CSI: Cyber

I don't know all of the details, ins/outs, etc. of the whole situation. I was just told by someone that worked at the park that Premier remotely accessed their rides at HRP at some point and locked the park out of them to the point that they couldn't operate and money being owed to Premier was involved in some way. Other people on here have heard similar rumors. Like Jeff said, I've never seen any official confirmation of it, so I can't speak to any of the TL:DR you typed in that post.

I wouldn't expect many people at the park know what actually happened with respect to payment defaults and/or rides being shut down. So odds are the person you talked with who worked there heard the info second or third hand (or even further down the chain). In those situations, stories tend to get embellished, exaggerated, twisted, turned, etc. such that they bear little resemblence to what actually happened.

There are scores of rumors out there (particularly on the internet) that are believed by many people that have absolutely no connection at all to reality or truth. All I am saying is that from a commercial finance perspective, a manufacturer shutting down rides remotely for lack of payment doesn't make any sense. I am open to the idea that there is something unique about amusement parks and their ride manufacturers (of which I am unaware) that would make it a viable option in a payment default situation.

I suppose it is possible that the park gave the ride manufacturer a down payment on the ride, with the balance due on delivery, which was not paid. I'm sure something as drastic as shutting down the ride would only happen after a number of attempts to collect from the park.

Meh, I kind of doubt that. Ride manufacturers are in kind of a niche business, and presumably it's not a cash-rich business either. Floating millions for steel doesn't seem like a great way to stay in business.

I have seen contracts that call for payments to be made to the manufacturer, that coincide with when items are delivered or come online. For example, 1/4 of the total payment was due upon finalized drawings, 1/4 was due on first steel delivery, etc. This was from one specific park operator, so it should not be taken as a blanket statement for how all contracts are written.

Thats basically a type of installment contract which is pretty common with large custom construction projects. Buyer pays funds to the manufacturer which roughly coincide with the manufacturer expending funds on the project so the manufacturer isn't forced to finance the project. And payments would typically be made by some type of electronic transfer so there is no waiting for checks to be delivered and then clear.

Getting back to the show...

Farnsworth II (my DVR) has a keyword trap, so it automatically records shows whose descriptions or titles contain certain keywords, so it automagically recorded this show; I didn't actually know about it until it aired.

I am fairly certain the coaster in question was a back lot mock-up. The cars looked like cut down Windstorm cars, kind of like those on a Galaxi, but more rounded. In this case they were equipped with shoulder bars even stranger looking and more awkward than those on the old Quantum Loop at Seabreeze. Again, I'm fairly sure the cars were mocked up for the show. I think I saw this same train in a bank card commercial in which the character was commuting by roller coaster.

Almost no track was actually visible, which makes the piled up cars in the post incident scene seem more plausible. No need to let a little detail of something like upstops get in the way of the storytelling.

What is interesting is the attention to detail. Where they got things wrong, they got them really wrong, as we have come to expect. For instance coaster cars piling on top of each other as a result of a collision; the claims of switches every foot along the ride and the implication of brakes all over the track; possibly even the use of a card access system on the ride equipment room. But there were also details that they clearly got right. The PLC chassis is a genuine Rockwell component, and the description of adding a rogue board to the chassis makes perfect sense. I also noted the KECO Fun and Safety Guide posted near the ride (you know, that standardized, modular safety sign that KECO designed and sold to every small park in the industry, then stopped using after Paramount came along).

On closer inspection, I think the crime scene may actually be the boarding platform for a kiddie train ride. It's not a trailer; it is an elevated concrete platform with steel fence panels around it, kind of an early 1990s design.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Having read this recap of the show, I'm happy I didn't actually watch the show. Does sound like it was a bit silly.

From the recap:

"The moral of the story is that computers can — and almost certainly will — kill you. Computers are everywhere, and they are plotting your demise. So ends another thrilling episode of CSI: Cyber."

A moral us older folks learned from the Terminator movies.

Holy cow! I was ready to stop watching right in the middle of the coaster crash. And it was the opening scene! I had never seen a CSI show, except the other rollercoaster episode in 2004, and am reminded why.

This show was downright insulting to my intelligence. And that had nothing to do with any coaster facts they may have got wrong or right. I can actually overlook that for the sake of the story. It was poorly acted, poorly written, incredibly pandering, and had to spell out every little thing for the audience as if they were children.

The characters are all cliches. As a huge fan of the show LOST, I couldn't believe what a blatant rip off of Hurley the one guy was. Even my 12 year old laughed at the head guy staring at the screens of footage and making that "horrified yet thoughful" face.

