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Kathleen Diehl Table of Contents Sinise Rallies Talent to Form Lt. Dan Band Gary Sinise Candlelight Narrator for 5th Year In a Row Tenderness Between Male Characters (Part III): Stephen King's The Stand Gina Gonzalez -- A New Star Shines Brightly Only Connect: An Episode Guide to CSI: New York (Part I) Exploring Gary's Antihero Characters:Albino Alligator Prior Issues:
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Sinise Rallies Talent to Form
Lt. Dan Band
Ten years after the release of Forrest Gump, soldiers and civilians continue to identify and recognize Gary Sinise's "Lt. Dan" as the quintessential soldier. Equally devoted to Lt. Dan fans and those in uniform, Sinise continues to support the military in a variety of ways, including offering his time and efforts raising funds for the Vietnam Veterans Art Museum and co-founding Operation Iraqi Children to assist U.S. soldiers by providing school supplies to Iraqi children. And as if all that were not enough, earlier this year he was recognized by the NVVAM for his many volunteer hours touring with the USO.
All that came to a stop when I became so heavily involved in Steppenwolf Theatre and my acting, and it was not until 1997 that I really got back into playing. It was then that I met Kimo Williams while working on A Streetcar Named Desire at Steppenwolf. He wrote the music for the show and asked me to come to his house for a little jam session. So, I did and we have been playing together ever since. Most of the players in Lt. Dan Band are all people that Kimo has known over the years and it is just in the year or so that we have gotten a bit more serious about playing together on regular basis. Once I started visiting our troops for the USO, I knew that on one of my trips the band would have to come with me. Eventually we were able to tour the Pacific region. I love that I can play music and actually do some real good with it at the same time. The troops are an awesome audience and it is a privilege to play for them. It is great fun to be playing again and to have the chance to tour with such great musicians and singers as these. With my new job at CSI: NY I might not have as much time, but you can bet that whenever there is a possibility The Lt. Dan Band will be on stage and having a great time. Rounding out the Lt. Dan Band and having a great time with Sinise are Kimo Williams (see profile, June newsletter) and Williams' wife, Carol, Gina Gonzalez (see profile this issue), Carla Hassett, Mari Anne Jayme, brothers Ben and Matt Lewis, Zach Brock, Ernie Denov and Tom Kipskin. As the Lt. Dan Band, they are a rock/pop cover band mixing current rock music with favorites from the 60s, 70s and 80s. The only exception is Gina Gonzalez performing her original, "A Letter Home" written specifically by her as a "thank you" song to the troops. The band members, primarily all Chicago-based musicians, are each individually successful in various areas of music and connected in someway to band co-founder Kimo Williams. Williams is a successful composer, music, producer and instructor at Columbia College and instrumental in pulling these musicians together for the jam sessions for Sinise. Lt. Dan Band is not the first time Sinise and Williams have collaborated. In 2001, Williams and Sinise co-produced Kimotion's Trackings CD (see Kimo's web site for more information), which featured Lt. Dan Band keyboardist Ben Lewis. Lewis, a graduate of Indiana University, is a freelance jazz musician who is a member of the Chicago Jazz Quartet together with his brother and Lt. Dan Band vocalist-trumpeter, Matt Lewis. CJQ recently completed the 2004 Ambassador tour of East Asia. Ben also regularly performs with the band Rico! in the Chicago area (see Ben's web site for more info and performance dates). Jazz violinist Zach Brock hails from Lexington, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago in the early ‘90s to pursue his musical training and education. An accomplished jazz musician, Brock has performed with notable Chicago musicians, in addition to his own band, Zach Brock and the Coffee Achievers and the Chicago based Zach Brock Quartet. Lt. Dan Band vocalists Gina Gonzalez, Mari Anne Jayme, and Carla Hassett each bring their unique style to the band performances. Gina enjoys the songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s and says of the two week USO tour early in the summer that the USO shows are the best, "You can't get a better audience" and, "The eleven members are so much fun. We all get along even though all very different...two weeks of planes, buses -- unbelievable. We miss each other." Gina also added that the experience performing with all these great musicians is unbelievable to her at times, and "Gary is the kindest person; if it's not 100% then it's still great [with him], everything's good." Mari Anne Jayme is a jazz vocalist with a Master of Music from Roosevelt University and a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University. She teaches jazz voice at Columbia College in addition to regularly performing in the Chicago area. In addition to her vocal talents, Mari Anne is a composer working on a CD of original work and a pianist with Wavelength, a Chicago-based theater ensemble. Singer-songwriter Carla Hassett, who has recorded for Disney in both the Spanish and Brazilian markets, in addition to backing a variety of recording artists, lives and works in Los Angeles. Carla came to join Lt. Dan Band through Ben Lewis, whom she says she had known for the past few years. She and Ben Lewis are close friends, collaborate on songwriting and he plays on her forthcoming CD. Carla recalls, "Ben invited me to play with the band when they were jamming at the museum [NVVAM] as the G&K band. The band in its current state evolved from that jam gig." Carla has also known Kimo William since the 80s; however, she had not met Sinise until that fated jam session. Although Carla is a songwriter (please visit her web site), she says, "...in the Lt. Dan Band I sing time-tested oldies like Led Zeppelin's 'Rock & Roll' [yes, the same that's on Gary's Cadillac commercials] and Aretha Franklin's 'Dr. Feelgood' and the contemporary rocker 'Wake Me up Inside' by Evanescence." Carla says of her experience performing for the troops, "It was the first overseas tour earlier this year that I began to understand the impact of what we were doing. These are without a doubt the best audiences in the world. I LOVE performing for them and meeting them after the show. I feel blessed with the privilege of touching their lives as they touch mine ten fold." In addition to performing with the Lt. Dan Band, Carla regularly performs at Chick Singer Nights in Chicago and L.A., and this past October Carla and her band performed at the Hard Rock Café, Los Angeles. Please check the Lt. Dan Band web site for concert updates, additional band information, audio downloads, photos and links to band members' websites. Special thanks to Mr. Gary Sinise for his contribution to this article. Thank you to Kimo Williams for permission to use the Lt. Dan Band image. Also, thank you to Carla Hassett, Gina Gonzalez and Meredith Carriera for their assistance and contributions.
Gary Sinise Candlelight
Narrator for Fifth
Walt Disney World has announced the celebrity narrators for the 2004 Candlelight Processional, and for the fifth year in a row, those narrators include Gary Sinise. Gary is slated for December 23 through December 28.
The Candlelight Processional, a Disney holiday tradition, is a presentation of the Christmas story in readings by a celebrity narrator, interspersed with selected holiday music performed by a mass choir and accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra. The shows take place at the American Gardens Theater in World Showcase at Epcot three times daily (5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.) and are approximately 40 minutes each. There is no additional charge to see the Candlelight Processional, but dinner packages are available to obtain a ticket for reserved seating. Without the dinner package, seating is on a first come, first served basis for each show. Other narrators for 2004 include: Rita Moreno (Nov 26-28)
Tenderness Between Male
Characters (Part III):
A lot of people, myself included, first discovered Gary Sinise in Stephen King's The Stand, which aired in the Spring of 1994 as an ABC television miniseries. Though he had been on the Chicago stage since the mid 1970s, and had already been in the little-seen theatrical movies A Midnight Clear and Of Mice and Men, and had been involved with series television, a lot of which was behind the camera, this production introduced him to the largest audience of his career to that date. It was widely watched at the time, and has been re-broadcast on other, mostly cable, stations off and on for the ten years since. Stuart ("East Texas") Redman was perhaps the perfect follow-up to previous characters Vance ("Mother") Wilkins and George Milton. Though far less psychologically and emotionally damaged than the previous characters, Stu goes through various traumas and remains capable of forming strong bonds with both male and female characters. He attracts both men and women to him and is secure enough in his masculinity to be able to express tenderness towards both, and to accept tenderness from them in return. In his first scene, Stuart demonstrates compassion and tenderness towards the escaped military security guard, Campion. After the careening car slams into the pumps at Hap's gas station, Stu rushes through pouring rain, picks up and cradles the obviously ill man, in an attempt to provide comfort and reassurance. Though the man is dying and his family is already dead in the car, Stu never seems to consider the fact that this stranger might be contagious. While the others keep a discreet distance, Campion dies in Stuart's arms. The next incident of tenderness we see is when Nick Andros is left in charge of the prisoners who had beaten and left him for dead in Shoyo, Arkansas. Once the sheriff is dead and the doctor is leaving trying to avoid the flu, Nick releases the men from their cells, then stays behind to care for the sickest one who is unable to rise from his bunk. His compatriots have fled without a thought for him. Despite the fact that the dying man had been involved in his beating, Nick remains because he is incapable of leaving him behind, giving him water and comfort. Some very tender scenes occur between Nick, who is a deaf mute, and Tom Cullen, who is mildly retarded. Nick can read lips and sign. Tom can neither read nor write. Nick claims to believe in nothing. Tom is almost childlike in his faith, both in Nick and the rightness of what they are doing and where they are going. That faith is proven rightly placed time and again, from the time Nick procures something to settle Tom's stomach after he has eaten too many apples, up to and including his self-sacrifice when Harold and Nadine try to blow up the committee, in its entirety. When the committee decides to send spies to Las Vegas to report back on Flagg, though it is Nick who suggests using Tom, the depth of his feelings is evident when he and Stu send Tom off on his mission. The two are so close, it becomes uncomfortable for Stu to watch. He looks away as the friends part, knowing Tom may well not return. Stu is uncomfortable, not because of the affection displayed, but because he doesn't want to intrude. He understands because he cares for Tom, too, which is obvious during the hypnosis scene. Tommy is the catalyst for another extended tender scene. It begins when Stuart has been awakened by Mother Abigail's voice prodding him from the stupor of his illness so that he may witness what is to come. Along with the professor's dog, Kojak, who has stayed behind with Stu, he manages to drag himself from the bottom of the washed out ravine and claw his way to the edge of the embankment, only to slip and fall back a little way. It is then that he hears a voice calling to him. Stu looks up to see the hat Ralph had given Tommy before either of their journeys began and a hand reaching out for him. Barely believing what he sees, Stu, exhausted, grasps the hand and allows himself to be hauled up onto the asphalt by the stronger, larger man, where he collapses in a fit of coughing. Each of them are astounded at the other's presence until Tommy tells Stuart that Nick had told him to turn around and go back. After witnessing the destruction of Flagg's stronghold and realizing the full meaning behind it, Tommy and Stu make their way to Green River Lodge. Stuart is sicker than ever and though Tom tries his best to help, Stu doesn't respond. It is when Tommy is about to despair, that Nick comes to him. Whether it is a dream or a vision, Nick speaks to Tommy, comforting him and telling him he knows what to do for Stu, brushing strands of hair out of Tommy's face. When Nick is gone and Tommy is trying to force-feed a pill to Stu, he asks how he knew to get the medicine. Tommy explains that in his dreams, Nick talks, so Stu accepts the pill and finally gets a bit of water down. He is still very ill. Later, Tommy is sobbing on a bench in front of the lodge. It isn't clear if Stu has survived until he walks out using a cane. He relishes the fresh air until he notices Tommy's state. He approaches and lays a hand on Tom's shoulder and asks what's wrong. Tommy is upset because he can't remember what Nick looked like. He says that Nick was his best friend. He berets himself, saying he can never remember anything. Stu is touched and comforts Tom, telling him that he remembered the important things. He assures his companion that he, Stuart, would not be alive without Tommy. His arm is around Tom's shoulder and he pulls him against his chest. Perhaps the most unexpected moment of tenderness comes earlier between Stu and Larry. After Stu has fallen from almost the top of the other side of the ravine and broken his leg, Larry Underwood, probably the one who has always been the least convinced of the necessity of their mission, refuses to accept the fact that he, Ralph, and Glen are going to have to leave Stuart behind. The more they try to convince him, the more resistant Larry becomes. Nearing hysteria, Stuart finally pulls Larry down next to him, puts his arm around his shoulder and pulls him close. Stu tells Larry that they have to go. They had been warned that one would fall by the wayside. He says they have put their trust in Mother Abigail's God and that if He wants him to eat, He'll send food and if He wants him to drink, He'll send rain. Practically in tears, Larry asks Stu if he knows how crazy that sounds; how "totally damn crazy that sounds?" Stuart does, of course, know, as do the others, but the knowing changes nothing. He holds Larry, crying, against his chest. There are many other scenes of tenderness between the male characters in the miniseries. Glen and Stu talking alone before the remainder of the committee leaves to find Flagg. Glen leaves Stu his pain medicine, telling him that more than three or four would probably be fatal. Larry and Ralph in their separate cells, hands clasped across the divide after Flagg has had Glen murdered. Various scenes between the men and their women are tender as well. It is not surprising, though, to see Larry holding and comforting Lucy after his final encounter with Nadine, nor Stu being gentle with Frannie when she told him of her pregnancy, when the men left to meet Flagg and he told her he loved her, and waiting to find out the fate of the baby after his return. Even Nick was incredibly tender with Mother Abigail as they prepared to leave her Nebraska farm for Boulder. For all the tenderness in The Stand, there is equal, if not more, brutality. The evil, the brutality, and even just plain bad luck though, make the tenderness all the more beautiful. It probably wouldn't even have been noticed in a less violent tale. Here's to Gary for doing a lovely job with a character who could easily have taken a too feminine turn. Stuart Redman was all man; has been called an everyman, and Gary played that to perfection.
