I just watched a real crime-fighting show, Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows. Very excellent movie.

 

[WaltGraham]

BTW, I just watched a real crime-fighting show, Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows. Very excellent movie.

Yep, watched that Saturday night. Good stuff. Downey may be a mess of a humanoid, but I like his work. He's pretty good in Avengers, too.

 

[Diamondback]

I hear ya, Retmsgt--the only reason I stuck around on CM was having a huge crush on Prentiss, and now that she's gone so am I. Beyond that, about the only fiction I watch is NCIS and Rizzoli & Isles (Angie Harmon's one of us).

--DB, who SO would give an effort to woo Ziva everything he's got if given half a chance

 

[phantom4570]

My DVD recorder bjorked on Tuesday night so I missed NCIS. I just watched the first bit on the net and gave up in disgust.

Who writes this drivel? The Über Criminal they are pursuing is allowed to escape out a bathroom window and leaves a bomb behind? The agent stupidly stands there and watches a five second countdown? Words don't fail me but I'd have to post them on /b where they wouldn't get me banned. That scene should have ended with the sound of a couple of twelve gauge shotgun blasts and a scene of the Über Criminal being positively identified. NCIS has jumped the shark with this episode.

Downey may be a mess of a humanoid, but I like his work.

Downey reminds me of Jerry Garcia. Both exceptionally gifted at their craft and trapped by their addictive behavior. Listen to Garcia's collaborations with David Grisman, especially Shady Grove.

 

[Skeptic49]

Yeah, NCIS jumped the Shark. Even worse it's endorsed by the Department of the Navy with appearances of high officials as walk on's.

Let's see, the Navy can't keep one of those EVIL REPUBLICAN BUSINESSMEN from walking through their security perimeter unchallenged.
ERBs know all and see all and can hack any cell phone system.
Then ERBs just wander around the streets until picked up by red-headed FBI agents, who, instead of separating the ERB from his toys and slapping the cuffs on, lets him to to the bathroom with a bag full of who knows what and calls in the FBI HRT to blaze away wildly through a door, with no thought of where the rounds might end up in a densely packed area like Bos-Wash... (The Boston-Washington population area aka the most important place on earth to the Dead News Media)
Oh, and the President signs death warrants without a trial.
Geoff
Who still doesn't get the part about the knife, which was last seen the hands of a killer who was trying to disarm a bomb in a car NCIS should have had a bomb dog sniff Just In Case???

 

[TommyGunn]

My DVD recorder bjorked on Tuesday night so I missed NCIS. I just watched the first bit on the net and gave up in disgust.

Who writes this drivel? The Über Criminal they are pursuing is allowed to escape out a bathroom window and leaves a bomb behind? The agent stupidly stands there and watches a five second countdown? Words don't fail me but I'd have to post them on /b where they wouldn't get me banned. That scene should have ended with the sound of a couple of twelve gauge shotgun blasts and a scene of the Über Criminal being positively identified. NCIS has jumped the shark with this episode......

:cluebat::cluebat:

That fried me too. And she was supposedly one of the FBI's "best."
Yeah. Even The Man From U.N.C.L.E. would have done a better job at that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If it's any consolation Gibbs caught up to the uber criminal at the end in a rural farm. The BG gave Gibbs the "We are really a lot alike" speech, while serrupticiously heading for a gun on a window sill -- not unnoticed by uber goodguy Gibbs. As uberbad guy turned to shoot, Gibbs stuck him with a knife.
Marines and edged weapons .....

Oh, and the President signs death warrants without a trial.

Doesn't Obama actually do this when he orders drone strikes?
Yeah, overseas---I get it.
I wouldn't put this past Obama even inside America. Especially if he gets a second term.

 

[Skeptic49]

My wife called the go for the Glock scene, "Suicide by Gibbs."
I don't get the no back up, but maybe Gibbs was assuming it was gonna be a SbyG and didn't want anybody else around if it was gonna be a really big boom and we'll all go to St. Peter together.
Geoff
Who has seen way too much TV and gets turned off by the violence.

 

[Javlin]

I have not seen any post yet but did anybody watch"Vegas"?It was actually pretty decent I thought(1st new show in awhile for me).Dennis Quaid starts the show hammering some guys at an airport 3 on 1.The cowboy rancher wins .The DA is corrupt as all get out in with the mob and buy the end of the show it looks DQ is about to become sheriff all on the backdrop of the 60's.The only seen which looked fooolish was when the lawyer got tossed in jail with the bg's he is protecting alittle lame:dunno: .The show did keep my interest for the whole hour that's saying something being TV.

I saw the first few minutes of NCIS and saw the bomb,no one ran and really 3 M4's I guess with a handgun just blantly shooting through a wall and door???How many other times before that point could that guy of been shot without an ambush?Pleeeze and I love to watch reruns of NCIS but I turned the channel upon seeing the debris field

 

[Kevin Gibson]

My wife is always amazed that 99% of the time I have it all figured out in the first 12 minutes…little does she know that in that first 12 minutes of every show, they have to show the culprit at least once during that time. Simple deduction to determine who it is from that point. They’re all method shows, the basic flow of plot, twist, action, and conclusion is so similar you can just about set your watch by when the next movement or plot twist will come…because it has to.

It's a little less easy in a 2 hour move, so my stats go down to around 80% on movies...still pisses my wife off.