"Burn Out" Discussion **Spoilers**

The snapping at Greg, maybe it was just frustration coupled with the migraine, do I think he should have said something to Sara as well, yes, but that's just me, and do I think he could have been a little nicer or how can I put this, not so quick to inform Greg that a gas match was hard to do before Greg totally called him on the fact that it could be done, yes I think he should have been, for me, that scene it was almost like Greg annoyed him or something.

Sara having to tell him to go easy on Greg with the inquest coming up, while I appreciated it I really did, it shouldn't have had to happen seeing Greg did nothing to deserve the attitude he got. This is all just my opinion, please don't get angry over it.

And I will say one more thing, you go Greg!! He totally nailed Grissom on doubting him about the gas when he gave him the results and the info..I think Greg was expecting more than a thank you, but from Grissom a thank you goes a long way. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Greg's got the smarts and the tools to be another Grissom, easily.

To be honest, while Greg is a favorite, this epi, everyone did a wonderful job, from Grissom and the migraines to Super Dave and Nick when they were saying how the job got to them sometimes, I think it's between this and Fannysmackin' as my favorites or at least two of the best written epi's of the season.
 
This was a powerful episode. You can actually feel what Grissom was feeling as he lay down on the couch in his office fighting the migraines and the pressure from what was going on with the case. Alan Tudyk was brilliant as the pedophile, and Grissom managed to get a confession out of him without endangering Jason in the end.

However, the case felt like a Pyrrhic victory when we see the liberal lawyers yelling at the cops that the department was racist, in the case of Jason's abusive Grandpa (whose actions gave Lucas a concussion and contributed to his death) and were unfairly persecuting someone that had paid hsi debt to society in the case of the pedophile. No amount of drugs, closing the blinds or classical music can make that feeling go away... Grissom is headed to a burnout if he doesn't step away for a bit.

I agree with the poster above about how dirty you feel after seeing the episode. UGH. That just goes to show how well acted and written it was.

And the Pizza Gal was hot too!!! That was a nice bright spot in this otherwise Dark Episode!!!
 
I thought the Grissom/Sara/Greg scene was interesting. I loved when Sara claimed the music was her idea, and Grissom looked at her like "What am I getting into with you?" And I took Greg's look to me more of "Okay, what's going on here?" more than "See it wasn't me.", but that's just me. I thought it interesting that Sara would jump to Greg's defense instead of saying to Grissom, "Hey, you okay? You look like you have a migraine." I'm beginning to wonder if some GSR/Sandle tension is brewing. Not that I have anything against GSR, I was thrilled at the end of season six when they finally hooked up. But after Fannysmackin' and seeing "Organ Grinder" in reruns I kinda like the idea of a Sandle-ship too. Makes me wonder if Greg's sensing that something more-than-platonic is going on between Gris and Sara.
Also loved how, even though Greg is obviously under a lot of stress, he's holding his own very well (Go Get 'em Tiger!). And Alan Tudyk was awesome. He managed to make a pedophile seem human, not just a monster, which is an amazing feat. Kudos to Alan.
 
I think it shows that Greg is one hell of a great CSI, how he can detach himself from what must be going on inside of him, with what happened, possibly feeling the guilt of what he did (even though it was to save someone's life) and the added pressure of the inquest coming up) In a way this epi sort of showed how Greg is dealing with that pressure at least while in work and how some of the pressure of the job is getting to Grissom. (but we still have to see exactly how the pressure is getting to Greg, detaching is one thing, how he's dealing with it when he's not working is another)

I kind of like that juxtaposition.
 
I think this episode nicely outlined just how pointless it is to focus on GSR this season. Just a really fantastic, fantastic episode. I loved the interaction between Grissom and Fisher - I thought that was excellent, and definitely something I'd like to see put up during Emmy time (even if it won't be).

But the GSR, even if it's in every episode, is SO minimal. I just don't understand what those who are complaining about it are focusing on. It's sad, really, that they're missing the work that's gone into this season - the attention to continuity, the storylines, the cast chemistry... it's all back in a big way.

And, without sounding overly-praising, this may be their best season yet. It's been 6 episodes so far, so I'm not really willing to say it IS because it can completely dissolve in the second half, but... yeah.