Gina Gonzalez -- A New Star
Shines Brightly
It was, perhaps, "written in the stars," jested Gina Gonzalez, that she sang the National Anthem at a fundraising event for the National Vietnam Veteran Arts Museum. It was there this soulful singer-songwriter began her dance with destiny that has taken her from living in Milwaukee to singing in Chicago coffeehouses to promoting her newly released CD that includes her thank you song to the U.S. troops and delivering it to them personally as lead vocalist with Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band. I spoke to Gina just a few days after the CD release party for her new album Dream at Sedgwicks (preceded by one at Joe's the week before). She was happily packing CDs to ship to CDbaby to fill orders and happy to share her thoughts about music, songwriting, her career and experiences touring with the Lt. Dan Band.
Courtesy Gina Gonzalez; all rights reserved. The first noticeable thing about Gina is her warm, friendly nature. That Midwestern warmth and friendliness is evident not only in her voice and personality, but listen to her music or read her lyrics and it is easy to feel the connection to who she is as a singer, songwriter and performer: Songwriting is storytelling. That is the history of song and singing. The music of the 60s-70s all about developing a story told through the music and that is a big part of music that is being forgotten…the emotional connection and relating it to life. [It's] important part to spark emotion. Sparking that emotion is what inspired Gina to write "A Letter Home" (you can hear it at Gina's web site). Her heartfelt appreciation for members of he military is clear: "A Letter Home" was inspired by the first real performance with Lt. Dan Band at Great Lakes Naval Base. It was the first real show for the troops; I was blown away by their response to the band coming to perform for them…when really, it's the other way around. They are the ones. It was a powerful experience. Gina went on to say, "We continue to be baffled by the response from the troops. They are so grateful for the band coming to perform -- we should be thanking them…they are the ones who put their lives on the line for us." And therein we find Gina's inspiration, and her hope that she captured these emotions in her song -- not for fame or money, but simply to thank the troops for what they do. "A Letter Home" and Gina's other original music provides insight into her artistic spirit. Her lyrics are poetic and it is a natural conclusion that she senses the loss of poetry in today's popular music. The direction of music has changed in the last 10-20 years. It's losing its soul, it's all about sell now, sell fast. Many one hit wonders. Not about the song -- it's about selling and getting it sold. It is not surprising then that Gina reveals it is the music and artists of 60s, 70s and 80s that inspire her songwriting and performing. She fondly recalls the music her older brothers and sisters listed to growing up and that music continues to influence her to this day. I'm the youngest of all my siblings. They are all 10-20 years older so classic rock was a huge part of growing up. Stones, Beatles -- that era...the 80s not as inspiring but the Police, Stones played a part in the music I listened to growing up. In addition to those classic rock artists, Gina also had musical inspiration in her own home. Gina remembers her Mom having her and her siblings take piano lessons, but admits, "I didn't stick with it, but my brother Rob did." It would be years later, in 1993, that Gina's mom once again provided some musical encouragement when she urged Gina to leave Milwaukee and to join her brother -- pianist Rob Gonzalez in Boston. Gina enjoyed the next two years touring with her brother, and affectionately refers to him as not only her brother, but "her teacher and mentor." While in Boston, she started playing around with the guitar and singing backup vocals for Rob's band. Eventually, she moved into singing some lead vocals and affectionately credits her years with Rob as "...a wonderful early adult experience and taught me everything I know about performing." After two years in Boston, Gina says she was homesick for family and friends and returned to Milwaukee. She remembers that, "Boston was great, but too far for a 21 year old, so I moved back to Milwaukee to explore options." Those options included continuing to "fool around with the guitar" and looking into options to continue her education. It was about that time another influential and inspiring person appeared in Gina's life. Gina was waiting tables and looking at schools, when she landed a gig to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" at that NVVAM fundraising event. It was there Kimo Williams first heard Gina sing. He approached her, and urged her to enroll at Columbia College to work on her music and obtain her degree. Gina was already considering Columbia and Kimo's nudge was all it took to push in her in the direction of Chicago. It was now 1997, and Gina was back at school dedicating most of her time to completing her degree and still fooling around with her guitar. After being in Chicago a while, it was Kimo who persuaded Gina to pick up the guitar and put a demo together. Gina also remembers meeting a number of other artists, singers, and songwriters that encouraged her to start doing some solo performances at those quaint coffee houses and bars in and around Chicago. However, music still wasn't the main focus of her life and she was working hard toward finishing her degree and working at a production studio. A phone call would soon change that