The entire 2nd season of “C.S.I.” has been released on dvd by PARAMOUNT.  William Petersen and his team of forensic detectives return to solve more crimes.  The season actually improves upon the previous one, with some of its main characters fleshed out a bit.  Being that the show is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, its overly stylized, high-tech look makes Michael Mann’s “Miami Vice” shows look tame by comparison. Still, there’s a lot of energy to each show, and even the few with laughable messages and twists, still manage to entertain.

PARAMOUNT has made some major changes over its presentation for the first season.  Season 2 is actually presented with the correct aspect ratio of 1.77:1 and 16:9 enhancement.  Colors are rich, and even with a bit of oversaturation, it’s generally a solid, impressive image. Contrast is excellent, allowing for terrific detail in darker scenes. Fleshtones appear natural.

PARAMOUNT has also upped the ante for this release with a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. The previous boxed set only featured a Dolby Digital 2.0 mix. The difference shows!  Surrounds kick in, adding a great deal of emphasis to some already tense moments, and helping to engage the audience even more.  The music for the show is also excellent, and well complimented through all speakers. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.

PARAMOUNT has included commentary for “three” episodes! They’re actually terrific, offering a nice blend of humor, insight and production information for fans of the show.  Unlike many commentaries, these never get dull, and leave the viewer wishing for more!

Additionally, there are some short featurettes, each focusing on various aspects of the production, e.g. special effects, location shoots,etc.  These too, are great fun, and make an already attractive boxed set, that much better!