This begs the question... who actually watches this crap? With so much *good* TV these days (it's out there if you look for it) I can't imagine any halfway intelligent person putting up with this show enough to tune in week after week.

It remains to be seen if people will be watching CSI Cyber. Fairly strong ratings on its initial outings rely in part on the strength of the CSI brand.

Tommytheduck said:

It was poorly acted, poorly written, incredibly pandering, and had to spell out every little thing for the audience as if they were children.

[...]

This begs the question... who actually watches this crap? With so much *good* TV these days (it's out there if you look for it) I can't imagine any halfway intelligent person putting up with this show enough to tune in week after week.

I've never had any interest in watching any CSI series. I'm considered a TV snob by my coworkers, because frankly I can't watch most shows on network TV. I've tried. I barely made it through the pilot episodes of Sleepy Hollow and The Strain, and turned off the pilot episode of Gotham after 20 minutes. I couldn't take more than half an episode of Person of Interest. I begrudgingly made it all the way through season 1 of The Following, but was honestly ready to call it quits halfway through because I hated all the characters, writing, directing, etc.

I thought Lost was silly and quit after the pilot. My wife kept urging me to get back into it, so I marathoned season 1 the summer before season 2 started. The entire series was hit or miss for me (mostly hit), but I unfortunately stuck with it until the bitter, horrible, stupid, plot-hole strewn finale.

On to non-network stuff...

Dexter was incredible until after season 4. Then it was hit or miss until the final, dreadful season, and the finale was perhaps the most godawful, laughable ending to a drama series in television history.

I've seen every season of American Horror Story, but I've threatened to stop many times. Season 1 was ok, 2 was my favorite, 3 was stupid, 4 was pretty good until the end. Haven't decided if I'll watch the next one yet.

The Walking Dead even lost me a few seasons ago, but I stuck with it. It's improved, but I'm still wary of its potential to jump the shark.

Justified has been a solid series from the beginning. I hope they don't screw up the series' end.

The first two seasons of House of Cards were excellent. Haven't begun season 3 yet.

Breaking Bad is the pinnacle of television dramas. Perfection in every aspect from beginning to end. And so far, Better Call Saul is following suit. The story hasn't grabbed me like Breaking Bad did, and seems to be slower to start, but all the elements are there: acting, directing, writing, characters, cinematography.

I like the original CSI and CSI Miami; police procedurals tend to play well with my ASD.

I don't watch network TV. I DVR new episodes of Judge Judy, but all of my "must see TV" shows are on cable: RuPaul's Drag Race on Logo, Cutthroat Kitchen and Restaurant Impossible on Food Network, Doctor Who and Million Dollar Critic on BBC America (the concept of the latter show is, well, dumb, but, to me, Giles Coren is a) hot and b) hilarious).

American Horror Story is always a love/hate show for me. Each season, it just seems like the plots are made up as they go along. It's the actors that keep me coming back week after week. Season five currently has Lady Gaga, Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson signed on as cast members, it will be interesting to see what the next season will be like.

I've never cared for CSI either. The shows are indeed poorly written, badly acted, and that it's turned into a franchise ala Law and Order is amazing to me. Those shows remain at the top, though, and it's a reflection on America's taste in entertainment these days. What passes for science on that show makes my eyes roll out of my head. Anytime a character jumps into a chair, types like an airport ticket agent, and comes up with a world-saving search result, or a hack, or breaks a code makes me wanna laugh and cry at the same time.

There are some great shows that I never made the time for and sadly, Breaking Bad is one of them. Game of Thrones and Mad Men are others. I accidentally came across Walking Dead on one of those pre-season weekend marathons and got caught up in it and now I never miss it. I still have a huge fascination with American Horror Story, but I only just started with Coven, lusted after Freak Show, (I went as Twisty the Clown to our big city-wide Halloween event and nailed it, even if I do say so myself) and I'm looking forward to Hotel. I feel the pain of those that claim Ryan Murphy shows manage to jump the shark every other episode or so, but for the sake of a mysterious story and the surrounding scares I put up with it. There's a certain convention to his shows, (think Glee, Nip/Tuck, New Normal, they've all done it) and for me it finally becomes acceptable somehow.

As far as guilty pleasures go, give me the soapy shows. I never missed a minute of Desperate Housewives, and currently Nashville and Empire sit at the top of my list of must see tv. (that Cookie Lyon, what a great character)
Good Wife and How to Get Away with Murder are up there, too.

