So for episode four, I was expecting a Halloween case of the week but filming may not have allowed or planned for that due to COVID changing when it was scheduled or other circumstances. It turns out, it was not a Halloween episode/case, but still a brutal case at that.
In this episode, all main characters were focused on the case of the week. A young man (Jeremy "JJ" Jackson) was beaten to death, roasted on top of a pig, and then dumped at the Hibsicus Hotel in Las Vegas. The usual team of Maxine, Allie, and Josh work the case but also Sara and Grissom become involved. They start working other cases because IAB agent Nora Cross is doubting their stories on why they are back in Vegas and working for the crime lab again.
This was a particularly gruesome episode/case, it made me slightly sick to my stomach, as it progressed details about the murder were revealed, such as the roasting caused the organs and skin of JJ to pool and stick onto the pig. Not an image I like to picture.... ever. Later, staff members of the hotel revealed JJ had been accused of raping the girlfriend of Kai (staff member). Rachel had gone to the police and pressed charges but was pressured to drop them. She had lost friends and family because of the accusation and two weeks ago had sadly OD'd and died.
Allie, who was leading the case, struggled to focus on JJ's murder after this information. This is a dark case, the victim is possibly a rapist who got away with it, which happens all too often in the real world. I can understand why Allie struggled to focus on the one case, even with Max reminding her of the priority to work this case first. However, DNA evidence from the sexual assault kit taken from Rachel proved JJ not to be the rapist, leaving more questions for Allie.
After examining the body again, Allie found the tip of a shark tooth suggesting a Polynesian weapon (like the ones around the Hibiscus Hotel) was the murder weapon. The team eventually determined Rachels sister had murdered JJ using her shark teeth necklace wrapped around a baseball bat. She had done it out of revenge for what she believed JJ had done.
A very dark case that was done reasonably well by the writers and cast. I liked Allie a lot more in this episode, I felt for her. The struggle to focus on solving a case of a murdered accused rapist to wanting to solve both the rape and murder cases. Allie was very human as lead on this case. She got emotional, she made mistakes. Consequently, that led to some great scenes with her, Maxine, and Grissom. Allie work the case as lead, but Max and at points Grissom mentored her through some of the thinking process parts. Especially where she messes up when speaking to Rachel's sister and not taking notes or a partner with her. The end of the case with the father of JJ discovered as the rapist, but not being arrested or convicted as Rachel dropped the charges before she died.
The overarching story involved IAB Nora Cross speaking/questioning Grissom and Sara. The people involved blame Gil for oversight of David Hodges cases or him involved in the possible evidence faking. Which is ridiculous, obviously no one involved in the protection of David Hodges knows anything about Gil Grissom and his time as Crime Lab Supevisor. Cross then questioned Sara, who was warned her character and judgement would come into question if she supported Hodges at trial. Max is also questioned on rehiring Sara and Gil. However, she understands that people need to see the lab as a place with integrity and tells Nora Cross she hired them because of their experience and integrity. Sadly both Gil and Sara are to be used against Hodges as testimony for the D.A.
Gil is trying to see if the evidence/DNA could be replicated even back in 2006. They are gonna work together to trick Cross into helping them narrow down their pool of suspects. They were successful as at the end of the episode, Cross gave him evidence to view and Grissom agreed to testify at the Hodges case. They narrow it down to one man.
We also got more background on Maxine and her son Bryan. He got arrested for shoving off an officer called to a loud party. Max was definitely worried about him being arrested, she picks him up from jail and drives him home. It's nice to view Max's life outside of work, it shows Max is more than just her job as a CSI boss. Bryan gets off with community service and no record which is good, although in my view he didn't do anything wrong. He was breaking up a fight and someone grabbed onto him to move him away. Instinctively, Bryan shoved that person off who just so happened to be a police officer.
I think they need to pick it up with some of the storytelling, I'm happy to keep watching the show because I like the characters. However, I'm only attached to Sara and Grissom, and the stories aren't quite exciting enough for me to be motivated for what happens next week. This is shaping up to be a one and done season, based on ratings so I hope they've not left the show on a cliffhanger. I am picturing the team proving Hodges innocence but then having a twist that is never solved. That is only my opinion and theory though!
What do you all think? Do you think the show deserves another season or just be a one and done? Do you think the show will be cancelled or kept on at CBS or possibly Paramount+ ?
Please let me know in the comments section below.
- SarahR
