My mother used to be able to sit through a half dozen episodes of CSI back in the day. That's part of the reason why I don't watch it now (that and I don't have regular t.v.). As I type this I am watching a similar CSI series called Bones. Having gone through an anthropology class, this show entertains on a higher level for me. I'm nowhere close to being a forensic geek, but when the "squints" bring in bodies for dissection and investigation, I get hooked. It's amazing what knowing a tiny bit about forensic sciences will do.Leading from what I enjoy to what makes me glad that I don't have regular television: drama. We all enjoy watching people fight, love, cry and show happiness. Watching the main characters interact with each other brings us back to watch more episodes. For Bones, the price of prime time is the compacting and watering down of the forensic sciences. Instead of more explanation on why repeated blunt force trauma to the viscerocranium is the cause of death for the victim of the hour, the writers replace lab time with social hob-knobing. Of course the writers have to entertain to keep the shows ratings, but is this "dumbing down" of deep subjects hurting us? Are we as a society dumbing everything to make it marketable? Generations from now I hope we won't be drooling, brainless entertainment zombies. Or maybe I'm making a huge deal out of nothing.
