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« CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
February 22, 2007: Fallen Idols
What a crazy little episode this was. To me, this was one of the least predictable episodes of the season, which is always a good thing.
We all know the high-school jock/cheerleader story. That's certainly nothing new. But the events surrounding the disappearance and possible murder of these kids was very creative. (Now's the time to insert your own "Didn't you ever watch [famous show]? This same story happened in Season 2 of [famous show] back in 1994. I'm positive my answer will be, "Nope, I didn't see it.")
The opening sequence was a little long and pretty generic while in the high school, but leave it to Grissom to liven things up. He's a fiesty one when you get him up on a Saturday. I loved when he was standing in empty space and turned to the cop and said, "What do you want me to test?" That's prime, grade-A Grissom right there.
The first twist I wasn't expecting was when Sheila died in custody. She didn't seem stressed at all about her best friend going missing, so I simply assumed she had something to do with Megan's disappearance. And just like her mom suspected, I assumed her headache was just a hangover. Of course, later we saw she got a camera to the side of the head. By the end we saw that she was just part of a prank gone bad, but that still contributed to Megan leaving her friends that night.
Then of course comes the twist where the teacher was having sex with her student, Ryan. Now, OK — that's a predictable one. But I wasn't expecting 10 minutes of the show to focus on Ryan's crabs. Yuck. They linked the teacher to Ryan through DNA from one of those little unwanted friends.
And finally, the big twist at the end, when we find out the teacher ran over Megan, took Ryan's body, snapped a bunch of pictures and then committed suicide draped over his dead body. Maybe you saw it coming, but I was shocked. I have to admit, too, that I was a little creeped out at the scene where Brass and the gang were walking through the building in front of all the slides of Ryan. It just seemed very freaky to me. Of course, it could have to do with my dislike of Laura Harris, who played the teacher. I dislike her only because she haunts me from way back on Day 2 of 24, when she played psycho bad chick Marie Warner. Every time I see her in a show I think back to the very vivid images of her craziness during that season. I think this picture best describes what I'm trying to say.
CSI is certainly on a hot streak now. That's at least three great episodes in a row, in my opinion. Unfortunately, just as it's really picking up this season, March Madness is right around the corner, to throw the show into reruns for a bit.
Until next time, friends.
Wait! Wait! Wait! Oh c'mon. You really didn't think I'd end my blog without talking about GSR for a second. For those of you who aren't familiar with my opinion of GSR: I'm fine with it, I'm fine without it. But what I don't want to see is what happened tonight. The last 30 seconds with Sara shaving Grissom, was significant because it really takes some trust and opening up for that to take place, which of course we rarely see from Gil. (I love my fiancée to death, but her shaving me with a straight razor scares the crap out of me.) However, this scene had nothing to do with the show. The end of the episode a few weeks ago, where Sara said he'd be seeing her later, was fine with me. Here, it was just a random scene for the sake of giving us GSR, and it just threw me off a bit. Plus, now I'm thinking about that, instead of thinking about the great episode that came before it. I'm curious to see what your comments will be on it.
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Feb 23, 2007 12:46 AM
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Why does the 30-seconds of GSR bother you so much? These people have personal lives. It's okay for the writers to include an 'end of the day' segment. Why does it have to have something to do with the subject of the episode? When you and your honey make nice with each other, does it need to have segued from your writing on your computer?
Think Hill Street Blues.
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Feb 23, 2007 12:58 AM
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Oh Wow, I totally have to disagree. I think the GSR scene fit in totally with this ep. It was about relationships, lies, monogamy (or not) and Sara's conversation with Warrick lead up to it. As soon as Grissom said to Brass he owed him one for getting him out of BED on a Saturday I knew we were gonna get some GSR! I totally AGREE with you on this being a great ep and an unpredictable one. And no , I do not think another storyline like this has ever been on TV. Not that I remember. Here are my thoughts... I would shave Billy Petersen with razors imbedded in my tongue if I had to... so just... Hello!! Though did anyone get the feeling (with Grissom's extra little peek at Sara) that he doesn't 100% trust the woman he just abandoned for a month and drove crazy for 7 years when she's holding a razor to his delectable throat? Also got the feeling she might have wanted to cut him just a leeeetle bit... LOL But really, I think the scene was about trust which they are either building or rebuilding. I also got the feeling when Catherine told Gil what she was going to do next on the case without consulting him and the look he gave her they are possibly moving into a time when Grissom does not lead the team... which also leads the way into his blossoming personal life (as the career life changes). GSR was totally relevant in this ep.
