"Goodbye & Good Luck" Discussion *SPOILERS*

if she was leaving why did they even bother with the engagment?? I guess it was in their guide 'how to achieve the sappy cookie cutter romance'!

They also showed Sara's last moment in the commerical, when she is in the car...wow, cbs you suck.

 

I think the whole engagement thing is a setup for sara coming back for guest appearances OR if WP wants to go and do a play again it would be easy to have Grissom go hang out wherever Sara is. Maybe come back married or whatever. Also may be a leadin to WP leaving the show at the end of this season. I think too that from what I have seen of the last few shows and the one upcoming there is a serious problem with the writing here. This woman needs psychological help. I mean major help. It would have been much better for the writers to simply let Sara burn out and go back to school or just go on sabbatical but as usual its over the top GSR angst. GAH!

 

if they had let her burn out, surely that'd been more angst, cos it'd been a heck of a lot more intense! They could have had the first 7 episodes of this season full of burn out and trauma in the lead up to her leaving. Yet they have done it so that it didn't take over the show. I think it's been dealt well, cos it's not been swamping the storylines. To this point anyway! And I'll let 'em off for allowing it to do so in this episode coming up! Heck, she's been a huge part of the show for over 7 seasons, the character and the actress deserves a powerful last appearance on CSI.

 

Frankly I think it has been a bit much. Grissom's burnout didnt really last more than one episode before he disappeared. Too much build up for the GSR stuff last season to the cliffhanger season ender and then all the buildup to the season opener with Sara's fate hanging in the balance. Then the aftermath. And now we have a depressed grissom on top of everything. I want grissom back to his snarky, sarcastic, brillliant self. Not some moody shell left in the dust. I think the basic writing has suffered a great deal over the last year because even the writers have gotten caught up in it. Let's just get back to some basic well written team based cases. And yeah I'm with others who like the creepy kids being back. They're interesting.

 

I think it would be more likely to be Post Traumatic Stress that would caues Sara to break. And I've been thinking about the Sara/Greg fight - if Greg thought she was going to break things off with Grissom he might come to Grissom's defence and say something, and no doubt Sara would get snappy. Just a theory.

 

I hope that once Sara's gone, Gil will get his act together and return to being the Gil that we've known (and I personally loved) from season 1-6. He's like, Multiple Personality Man. Now he's like, a jerk to everyone who isn't Sara, so what's he going to do once she leaves? Grrrr.

Go Greg. It's about time someone stepped in and asked Sara the big "WTH". I would.

 

I really don't think that she becomes so deranged that she grabs a knife and starts carving off her name out of her vest. There has to be a reason.

I reckon changing SIDLE for GRISSOM would be way to cheesy...

 

If she got really upset and felt she wasn't one of the team, or that she didn't feel like a CSI, she might cut the name out in anger. Especially if her head isn't in the right place.

And I agree - changing SIDLE to GRISSOM is way too cheesy. The cheese factor is already dangerously high, they don't need to take it any further.

 

You have to admit, Sara has a knack for pushing people's buttons. Greg may be a patient and sweet guy, but even he has his limits. Perhaps she pushes him too far, and he gets fed up.

 

I've stayed out of this section of the board for a bit now because I really don't like it when it gets agressive. I bear the curse of being one who likes to know the opinions of those who disagaree with me. So, whilst I'd like to hide away in some GSR bubble, I can't help but wonder what everyone else is thinking.

The problem comes from both sides. I won't pretend it's only one. And, it drives me nuts when we lose sight of civility, but this thread feels fairly even, right now, so I hope you don't mind me expressing some of my views on this episode and the arc that lead up to it.

Firstly, when I heard that Ms. Fox might be leaving, I voted for Sara to die in the season opener. I know it's an unpopular opinion in the GSR camp, and I've taken some heat for it, but I would rather have had that than some of the other things we've gone through as of late and are about to encounter.

I thought that it would be a poetic end for someone so tortured. Now, in many GSR circles they're discussing that, perhaps, our dear Sara is suffering from PTSD, and I can take that, but I don't like a lot of how this has been handled.