But I still pine for the best show on tv ever, period, and that would be Six Feet Under. Dont try to argue with me.

Vater said:
I've seen every season of American Horror Story, but I've threatened to stop many times. Season 1 was ok, 2 was my favorite, 3 was stupid, 4 was pretty good until the end. Haven't decided if I'll watch the next one yet.

What kills me (even though I gave up two episodes into the dreadful (IMO) season 4) is that rather than hire writers who aren't completely awful, they spent money stunt casting Lady Gaga. No wonder Jessica Lange walked.

Well, to be fair, Ms. Lange planned her departure from the series long before Gaga was cast. But I get your point, and casting decisions seem to reach for a certain audience, especially with the inclusion of stars like Patti Labelle and the greatest scenery chewer of all time, Patti Lupone.

However, the core cast of the show is very strong with the likes of Denis O'Hare, Sarah Paulson, and Francis Conroy. They also managed to land distinguished actors like Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett, with Ms Bates (who in my eyes can do no wrong) turning in some truly amazing performances on the show.

For some reason I find it very easy to suspend belief when I watch AHS, maybe it's due to the fact that I scare so easily.

I think season 1 was absolutely the best, most original TV series I've gotten in to. Asylum was fantastic, but it lulled off a bit in the middle-end. Coven started off absolutely awful, and I stopped watching after 3 or 4 episodes, then when I actually dove back in, I found that it actually turned quite amazing later on.

I haven't started on Freak Show yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

I will say that the last episode of season 1 went on about 10 minutes too long. They should have ended it with (SEMI SPOILER) the balcony scene and then the realtor showing the house - that's it - instead they dragged it out with all that weirdness and whatnot. It was cool to see the kid and what became of him, but it wasn't necessary.

I thought Coven was ridiculous, with the completely gratuitous addition of Stevie Nicks, and the finale that tied up everything into a neat, tidy, Hollywood-style, happy little bow. Actually, Freak Show's finale did the same, to an extent. A show called American Horror Story should leave the viewing audience with at least some dissonance and loose ends.

The acting is excellent, with the aforementioned heavyweights, but I'm kind of glad Lange is leaving because even as great as she is, every character she plays from season to season is basically the same; just add accent. I fault the writers for that, though; not her.

Also, the writers have admitted to making much of the storyline up as the seasons progress. I don't mind it, because they explained that it offers a hell of a lot of freedom to do whatever they want with the characters and story (and each season being a different "show" helps), but...I don't know...even with all that, I find the whole thing kind of irritating and getting stale.

Agreed: while Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett and all were bringing characters to life, Jessica Lange played Jessica Lange each season. That said, she was playing one hell of a character.

I think AHS has been a victim of it's own popularity. I'm sure there's pressure to build on and maintain the audience and that requires making it more accessible - which equate to homogenization.

To me, each season has been increasingly average. I loved season one, liked season two, sat through season three and tolerated season 4. (seriously, without Finn Wittrock as Dandy, this year would have been almost unwatchably dull)

I'd like to see them push things a bit more like they did in Murder House and Asylum. Coven and Freak Show were essentially night time soaps with a vaguely overarching horror-based backdrop. You can really split the seasons the same way in terms of feel and presentation. Murder House and Asylum feel almost like entirely different shows than Coven and Freak Show.

With all of that said, the one thing that has irked me about the show from the start is the "make it up as you go along" approach. I'm all for flying by the seat of your pants for creativity and spontaneity, but the viewer shouldn't feel the randomness on their end...and I do. And I find it distracting. With AHS the whole "we make it up as we go" thing feels more like an excuse than an explanation.

For me, the show has never been 'scary' - but I'm kind of a dick like that. I don't think things like this are scary (see my many haunted attraction rants), but I do enjoy thew vibe of things that try to be scary. Add a good dose of sex and I'm in. Murder House did it well. Given just the theme of Hotel, there could be potential there too, but I fear it's too late. The show is in a place where it has to appeal to a large audience and that means we'll probably see more Coven and Freak Show in it than Murder House and Asylum.

I willing to be wrong though.

As far as CSI. I never watched a single episode of Miami or New York and have no desire to see Cyber.

However, I have watched the original CSI (Vegas) since day one and stuck with it all along the way. Odds are it's going to be canceled. CBS shortened the order for this season and then burned off the episodes rather quickly - sometimes airing two in one night. Ratings were way down with the schedule change this year too. Probably time to kill it, but I'd have kept watching.