focus. Gina recollects, "Kimo called and said Gary Sinise is coming in -- he wants to jam, hang out." Gina laughs and remembers there was no hesitation in responding, "Absolutely, I'm there." And even though Gina admits she was not 100% into music at that time, when she met Gary and had the jams sessions with musicians she describes as, "powerhouses in Chicago studio work; ask anyone anywhere in this city. They are the best.... I was humbled to be there." It was a life changing experience that put Gina on track to dedicating 100% of her time to music. As fans now know, those jam sessions led to Gary Sinise and Kimo Williams forming the Lt. Dan Band and taking the show on the road entertaining troops on USO tours stateside and overseas. Gina couldn't be happier singing her favorite music with band mates who are like family and singing her song for her favorite audience. She is looking forward to the band's upcoming fundraising shows at Joe's and a few scheduled performances at military bases this fall, "Performing for the troops is the best thing you could be doing. It leaves you walking on cloud nine." No matter where Gina's been walking, she has come a long way from Milwaukee. Seven years later, she's accomplished completing degree from Columbia College and music is now her fulltime career. She has gone from strumming a guitar behind her older brother to opening for Chicago blues guitar legend Lonnie Brooks, from singing the National Anthem at a fundraiser to being a feature vocalists for not only the Lt. Dan Band and from putting together a demo CD to promoting her second CD album of original music. Even with all Gina Gonzalez has accomplished, she's really just getting started. Her plans include completing a third album by next year, increasing original music in her solo performances, and ultimately, she hopes to put together a her own band performing 100% original music. If the last few years are any indication, Gina will accomplish it all, and her future will continue to shine brightly. Note: Please visit Gina's web site to learn more about Gina and listen to her single "A Letter Home." Her CD album and single are available through her website as well as at CD Baby.
Only Connect: An Episode Guide
to
"MIA/NYC: Nonstop" Just as CSI: Miami made its debut on a 2002 episode of CSI, now CSI: New York debuts its backdoor pilot as a Miami episode. A murder case sends David Caruso's Horatio Caine north to New York City, where his investigation converges with one being conducted by Crime Scene Unit head Detective Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) and his team of forensics specialists. Shot largely in shades of blue -- with the exception of a distracting orange spotlight for Caruso -- the show contains some of the inherent awkwardness of any crossover, and there are some implausible plot elements (like why Horatio Caine is allowed to enter a supposedly secure crime scene, or to take such a large role in an investigation far out of his jurisdiction). Overall, however, this is an intriguing introduction to the New York characters. Sinise, from the start, appears comfortable in Mac Taylor's skin, and Melina Kanakaredes, as Detective Stella Bonasera, isn't far behind him. The high point of the episode is their sweep of a murder victim's office. As they banter at a rapid-fire pace and shoot obscure quotes and facts back and forth, it's obvious that these are two people who have worked together for a long time and are perfectly attuned to each other's rhythms. Equally high-energy is their later interrogation of a suspect; when Stella can't resist a sarcastic comment about the woman's late-night exploits, she also can't resist a deadpan stare at Mac to see if he's gotten the joke, and his visible struggle to keep a straight face is a small but charming moment. The sentiment-free friendship that's hinted at in these two scenes has the potential to be one of New York's strongest character elements; while subsequent episodes haven't expanded upon it as much as might be hoped, there's a boatload of opportunity here, and one the writers and producers would do well to take advantage of. "Blink" The show proper gets off to a captivating start with this grim, noir-soaked episode, choosing a Se7en-influenced milieu over the more familiar murders and heists. A serial...killer isn't quite the right word, nor is rapist; a serial attacker is at large, and is inducing locked-in syndrome (a real affliction in which a person remains aware, but permanently loses all voluntary motor functions, leaving them in a state of suspended animation) in his victims. Mac, who takes the lead on the case, is in a bad state for reasons we don't learn immediately: he's suffering from a severe lack of sleep and handling the case with an attitude that suggests something deeper than professional concern is driving him. Stella's attempts at reaching out get her snapped at or ignored. At the end of the episode, the source of Mac's melancholy is revealed: his wife was killed during the 9/11 attacks on New York City. One of what's so far only a handful of primetime shows to tackle the subject of 9/11 (FX's harsh, honest Rescue Me and, briefly, NBC's Third Watch), CSI: New York presents the revelation in characteristic low-key fashion. Mac confesses the source of his exhaustion and regret to the now brain-dead surviving victim, then takes a cab to Ground Zero. As he rests his forehead on the chain-link fencing, the camera slowly pulls back and up, leaving Mac increasingly isolated in a sea of black, before the show goes to credits. As underplayed as it is, this may be a first in CSI history: a character