The Worst CSI Episodes

[AFIS]

Since I've got a thread for the best CSI episodes I'd figured why not create a thread for the worst CSI episodes.

Remember to list the season along with the name of the episode and give a short/long explanation of why you thought that particular episode was the worst of the worst.


1. Mascara (Season 9) - This episode was nothing short of a trainwreck. Everything came together in this episode to make a big fat mess of ideas that really shouldn't have been together in the first place. The only good thing about this episode was the opening credits...and everything went downhill from there, quickly.

2. Grave Danger Pt. 1-2 (Season 5) - I didn't like how Tarantino took the CSI brand and transformed it into one of his movies. Everytime I watch this episode I can't help but think everything I love about CSI flew out the window to accommodate Tarantino's style. And don't even get me started on some of the illogical things that happened in this episode.

3. Dead Doll (Season 8) - My love for Sara/Jorja couldn't save this episode from being on my worst list. Natalie's kidnapping of Sara seemed forced to provide Jorja a way to leave the show and Grissom a way to out GSR to the team. I just couldn't understand why Natalie would randomly kidnap a victim when up to that point she had just killed her victims in their homes/work environments.

4. Field Mice (Season 10)- I normally love Lab Rats episodes but this episode just left me confused. The whole Brass committing suicide joke was also a bit much since Brass nearly died in Way To Go. It seems in poor taste to joke about death to a character that nearly died four to five years ago.


Well, those are my picks. Good luck to all of you when coming up with your lists.

 

[sharp52092]

*Rolls up sleeves to get ready* Mine's a bit longer

1. Mascara- It was 200th episode and it was ALL about Ray, while the rest of the cast was barely there, and Ray had only been there for 8 episodes, that was VERY insulting to the rest of the cast

2. Two and Half Deaths- It wasn't even funny, it was vulgar, the writers crossover was a completely BAD idea

3. All In- As a season finale it was TERRIBLE, as a regular ep it would have been a little better but still- Hello Nick! Ray isn't in charge of the lab or anybody, plus Riley, Greg, and Catherine should have been used more, and cliffhanger was just HORRIBLE- Ray shot a guy!? Why am I supposed to care?

4. Disarmed and Dangerous- Where the downward spiral of season 9 began, a lot of it was confusing and didn't make any sense, and Ray started giving CSIs orders and just :scream::scream::scream:!!!

5. In a Dark Dark House- Right now I hate anything Raskell related, but what Brass did- covering it up was TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER for him, he put up with enough dirty cops back in Jersey, there were a couple of things I liked- Sara, Greg, and it also had a bit of old school feel with them working the case but with Ray so involved they shouldn't have been working the case in the first place

Honorable mentions:

Daddy's Little Girl- For starters the B case with Nick and Kelly should HAVE at the very least been the A case, it didn't even take up 10 minutes of the ep, I wanna watch for that storyline NOT threesomes :scream::angryrazz: and just cause Kelly dies doesn't mean there shouldn't be any more continuity for Nick

Ghost Town- Oh Carol you usually do such good episodes HOW COULD YOU!? The team should have been able to work objectivly without getting a lecture from Ray :scream: Paul Malander did NOT have multiple personalities, and Catherine should have worked the case more since she and Griss were usually the ones that worked the Malander cases

The Chick Shop Flick Shop- Most of the regular cast was hardly used, WP I get cause he was filming for the Without A Trace crossover but what about the others, and I really didn't care for Ronnie, plus Warrick wasn't even in the ep

Getting Off- Clowns and clown sex :wtf::wtf: clowns and sex should NEVER EVER be in the same sentence, and I don't care for the B case either

Dead Doll- Dissappointing, there were some things I liked about it, I wished they hadn't of shown Sara's survival story, I wanted to be at the edge of my seat like with Living Doll and I wasn't

Working Stiffs- Boring, don't like it when they show the killer's POV, though the guest cast was great