This ep might be my overall favorite of the season. This one had lots of twists and turns that I did not see coming. I wasn't even sure Kentner (the teacher) was involved. She kept me guessing. The end was totally shocking and the fact that the girl died in custody was a surprise as well. I liked the not so subtle critique on today's youth and youtube. At least I took it as a critique. I just got the feeling they were trying to tell kids not to pull stupid pranks because they can surely go all wrong and maybe it was even a little essay on the virtues of monogamy.
The whole team being involved again was most excellent. I love tight writing and having everyone in there. There were some cute scenes too. Catherine telling Gil he's creepy; Archie and Sara singing; Hodges telling Gil he'd recognize his walk anywhere; Brass and the soda machine; Grissom saying 'maybe she wanted a ride'... and does Warrick have a sexy voice or what?
Loved Greg's bragging about all the sex he had... only NOT! And as always BRASS is my man. Love his ability to make you feel the urgency in any situation... and he was in the morgue! That was weird to see. I felt like this CSI ep was refreshing. I wonder who wrote it. Have to go back and check the tape.
Catherine could have been on screen a bit more but hey if they can crop GSR scenes down to 25 seconds...
I felt sympathy for everyone involved too which is unusual - but I like it. Sort of like Without A Trace's victims. Especially Charlie's sad 'this is where I suck' confession and when they took his pic down at the end
And a final note to Sara: Do not ever assume monogamy. It's a bad bet!
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Feb 23, 2007 1:18 AM
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I LOVED this episode. Sometimes murders and where the blame falls is not so clear cut. The whole episode had a nice plot to it.
I enjoyed the Grissom/Sara scene. This episode spoke more then anything to me about being alone. There was something about the tone of it that really dragged me down thinking how isolated these kids were.
Plus, I like to see the CSI's personal lives. And it does not hurt to hear grissom mutter something so completly sexy that I puddle on the floor. I always thought our bugman could do close well but I had no idea how well until now.
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Feb 23, 2007 1:26 AM
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oh yes, I forgot, the Grissompuddle. Thanks tiffanyashland, you said it very well. If anything I wish the GSR scene would have been more overtly sexual. Her stroking his hair or toying with his ear. As it is they played it STRAIGHT for the trust and that does take trust... p.s. did anyone notice the area Sara was shaving was already shaved? LOL I guess they didn't want Billy bleeding on screen! And David, what's wrong with thinking about the cherry on top of a really GREAT sundae? That's how I look at it.
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Feb 23, 2007 1:28 AM
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I'm having a real problem accepting the end of this murder story. They have photographic evidence that Megan caused Ryan's death. That should be enough for a convinction. So what was the deal with Brass telling Ryan's parents that the District Attorney didn't think they had enough evidence to prosecute? How can the District Attorney plan to put Charlie in jail but choose not to prosecute Megan? Huh? Charlie was an accomplice to Ryan's murder after the fact when he helped cover it up. If you're not going to try to prosecute the murderer how can you try to prosecute the accomplice?
I hope the District Attorney didn't buy into Megan's view of the situation. Being paralized is not remotely close to being dead. It's just not. I wanted to slap her when she told Nick that if she had caused Ryan's death by pushing him that didn't Nick think she'd been punished enough.
She didn't even show any remorse for her actions. I get that he was a cheating scumbag that gave her crabs but come on. In that kind of a situation you dump the jerk and tell all your girlfriends to stay away from him. You don't do what she did and you especially don't leave your friends to clean up your mess.
I might have a bit of sympathy for her say if she hadn't run off but rather owned up to what she did and showed a little remorse. Heck, I know it was a case of involuntary manslaughter.
Anyway onto my thoughts on the last scene of the episode. The scene did not work for me because it seemed out of place. The writers need to work harder on not trying to force the intimacy of this couple. We should have been shown a little preamble to the shaving. Perhaps Sara and Grissom coming home from work and showering together after a long day. Then Sara offering to help him shave. That would seem natural to me.
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Feb 23, 2007 1:56 AM
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You make an excellent point crysd77, the GSR stuff would probably seem less shocking and disjointed to some people if the scenes weren't so short. If they expanded a bit more on them as a couple and in a fairly consistent manner people might feel more accepting. Then again too much time on screen together gets alot of people in uproar. So I think the writers are between a rock and a hard place and doing the best they can without picking a side, so to speak.
And you made a great point about Charlie being tried for murder when Megan is let go. That doesn't make very much sense does it...!
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Feb 23, 2007 2:35 AM
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I never liked Sara's character, so I kept hoping she would leave the show. So, I am not a fan of the relationship. I wanted GG to hook up with Sofia.
I liked the show, but was anyone else upset by the obvious plot holes. Was Meagan in on the prank? Or, was she surprised to find out about Ryan's cheating? Was she holding the light?
When Ryan was being taped, he appeared to be in his boxers. But in the scene where he is trying to get the camera back, Ryan has his shirt and jeans on. So, why did Sheila and Charlie hang around instead of taking off while he was getting dressed.
