Wednesday in review: as predicted, I didn’t watch much television last night. I watched the first half of L&O to see the new detective (that crazy cat may just be all right). I tuned in to 5 minutes of the new CSI. Again, as predicted, I didn’t think much of it. Frankly, it’s too dark. Is there a shortage of lightbulbs in New York? I never really thought about it too much before, but one of the reasons I like CSI:Miami may be the way-too-bright cinematography; everything looks overexposed and radiates heat in oranges and yellows. In contrast, CSI:NY has opted for cold, dark grays and blues. These dark looks are okay for movies that only last 90 minutes, but I wonder if a viewership will come back every week to the gothic atmosphere. Besides that, it’s NYC and really, who cares? I mean, Law & Order has three damn series in NY already. Another reason for the success of the CSI franchise, in my view, is their choice of setting. Miami and Vegas are two well-trod cityscapes for film and tv, but not so much for the tv cop show.

Tonight: well, it’s Joey on NBC. I’ve seen a bit of the first couple of episodes and haven’t been too impressed, but I’ve got a soft-spot for Joey and I’d like to see the show improve. Then, there’s the premiere of CSI:The Original, or whatever it’s called. I’m thinking that’s a winner. My girlfriend had me set the VCR to record Without a Trace, but it’s bollocks — night-time soap opera material that slightly outclasses crap like Naval NCIS and JAG.

I picked up Joseph Heller’s Closing Time again last night. I’ve tried to start reading it a couple of times before with no success. It may go back on the bookshelf soon. I am looking for an enjoyable fiction read but, as always, I really want a book so funny that I howl in laughter. Such books are few and far between.