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead- *yawns* Boring, I knew the kids were using drugs, and too much Ray- he's already got the Haskell storyline, at least Sara made it a bit more watchable

 

[Crumbs]

I was wondering when this thread was going to show up, and I have to say, it's a lot easier picking five bad episodes than picking five of the best episodes. :lol:

1. Mascara (9x18) - Lordy, lordy, lordy, I'm finding it hard to think of anything good about this episode! Even if it wasn't number 200, it would be an awful episode on its own due to the stupidly long clips of uninteresting Mexican boxing or voodoo chanting, the fact that Langston was doing EVERYTHING (there's a difference between a character-centric episode and an episode with nothing but the character), nothing was explained, the music was annoying all the way through, Ray bossing people round and the case was so DULL. It was just awful. Simply awful. :scream:

2. All In (9x24) - Whilst being legions better than Mascara, the episode isn't great. I've only seen it once and I really don't plan on a second viewing. It wasn't an interesting story and it's never really explained who committed the actual murder in the first place if I remember rightly. Whilst dull episodes have something which makes them memorable, this one has nothing really.

3. Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead (11x16) - It took me two attempts to watch this one, I decided about a third of the way in that sleep was more important and I could happily wait to see the end of it. It was just incredibly boring and it never had me gripped from the start. Screentime was horribly balanced, whereas Ray and Sara got loads the rest of the cast got merely a minute's worth. I seriously hated this episode and don't plan on seeing it again.

4. Field Mice (10x18) - Whilst I enjoyed light-hearted episodes such as Lab Rats, You Kill Me etc, this one was just a bit of a mess and in some parts, overly ridiculous. I was never a fan of Wedges really so this already put me off but I really didn't like the way the main characters were portrayed by the lab techs in this one. The B-case was pretty average as well and didn't really fit in, at least it didn't involve a dead body. It had its moments, but on the whole it was very average. I have to say the best part was Ray portraying Hodges, I got a really good laugh out of that actually. :lol:

5. Snakes (5x12) - I've read that a lot of people quite liked this one so I'm probably gonna make a few enemies here. I really, really hated this episode, it was another one that really never captivated me and as I re-watched it a few weeks ago, I couldn't help likening it to Mascara. (Yes, I know it's not THAT bad and it came before but there are likenesses.) So really, to me this is a boring episode and whilst Nick has a prominent role in this one, there are so many better Nick-centric episodes out there.

Dis-honorary mentions go to: Poppin' Tags, Toe Tags, Hollywood Brass, The Good the Bad and the Dominatrix, Werewolves, Pool Shark, Blood Moon and Goodbye and Good Luck.

2. Grave Danger Pt. 1-2 (Season 5) - I didn't like how Tarantino took the CSI brand and transformed it into one of his movies. Everytime I watch this episode I can't help but think everything I love about CSI flew out the window to accommodate Tarantino's style. And don't even get me started on some of the illogical things that happened in this episode.

Wow, you're brave putting that one down.

I understand why people would dislike it though because it's so unconventional for CSI and it seems that some later episodes have tried to mimic it (coughDeadDollcough) but as a one off it works brilliantly. I see it similar to episodes like 4x4 or Lab Rats which are great and different for one episode so long as they’re not overdone. Also, you can’t criticise it for bringing in CSI’s highest ever amount of viewers.

 

[PraetorCorvinus]

I had to refrain myself here. There were a few episodes that I personally don't like - but it doesn't have anything to do with the quality of those episodes. Just the subject matter that made me uncomfortable. These, however, are what I consider to be just bad episodes:

1. Mascara (Season 9) - Everything about this one felt wrong. The tone and plot was incredibly weird and just seemed to be executed wrong. The biggest offense though was the fact that as the milestone 200th episode, it failed to celebrate the characters or concept of the show; the very reason is made it to 200 episodes.

2. Cockroaches (Season 8) - The complete derailment of Warrick's character. Yes, he was on a downward spiral. He had been since season 6. But this episode really threw the character under the bus and backed up over him again.