Where did the photography teacher come from? Was she stalking Ryan? How did she have time to hit Meagan and still follow Sheila to get the body back?
The D.A. probably did not prosecute Meagan because of her medical condition. It would cost the state alot of money to house her and provide the medical care she would need. Also, Meagan would be a sympathic defendent who would have a good chance of getting off. Charlie propably made a deal and never went to trial.
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Feb 23, 2007 7:06 AM
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I didn't read anyone's comments yet, so bare with me if I repeat anything. I really liked tonights episode yet again. It was completely unpredictable for me too. I had no clue what was going on and it really kept me guessing. Although the teacher was pretty predictable. My high school is nothing what theirs was. I mean, assigned parking places?
Here was another episode of Nick taking front stage again, IMHO. I like it, but I really want to see more of Warrick and Sara, unlike the past many episodes, Cath wasn't in it very much.
I liked the GSR at the end, but it did throw me for a loop, not having much to do with anything in the episode, but I would rather have that than nothing.  So, that was the sharp object being pointed at Grissom's neck. Just when I was starting to really like the beard.... they shave it off.
Is it just me, or has Grissom really gotten pretty white all of a sudden?
Anyway, we had a good run of 7 or 8 episodes straight and now I'm interested in the re-runs to see what I missed the first time. Can't wait until the next new one! It's really begun to pick up!
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Feb 23, 2007 7:32 AM
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gsr gives me the icks
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Feb 23, 2007 7:58 AM
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I LOVED the GSR scene, it was just too freakin' short! "Do you trust me?" "Intimately." Sigh.
I liked the rest of the ep too but my husband had to explain the convoluted situation to me after it was over. I was still confused about how Megan got run over; I understood why just not how. Why was she walking down that road? If she was supposedly spending the nite with her friend, why didn't she go home with her? Still makes no sense. And the ending was creeeeepy. I too will always see that actress as the insane little whitebread terrorist from 24. I figured she was guilty of something just because of that. lol
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Feb 23, 2007 9:43 AM
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Great Episode. It almost seemed that the beginning had a voice over that would have fit into Criminal Minds, and
the Photos of the two kids fading out looked a bit like Without a Trace. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the mystery going.
I agree with David (I got in some trouble last week when I said the same thing). But they lost a great opportunity to have Gil say 'ouch' after the screen when black. That would have had me rolling on the floor.
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Feb 23, 2007 10:14 AM
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My problem with the GSR scene was that it was so out of context. It came out of left field. It looked like it was tacked on just to please the GSR fans; nevermind about the rest of the fan base.
Those precious seconds could have been better used other ways, such as having Brass attempt CPR on Sheila. Instead of appeasing one set of fans.
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Feb 23, 2007 10:29 AM
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When Nick was interviewing Charlie, he mentioned that Charlie had waived his right to counsel. He said that only he and Sheila were present during the taping of Ryan's "confession." I am thinking he made a deal with the DA and was continuing to protect Megan. The reason the DA did not attempt to prosecute Megan, as stated earlier, was that she would make a very sympathetic witness. She might really have had amnesia, because trauma does cause memory loss around the time of the injury. I am thinking that the teacher was waiting on Ryan and saw Megan kill Ryan and ran over her when Megan was loading up Ryan's body to dump it.
I thought this was a very good episode in writing and execution. I enjoyed seeing the whole team. I like the GSR scenes adn the fact that they are removed from the crime plot. I think this highlights the fact that their relationship is a secret in the workplace.
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Feb 23, 2007 10:36 AM
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Actually I think the photography teacher hit Megan with the car after she took off leaving Charlie and Sheila to dispose of Ryan's body. After the teacher ran Megan down she went back to the parking lot where Charlie and Sheila had just loaded Ryan's corpse into the back of the van and she followed them.
As for whether or not Megan was involved in the prank I think she was. I think she was indeed holding the light as it is highly unlikely that Charlie could hold both the light and the cue cards.
I guess I can see how Megan might be a sympathetic defendant to some. Though I don't believe her amnesia at all. You could see in her eyes that she was pretending to have amnesia and her comment to Nick makes more sense if she faking the amnesia. If she really did have amnesia I think she'd be a bit upset at the thought that she might have caused her boyfriend's death.
As for why the teacher was at the scene of the crime I think she was likely waiting for Ryan. After he hooked up with Megan he probably planned to go and hook up with her too.
And now for my thought on how the writer's can show the intimacy between Sara and Gil without upsetting the fans that hate for them to have too much screen time. Why don't the writer's just continue to show little tender moments between them at work while no one else is around or looking. This would work for me.
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Feb 23, 2007 11:22 AM
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