CSI: Miami – “Bad Seed” Review
Review, Television | Scott Parker | October 20, 2009 at 8:18 am
If I learned one thing about tonight’s CSI: Miami episode, “Bad Seed,” it’s this: always wash produce before eating.
In what may be Eric Delko’s swan song, the show focused on him to a great extent tonight. He and former ME Alexx are chatting about leaving MDPD when paramedics barge into the ER. A young woman is on the cart, her boyfriend, Ethan, trailing behind. In the short scene that follows, the camera lingers on Eric watching Alexx do her thing as a doctor. To me, I think Eric was wondering if he was making the right decision to leave MDPD. Unfortunately, the woman dies on the table. Ethan’s pretty distraught–he was going to propose and shows Eric the ring–but Alexx is having none of it. With the steely glare that make her corpses feel just a little deader, Alexx tells Eric to call Horatio because the girl was murdered and, in her experience, the number one suspect is right over there.
What makes a good mystery on an hour-long television cop show like CSI: Miami is the trail of the evidence and how it plays with the viewer’s assumptions. Initially, it looks like Ethan’s the bad guy and Eric’s kicking himself for missing the signs. But then Ethan collapses and my first impulse is this: it’s the future mother-in-law who doesn’t’ want her son marrying the girl. Next thing I’m thinking: did Eric touch something contaminated? Is that how he’s going out? If so, that’s pretty darn lame.
The CSI team gathers to go over the evidence. I don’t think I’m alone here in appreciating how well the guys and gals in the MDPD lab worked as a team during this episode. It was fantastic. Horatio and his team determined it was E. coli bacteria, and he assigns various team members to various areas of the investigation. Calleigh and Eric team up and take on the owner of the restaurant where Ethan and his bride-to-be last ate. Calleigh and the owner sparred, neither backing down. Only thing I have to say on that: that owner is a bee-yotch! Yow!
The evidence leads our team to fields where the produce is grown. Jesse, Ryan, and Warren, the Three CSI-kateers, confront the grower, and you get this fun exchange:
Grower: Show me a warrant
Jesse: Show me the pickers’ green cards.
Grower: Enjoy your investigation.
Naturally, for a crime show, nothing pops positive for E. coli. Next step: the trucker, who, of course, runs when Trip calls out for him.
Trip: Why’d you run?
Trucker: You were chasing me.
Trip: I ran because you ran.
Unfortunately, that was Trip’s only contribution to the program. The MVP for this episode was Warren. Dude knows his bacteria, where it comes from, and how it’s distributed. I can’t remember his character’s bio, but he’s got some serious biological cred with the team. He determines the bacteria originated from the water, Ryan stepped in some of the evidence, and Jesse got to trudge up a low rise and find the culprits. Hint: they moo and eat corn.
It’s here, in a brilliant “Follow the E. coli” animation reminiscent of the movie Outbreak where we see how E. coli bacteria get from a cow to your mouth. Yuck! Like I wrote above, I’m not sure I want to eat a salad from any restaurant now. Eww!
After a cat fight between Horatio and the huge agriculture corporation’s CEO (H lost. Ouch!), it’s back to teamwork, the underlying theme of the show. Over and over again, we see the team working together on one case with no sub-plot. It was a nice change. We also are treated to a mini-treatise on modern agriculture courtesy of Warren and, later, the CEO, played by Stephen Culp. Mr. Culp must get a lot of casting calls to play a-hole hotshots, because he brings his A Game to this episode. The little snide chuckle as he leaves the station the first time is nicely swallowed at the end, when Horatio pulls out the tape recorder, revealing their entire conversation about “acceptable losses of human life” is okay if it feeds hundreds. Culp’s CEO makes the case for modern agriculture: food prices would skyrocket, people would starve, and the most fundamental of all, people don’t care where their food comes from. All valid points, to be sure, but he’s still an arrogant ass about it. Legal scholars out there: is what Horatio did legal? Seems shady, but it still makes you pump your fist in victory.
For all the group activity throughout the episode, it came down to individuals. Eric and Calleigh, alone in the locker room, have their talk. It was a little short, to be honest, but Alex Rodriguez and Emily Proctor do a spectacular job of the awkwardness, the longing for things to stay the same, and the things left unspoken. Proctor’s Calleigh barely kept it together as Eric walked out the door. It was a touching scene. Eric gets to his car and he sees a white piece of paper under his wiper. A ticket? No. A note from Horatio: “I’ll always be there. H”
I’ve read some grumbling around the internet about the new guys crowding out the veterans and, up until this episode, I have to agree. This episode, however, things appeared to gel. Each member of Horatio’s CSI team contributed something. All eyes and attention was on the single case and that was a nice change of pace. After last week’s lackluster episode, CSI: Miami returned to form with a story and character arcs that just felt right.