3. The Happy Place (Season 9) - For the episode following the heartbreaking "For Warrick", it fell flat. I get that the title, placement, etc. of the episode is ironic. No one was in a happy place in this one. But it really failed really show that. Except for one scene where Catherine gasps at seeing Warrick's name in her cell's phone book (a scene which felt tacked on), it was almost like everyone forgot who he was. Warrick who?

4. Unshockable (Season 10) - In this episode, Nick and the gang meet... Rascal Flatts! Bad concept. Really bad concept. If they had a caricature of themselves, a fake bad like Rascal Flatts played by Rascal Flatts, alright. But this was just plain stupid. At least with Roger Daltry, Taylor Swift and the Biebs we got singers playing different people. This was just stupid. Hell I can barely remember what it was even about. Only that it really sucked.

5. The final three episodes of Season 11 - I was going to go with "In a Dark, Dark House" but the other two, "Father of the Bride" and "Cello and Goodbye", feed into it. For me, this really captured the dissonance the show seems to be projecting. This also sealed by dislike of the character of Ray Langston. In the end he became a blackhole that pulled all characters and plot in with him...

 

[waiting4summer]

4. Unshockable (Season 10) - In this episode, Nick and the gang meet... Rascal Flatts! Bad concept. Really bad concept. If they had a caricature of themselves, a fake bad like Rascal Flatts played by Rascal Flatts, alright. But this was just plain stupid. At least with Roger Daltry, Taylor Swift and the Biebs we got singers playing different people. This was just stupid. Hell I can barely remember what it was even about. Only that it really sucked..

Ah, come on PC. I know the epi was kinda sad, but what about the great scene with Greg and Nick retrieving the guitar from weird fan girl. I loved that scene. lol

 

[PerfectAnomaly]

4. Unshockable (Season 10) - In this episode, Nick and the gang meet... Rascal Flatts! Bad concept. Really bad concept. If they had a caricature of themselves, a fake bad like Rascal Flatts played by Rascal Flatts, alright. But this was just plain stupid. At least with Roger Daltry, Taylor Swift and the Biebs we got singers playing different people. This was just stupid. Hell I can barely remember what it was even about. Only that it really sucked.

I don't watch on a regular basis, but I did watch this one because I am a big RF fan. I couldn't agree with this assessment more. Very.Horrid.Episode. The fact that the RF boys couldn't even convincingly play themselves didn't help anything. Please stick to your day jobs, boys. Although I think with a lot of acting lessons and coaching Jay could climb up from horrible to passible or maybe even decent. It didn't help matters by having the person who committed the crime being a Captian Obvious character. If you're gonna have a weak storyline to begin with at least make the perp a surprise.

The two episodes with the Biebs sucked too and mainly because he can't act his way out of a paper bag either.

 

[Raynn]

There are certainly quite a few episodes that I don't watch avidly over and over, but actually very few that I would actively skip while watching the whole show start to finish. My list:

1. Mascara - Way too Ray-centric, especially for such a milestone episode.
2. Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead - Rather boring, predictable case. Unbalanced screen time.
3. In a Dark, Dark House - Brass so out of character. Almost everyone else seeming to believe that Ray can do no wrong. The actual investigation of the house was good, but by this point, just sick and tired of Haskell.
4. Getting Off - Both cases were rather disturbing, and not in an interesting way.
5. Cockroaches - Warrick going completely downhill. Didn't like the way the scene with the stripper was done, with all the flashes and cuts and weird angles.

Although it's not on my list of "worst episodes" anymore, I have to mention Leave Out All the Rest too. It was one of the few episodes that I remember seeing before I really started watching CSI, and as a non-follower of the show, it epitomized every reason I didn't watch CSI at the time: very dark and depressing, and then they didn't even solve the case. Without knowing the history, or seeing what it was leading up to, it really was a horrible standalone episode. :lol:

 

[sharp52092]

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead - Rather boring, predictable case. Unbalanced screen time.