Honestly, I was ecstatic about the way the proposal was handled. I was among the few who was very, very worried about that scene when I heard about it, but thought it struck the right balance (besides the bee-near-kiss thing that I really do not like, still). However, I agree with... I think it was xf who said something to the affect of "what was the point?"

I really wonder that myself at this point. I think last season was awesome, but we've dropped the ball on some of the finer points this year, and one of them is the point of having Gil and Sara get engaged three episodes before she takes off.

I don't know the exact circumstances of her leaving, and since she's my fav character, I'm a bit heart-broken about it, as I imagine any of you would be if your favourite character left the show. After spending 7 or 8 seasons with this character, I've grown attached.

So, this is her farewell, and I'm all sorts of confused by what we're seeing. I know that there are two cases affecting Sara here; the one of abuse, and the one that comes back in the form of an annoying little girl. Sara's been trying to smile and fight it and get through and pretend like nothing's wrong, and while we've had little glimpses of it here and there, I don't think it's been handled as well as it should have been.

However, I said the same thing about Gil's burnout last year. So, maybe that's just one of those things these writers don't handle particularly well.

I'm really befuddled by her leaving him a letter, and the lab kiss doesn't feel romantic at all. It feels desperate and reckless, and that worries me. I don't want the first (and possibly only) GSR kiss to be something like that.

I know many don't agree with me, but I've been pleased with the GSR this year. Yeah, it's because I'm biased. We all know that, but I hate romance shows, too. I don't read romance novels. I don't watch soaps. I can't stand things like that. I love unrequieted love. So, for me, this whole GSR=Canon thing is a bit weird, and yet, they've kept me captivated.

However, I'm to the point where I'm wondering what the point of all the other mess was if she's just going to leave? I think that I can understand her motives, but not how we got to this point in terms of the show. I think that we've missed a few key steps somewhere, and the engagement feels more and more like a stunt, a ploy, to shut up and sedate the fans.

Or, in some cases, to infuriate and enrage the fans. Either way, publicity and discussion follows, and that's what TPTB want.

And, I fear that the departure of my favourite character will not be handled properly at all. I know some people don't care how she leaves, just as long as she does. But, for me, she's a special character who I see a lot of my flaws in. I haven't been through all that she's been through (yes, I understand she's completely fictional), but there's a kinship there that you rarely find in a fictional character.

Hannah will come, and taunt Sara in her usual way, but I think last week's case and this week's abuse case will tear her to bits.

Last week, she leaned that a man, who loved his wife dearly as far as we know, had to sit and watch while his wife was raped and murdered before meeting his end. I cried. I can't imagine how someone who'd been in an abusive family, grown up in a horrible situation, would react to something like that.

Sara needs a break, and I get that, but I just wish she didn't have to exit Vegas to do it. And, having her completely written out of Grissom's life just a few weeks after they got engaged also seems really, really bizarre. I feel like they're going for something rather than expressing anything.

I mean, I do not like the promo. I can't stand the use of the sappy music "I will remember you." I also can't stand the YouTube video "Farewell to Sara" that was released for this episode. It drove me mad that 80% of the scenes were GSR. It BOILED my blood. I'm a Sara fan first, and she's had so many amazing moments over the years that I think should have been hilighted. However, it felt like TPTB were TRYING TO PULL an emotion out of you rather than allow you to FEEL something on your own.

That's how the promo for the episode feels, and I'm frightened to death that that's how the episode is going to go down. I do not want to be sitting there at the end of the episode feeling as manipulated as I have felt by the other two things.

I'm sad enough that Sara is leaving. I'm sad enough that this is her last episode, and I'll be terribly sad if it's handled poorly.

I do hope it's not a GSR-fest. Again, this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I want it to be about SARA. If this is her swan song, let it be HERS.

