How to write a CSI Episode

I am a huge CSI fan. Crime dramas and thrillers have always interested me, but CSI was the first show that highlighted the lab geeks, the scientists – how crimes get committed and solved over whodunnit. It was intriguing.

I’ve caught all the episodes of CSI from Season 1 to its current Season 9, as well as all 4.5 seasons of CSI:NY to date. I used to catch Super CSI Sundays on AXN which showed all 3 CSI shows back to back, which was what tuned me in to NY and Miami, but I’ve never been a big fan of Miami, because Horatio really annoys me, as does Callie’s pitchy voice, though I did grow to like the grittier New York version.

So all in all, that’s almost 200 episodes of CSI (199 now!) and just over 100 CSI:NY episodes (109 to be exact), hell that’s a lot of my life spent just watching CSI!

CSI is one of those trusty favourite shows you can count on. While new glitzy shows like Gossip Girl and Dirty Sexy Money come and go, sometimes thrilling, other times disappointing, you know that after a long day of work, you can always watch an episode of CSI and never really be disappointed.

CSI episodes usually fall back on a certain set formula, though from time to time they do spice things up with a different format to keep things interesting. Here’s what I’ve learnt, from my 300 episodes of CSI:

CSI 9×11 – The Grave Shift

The first post-Grissom episode – everyone learns to deal without our favourite CSI and Professor Langston becomes a level 1 CSI.

CSI 9×10 – One to Go

Grissom’s last episode! It’s sad to see him go.

In the last episode, we find the body of the latest and 10th male victim in what has been termed the Dick and Jane murders thanks to revelations from the original serial killer. It’s now a race against time to save the last female victim from the new DJK murderer.

(I’m assuming the use of ‘Dick and Jane’ is related to Dick and Jane, the characters in a popular set of children’s literacy teaching material in the US in recent history? In my childhood I read something similar, except mine was the Brit version which was about Peter and Jane. The DJK murders are called such because couples were always targeted.)

CSI 9×09 – 19 Down

They’ve finally done it – Grissom has announced his plan to exit. Sad! CSI definitely won’t be the same without Gil Grissom, weird bug enthusiast, overall smart eccentric man with the droll quotes.

The episode revolves around an interesting unsolved case involving serial killers, and besides Grissom’s exit and everyone’s reaction to it, also introduces Grissom’s replacement – Morphe… sorry, Raymond Langston played by Laurence Fishburne, probably best remembered as Morpheus from the Matrix.

19 Down is part of a two parter episode, with the next one (titled One to go) being William Petersen’s last main appearance. 19 Down also happens to be the last unsolved word in Grissom’s crossword puzzle:

19 Down

(Thanks to JumperOne for the original screencap!)

What does it say though? I’m trying to work it out. 19 across looks like ‘solute’ and 22 across looks like ‘trends’, and 40 across could be ‘held’ or ‘help’ or ‘helm’ or ‘hell’? Uncharacteristically, Grissom looks at it and tosses the puzzle into the bin. Symbolic of how he’s changed? I”m pretty sure the old Grissom would not rest till the crossword was complete, now he’s throwing it away incomplete?

(* A little googling brought me to the CBS CSI Forums where they set up a thread discussing the answers and some possibilities have been set forth. The ones I liked best so far are STAGIL (or phoenetically, Stay-Gil) and STAYED and STAYON, which would probably explain the little ironic look Gil had as he dumped the crossword prior to his departure announcement, that even his crossword is telling him not to go.)

More Below!

Mid Fall 2008 Season – Commentary

Right so it isn’t exactly midway through most of the fall season’s shows yet, but we’ve seen enough episodes to get a feel of how and where this new season is headed. Here’s my take on what we’ve seen so far. In order of which show I’m most likely to watch first if given a choice. Spoilers abound so proceed if you don’t care!

CSI 9×01 – For Warrick

It’s like the never ending series, CSI, back in it’s 9th season, but will it be it’s last? The team is changing, first with Sara leaving, and then with Warrick’s death, and news that Grissom himself is moving on… man! What is CSI without Grissom! But moving on:

In last season’s cliffhanger, Warrick’s been shot in his car and is apparently dead…

CSI – All Good Things Come to an End

8 solid seasons of CSI which I’ve faithfully watched all the way through, and you tell me now that Gil is leaving the series as a full time cast member in Season 9? Seriously, what is CSI in Las Vegas without Gil Grissom and his one liners… The travesty!

Ah, Gil~

(found this pic here… thought it summed up one of the things I love about Gil Grissom best)

Some spoilers below in case you haven’t caught the end of Season 8 yet