delivering a monologue about his state of mind. Sinise handles it with grace, turning a potentially mawkish speech about a beach ball into a genuinely affecting moment. "Blink" is a challenging, risky first episode; this is New York by way of Gotham City, and it would come as no surprise to find Batman (the contemporary neo-noir Frank Miller-established version, rather than the Adam West goofball) lurking in some dark alley. While the show will, in subsequent episodes, turn the blue filter way down, and occasionally allow a hint of sunlight to peek through the gloom, the gritty visuals and ultra-dark subject matter immediately set CSI: New York apart from its predecessors, and hint at ways that even a well-established procedural franchise can continue to make a dramatic impact. "Creatures of the Night" While Stella investigates a Central Park rape case with Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo), Mac and Aiden Burn (Vanessa Ferlito) find that a key piece of evidence in an alleyway shooting has been consumed by a rat. Introduced in this episode is a new flashback technique: as Stella marks off bits of evidence in the park, we see a "ghost" of the victim walking through the crime scene, retracing the path she took during the crime. It's a stark and surprisingly elegant effect, and stands in sharp contrast to the usual oversaturated, shot-on-video flashback style. While less effective when it's later used to recreate the route a rat took to its lair, it's an effect that should be incorporated into the show's regular roster of visual tricks. Unlike "Blink," there's little in the way of character development in this episode. (The strongest impression left by the B-plot in "Creatures of the Night" is that the writers came up with Mac's final line first and worked backwards from that.) This is really Stella's episode; while there's no backstory offered as reason for why she pursues the case with such determination -- other than an obvious desire to see justice served for a sexual assault victim -- this showcases both her toughness and investigative skills. A wordless scene near the end, as Mac and the others come into the lab to help Stella go through the evidence one last time when she's on the verge of burning out, is effective in its understatement. "American Dreamers" The discovery of a skeleton on a double-decker tourist bus leads the CSI team to investigate the fate of a teenage runaway who disappeared years before. Proving that primetime television and literacy don't have to be mutually exclusive concepts, the episode draws heavily from Jay McInerney's novel Bright Lights, Big City, a copy of which is found among the dead boy's possessions, to present its central theme: that it's far too easy for people to permanently lose their way in New York City. Stella points out that the book's protagonist manages to escape before the city kills him, but fate proves less kind in reality: One runaway teenager (now a man in his 30s) is found, but ends up being charged with murder, to the dismay of his long-suffering parents. The dead boy doesn't even get that much closure; the episode ends with the realization that his identity will probably never be known. While he's not sunk in the depths of depression and a bad case of insomnia as he was in "Blink," Mac seems throughout the episode to be particularly affected by this case, or at least by its implications. We know by now that he's a Chicago transplant rather than a native New Yorker, so it's likely that the idea of this fate has some resonance for him. Stella makes no bones about having little patience with Mac's distraction when he checks out mentally in the middle of a conversation, but she has an equal lack of shyness about needling him by making a bad joke while photographing a crime scene, or by following it up with a blase "What? It was funny" in response to his glare. However, real concern comes through, too, when she invites him out for drinks with the rest of the team at the end of the episode. There's not much in-depth characterization to be found here, but the few moments when a hint of humanity peeks through the professional facade are nicely handled by both Sinise and Kanakaredes, and they invest their interactions with a real sense of history. "Grand Master" A hip-hop DJ turns up dead in the alley behind a club after a major competition, leaving Mac and Aiden with the task of finding his murderer. Probably the weakest episode of the season to date, "Grand Master" never quite seems to shift into gear. There's a sluggishness to the proceedings that drags both stories down at every turn, and not even the most cursory character interaction that doesn't involve dusting for fingerprints or swabbing up bloodstains. Note to the creative staff: if you want Mac Taylor to prove his street cred, you might want to have him namecheck someone less mainstream than a performer who's appeared in a Best Picture-winning film. Mos Def, for example, would have done nicely. On the other hand, props for the use of the Beastie Boys' "Open Letter to NYC" in the opening scene. "A Man A Mile" The apparently accidental death of a tunnel worker during a routine explosion turns into a homicide investigation, and Mac is faced with the task of solving the murder while attempting to keep Danny reined in. The clearest impression left by this episode is that Danny doesn't make much use of his internal "edit" button. Between pissing off city officials with ill-considered smart-ass remarks, and his insistence on barreling ahead on instinct without even pausing to consider the evidence, Mac's stated caution about recommending Danny for