I know some people shudder at the thought of an episode dedicated to Sara, but since it's her last, I, personally, hope it's done well, and that she doesn't have to be overshadowed by the GSR. Yes, it's a part of her life and her world now, but one of the scenes I'm most excited for is the one with her and Warrick that we glimpsed in the promos.

And, funny enough, one of the biggest reasons is because THAT is the Warrick I remember from the beginning of the show. He's flawed and has his problems, but he is a loving human being. Remember his face when he was holding the coin he flipped with Nick in "Grave Danger?" Remember how he got the little boy in "Still Life" to test his own DNA? That's our Warrick. Seeing him there with his friend and offering her comfort is a big thing for me.

Like many, I can't really picture Greg and Sara arguing, but I think I get it. See, I see the two as being in a sibling relationship. Just my opinion and how I see it, and as such, I believe there can be a confrontation there. I mean, I've had so many friends I believed I would never fight with until the moment it happened... So, even though I can't picture it in my mind, I could see it being one of those things that really pushes her over the edge.

I mean, she and Greg have always been tight, and I have never experienced PTSD, which many people think she has, but I have been clinically depressed, and sometimes when you get into an argument with that ONE person, whoever it is, it sends you over the edge.

I'm also curious to see the scene with Sara backing away from Gil. It's very reminiscent of "Law of Gravity" and I'm interested to see how it's handled, and to see what Gil says. He's never been good with people and words. He's a scientist, a goof, a sweety, a quirky kid, an adventurer... He's not exactly Casanova (JMO).

I also do not like the idea of her leaving in a taxi with the wind whipping through her hair as she cries. Forgive me, but it feels cliche. Doesn't she have a car? I understand if she's getting a lift to the airport, but I do hope she's packed! I just so worry that it hasn't been thought through properly.

*sigh* I know I've written a novel, and I'm sorry, but part of that's from not being on the board for a bit, and having a lot of fears about this episode. I just want it to be done right, and I'm petrified at what the writer's might do to my favourite character. Yes, it's all fictional, but I only watch three hours of television a week, so I'd really be happy for one of those hours this week to be amazing.

I'm sorry so many people hate Sara's effect on Gil. *shrug* I've loved it. I've actually felt like he's started to get quirky and fun, again, after so many years of him being a bit dark and moody. I remember at the beginning of Season 6 when the team asked Gil out to celebrate Warrick's marriage and condemn his elopement... he didn't hesitate. It took me and my husband off-guard, because he'd seemed so closed off for so long.

I think some people like evolution in characters and shows, and others hope that the characters never change. *shrug* I remember many shows where characters started out one way then ended up another, and people were angry. Or, people were angry if the characters never evolved and changed. There's no way to make everyone happy.

Personally, I'm a fan of change. I really thought Sara dying in the first episode of the season would be phenomenal. It'd be a huge blow to the team, and Gil, and I thought it'd be interesting to investigate that side of him, to see him in actual mourning and continuing with his job, and figuring out if perhaps he'd want to go back to teaching full-time, giving us a nice little wrapped up ending if they decide CSI's 8th season should be its last. *shrug*

I think it would have been a more effective arc, for me, if she had died. And, I'm definitely grateful for the GSR we've gotten this year since it's my ship, but I'm just a fan of a character getting a full and complete arc, and killing Sara at the pinnacle of her happiness seemed like as good a place as any for me. Maybe I'm morbid, maybe I'm sadistic. I don't know. I just think that this "driving away into the night" stuff might not work.

Now, I could be here Thursday night/early Friday morning contradicting myself completely and raving about how well it was all handled, but the build-up has been less than satisfactory in this fan's opinion.

And, I'll stop... Can you get mod-slapped for writing too much? LOL!

