'Skin in the Game' Discussion **SPOILERS**

DJRideout

DJRideout

Following the trace
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Series: 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'
Episode Title: 'Skin in the Game'
Episode Number: 1322
Synopsis: "As Russell and his team investigate a series of murders, one of their own confronts peril on a dangerous undercover mission to get close to the killer."

Original Airdate: May 15, 2013


Story By: Christopher Barbour
Teleplay By: Christopher Barbour and Don McGill
Directed By: Alec Smight



Guest Stars:
  • Marc Van as Conrad Ecklie
  • Eric Roberts as Brother Daniel Larson
  • Tangie Ambrose as Miss Kitty / Angela Banner
  • James Callis as John Merchiston
  • Michelle N. Carter as Doctor
  • Luke Kleintank as Jake / Usher
  • Annabella Sciorra as Nancy Brass
  • Tim Matheson as Oliver Tate / Anonymous
  • Ozzy Osbourne as himself
  • Aryn Wuthrich as Sheila / Detoxing Woman
  • Teal Redmann as Ellie Brass
  • Tony Iommi as himself
  • Thomas D. Clufetos Jr. as himself
  • Geezer Butler as himself
 
The Black Sabbath song was good, and Ozzy was funny when he was being interviewed. Loved Eric Roberts - great guest choice.

As for the episode - meh. I find it hard to believe that there were no LVPD cops that could have gone undercover.

The writers should have left this as a Brass/Ellie/Nancy episode. I like Brass and wanted to see more of him and his ex-wife, than of Morgan going undercover. Imo, it would have been better if the CSIs worked together to help Brass find Ellie.
 
I actually enjoyed the first 45 minutes of the episode.They were working the evidence and it felt like CSI and then the last fifteen minutes happened with it veering once again into CSI cops starring their own Morgan as seasoned undercover operative.At that point it started to fall flat and of course we know what episode 1 next year will look like.Just replace DB's granddaughter with Morgan and Ecklie as the desperate father instead of DB.Need some fresh ideas here.
 
The Brass/Nancy/Ellie thing was great (even if I'm quite disappointed that we did not have much Ellie on screen...)
I liked the scene of Morgan with the suspect but the abduction was just far too much...
The case was not so bad, but like every cliffhanger in CSI I definitely prefer the second part, so I'm pretty sure next season premiere will be better...

Definitely not the best season final in CSI history by not the worst : B+
 
Sookie said:
As for the episode - meh. I find it hard to believe that there were no LVPD cops that could have gone undercover.

The writers should have left this as a Brass/Ellie/Nancy episode. I like Brass and wanted to see more of him and his ex-wife, than of Morgan going undercover. Imo, it would have been better if the CSIs worked together to help Brass find Ellie.
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Agree!

I understand they want some drama and suspense, but Morgan going undercover doesn't make much sense. And I'd prefer a focus on Brass, his ex-wife, and his daughter. Give him the spotlight. Why Morgan AGAIN?!!! :wtf:
The idea of the case was indeed very good, yet it felt like a rush to me. Everything went so fast. Still I think it was okay. Missed Sara, though. Always miss Sara :lol: I will have to watch it again before I watch the second part/season premiere.
 
Article in the CSI Files about a "writers' room shuffle" next year. I HOPE they're paying attention! This is the sorriest excuse of a thread for a season finale ever. It's the season FINALE for crying out loud and look...almost no interest here on the CSI board. I know...it's been slow around here anyway, but this is crazy. They've really ruined the show for the core fans, but they think it's better to cater to the massive casual fan base.

I'm a hard core fan and I can't tell you any episode titles for this season and can barely recognize any of the plot summaries, but I can name episode titles and seasons and quote dialogue from any of the seasons 1-6. After that it gets a bit fuzzy. ;) But this hard core fan hasn't even watched last week's show let alone last night's. And I'm not sure I'm going to either. Sad.
 
And just when I thought they couldn't possibly put Harnois in more makeup. Taa-daa.

Loved the Brass/Nancy/Ellie aspect. The Morgan stuff was horrendous. Nothing a CSI would/should/could do. Strongly dislike Harnois' inability to act. Awful episode, even worse when you consider it was a season finale.


Well I will most likely stay in touch via this board, I won't be tuning in next season, at least not as a regular viewer.
 
so, filming harnois nacked was the most disturbing scene, since csi's first take?anyway that's how one of the executives described it.got to say it ou loud, after last years worst season they've now come up with the worst finale, ever.and if this is not bad enough, they've adopted all my requests which i had made and been proud of, but truly dissapointed in the execution of it.
 
Well I didn't think the finale was bad until they had Morgan go undercover and then get kidnapped. Just way too predictable, sadly for a CSI finale in the last few years. I was really hoping that somehow we all would be wrong and they won't go that route but alas they did.