Oh yep forgot about that one, I'll make it #12 on mine, there were somethings I liked- the beginning, the end, and that Sara got a lot of screentime, but yeah it was pretty boring, I suspected the kids were using drugs, wish it had a B case or that had been the B case

Although it's not on my list of "worst episodes" anymore, I have to mention Leave Out All the Rest too. It was one of the few episodes that I remember seeing before I really started watching CSI, and as a non-follower of the show, it epitomized every reason I didn't watch CSI at the time: very dark and depressing, and then they didn't even solve the case. Without knowing the history, or seeing what it was leading up to, it really was a horrible standalone episode. :lol:

They solved it later in 19 Down/One to Go and most cases go unsolved for awhile or never get solved

 

[blackflag]

Lets see...

1. Mascara (season 9) - The 200th episode should not have been a case that was personal to only 1 member of the team. It should have been much more team oriented than it was.

2. Cockroaches (season 8) - Gary may have had his problems (Warrick too!) but he deserved a much metter send off than this was setting up. This was just too cliche!

3. Committed (season 5) - I'm not particularly fond of episodes that don't contain the whole cast. And also Sara never should have been left alone inside a mental institution. :wtf:

4. Living Doll / Dead Doll (seasons 7 & 8) - I absolutely hate when episodes are "To Be Continued" over the summer! In Dead Doll in particular I think they over did it with all the scenes of Sara walking through the desert. It made it feel like they didn't know what to do with the story line any more.

5. I Like To Watch (season 6) - Liked the concept but don't like the way it was done. My mind wandered too much. They seemed to make it much more complicated than I thought it needed to be.


Susan

 

[ladyhunter]

Opps forgot to do that on the other thread.

Again, it's hard to say the WORST but these come to mind for me

1) Popin' Tags (season 6)
2) Cello and Goodbye (season 11)
3) All that Cremains (season 11)
4) In a Dark Dark House (season 11)
5) The Good, the Bad and the Dominatrix (season 7)

Popin' Tags was beyond ridiculous. Laughable at best.

Cello and Goodbye and the rest of the episodes that pertained to Nate and Ray were unrealistic, over dramatic and just plain overload on the character.

As much as I LOVE Lady Heather, I couldn't stand her in this one. She called Grissom, Grissom instead of her trademark Mr. Grissom. She was weak (and not in a good way) and the unrealistic and unnecessary tension between Lady Heather and Sara was also beyond laughable.

 

[Speedystokesgirl]

There are certainly quite a few episodes that I don't watch avidly over and over, but actually very few that I would actively skip while watching the whole show start to finish. My list:

1. Mascara - Way too Ray-centric, especially for such a milestone episode.
2. Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead - Rather boring, predictable case. Unbalanced screen time.
3. In a Dark, Dark House - Brass so out of character. Almost everyone else seeming to believe that Ray can do no wrong. The actual investigation of the house was good, but by this point, just sick and tired of Haskell.
4. Getting Off - Both cases were rather disturbing, and not in an interesting way.
5. Cockroaches - Warrick going completely downhill. Didn't like the way the scene with the stripper was done, with all the flashes and cuts and weird angles.

Although it's not on my list of "worst episodes" anymore, I have to mention Leave Out All the Rest too. It was one of the few episodes that I remember seeing before I really started watching CSI, and as a non-follower of the show, it epitomized every reason I didn't watch CSI at the time: very dark and depressing, and then they didn't even solve the case. Without knowing the history, or seeing what it was leading up to, it really was a horrible standalone episode. :lol:

I'm going to have to state the obvious here Mascara and Cockroaches were both directed by William Friedkin (or however you spell his name).

Talk about someone trying to make CSI like his movies.

I never felt that way with Grave Danger, it felt just like CSI to me. At least Tarantino had watched the show since the Pilot and knew what was going on.