promotion seems well-founded. Though it's not commented on or even reacted to, Danny's remark to Mac about not being able to imagine what it's like to die buried in the earth under tons of gravel also comes across as blazingly insensitive. In the closing scene, the guilty party finishes up his confession to Mac by asking if he (Mac) knows what it's like to always be responsible for someone. The episode, up until this point, has focused on the Danny/Mac mentor relationship, and on how Mac's obvious desire to see his younger co-worker advance in the ranks is at odds with his concerns about Danny's professionalism. The simplest interpretation of the scene, and the one that may have been intended by the writers, is that we're meant to draw a parallel between the two situations. The troubled expression on Mac's face, however, seems to suggest darker concerns; it's not too much of a stretch to imagine that his worries about responsibility encompass more personal matters. The episode also features the first appearance (in a recurring role) of Steppenwolf Theatre Company co-founder Terry Kinney as Assistant D.A. Tom Mitford. "Outside Man" While Danny and Aiden investigate a multiple homicide at a restaurant, Mac and Stella are called to investigate the origin of a severed leg in an alleyway, which leads them eventually to a dead man with an amputee fetish. An episode which will have even more gore-inured viewers (judging by an informal survey) assuming the fetal position on the couch, "Outside Man" continues the CSI franchise's penchant for exploring odd subcultures. While nothing may be able to top Gil Grissom's encounter with a convention of furries and plushies, this ranks near the top for disturbing content. There's some gallows humor to be found in the scene of Stella and Mac's discovery of the corpse -- they spend a good deal of time circling the body warily, obviously hoping that the other will be the first to make a move and actually begin an examination -- and in Mac's "Dear God, do I ever need a drink" expression after he comes across the deceased's scrapbook. Unfortunately, the episode never delves any deeper than that into their reactions to this unsettling way of life. We can imagine Grissom, for one, taking it as an opportunity to ponder what would draw people to such extreme measures, and extrapolating from that to make a larger point about desire and self-image. Mac and Stella, while certainly smart enough for similar insights, have no such speeches, and the story might have benefited from one or two of these more introspective moments. "Rain" A bank robbery in Chinatown turns into a kidnapping case when the team realizes that the thieves had inside knowledge, and that they got that information by snatching a bank employee's baby. Stella: There's something gooey here.
With one exchange, Mac and Stella do more to remind us that there really is a genuine friendship here than they have at any point in the three episodes prior. Mac's smirk and the death glare Stella shoots at him round the scene out perfectly, as does the payoff later in the episode when Mac refers to something in the lab as "gooey" and then flashes Stella a grin. The give-and-take snark between the two is a high point, as is Mac's casual destruction of a realtor's umbrella. Still not, perhaps, the level of character development many viewers are hoping for, but it's a definite step in the right direction after a few too many episodes with too strict an adherence to procedure over character. Shudder-inducing moment of the episode: Mac removing the skin from a dead suspect's finger and wrapping it around his own finger in order to take a print, proving Stella's point that it really is all about the goo. The first third of CSI: New York's first season is a mixed bag. There are some terrific character moments, but they're few and far between. The CSI shows are, by their nature, focused on the procedural, and it's to be expected that the storylines will spend more time on investigation than they will on character interaction. However, the original show has consistently demonstrated over the years that it's possible to create well-rounded people without going home with them all the time, or turning the show into a tedious soap opera. (What's probably the best show to come out of the Bruckheimer stable, Without A Trace, has created a nearly equal balance between procedure and character, and proves week after week that it's possible to depict both with grace and intelligence.) Early promotions for CSI: New York talked it up as the show that would delve more deeply into character. Subsequent to "Blink," that hasn't come to pass, and reports have indicated that this is at the behest of CBS and its higher-ups, who have passed down the dictum that New York stick more strictly to the procedural format that has made the franchise such a success. While understandable from a business standpoint, this is disappointing from a creative one. It's to be hoped that as time goes on and CSI: New York establishes itself, and begins to find its own niche, that the writers and producers will be able to open up the characters more and achieve something of the balance that exists in the original show. Despite the problems here (some of which can be chalked up to typical freshman show flailing), there's also enormous potential present in CSI: New York and in its main characters. Gary Sinise and Melina Kanakaredes, in particular, are doing terrific work, providing glimpses of character depth in small gestures and subtle reactions. Allow them to explore their demons, and their friendship, in greater scope, and this show will soar.
