Well episode three of CSI: Vegas was not bad. The case of the week was good enough to keep me interested and the overarching story got some development.
The case of the week focused on the murder of Sandra King, a game designer. She was murdered while out on a run. This was an interesting case in that nothing was what it seemed. The process the characters followed was straightforward and the evidence involved was simple but provided a well thought out plot. However, the episode showed that a first look doesn't always provide you with the correct answer. At the beginning, both the viewer and the characters believed it was a simple murder by stabbing, but it turned out the knives were not metallic. They 3D printed knives into the shape of a weapon used in the victims game. I thought this was pretty cool! The 3D printing idea, not the murder... obviously.
The scenes at the water fountain between Allie and Josh were amusing and pleasant. The dumpster diving with Allie was very practical, it was likely something was disposed of there as the bins were so close to the scene. The scene where Josh uses a solution of copper sulfate and an oxidizing reagent to track the killers footprints (which were dried fountain water) was quite refreshing. I wouldn't have thought to do anything like that, but the ATM machine would've likely been found no matter what.
The CCTV footage leads them to Sandra's company partner Ben Miller, who swears he didn't do it, even though his face is clearly visible. This is another time where everything is not as it seems, another run-through of the scene and the water itself produces a brown contact lens. This coupled with the footage showing the murderer a blue and brown eye, and gait analysis (where they measure the way a person walks) points to Ron Keane.
Josh believed that a 3D mask had been made to incriminate Miller for the murder of his partner. Roy Keane apparently had the experience and expertise to carry this out. It certainly smart plan and devious as she was killed with a weapon designed within her own creation. The team eventually manage to catch Ron as he slips up when trying to destroy the mask. He leaves a digger bee stinger on his hoodie which allows Max to find the burnt up mask and put Ron Keane in jail.
I like Josh and Allie as partners in crime, however, it is a little odd because they used to date. I would hope they didn't date while being professional partners at the crime lab, I would have thought that inappropriate. They also got a few goofy scenes together, they were trying to work out how the killer was scratched by flinging themselves into a inflatable pool of water. An interesting way to help solve a case. Josh was even more upbeat and different to his pilot episode, there must've been a change in writing after the pilot.
We also found out what their views on Hodges innocence are, Allie doesn't believe Hodges would do it because he's worked in that lab before. However, Josh doesnt know, he maybe did do it to be a star or didn't do it at all. Interesting views and sounds familiar. Cough Sara and Grissom replacements Cough.
For the overarching story, there were several lines of investigating Sara and Grissom followed. Behind the scenes though, Internal Affairs Agent Nora Cross was introduced i.e. spelling trouble for everyone at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. The David Hodges case is also been scheduled for trial, not giving the team much time to prove innocence.
By the end of the episode, Gil, Sara, and Maxine had narrowed the burglar to Male, between 45 & 60, and of South American Descent. Back at Hodges house, a framed photograph was missing which Gil theorised is where the fingermarks at the locker had come from. Another piece of evidence was a smudge on a box which Sara later determined to be makeup suggesting the burglar had a possible skin condition. With all leads run to the end, Gil and Sara suggest a visit to the police evidence warehouse to see who could have collected the evidence found in the locker.
Maxine is hesitant though because Gil and Sara should be working an animal cruelty case. It makes sense why Max is nervous. If, for example, IA found out all the evidence collected would be inadmissible in court and would seal Davids fate. Maxine eventually gives them a book filled with the names of everyone who visited the lab over the year, which Gil and Sara go through and narrow based on parameters mentioned previously. The final scene of the episode ends with Maxine receiving a text that Nora Cross will be taking the case to Washoe County, spelling trouble for the Las Vegas Team.
Sara, Gil, and Maxine are the best team in the show. They all work together smoothly and all interactions are fluid and fun to watch. A particularly good scene from this episode was with them in the lab determining phenotypes of the burglar. Sara and Maxine joke that Gil broke into the house because the burglar was likely between 45 & 60. Gil just looks confused at them while they laugh about it.
Speaking of Grissom, I was nervous for him throughout the episode. He kept getting dizzy and blurry vision which was affecting his ability to work at times. It turns out he has Land Sickness, something I've never heard of. Grissom tells Sara that it may or may not ever go away, so she hugs him and that they'll get through it together. A very heartfelt scene! On a completely separate note, Gil Grissoms knowledge of insects freaks me out a little.
Let me know what you all thought about this episode of CSI: Vegas in the comments
I will leave you with this final quote which gives us a fantastic question!
"If you're Crime Scene Investigators, why aren't you at the crime scene?"
- SarahR