I suppose that's my main point - focusing on the ratings, focusing on the ship... it's all taking the attention away from where it should be - on the quality that the team is putting out right now. And maybe the detractors of the ship and the competition with GA is spurning the writers to new heights, which obviously is welcome, but in any case...

I'm enjoying Season 7. lol.
 
Actually, I think one of the reasons that made this episode enjoyable to me was the lack of sappy GSR moments. But that's just me. :D I'm happy to see Grissom back to his old self although he was a bit harsh to Greg. Of course more of the old Catherine would be even better. :p
 
Well, along that same thread, I'm glad we weren't treated to another, "I'm a MOTHER, you know!" moment from Catherine.

I really like when it's Grissom who gets to interact with these people, as he is, obviously, unbiased in that respect. So any reaction he has isn't necessarily deeply personal, but moral.

They really let Grissom work on his own in this episode. And even in episodes like Fannysmackin', which did contain GSR, it was always secondary to the great acting - which FS contained. Along with more good "verbal nonverbal" acting from WP. Greg's bedside and then the "toddler" moment.
 
I miss Cath in the episode myself. After the first two episodes she has been different...which is expected.
 
I have another perspective on why Grissom might have been hard on Greg, he knows Greg has potential otherwise he wouldn't have allowed him in the field on his team. I have noticed that throughout the shows run, Grissom has at one point or another come down hard on alot of the members for one thing or another.

I don't think he did it to be mean on the gas, or to say "I doubt you" he said it was very hard to do, which did what? pushed greg to try anyway, to follow his instincts on the evidence, to see where it leads him. Not only did he do that but it worked out for him. While it might have surprised Grissom that it did work out, it also made Greg feel proud and it taught him more.

As to the music, to me that was a minor scene as I said Grissom has come down on everyone for something at one point or another, why should Greg be ruled out. I agree when Sara spoke up about it, then he should have said something, but he didn't, he acted kind of shocked about something.

If Grissoms attitude was due to a migraine (Which can be a real pain in the...) Mixed with the frustration of the case and having to build trust with a sexual preditor, I can give him some leeway on it all. Maybe Greg noticed this, lets remember before the field Greg observed alot and that would include moods of the team. -- It was good to see Hodges and Greg working together and side joking with each other, seems they are slowly making hodges role in the show more and more, without tossing him in there and watch him flounder.

The storyline was a great subject, it kept people guessing and it had people thinking and to be honest it goes to prove that saying "this will not happen to me" how many times have we said something like that, but it goes to prove it can, it might not but it can. With all the kidnappings, and sexual assults out there they picked a highly touchy subject and they really brought out the emotion, the energy and the seriousness of it all.

Kudos to the show for doing this ep.
 
I agree, Destiny, with what Grissom's motive may have been, but when Greg came back with his very thorough information, I think it was supposed to show just how much he hasn't been paying attention to the strides Greg has made.

Sara gave an incredulous look when Grissom corrected him on the gas, and it may have been more about, "I can't believe you're assuming he doesn't know this".

If anything, I think being with Sara is giving him a better perspective on what's going on with his team, and he may be realizing just how much he missed when he was retreating into his shell.
 
I think that Grissom is incredibly proud of Greg, and I think that he knows that Greg is not only good at what he does but knows his stuff, or he wouldn't let him out in the field, and I totally agree with all who said that it may have caught Grissom by surprise that Greg was right about the gas, that maybe he didn't realize just how far Greg has come.

In short, I agree with Destiny and sarahvma. :)
 
sarahvma said:
Well, along that same thread, I'm glad we weren't treated to another, "I'm a MOTHER, you know!" moment from Catherine.
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Oh believe me. I'm glad there wasn't that, too. Because that's certainly not the old nice Catherine from the early seasons I was talking about. :D I think she's been quite enjoyable this season mostly because she's back to what she used to be like in seasons 1 and 2 (okay, apart from BTK :rolleyes:).
 
Okay so I have finally seen the epi and I have to say I was tremendously impressed.

I've also managed a few hours of sleep so hopefully my comments will make sense.

First off, Alan Tudyk was phenomenal. He managed to make the character some what sympathetic and remarkably creepy at the same time. Wow. I've been a fan on AT since his Firefly days, but this performance just blew me away.