Exploring Gary's Antihero
Characters:
Watching Gary Sinise over the years, it is always fascinating to see what he will bring to the characters that he creates in movies or on stage. An actor breathes life into a character and also presents an interpretation of who that character is. Why does an actor choose to portray a character? Gary has done characters that are heroes and decent men but he has also done characters that are outlaws, mean and vicious. Are there any redeeming qualities in these men? Did he choose these characters because of redeeming qualities or just that they were interesting. The first character to explore is Milo from Albino Alligator. When we first see Milo (Gary), he is with two other men, and they are involved in a robbery that has gone wrong. Milo's brother Dova (Matt Dillon) is one of the other men. They seem to have the type of relationship typical of a lot of brothers. There is love there, although it's sometimes hard to pick out through all the fighting and the disagreements. Dova loves his brother but rejects him at the same time. The third man, Law (William Fichtner), is a violent man without principles. He provides the wedge between the two brothers. It's obvious from the start that he hates Milo. And as Milo baits him it's obvious that Milo doesn't like him either. Milo is the intelligent member of the group and he doesn't hesitate to use words to express his disdain of Law. It seems obvious this is an ongoing part of their relationship. The words that they exchange after the botched robbery are only the beginning of what quickly escalates into violence between the two. Milo spends a lot of time unconscious in this film. He is hurt badly in a car crash and is carried into the bar by Dova. Milo is unconscious when they enter the bar and take the hostages. He starts to wake up in the bathroom but Law pummels him back into unconsciousness. He wakes up later battered and bleeding to find their whole situation has changed. Milo is not a good man. He is at least a thief and we are left to wonder what else he may have done. As the situation worsens, Dova and Law are determined to use their hostages to extract themselves from what is a no win situation. They turn to Milo to come up with a workable plan. He provides them with a list of demands, which they have one of the hostages read to the police. The note tells the police that if these demands are not met than a hostage will be killed. Immediately after the demands are read, Milo takes his brother aside and makes him swear on their mother's grave that he will not kill anyone. And he makes Law swear on his mother that he will not kill anyone either, which Law does without a lot of sincerity. While Dova and Law try to find another exit out of the bar, Milo sits at a table and has a conversation with Janet (Faye Dunaway). She senses the decency of Milo. She realizes that he isn't going to hurt the hostages. She tries to appeal to his intelligence and his "good heart," and for a while it appears that she's making progress. But she makes the mistake of telling him that he is smarter than Dova, and he bristles. He tells her that she is talking about his brother. She apologizes, but she knows she's lost his sympathy. Danny (Skeet Ulrich) another hostage brings Milo some napkins to help stop his bleeding. They have a short and quiet conversation in which Milo reassures him that things are going to be okay. Meanwhile Dova and Law talk while they are trying to find the exit. Law expresses his doubts about Milo going along with them if they have to kill a hostage. Dova tells him that he will convince Milo to go along with what they have to do, but he will not hurt him. The bond between the brothers is strong. It is also clear that Law has a lot of influence over Dova. He and Dova seem to be the driving force in this group, and it becomes easier for Dova to side with Law against his brother as their situation becomes more desperate. Dova is the one in the middle, the one that is constantly being pulled back and forth between Milo and Law. Milo wants to protect his brother. It's mentioned that their mother is dead, and there is a sense that Milo may have raised his brother after her death. As circumstances change, the men decide that the only way to get out of the bar with their freedom is to kill some of the hostages. The situation turns violent and Milo tries to diffuse it without success. In his injured and battered condition he is helpless against the two stronger men. It is then that Dova turns on him. He tells Milo that he thinks that if they are to get out of this situation they are going to have to kill some people. Law physically takes hold of Milo and asks him to go along with them, and when Milo refuses, he throws him to the floor. By this time, Milo is so weak that he can't get back up. He lies there a moment and then starts crawling to the stairway the leads to the exit. Dova stops him by pointing the gun at him. He tells him he will shoot him if he goes any further. This is the final betrayal by Dova and Milo stops without saying a word to his brother. He props himself up against a post and Dova walks away. Milo ponders for a moment and then pulls out his knife and slashes his wrists. We are left to puzzle out why he has taken his life. Is it because of his brother's betrayal? Is it the thought of going to prison that he is unable to handle? Is he not able to face the killing that he feels is coming? Or is he making a statement to Dova? Did his sacrifice make any difference at all in the situation? Milo is not a likable character but he does have a few redeeming qualities. He's intelligent, and he abhors violence. He struggles to gain control of a violent situation and he loves his brother and is very loyal to him. His character should have been pivotal but that was not to be in this film. He ends up making a sacrifice that at least on the surface seems meaningless. Not much changes because of his death. Milo is not the most likable character that Gary has portrayed but in the context of this movie, he is one of the more interesting characters in this film. There is a complexity to Milo that is lacking in other characters that surround him. Look for the next issue in March 2005!
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Last updated: Nov. 29, 2004
