08.30 CSI
CSI. Season 6, Episode 6. "Secrets and Flies" Catherine investigate the murder of a young mother, while Gil heads to court to talk about a dead pig.
A perfect example of why this is such a cool show. The Catherine case-of-the-week is entertaining, but average. It does raise some interesting issues but it's very obvious early-on who the killer will turn out to be. The courtroom stuff, however, is a different matter...
This is CSI as it's most unique, and this is Grisson at his coolest. The story is driven by contrasting views as to what bugs would do on the dead body of a pig. One scientist has run tests (to help in a murder trial) and Grisson has been called in to refute the scientific evidence being put forward by the other scientist. It should be boring, dry stuff but it is - in fact - one of the best and most engrossing episodes of CSI ever made. Part of the pleasure comes from watching Grisson in his environment, and part comes from the freshness of having a story like this being told to you. What other show can offer stories like this?
This episode highlights several of Grissom's best known character traits: he obsession with (and passion for) his own field of scientific expertise, and his inability to function as a successful Team Manager. Politics is not his thing, and Catherine is shown (once again) having to berate him for not doing paperwork. But things work out in the end...
By testifying in court, and proving that the other scientist is an unscrupulous liar, Gil does a huge favour for somebody higher up the food chain than him. As the story draws to a close, Gil is able to call in a huge favour: have his late paperwork overlooked. The subtext is very interesting: if you are true to yourself then, somehow, things will work out. And that's part of the reason, I presume, that Gil is such a cool guy. He doesn't play by the rules. But he's not a rule-breaker of the type often seen on TV (gun-toting heroes like Rick Hunter). No, Gil is a guy bored by paperwork and disinterested by the politics of the workplace. Most viewers are sadly constrained by such things. Here's a guy who should be, but isn't. And things work out for him, nonetheless. How cool is that?
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