So, after rewatching the episode, rewatching the key clips, reading through the boards, and getting a good night's sleep, my rational self has triumphed. The more I think about everything that went down, both on the screen and on the sidelines, during this whole finale season, the more convinced I am that the fans--especially the spoiled fans--are being totally played. And I am fine with that.
I haven't been that invested in or that viscerally affected by a TV show in ages. Maybe not since the Farscape finale (before "PK Wars" had been confirmed). I mean, I like House and watch it regularly. And, obviously, I like CSI more than the average fan. But the level of committment has been decidedly different than my dedication to earlier shows. I thought that that part of my life/personality had just been the phase of a socially-awkward adolescent. I'm kind of glad it's not. And I really hope they can keep up the level of interest going into the eighth season.
The long and the short is: Sara lives, JF returns. And as long as that happens, I'm content to let TPTB use me up however they want. Because damn, but last night was a ride!
At any rate, the specific ep breakdown goes like this (for anyone who remains marginally interested in this manifestation of my insanity):
-Billy Petersen reminded me not why I love him--because that's easy--but the depths to which he totally, utterly rocks. The interrogation scene at the end with crazy-ass Natalie was so frickin' taut and unnerving and well-done and superlative, superlative, superlative, ad infinitum. I've watched it about six times now, and his face changes ever-so-subtly when she says she hasn't killed Sara yet. It floors me every time. And the freak out at the very end, where Grissom just loses his shit, is so hot. CSI isn't exactly always an actor's paradise, but damn does he ever bring it when he has the chance.
-The big reveal. Some of the GSR fangirls are upset about how it played and that nobody seemed to react, but I thought it was done perfectly. This was essentially the set-up show--we haven't seen anywhere near the whole picture of what has happened/what will happen (which adds to the argument that Sara Lives). There wasn't time to get the big fanficcy "How long has this been going on?"s or whatever. The plot had to frickin' move. And just the way it kind of slid out there. I loved that because I don't think Grissom even knew what he was saying or that he was speaking out loud. I'll take coy storytelling any day over beating the audience over the head with the obvious.
-Catherine. I may finally be coming back to Catherine. Maybe. We'll have to see if her upswing continues. The past few eps she has been bearable and even, dare I say it, likeable. It was so nice to see some of her old cameraderie with Grissom returned. I have missed the two of them as friends and colleagues for the past few years. She used to be so cool, and I really, genuinely hope she is headed back that way again. Also, Marg Helgenberger's "Who in the what now?" face when Grissom said the thing about "the only person I've ever loved" was priceless. The whole team in that scene had great "Did he just say what I think he said?" faces, but hers was the best.
-Jessica Collins, the chick who played Natalie. What a creep! I mean that in the best possible way, hon. But seriously. Sheesh.
-Donkeylips! Did anyone else catch that that was Donkeylips in the tub? Hahahahahaha!
-The Vegas skyline as mini. That was a great effect and technically kind of amazing. I have seen the models Vincent produces for architecture school, so I have some conception of how involved that prop would have been to construct. It was well-worth it, though. Those "flyovers" were the right combination of creepy and cool.
-There were a few things I could have done without: they could have cut down the scene with the ventriloquist a bit, though it was great if only for the set up to the David Lynch joke; they could have reined in the actress who played the maid company boss, she was kind of funny, but then I kind of wanted Natalie to mini-kill her ass; and, obviously, I would have preferred to see my girlfriend for more than the first ten minutes, however, as alluded to above, I take it as a strong indicator that she will be back next year. There's too much to wrap up that directly involves her to not have her return.
Whew. It'll be nice to have my brain back. I've got shit that's gotta get done.
For example, I realized yesterday that I never actually found my immunization records/got re-immunized. Gotta do that. Also gotta set up my second class visit. May is slipping away.
Meanwhile, global warming doesn't mean that it's going to be hot all the time. It means that the average global temperature is rising and that the weather is becoming more erratic. Proof: It's May 18th, and I had to wear long sleeves and a jacket to work this morning. This part of the year in NYC, I should be no-jacketing at the very least, and short sleeves most days until September.
What else?
Oh, I had a frustrating day yesterday. My internets at work didn't load a single page correctly all day long. At one point, I hit a link, walked away from my computer for fifteen minutes, and came back to find that the page still hadn't come up. So that put me in something of a mood.
Then Vincent and I got home at roughly the same time, and he just did not get that I didn't want to play. I just wanted to sit and chill, watch the Spike line-up in peace, gear up for the finale. He wanted to talk about how he hasn't slept for days and had his review and they liked his project and this is what they said and oh look at this about Battlestar. And I'm sitting there like, "My darling Mexican, you know I love you. But if you don't shut the fuck up and leave me alone for a while I'm going to have to slit your throat." There are times when you want to be quiet and meditate. Just because my meditation takes place with the television on doesn't mean I'm feeling social.
The Brads were rockclimbing until around eight, so at least I didn't have to deal with the whole Hive all evening. However, they did get back in time for the finale. In time to wander in and out for whole sections of ep and then want me to explain what's going on. Meanwhile, my inner fangirl was busy losing it completely and just wanted to watch the show and be allowed to flip in peace. But that is why the good Lord invented DVR, I guess.
Ah well. There are bigger problems in the world than having friends who want to talk to you.