Synopsis: Catherine and Grissom are summoned to the scene after a woman is found dead on stage in the middle of the Cirque du Soleil show KA, while Sara and Warrick crash Sam Braun's exclusive party after Robert O'Brian, one of the investors for his new hotel, Eclipse, is found dead, the gun still clutched by his hand. Robert's business partner, Joe, found Robert's body and is greatly shaken. Catherine and Grissom are frustrated to find the manager of KA moved the unidentified girl's body. He tells the CSIs that no one in the show recognized the young woman; she wasn't part of Cirque. Dr. Robbins examines both bodies. He finds no evidence of sexual trauma on the young woman; she was crushed, but only after a fatal blow to the head. Dr. Robbins is frustrated when he opens O'Brian's body bag and finds it filled with blood; David Phillips forgot to tape up the fatal wound, allowing the blood to contaminate the bag, making GSR tests impossible. Hodges has more luck with green powder found on the female victim, which turns out to be foam from a floral arrangement, leading the CSIs to conclude she snuck into the show under the guise of making a flower delivery. Surveillance footage reveals her going in backstage with a man next to her. Nick is able to recover her bag from a sandbox used in the Cirque show and he learns her name was Celia Noel, and she had tickets for all of the Cirque shows. One of the tickets was purchased with someone else's credit card--a man named Arnie Clifton. The CSIs interrogate Arnie, who admits he snuck backstage with her. When he tried to make a move on her, she pushed him away and got struck by one of the moving stages. After she fell, he fled. Dr. Robbins finds Robert O'Brian had a BAC of 1.9 and drugs in his system that match ones Joe has a prescription for. When they learn the gun Robert killed himself with is registered to Joe, their suspicions fall on him. In Robert's room, the CSIs find an over mit with sesame seeds in it, and an examination of the inside of the mit reveals the gun was transported in it. Sesame seeds found in Robert's pocket indicate he did indeed carry the gun to the party himself. The gun remained in his hand due to a rare condition he was suffering from, Dupuytren's contracture. Sara returns his personal belongings to a grieving Joe, who puts Robert's ring on his finger, next to his own matching band. <HR ALIGN="CENTER" SIZE="1" WIDTH="45\%" COLOR="#007BB5"> To read the full reviews, please click here.<center></center>
I once read an article where a real-life CSI described the characters as robots when in reality these people have lives, families, emotions. One of the reasons that Grave Danger was so well-received is because we finally got to see how the characters really feel about one another. Since then it's been business as usual which is very unfortunate because that particular episode gave the show a chance to explore the emotions of the characters, instead they stumped them again. The writers really have hid a snag on this one and unless they are willing to evolve shos like Grey's Anatomy will trump them in the ratings week after week.
Glad I wasn't the only one wondering what the hell Catherine was thinking processing herself. Also glad I wasn't the only one to cringe at the sight of her using the tampon and, well, you know. *shivers*. I agree the episode was lacking for a season opener - halfway through I was flipping the channels during commercials (which is something I NEVER do during CSI, I don't want to miss anything.) I loved the performance at KA, it was beautiful. But the actual case that occured there could have been so so so much more interesting. I don't know what I was expecting but a death at a huge show like that could have been so much more then an accidental fall. And while I found it heartbreaking that the main suspect in the suicide was his life partner - and I'm so glad it wasn't just another case of domesic problems gone horribly wrong - even that could have been more... thrilling. And what was with David and his really bad day? Anyone else think he was just going to have a break down and start crying? I don't know, but when a character that I adore is having a bad day like that, I like to know why. And don't tell me that a bad dinner with the future inlaws is going to make a competent coroner forget to tape the guys head shut. I mean hellloooo. *sigh* And where was Greg? Five minutes in the whole show? I actually rewound the tape after it was over just to make sure he was actually in the opening credits. I'm pretty sure that I'll continue to watch - very sure that I will be, actually. If for no other reason then to find out how Catherine expects to find justice for her... whatever the heck happened. I mean there's no way that's going to be admissible in court. And if how she thinks she's going to get her 'evidence' ran through the lab without someone asking her what's going on? Ah, whatever - I'm actually tiring of all the Cath!Drama. Don't get me wrong, I love Catherine - but really, if my dad was a homicidal psychopathic millionaire - and my daughter was such a smart mouth brat, and so much shit in my life went as wrong as it does in hers? Let's talk about Warrick. *shrug* I have nothing bad to say about Warrick. I just wanted to mention him because of his delicious smile. *ahem* And Brass. Didn't the man have enough guilt with the whole - I shot one of the good guys- issue? Now while I do agree with him that he went into the situation kind of cocky (oh go watch the episode and tell me you don't agree) it's not like he wasn't doing his job to the best of his ability - and it isn't like he didn't save the hostage. And it isn't like he has anything to be ashamed of. Bleh. He doesn't need to be obnoxiously proud of himself for getting shot, but he doesn't have to hate himself for it either. Or perhaps they're just working up to the big Brass suicide scene. *shakes head* Nicky. Needs more hair. Not the porno hair from last season, but MORE. I don't mean to complain, GE is like a GOD at my house, but when he doesn't have any hair - his head looks chubby. Or perhaps he just put on a little summer weight? Speaking of hair, Grissom, what the hell did you do? I'm scarred for life. And I miss the beard like it was a character who suddenly died. And that's all I want to say about that. At the end of the day, I did like the episode, it was just so... usual for CSI. It didn't strike me as a season opener. But it was good. I've missed CSI all summer - and I'm not all that bummed that it wasn't some big episode... I'm just glad it's back. M'kay. I think I'm done with my very childlike complaints on this episode. Forgive me, I've had about an hour of sleep and my brain isn't processing what I'm trying to say. Bleh.
