Motifs of Violence

The opening sequence of CSI:Miami, Season 8

CSI: Miami utilizes several different symbols and motifs throughout the series. In many aspects the location of the show is very important. The creators utilize violence in order to raise questions of racism, immorality, and greed. These themes are apparent in many ways because the show is located in Miami. Miami is often thought of as a glamorous, diverse location and the writers utilize this fact to its full extent. The violence that occurs against characters in the show often times are situations that would be impractical in many other locations. The aspect of violence in the crimes against the victims is obviously the most important form of violence but the violence plays a much larger role than just giving the main characters a career. The impact of these acts of violence is discussed in the lives of those investigating them throughout the series. In several situations investigators have become so bothered by the brutality of the crimes they investigate they have actually left their position. This is important because it demonstrates the impact violence can have on people who aren’t even close to those the violence is performed on.

The use of music throughout the series is important. The placement is often used to raise the level of suspense and to develop certain characters. By utilizing eerie music the viewers level of suspense is heightened causing the actions to become much more shocking. One phenomenon of the CSI franchise is the way in which they have been able to desensitize people to violence in some ways. By showing such shocking scenes of blood and gore they have inadvertently given people a sense of calm over some of the things that occur within the show. In the following quote by Donahue another co-creator of CSI: Miami this desensitization of watching violence can be observed. "A lot of things in real life gross me out. But I know the blood on the show is chocolate syrup. I know it's not real. I always say that writers are passionate cowards. Many things gross me out, but not on this show."

You might think you know, but you have no idea what CSI: Miami is all about.