"CSI: Miami": Zombie Brings Out the Best

When I heard that Rob Zombie (“Halloween,” “The Devil’s Rejects”) was directing last night’s episode of “CSI: Miami,” I expected blood and guts and downright crazy stuff. Zombie just doesn’t seem like someone who would mesh well with the cheesy goodness that is “Miami.”

But after those unbelievable first five minutes, I was a believer as Zombie interspersed a rape and murder with an old black and white horror movie playing in the background. It was a total fresh take on the usual TV murder. And when the motionless girl lying in blood suddenly opened her eyes, I jumped right off my couch.

And Zombie managed to do something I haven’t seen on the show all season. He nailed Horatio’s throwaway line scene right before the theme music fires (He didn’t put on his sunglasses, but it was still good.)

It was the best five minutes in “Miami” history. Hands down.

I was pleasantly surprised that Zombie nailed all of the "Miami" trademarks. I honestly think it was David Caruso’s best episode in a long time—maybe ever. Of course, it helped that he was surrounded by the best guest cast the show has ever seen, many of whom are Zombie regulars. Michael Madsen was actually funny as the murder suspect. William Forsythe was great as the skeptical police chief and Paul Blackthorne was fantastically sleazy even without his native British accent. And how can you possibly go wrong with Malcolm McDowell as a sleazy lawyer?

Since Zombie decided to actually show LA as opposed to making LA look like Miami, he needed a decent story to back him up and he actually got one. The resolution may have been a little too quick, but it still worked. Plus it was nice to see that Horatio-Delko chemistry in full effect. And Zombie made the most of his LA surroundings. His use of the Hollywood Bowl for a confrontation was especially good. Even Jonathan Togo got some much needed camera time as Ryan Wolfe.

Who knew that it would take a horror movie director to get the best out of this show?

You can watch the entire episode here.