I just wanted to throw in my two cents about the Catherine thing. I didn't think her processing herself was exploitive at all. I thought it made the moment much more powerful. It's one thing for us to see her realize she was probably rufied and raped. But to take it to the next level like that ... I mean, regardless of whether it's admissable, can you imagine processing yourself? It's the ultimate admission of what just happened.
i think the writers had good intentions with this episode, but they just tried too hard. they probably knew they needed to pull off something big going up against greys, but in trying to come up with that the cases suffered. everything seemed so rushed and random, like they were trying to get to the catherine scene for the entire episode. in any other episode when the guy who was last with the dead girl says 'it was an accident' that usually isnt the end of the story. they got off to a good start, the opening visuals going back and forth between cirque and the rampart implosion were quite stunning. if they hadnt wussed out with a suicide and accidental death it probably would have been more satisfying. thats part of csi, you want to see them get the bad guy. as for catherines scene, i really do not like this story line. but the way they chose to do it was very powerfull. she sees stuff like this happen all the time and probably thinks 'how could i have been so stupid?' obviously her attack was not her fault but she was probably very embarassed about it, which is why she hung up when she tried to phone for help. from the previews it looks like this is not the end of trouble for catherine, and im not happy about it. out of all the dramatic storylines theyve hinted at over the years, catherine gets the most continuity, and some of her stories arent that good. they all have issues, most of them have been attacked in the line of duty, but wheres their continuity? ill always watch the show, and i dont believe it will ever lose enough viewers to be cancelled as others have jumped to the conclusion of. csi will be around as long as the people involved with the show still want to do it. sure they had a miss with the premier, and there will be more mistakes, but deep down we all know we will keep watching the show.
Catherine is a CSI and I bet she knows that her evidence is inadmissible in court.. the question is.. is she willing to file a formal complaint? I'll quote this because I agree with her. And yeah the episode was a bit dragging in the middle part, but compared to last season's opener (Bodies in Motion), this was better. The case of the miniature crime scene seems interesting though, I can't wait to see how they'll solve that case in Part 2.
^I agree with the poster who said you can't know what you'd do until your in the situation. That's why I buy that Catherine, an experienced CSI, might not have the presence of mind to realize she'd been drugged in time to do anything. But I have a really hard time believing that she'd process herself thinking she could get the evidence admitted. I think what I found the most exploitive was how it was sexualized/glamorized. It was the same problem I had with CSI: NY's "All Access," where Stella was attacked, wearing a little sundress, by her boyfriend. Did we really need to see Catherine's breast almost falling out of her top while she put the tampon in? Or her in the shower at the end, even though as a CSI, Catherine would know showering would wash away evidence? I forgot to mention Grissom's lack of beard in my review. I miss the beard!
Maybe, just maybe, she knows that. Maybe she really does. Maybe all she really wants to do is find who did it. Give herself some justice, some peace and knowledge about the 'who' and, possibly, the 'why'. Just my take.
I'm sorry! I know it's no excuse but I wasn't thinking straight at the time, lots of things happening in my life. I edited my post and deleted that part. Im sooo sorry. I feel horrible for putting that in. I promise it will never happen again. My apologies!