Second, I've had problems with Sara the character in past seasons but this season I am REALLY liking her. I loved how she came to Greg's defense in this episode, even though I believe he can take care of himself, it was nice to see a return to the brother/sister dynamic that she and Greg have shared in the past.

I believe that Sara was probably aware of Grissoms migraine issues. She's in a relationship with him, she would know, but she is secure enough in that relationship to be able to say, "Hey, I know you're not well but don't be an ass."

I love the fact that with the GSR we're not getting buried under constant Anvils of Sappiness. Considering the characters involved, "Oh honey, your head hurts, come here and let me make it better." would not be believable at all.

That being said, on to...

How damn sorry I felt for Grissom in this episode and how WELL, yes well I felt the character handled the strain both physical and emotional he was under.

The scenes between he and the pedophile were briliantly written and played. Those two men on screen together were stunning and I was rivited by their interaction. IMO this was some of the best writing and acting in any season.

The groundwork for the impending Grissom sabbatical was laid very nicely here and if you take all seasons as a whole to this point you can clearly see why he needs the break.

My take on Grissom is that he really doesn't cope, he just stuffs all the bad stuff into corners and doesn't deal with it. Since the end of season two he's had a number of challenges both personal and professional to deal with and largely hasn't.

This episode was a prime example of that, he was miserable physically (Like many of you I too am a migraine sufferer and there is little pain like that in the world.) and had the worst case possible for him, but he stuffed it all away and did what needed to be done.

Grissom, as a character, didn't have a choice, so his way of dealing with the strain was not dealing with it and just doing the job.

That's my take on that, anyway.

Next...

The Nick/Superdave moment was awesome. 20 seconds of realistic "this job can suck" observation. I love how the writers show the effects of a tough case on all the characters in little ways even though one character my be the focus of the story line.

Grissom isn't alone in feeling the pressure of the job.

Onward ho,

I am mad loving Sophia. Her interrogation of the Grandfather was awesome. You could see how disgusted she was with that man and LL also played the scene brilliantly. I also loved how gentle she was with Jason. This character has come a long way and I am enjoying her more and more all the time.

Ah, my Brass...how do I love thee, let me count the ways.
1...42...89...125... you get the picture. PG never dissappoints.

Hodges for once wasn't snarky, not really, he was actually attempting levity with the fill up the tank comment. It was nice to see some sensitivity come from Hodges and support too, in his own Hodges-esque manner. Short seen between he and Greg but I really loved it.

In some ways I think Greg was the antithisis of Grissom in this episode because he's been demonstrating some real grace under pressure. He didn't get irritated with Grissom's abrupt manner with him, he just calmly and professionally explained himself. I loved that!

Greg came to the table with solid evidence against Carl for arson, so one way or another the pedophile was going down.

The confrontation between Carl and the Grandfather in the hall was amazing, oh wow. "You drove them right to me." Simply amazing.

Over all, this episode rocked and rocked hard. It was difficult to watch, creepy, profoundly tragic and held my attention from beginning to end.

One of the best in any season. 10/10
 
I forgot to mention this yesterday, I was on the Grissom thread and decided to come back here.
I too get migrains, they are powerful, sedating, and painful, and debilitating, so when Grissom 'snaped' at Greg, it was because he was in pain
I like too, someone else mentioned this, that Sara didn't automatically jump to defend Gris, she defended Greg!

and Alan Tudyk was PHENOMINAL! I loved Firefly , I need to tell my sister about him in this,

And Greg is proving himself, he wants to be a CSI and Grissom knows he capable, Greg knows he can do the job and somehow now, doesn't feel he needs Grissom's approval
and I do like how Sara and Greg have a great working chemistry, they work well together, they 'get' each other
she ran to his side in Fannysmakin'
I hope they pair Sara and Greg up in future cases

A very powerful episode indeed
 
Greg and Sara do work well together, I do wish though they would pair him with others more often but I'm fine with him working with Sara, he really works with the female CSI's more, especially in the beginning of his training, honestly, I think that was the best thing, they really sort of helped him along (not saying the male CSI's didn't either, but I think the female CSI's sort of trained him a little differently).

If you listen to one of the commentaries, from early season 5, it was when Greg goes to his first autopsy, that scene later in the epi when he's grinding the bone and Sara talks to him, they say that that scene was the one that kind of put it in their heads to pair them up together more, the chemistry and the fact they work so well together.
 
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