They should have had the Brass/Ellie/Ex-Wife thing a lot more. I thought it would be and it was pushed to the side really in comparison to the whole Morgan drama. I really like Elizabeth Harnois and I liked Morgan but lately I am beginning to dislike her because they just have too much focus on her.

I am hoping the shake up with the writing staff improves the overall writing for next year. We all know the season opener will be about this episode's turnout, but after that maybe things will improve.

I just hope when the do the 300th episode they do not do another horrible mistake like Mascara.
 
Smokey said:
Article in the CSI Files about a "writers' room shuffle" next year. I HOPE they're paying attention! This is the sorriest excuse of a thread for a season finale ever. It's the season FINALE for crying out loud and look...almost no interest here on the CSI board. I know...it's been slow around here anyway, but this is crazy. They've really ruined the show for the core fans, but they think it's better to cater to the massive casual fan base.
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Agreed.
They've certainly ruined the show for me.
They don't seem to care at all about respecting the history of the show or the fans that helped keep it on the air for 13 years.
Truly sad, since CSI was once my favorite show, and my favorite fandom. The GSR fanbase has been passionate and loyal over the years, and in the end all we got for our 13 year investment were silly meme games and a punch in the gut, or maybe more like a knife in the back.
I haven't watched the finale, and probably won't. In fact, I'd prefer to pretend this season never existed. I'm not averse to change, and I like all the new characters, but this season was unnecessarily painful and cruel to this long time fan. And I haven't seen or heard anything to make me look forward to next season.
 
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Smokey said:
Article in the CSI Files about a "writers' room shuffle" next year. I HOPE they're paying attention! This is the sorriest excuse of a thread for a season finale ever. It's the season FINALE for crying out loud and look...almost no interest here on the CSI board. I know...it's been slow around here anyway, but this is crazy. They've really ruined the show for the core fans, but they think it's better to cater to the massive casual fan base.

I'm a hard core fan and I can't tell you any episode titles for this season and can barely recognize any of the plot summaries, but I can name episode titles and seasons and quote dialogue from any of the seasons 1-6. After that it gets a bit fuzzy. ;) But this hard core fan hasn't even watched last week's show let alone last night's. And I'm not sure I'm going to either. Sad.
Click to expand...

They need to hire Pam Veassey, Trey Calloway, and Zachary Reitter from CSI NY.
 
My thoughts on the episode:

I'm struggling to formulate an opinion around this one, it's far from the first time we've had a two-parter spanning from finale - premiere, but I thought that this episode felt particularly incomplete. With past season finales, even with the summer long cliffhanger there's been some sort of closure to the case but in "Skin in the Game" there was barely an indication of who the real serial killer was, certainly not until the last five minutes anyway and even then the perpetrator's identity remains unseen. I'd equate this to airing only the first part of "Grave Danger" or "A Bullet Runs Through It", both episodes which really need both parts to work as a whole. As such I think it would have definitely been much better to air the two parter as the last two episodes of the season as neither the case nor the cliffhangers are strong enough to maintain interest over the summer.

The actual case was okay from what we've seen so far, not as outlandish as I was expecting and within the "normality boundaries" set by the show but despite the number of dead bodies popping up over the place I felt there was a lack of urgency with getting it solved and the show seemed to move along quite slowly. The "Morgan undercover" plot was poor, out of place and robbed the opportunity for a 'team evidence analysis session' and felt shoehorned in in order to put in another cliffhanger, which was handled terribly.

Paul Guilfoyle was the best part of the episode by far, putting in a really great performance which I hope he gets to show off in the next season premiere. Elisabeth Harnois I thought gave her best acting performance to date as well. I really liked how they haven't portrayed the reporter to try and hinder the team's efforts but have him offer advice as well, even if he was a bit annoying. Screentime also felt pretty balanced (as is the case usually when a major character is absent) which is something I think the show has done well all season. (Credit where it's due. ;) )

So overall it's not a bad episode by any means, but it was too unresolved to work as a season finale. Unfortunately it seems the writers have it in their mind that "special guest star who adds nothing to the plot" + multiple cliffhangers = a good finale. Ditching the Morgan undercover storyline, have the team buckle down and get the story moving along a bit and I think the Ellie cliffhanger might have worked a lot better. Truth be told I wasn't expecting a huge amount as I haven't been massively impressed with a finale since "Grave Danger", but I didn't think it was terrible. I'd give it a preliminary grade of a B- but that's subject to change once I've viewed the second part.
 
I though the finale was OK (nothing to write home about) but I think they should have focused more on the Brass's daughter storyline and not gone the way they did with an unbelievable Morgan undercover/kidnapping plot.

And Nick, next time listen to Greg!!
 
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