I certainly don’t want Eric to leave, but it’s happening. That’ll leave Horatio and Calleigh (and Trip? Can’t remember if he was an original or not) as the only constants in the entire series. Change is never easy, but if they keep producing episodes that are as cohesive as this one, everything will be fine.
Am I alone in this assessment? Did you like the teamwork on the single case? Did you like that the murder was one of negligence rather than violence?
Tags: CSI: Miami, David Caruso, Eddie Cibrian, Emily Proctor, Mystery
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I hated the Bad Seed episode! Have the writers turned into political prawns? Give me murder, clean and clear cut any day over this disjointed, hard to follow propaganda. If the writers continue writing this badly, CSI Miami will go from my favorite show to one I will not watch.
I really enjoyed this episode and felt it was something new for the show. I love Walter and think his character is a great addition,not sure how he got there though…didn’t he say he was on night shift or did I miss somehting??? lol
I am sooo upset that Eric’s leaving although with everything he’s been through it was coming. I’m interested to see what’s gunna happen next though
I really enjoyed this episode. Hope they do more like it. Although, really disappointed that Adam Rodriguez has left the show. Maybe he’ll be back at some point.
I am big fan of the show but last night episode they totaly bashed on agriculture a subject the writers clearly know nothing about. 98 % of all farms in the US are owned by individuals or family corparations. The use of GM crops in the US is highly regulated and that so called gm corn would have never been approved. All corn is gentically modifed. There is no evidence to support that eating organic products are actually healthier for you. Feedlot operations are regulated by the USDA and EPA and must have approved waste water systems. Cattle are able to digest corn they have a four chambered stomach designed to digest the protien in corn. For more info check out the facts for yourself dont let some TV writer tell you that your food is unsafe when the have probably have never been to a farm or been invovled with production agriculture.
I didn’t care to much for this episode and the fact that the original members are slowly being fazed out one at a time, this show has now gone from without a doubt being my favorite, to being my least watch show. I have now become a big fan of the show B.O.N.E.S
I loved CSI-Miami, but since the characters of Speed, Alex and now Eric, are gone, I’m just no longer a avid fan and viewer of the program. I wish it nothing but success for the future, but they have lost a long-time fan of the show.
i hated that eric is leaving!
this is my official favorite show….
and i m getting scared that without the real members ill begin to hate it..
the bad seed episode was greatttttttt!
i absolutely loved it! but i have that eric is leaving….. why though? not the movie purpose… the real purpose!
Hate that Eric is leaving, but once I saw Eddie Cibriani on the show, I tuned out. Will not be watching it anymore. Can’t get past the sleazy pics and stories about him.
Phone rang just when Eric and Calleigh were talking at the end….how did they handle their relationship with Eric leaving? Are they finished, too?
It was an interesting twist for the show although I’m sure it will be back to bodies and blood next week. I agree with others – I’ll really miss the Delko character. The show worked best for me when it was H, Calleigh, Delko and Speed. Don’t miss Alexx – she was kind of a joke as a doctor. The Walter character is ridiculous. What is his position, exactly? David Caruso looks healthier this season which is a plus. I’ll be watching to see what happens next.
Bad Seed was a a good episode and I like the new guys, but i am very disappointed that Eric is leaving the show. How could they bring Caleigh andhim together to have them torn apart? I nseason 7, he stated that he was thinking of settling down, why not with her? i don’t know…maybe he’lk be back but I deon’t think there will be anymore late Monmday nights for me after the departure of Delko, maybe just the reruns….:(
My absolute favorite show is CSI Miami. Horatio and his team are like a wonderful family. However,
Speed is gone, Alex is gone and now Delko. They should have gotten rid of Wolfe. If anyone still watches CSI Miami, and I may be one of them, Horatio and Calleigh better stay or there is no show. I am very disappointed at last nights episode. I wanted to see more of a romantic or better explanation as to why Delko left. You left myself and alot of other people annoyed.
In the scene where they are running the test on the corn, does anyone know the name of that techno-ish song that they are playing?
Does anyone know the techno song playing while they are running the tests on the corn?
As a an active member of the biotech community, i can’t say how angry this episode has made me and so many other fellow coworkers. You’ve lost several viewers. Where were your technical consultants on the plausibility of something like this happening in a mass produced transgenic crop. I would also like to point out that i’m some ‘heartless corporate shill’, but that i in fact work for a regulatory agency.
Wow, cody… talk about propaganda – sounds like you’ve been fed bad infomarion all along. Proof?Define ‘ruminant’ for me…more? If USDA/EPA/FDA regulation equals safety, why do so many die (yes, die) each year from food borne illness (e.coli, etc)…and where did you get your 98% from? Check your facts again and find out how many ‘family corporations’ are subsidaries of majors. Not all corn is GMO, but most is – and that is both scary and sad – nearly everything in the episode was spot on truth…and yes, I do run a farm.
I really hated it when speed left and now Eric
it just wont be the same evn tho I love H
I really like Calleigh and I liked the rapport between Speed and Eric and Eric and Calleigh
the more regulars they take out of the show the more I feel like turning away and its just NOT the same
Bravo, Zzzzt! Cody: Do you really want children to be consuming large amounts of pesticides and antibiotics?
A ruminant is a mammal that digests plant-based food by initially softening it within the animal’s first stomach, known as the rumen, then regurgitating the semi-digested mass, now known as cud, and chewing it again. The process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called “ruminating”. The rumen and the reticulum produce bacteria that change protien into amino acids need by the animal. Thhe amino acids are essential for growth and maintenance of the cells. These bacteria also produce viatims needed by the animal as the bacteria die the animal digests the vitamins. (source Modern Livestock and Poultry production) The source fo the 98% stat is the Farm Bureau and the The USDA. Yes many people each year are killed by food bourne illness but ecoil can come from many different sources food borne illness such as ecoil can be spread through fecal material from many source including humans. Not just from cattle fecal material. Yes you are right not all corn is GMO but according to United States the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)and National Agricultural Statistics Service, GMO crops represent 81-86 percent of all corn planted 88-90 percent of all soybean planted and 81-93 percent of all upland cotton planted and 90 percent of all sugar beets.
I am soooo upset to see the character of Eric leave the show. After Speedle I was sad but Caleigh and Eric were made for each other and I want Eric back
I absolutely cannot believe they are taking Delko off? I really think the writers need to rethink this decision…
I’m a loyal fan of the show and from same hometown as Emily Procter. So, it was all I could do to NOT fall off the couch while watching this episode since it tracked along one of the big issues that an environmental group I work w/ has been trying to shed light on…..food stocks being contaminated by toxic water. Reuse water and/or sludge was ruled out but cattle waste run-off was the culprit killing the young girl. Can’t speak to GM seed issue since that’s not a part of our research but personally, I’ve never liked the thought of the small farmer being pushed out by big Ag biz. Needless to say, it was very encouraging to see the show’s writers tackling the food safety problem, even if just touching on toxic water issue that does truly affect food safety. And yes, I’ve worked on a farm, live in a rural part of NC and know that this an issue a huge majority of sheeple would rather not contemplate. Kudos to the writers, producer and actors!
Even though I was not happy with last weeks episode (I felt like it was the Jesse show), the character of Jesse is beginning to grow on me. I still don’t care for the other new guy (Warren, Walter, whatever…I still don’t know his name). I believe the knowledge they gave him could have come from one of the old regulars, maybe Ryan or Natalia. I did hear Valera’s name mentioned, even though we did not see her. I miss Valera….they need to bring her back. I did like this episode, so much so that I watched it a second time. I liked the team interaction in the lab. My only complaint is that we need more H!
liked tonights episode, i hated when Speed left, i am glad to see Eric leave, for some reason i never liked him, thought he should have gone instead of speed. And i really didnt like it when they put him with Kelly.I like the new guy Eddie, i think he will be a good mix with the others.. But bring Speed back too.
Every time I see Alexx I want her to come back permanently more and more. I loved her character. Khandi Alexander is a phenomenal actress. I’m glad that they continue to bring her back for new episodes.
You did it again, Scott. Great review.
BTW, his name is Walter, not Warren. When he first joined the show, tptb touted him as an art theft expert (for whatever value that would be to a csi). Still haven’t been able to determine his role, but I’m liking the character.
i never did buy the love affair between Calleigh and Erik -
and the way they first showed them living together with her ultra-fancy bathroom -
made me wonder what she does in her spare time, as that’s not a bathroom she could afford on her salary. also, it really didn’t fit her personality in terms of colors and etc…
i did notice a lot of new faces – not as well integrated as the newbies on CSI-NY… on the whole, the writers on this show seem to try out a lot of character development and then just drop it… more followup is clearly needed on the sub-plot lines.
i miss Khandi, and her caring nature -
I’ve always watched this show for the ‘laugh value’. Horatio is so funny. And everything on this show is contrived. But this episode takes the cake – let’s violate several laws of plausibility, ignore the fact that regulatory bodies actually do their jobs, and let’s also thrown in some ethnic profiling while we’re at it. You have immigrant workers – ergo, you must have e coli and all that other stuff they bring with them. That’s it for me – definitely better things to do with my time. Good post Matt, by the way.