I'll have to compile my list, but I have a feeling Mascara is going to win hands down and not just because it was a bad episode, but because the original cast, WHO HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING :scream:, got shafted.

That episode should have been CENTERED/FOCUSED ON THE ORIGINAL CAST.

The yelling was for the tptb.

 

[PraetorCorvinus]

4. Unshockable (Season 10) - In this episode, Nick and the gang meet... Rascal Flatts! Bad concept. Really bad concept. If they had a caricature of themselves, a fake bad like Rascal Flatts played by Rascal Flatts, alright. But this was just plain stupid. At least with Roger Daltry, Taylor Swift and the Biebs we got singers playing different people. This was just stupid. Hell I can barely remember what it was even about. Only that it really sucked..

Ah, come on PC. I know the epi was kinda sad, but what about the great scene with Greg and Nick retrieving the guitar from weird fan girl. I loved that scene. lol

:lol:

Every episode has at least a scene or two I do enjoy (except "Mascara"). Overall though I really despise that episode.

 

[waiting4summer]

4. Unshockable (Season 10) - In this episode, Nick and the gang meet... Rascal Flatts! Bad concept. Really bad concept. If they had a caricature of themselves, a fake bad like Rascal Flatts played by Rascal Flatts, alright. But this was just plain stupid. At least with Roger Daltry, Taylor Swift and the Biebs we got singers playing different people. This was just stupid. Hell I can barely remember what it was even about. Only that it really sucked..

Ah, come on PC. I know the epi was kinda sad, but what about the great scene with Greg and Nick retrieving the guitar from weird fan girl. I loved that scene. lol

:lol:

Every episode has at least a scene or two I do enjoy (except "Mascara"). Overall though I really despise that episode.

<snort> Mascara is the only epi that I will never ever watch again. I forced myself to sit through it one last time last summer when I was watching seasons 1-9 on DVD. lol

 

[Grissom rules]

1. Two And A Half Deaths (season 8) -Easily the worst episode ever.I've watched it only two times because I can't stand it at all...Obviously TAAHM has nothing to do with our show...

2. Mascara (season 9) -What did the writers think about this?Really?that was the milestone everyone was waiting for?Obviously not!!I don't hate Ray but this episode made many CSI fans dislike Ray ant that is the writers' fault...

3. Pool Shark (season 11) -The case was horrible -one of the worst written cases ever.Catherine's scenes made this episode watchable...

4. Dead Doll (season 8) -As I really liked season 7 and the miniature killer storyline I was disappointed to see the conclusion of the storyline...One of the biggest letdowns...

Honorable mentions:All In, Take My Life Please, Leapin' Lizards, Poppin' Tags, Hollywood Brass.

5. A Space Oddity (season 9) -I really like all the other lab rats episodes but this specific episode is painful to watch...

 

[Dizzney]

1. Mascara- Yes along with everyone else so far, this episode was a disgrace for the 200th episode to feature the newest guy who had only been there for like 7 to 8 episodes. The cast who had been there for almost all 200 episodes should have been featured. BAD storyline and all to add to that. Watched first time all the way through and haven't watched it since.

2. Dead Doll- I think I have only watched thast whole episode once. It bored me with the search for Sara and just didn't care for this episode.

3. Field Mice- I loved all the other Lab rats episodes but this one. I didn't care for the Star Trek like fantasies and overall the story was boring. Another episode I think I have only watched completely once.

4. Snakes-I never really liked this episode. The stories just didn't really capture my interest and I just can't bring myself to watch it anymore.

5. Hollywood Brass- Sorry, I do love Brass but this episode I didn't care for since it took place outside of LV and hardly featured anyone else.

Others just to mention: Pool Shark, The Good, The Bad, and the Dominatrix, Turn on, Tune in, Drop Dead, The Unusual Suspect, Goodbye and Good Luck, The Happy Place and last few eps from season 11,