 

Hey Alyssa - I understand your concerns. As an anti-GSR person I've felt the thing has not been well handled all along, so it is hard to imagine that they will do "the end" very well. I'm anti-GSR for a number of reasons, from the age difference thing to the supervisor-subordinate thing, and I don't "get" the chemistry that some think they have. But the main reason I've disliked it is that it never made sense to me. There were years of Sara's obvious feelings and Grissom's "I don't know what to do about this" responses. Oh sure, there were hints that he wasn't indifferent, but mostly it seemed that he simply didn't want (or didn't know how) to deal with it. When did that change? What made him change his mind? While I certainly wouldn't want it to take over a story, I wouldn't mind some comment to explain this a bit. After all, Warrick's sudden (poorly thought out by the writers) marriage had a moment that provided an explanation - when he tells Catherine that Nick's kidnapping made him realize life is short or whatever. It may have been lame, but it was an explanation. So when GSR became canon, my main thought was "huh?" So, I don't think the "guess what fans, they are together" thing was well handled, in fact, I found it rather cheesy. A couple of episodes before, they exchange "meaningful" looks. Then, last show of the season - look it's Sara that's in the room with him! Fade to black. Blech. But anyway, once it was done, it was done. At least, I thought, I could live with it if it meant we would get some interesting reactions from the rest of the team. Last season we got some hints about how some might react, like the Nick - Warrick conversation about dating someone at work, or Catherine's "fishing off the company pier" comment. But when the relationship was revealed, what did we get? Other than the "did you know about it" conversation between Nick and Greg - nada. So again, I don't feel that was well handled.

So, while I personally find GSR to be lame in general, I'm even more annoyed that any potential for some interesting scenes was squandered. I mean, even Ecklie was nice about it. Given the circumstances, I wouldn't hold my breath that they will end it in an interesting, quirky or memorable way.

So even though you are "pro" and I am "anti" it seems we agree.

 

I think this episode is over the top- She's not dying she’s moving on. She realizes or so it seems that this is not her thing and needs a change. I think it's wrong to elevate it to the level of some Greek tragedy. I do understand that Sara fans are upset. I was upset when Greene died on ER but it was so well done I've watched it several times- this looks really schmaltzy to me and not the classy ending TPTB promised. I love this song and have been a huge Sara McL fan for years- I think this song would have been appropriate had she died but not now. Since when does a career change constitute a tragedy? Its not like she couldn't stay in touch - Especially in this day and age where people change jobs as often as they change socks ( or so it seems- remember I am sort of an old school kind of chick who has worked the same institution for more than 13 years) people move in and out of our immediate family all the time- and we are a very tight family- so we have friends in 14 states some retired, some moved to other jobs and they still drop by to visit "Mom and Dad" whenever they are in town - we still send Birthday cards and so on- and yes we attend funerals- To me, a true interdisciplinary team functions like a surrogate family - dependent on each other for each others safety and well being. It is a rare and beautiful thing. If this had happened to one of our long time members as it has 3 times in the last two years (one of whom had a relationship with a social worker not in our direct chain) we'd have thrown a pot luck, wished them "all the luck in the world" because we support personal growth and would rather not have people melting down and compromising the team. Then we would focus on finding a decent replacement-period. No slide show (like high school graduation), maybe a few tears, and some grumbling like I'll miss your coffee, your ability to set so and so straight- the way you handled this or that and the ones that disliked them would keep their tongues in check for the most part (unless something bad involving a patient was the cause of the departure) and do the happy dance at home in private because we are professionals (eh hem). We reserve memorials for the dead. JMO

 

I agree that Sara leaving shouldn't be too over the top, but you have to remember that this is not just for the character of Sara Sidle, it's also for the actress Jorja Fox. It must be quite emotional for her. She's been working on the same show with the same people for eight years and now she's giving it up. We also know that at this point she is somewhat doubtful about her decision.

Also, we know that CBS sucks at making good promos :lol: so the episode could be way less dramatic than what they're making it out to be.

I also agree with you Alyssa and LateToTheGame. I thought it was awful how we did not get any reaction from the team. I'm sure the writers were worried about it taking away from the crimes, but even a snarky 2 second comment from Catherine would have sufficed.

 

Well, her showing that she's really at her limit in dealing with murders and dead women over the past few weeks is part of that build up--that she's needing a change just to distance herself from the gore and death. I could see how working in that job could suck out your soul after a while if you're not careful...