I liked that “Romeo and Juliet” were felled by foul food instead of feuding families. Nice departure story-line — only a brief gun face-off between Jesse and a farmer. The lab crew working as a team together was both a pleasure to watch and a treat to hear; the dialog had some humorous moments and that has been needed for a long time. Horatio’s journey has been put on the back burner this season. I am wondering if it is so the new team gets a chance to “gel”. I am beginning to suspect that Evan and Julia have gone the way of Suzie and Madison or even Yelina and Ray,Jr. I am also thinking TPTB might promote Horatio to captain thereby reducing his role even more and making Jesse the “alpha male” of the series. I find that thought disconcerting and truly hope I am wrong.
I did enjoy this episode, and to be honest, it was because of (Eric) Adam Rodiguez. It’s hard to say goodbye from any viewpoint, and if truly Adam’s leaving the show is due to a financial disagreement, shame on the Producers and Directors
When you finally get a hot spot in ratings, after finally getting the story line together,the real meat of the show, drama and intrigue, not the romance, why would anyone mess with that. Good luck to Adam Rodriguez, in persuing your acting and filming career, so glad your giving us a few more shows, before your final departure. I only hope the rest of the shows will reflect the same, till the end of the season 8.After that, I know I’ll be one of the many, who will give up on CSI Miami, don’t feel to bad, I did the same with the original CSI:LV..Good Luck to the Cast as well as the Producers and Directors. See Ya Later, Rubie Babie
P.S. (WHOOPS)…I almost forgot, the one liner, that was so intent…It was touching.
The note left on (Eric’s) Adam Rodriguez, car windshield…(I’ll always be here! H.)
I really liked that touch and oneliner, from (Horatio) David Caruso,very emotional, with a tear
tuging at my heart. I belive, when that final departure comes…I’ll be needing a box of tissues, no doubt! See Ya Later..Rubie Babie
I kind of go along with certain cast changes as it keeps things fresh. I like the new characters as they seem to fit well together with rest of the cast. So for now, it seems they don’t have a regular M.E. I do wish they would give Natalia (Eva LaRue) more of a role. She brings a sexy hotness to contrast with Calleigh’s coolness.
One change I would like to see them make is what I like to call SLT (Stupid Light Tricks). A couple of episodes ago it seems most of the action occured in the lab, and the smears and reflections off of every available surfaces got a bit disconcerting and annoying, detracting from the action. Even the outside scenes had way too much red or pink sky or things being shot out of balance. O little is fine now and then for atmosphere, but they frequently overdo it.
You can not wash off treated human waste water when it is used as the water to grow the produce. There is a possibility that the organisms are actually part of the plant as most green plants are largely water.
Also when “sludge” the by product of “1940″ technology is applied to 2010 waste water we get a lot of “stuff” still in the sludge which is use as fertilizer on grassland and crops.
You are what you eat.
This episode was clearly junk science extravaganza! Fine that it is fiction, I get that. But even more disappointing than the show is the review by Scott Parker, a technical writer! Come on people, it is possible to use a sound science backdrop to a good storyline, fiction or not! Good grief!
To all – Thank you for reading my review. I don’t know enough about agribusiness to offer any rebuttals or commendations. I am a reader of Michael Pollen’s work (NYTimes writer; author of In Defense of Food) and follow many of his observations and recommendations. And I always wash my produce before I eat it.
Samantha – Thanks for the praise. “Walter” Of course! My bad. Thanks for the correction. Ironically, the edicts of a writer (don’t have two characters with names that start with the same letter) doesn’t necessarily hold true for TV. Thus, we had Ethan and Eric. There was a “W” guy last week. I’ll do better next time.
JW – Thanks for reading the review and I’m sorry your were disappointed. Yes, I am a technical writer. I cheekily describe my job thusly: “I write the books no one reads if the machines work right.” I write server documentation and don’t know a lot about agriculture. My job in our garden usually involves weeding or culling old plants. My wife does the rest. When it comes to entertainment, I tend to enjoy being entertained. I hold two degrees in history and can spot history flaws a mile away. If I don’t know a lot about something, I let the program/book “fill me in.” I pretty much figured the episode was on a soapbox. Just didn’t write about it. I have enjoyed reading the other tidbits in this comment section.
This hatchet job on the biotech community and ‘industrial’ agriculture was so poorly done it scares anyone who knows anyone about farming. People pointing to ag and deaths from food-borne illness should be aware that this can happen with badly handled processed food whether it is organic or conventional – we still have the safest, most thoroughly testing food in the world (even food experts say there’s nothing on this level in Europe) – yet you never get that impression.
Oh and for those of you who say they’ll wash their produce more – in many cases the e. coli that migrates into greens is INSIDE the plant and can’t be washed off. The food industry needs to be more vigilant.
But TV writers should be smarter – they act as if this kind of biotech corn would be easily approved – wouldn’t happen. This is a highly regulated business and producers at all levels of agriculture take what they do very seriously. What stinking hatchet job.
Nice eval., bad spelling. Tripp’s name is spelled with two “t’s”.;O) Yes, Tripp started as a uniform sergeant (see ep. 1 of this season).
You guys must be right. Safest food in the world, govt regulation cures all, propoganda.
“…The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that food-borne illness causes 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths annually in the U.S…According to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) this month, one out of every 300 samples of ground beef is contaminated with E. coli…This summer, contamination led to the recall of beef from nearly 3000 grocers in 41 states…2008 recall of salmonella-tainted jalapeño peppers and tomatoes initially blamed for an outbreak…recall of peanut products tainted with salmonella early this year…the largest and most severe of these outbreaks came when bagged baby spinach tainted by E. coli bacteria sickened some 200 people and left three dead in 26 states…Last month, salmonella detected in testing prompted the recall of 1,715 cartons of bunched spinach sent to a dozen states…a national salmonella outbreak blamed for killing nine people…though beef and poultry are a more frequent source of food-related outbreaks than produce, the number of outbreaks tied to lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens, whether fresh-cut or whole, has been rising over the last two decades, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest…”…hmm.
I’ve read through the posts. Cody and Zzzt why don’t you be positive about the negative views portrayed about Agriculture in this episode then arguing over points which are all true. Fact remains that our Food Systems in place in this country are still safer then the rest of the world. I don’t think you or anyone else would like to shop for your food in third world markets where food safety is at best poor. I certainly would not want to walk into a market, visit a vendor’s booth choose my chicken and have him/her harvest the chicken in front of me in a place that is not as clean as harvesting facilities in the US. No system is completely perfect, but I’ll still take ours over other countries.
Positives: The greatest numbers of producers of meat, vegetables and fruit want to produce a product which is safe for Americans. The greatest number of producers care about their animals and don’t abuse them. Agriculture is the most dynamic “industry” in the United States. Agriculture feeds not only our population but also 96% of the rest of the world. Most producers of vegetables and fruits do everything possible to produce a safe product. Both organic and traditional production methods offer a choice to American consumers. I have personally begun to see beef producers beginning to find other methods to market their beef, adding to consumers choices on how to buy their beef both via grass fed and grain fed beef.
Unlike what you hear in the press Agriculture Producers are not the biggest polluters of chemicals and neither is the chemical industry. It is the American Homeowner. The American Homeowner is noted for using more then the recommended amount of chemical on his lawn. The American Homeowner is noted for using water in far greater amount then the American farmer to produce that beautiful lawn on a proportion scale. And where did I get that information, straight from the statistics we complied from the environmental lab I worked for.
A Texas Rancher who cares about my environment and my cattle.
Kim
BS & MS in Agriculture Economics
Kim,
First, I’m glad you have convictions. Few do these days.
Second, any day of the week I would buy chicken hand processed in the sunshine and breeze where I can see what is done to it and talk to the grower about how it was raised. Have you ever tried visiting a major meat producer and asking for a tour? (then again who really wants to know where their food came from these days – knowing might actually make you sicker than eating it)
Third, I noticed your degrees were in Ag Econ., so I understand you point of view where industry profits tend to generally outweigh public safety or interest. I’m surprised by your posting that you don’t work directly for a major food producer / chem-seed manufacturer (I refrain from using their names to avoid libel). Their views on profit over life tend to be similar.
I weep for your narrowed views and lack of quest for truth – but no worries, you’re obviously not alone. A lot of people out there don’t really want to know the truth either.
Keep up the good work crunching those numbers.
Was Eric’s leaving a surprise to anyone else? I know he’s been through a lot in the story line but it looked like to me he was getting his stuff but together. What happens to the love
story between Eric and Calleigh. Age difference bothers some but not all. I really miss all the original cast members.
But as long as H is on the show I’ll be a fan.