heya troops - thanks for the welcome back messages
now if TPTB will just stop running us through the mangler maybe we'll all be able to get a decent night's sleep?!
crumbs, that was such a heavy, packed, shocking episode.... here's my (now rather lengthy!) run down (and remember I am 10000% spoiler-free so completely clueless about what was going to happen in this epi):
The episode started with a powerful Coldplay track... and as soon as I really began taking in the lyrics of the song, I thought: "Sara". The mood of this opener rings with echoes of GB&GL for me...
A strong start to the show followed, with Cath and Nick getting stuck in.
Then the phone rang - OMG. Lots of bouncing on chair and covering of mouth with hand.
But, but, but... this is CSI, and we are the first to know that TPTB never give us a treat without snatching it away. A strong sense of foreboding crept up on me then, as the conversation showed the personal and connected struggles facing our favourite couple...
The mood of the show is laid out for the first time in a subtly emotional exchange - Sara is on the path out of death at last, out of her darkest times, eager more and more for life; Grissom is on his way down to his own dark time - wanting to hide but remaining now, not because of his devotion to the work, but because of his feelings of responsibility... and guilt? He wants support - part of me cried out to Sara to stay for him - but I think in the end she would only help him to hide if that happened, and the real problem would be avoided...
So, the full scope of the episode is revealed as our second and third threads are exposed, and we start to realise this episode is going to take our characters full circle on their CSI lives. I remember reading a fanfic once where someone indicated Sara did indeed stay in contact with Pamela and Tom, as she implied she would in Too Tough To Die - how good to see this proven. Sara is a deeply emotional character, and she is true to her word - honest and brave. She says what she means and doesn't hide... I think this is one of the big reasons Grissom adores her so much.
The main body of the episode follows, with little insights into the characters' emotional states after the loss of Warwick. Jumping around a bit, but key points to note are - Grissom's subtle agression with the cop when he first arrives at the scene; Catherine's shock at seeing his number in her phone (I do that all the time - it catches you so off guard...); Greg's gentle acceptance of the shared loss.
What becomes clear to me about Grissom and Sara as the show moves along is this though: Sara knows her mind - she knows that she can no longer function usefully in this world of death and darkness, and she refuses to hide from that or even apologise for it. In fact, she is clearly once again the strong, empathetic woman we saw in TTTD... no more distancing and denial as we saw in GB&GL. No. Instead, it is Grissom that we see beginning to unravel; with references to Butterflied, and even elements of him falling foul of the traps he once warned Sara about - becoming too emotionally involved.
As the - by now extraneous - thread of the 'jumper' is neatly tied up, we move to focus on the two important finales...
Sara, finding once again that people do not behave as their characters predict they 'should'. That she is first and foremost a believer in truth. And that she sets a high standard for the people she encounters because she sets high standards for herself. She was wrong about Tom. Can she face Grissom after his harsh conversation practically begging her to leave him on top of that?
Grissom, being questioned once again about his capacity for murder. Being questioned again about the depths of love. Being brought again to face his ultimate fear - of abandonment and betrayal.
We are left wondering - how does Grissom really feel? What is he really capable of? Where will we follow him, before - as we hope - he finds his way back towards the light of day... and love?
As always, only TPTB may know...
... but what I know is this - going down into darkness is understandable and honest, after the death of a friend; but so is finding your way back out again, when people out there love you. We still have a way of angst to get through yet, but Grissom will eventually find his way to that chess tournament, that rainforest, those loved ones. They owe him that.
:thumbsup: