News Bullets

• The Lt. Dan Band web site has a new photo gallery of this weekend's performance by Gary Sinise (Mac Taylor) and his band at RidgeFest in Chicago.

• Tonight, CBS will be repeating the original CSI episode "4x4." In a new review at Canada.com, Alex Strachan says that "CSI is almost always easy to watch, and easy to forget. This one will have you thinking. Not for long, mind, but thinking just the same."

• Speaking to the Kansas City Star, Melina Kanakaredes (Stella Bonasera) expressed her delightment at the new CSI: NY sets. "We've moved out of the basement," she said. "You can actually see our faces, which is exciting."

• With all the buzz about Vanessa Ferlito (Aiden Burn) leaving New York, it would be easy to forget that only a year ago, it was Rory Cochrane (Tim Speedle) saying goodbye to CSI: Miami. In Malaysia, however, Miami's third season is just about to start, prompting New Straits Times writer Joan Lau to bemoan the practice of killing off regular cast members. But she saw something good in the new season, too: "Meanwhile, the best thing about the new season of CSI: Miami is the new time slot. Now that’s really cool. I guess I don’t have to rush through dinner on Wednesdays anymore."

• The Associated Press recently noted that in Summer, it's especially clear why the networks love crime shows so much: in last week's Nielsen Media Research rankings, 10 of the 16 most-watched programs in prime-time fit in the crime show genre. CSI and CSI: Miami were in first and third place, respectively, with Without A Trace in the no.2 spot.

• And in syndication, the original CSI continued to be the top-rated show among off-network weeklies, improving 2% on its ratings from last year, according to TV Week.

• While the CSI producers are undoubtedly happy with the show's high ratings, rival TV companies probably are not. The Australian Advertiser notes that many local Australian shows are unable to stand up agains the American competition, with formerly popular shows such as All Saints and Blue Heelers regularly losing out to CSI imports in the ratings wars. "I think the other thing is look at the high [production] standards set by all the CSIs, for example," said media analyst Peter Cox. "Australians seem to be increasingly taking American shows to their hearts in the last couple of years."

• DavidCarusoFans.com has again updated with several new legacy articles, including a 2002 CSI: Miami preview, and a series of press clippings from 2004.

• Legacy articles are also available at Eddie Cahill (Det. Flack) fan site Behind Blue Eyes, including a 2001 Teen People Profile of the current CSI: New York star, and a TV Guide article on Cahill's short-lived Glory Days series.

• German Grissom & Sara fan site Friends & Lovers has several scans of new articles featuring William Petersen (Gil Grissom) and Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) that appeared in the French press.

• CSI-Media.net is a new fan page dedicated to the Greg/Sara relationship, featuring episode clips, screen caps, fan videos and more.

• According to the Montrose Daily Press, real-life CSIs in Colorado refuse to watch the popular CBS show, as its many inaccuracies make them angry. However, Colorado's lead CSI does admit there is an upside to the show's success, too: "It's sad to say [the field is] getting increased funding because of [William Petersen] testifying for us, but I think that's one thing that has helped a little bit."

• In Wellesley, Massachussets, the local police force seems happier with the "CSI Effect," as they recently hosted a CSI workshop for local children.

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