Customer Reviews
The Dark and Light 
2008-05-25
It took some time for this show to find its footing and decide exactly what it wanted to be. Many expecting it to be very dark like "Profiler" or intricately technical like "C.S.I." gave up on it too soon. The pilot episode offered a lot of background and insight into Jordan Cavanaugh (Jill Hennessey). She was smart and pretty, and terribly messed up, haunted by demons from her childhood. She was also relentless in her pursuit of justice.
Once she left L.A. for Boston, joining the M.E.'s office, she gradually found a home. By the middle of season one, the show knew what it was and many were glad they'd hung around. It became this wonderfully cool show about a small group of people in the medical examiner's office, Jill Hennessy at its center, who had formed a kind of familial bond as they dealt with crimes and their personal problems. In Jordan's case, who was searching for her mother's killer, the two often intertwined.
There was a lot of quirky humor and fun mixed in with the darker elements, making for a great show. There was also a fine ensemble cast. Miguel Ferrer as Jordan's boss, Katherine Hahn as the always "glass half full" Lily, and Jerry O'Connell as Woody, the cop often at odds with Jordan, but sort of loving every minute of it, all brought something to the show's dynamic. Ken Howard was also good as Jordan's estranged father. But it was really Steve Valentine's Nigel and Ravi Kapoor's "Bug" and their interactions with Jordan which made the show special.
They bickered, got in trouble, covered for each other, and generally had a life and a family thanks to each other. Crossing Jordan really hit its stride with the two-part "Digger" story arc. It cemented the show to its core audience, who stayed from then on. Followed by the very good "Blue Christmas" episode, it had finally discovered the perfect mix of crime and quirky humor and personal woes. It was both the dark and the light.
One of the great things about the show was the music. An eclectic mix of songs was often used for atmosphere, which could run from noir to hilarity in less time than it took to make a fun reference to Elvis. From the middle of season one to the end of season two, this was great television. You could never put it in in a nice little box, pegging it as this kind of show or that. It was simply Crossing Jordan.
Here are the episodes for season one: Pilot, The Dawn of a New Day, The Ties That Bind, Born to Run, You Can't Go Home Again, Believers, Digger, Part I, Digger, Part II, Blue Christmas, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, Blood Relatives, Miracles & Wonders, Four Fathers, Acts of Mercy, Lost and Found, Crime & Punishment, With Honor, For Harry, with Love and Squalor, The Gift of Life, Someone to Count On, Secrets & Lies, Secrets & Lies, Part II
With everything on television seeming the same, Crossing Jordan was different. Many episodes and story lines were interconnected. You never got the full story from just occasionally tuning in for a peak. It required some attention and time. It was what made the show work, and its downfall in later seasons when it tried to fit in more. Seasons one and two were terrific, however, and something a bit different for TV fans to own.
Strong female lead makes for a great show. 2008-05-18
As of now, I've only watched the first episode.
If you like medical/criminal shows (Bones, House, CSI, etc), I would recommend this show. Every other main character adds something to the mix - and to top it off, all the actors pretty good.
I remember the first season of Bones, although I enjoyed the show, was a little stiff in the acting department. The main characters were good, but guest stars... eh, not so much.
Some of the styles seem dated, and the picture in the pilot episode seems a little off (could be my TV...), but the story is there and its good.
I'm glad I bought the set, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. I'll edit the review later, but for now I'm writing this for the people who haven't seen the show.
And again... 
2008-05-12
...a show I love that I won't buy on DVD CAUSE THEY CHANGED IT FRICKIN' SOUNDTRACK! it's written on the back "music may differ from TV version".
YAY!!! 2008-05-07
I just got my Crossing Jordan DVD in the mail! I can't wait to watch it....even if the episodes come on tv all the time.
About Time! 2008-03-31
Such a long time coming for this show to be released to DVD! I have to say this was my favorite show ever...the cast just worked so well with each other. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this!!!
Jordan 2008-06-09
Bought it for the "Bride" and she loves it. Made a bunch of points with the wife!!! Life is good.
Crossing Jordan-Season 1 is Awesome 2008-06-05
As a true Crossing Jordan fan, the (finally) released Season 1 on DVD is a dream come true. The extras on the DVD are great. Can't wait for Seasons 2-6! This show is great for anyone who likes crime dramas. It is also very character driven which makes it extremely unique (unlike the CSI franchise.)
Good show, needs time to find its footing 
2008-05-30
I actually discover Jordan on DVD .Having "withdrawal symptoms" at the end of season 2 of Bones on DVD,I searched Amazon for something similar and found this series.I wasn't disappointed,although it took a while before "total suspension of disbelief" works.I had to sit thru something like 6 episodes before stopping the comparison to "Bones"and enjoying it on its own terms.I will list briefly the good and bad points I found:
The good :
As many other reviewers have pointed out,great ensemble cast,good chemistry between the main characters,clever story lines.Very creative mix of hilarity and darkness."Bones" took a lot from this show.
The bad:
At least for the first few episodes,I had a problem with the main character:Ms Hennessy is way too much of a looker,she struts around looking more like a model from a fashion catalogue.The rest of the cast are either plain ,quirky and foreign,deliberately so in order to make her stand out even more.We hardly see her actually doing her job ,you know wearing a lab coat,cutting flesh at the operating table,mouthing long incomprehensible medical terms etc..Instead,I get to see her meddling with the cops'work uninvited,the motivations being really contrived at times.
The "profiling" scenes while fascinating at first,soon become formulaic and repetitive,especially when I view two episodes in a row .
Conclusion:
I enjoyed watching this show,but it took a while before it becomes compulsive viewing.I feel slightly put off knowing beforehand that these characters won't find any closure as the show was axed at the end of season 6.
So :Reccommended viewing,but patience is required.
One of the best shows ever 2008-05-26
I literally just finished watching season 1, it took me 2 weekends. I love this show. Now my big problem is....I NEED SEASON 2!!!! Hopefully it comes quicker than season 1 did.
Crossing Jordan: Season One 2008-05-25
I enjoy mysteries, that is what drew me to "Crossing Jordan". What kept me returning to each episode was watching the development of each of the characters, and thier interactions with each other in the workplace, the Coroner's Offices for the City of Boston. Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh (played expertly, by Jill Hennessy) lost her mother when she was ten years old, her mother was murdered, and the killer was never found. As you can probably guess by this statement, Jordan still has nightmares, anger issues, and a few other emotional issues. She delves deeper than she should into murder cases, making very interesting episodes!Crossing Jordan: Season 1
