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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

A Thousand Days on Earth

Season 8, Episode 13, Aired 4/10/08

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Episode Summary

CSI investigates the death of a little girl whose identity remains unknown.

9.1

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Cast & Crew

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William Petersen

Gil Grissom
Marg Helgenberger

Catherine Willows
Gary Dourdan

Warrick Brown

Fan Episode Reviews (19)

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As he is about to head home from his stand up gig, a comedian named Adam finds a box in the club parking lot containing the body of a four year-old girl. The investigation brings the CSI team to the front door of a man who apparently has a lot to hide.moreless

9.0

"Superb"

By meathead704, Dec 07, 2011 Report Abuse

The crane shot of the camera rising above the box containing the body of the little girl is probably one of the most breathtaking and emotional camera shots in the eight seasons of CSI. That scene alone will blow you away. I didn't care all that much for the part of the story focusing on the man who was the prime suspect mainly because it was painfully obvious that he was innocent. Even Grissom couldn't understand why Catherine was so convinced of his guilt. Yes, the guy was a liar, but there was a rational explanation for that. That's all.moreless

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0 0
Over-dramatic

6.5

"Fair"

By eva1307, Apr 12, 2011 Report Abuse

I love CSI, don't get me wrong. But I still think that another episode about a murdered child is not what we need. It starts out quite promising: the stand-up comedian was pretty funny at times and there was a deliberate set-up for him being the murdered one. But like the CSI tradition goes, he is just a decoy. The real case is the little girl found in a box.

Of course, everyone on the team is affected by her (especially Catherine). You could feel their pain and sense of loss, as they were wandering round, collecting evidence, with the quite sad piano music playing in the background. But somehow, it does not work for me. The missing/murdered child has been done many times before and it hasn't got the same ring to it anymore.

Frankly, all the characters (with the exception of Hodges) acted very irritatingly. What is more, Brass and Catherine were very nasty to Dean James/Leo Finley. So nasty in fact, that I started to lean towards him and not CSI. So when the final scene arrived, I was on his side, not Catherine's and every word he said was true for me.moreless

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0 3
An emotional, well written episode

8.0

"Great"

By Jellybean_86, Aug 17, 2008 Report Abuse

It's always hard, as a viewer, to watch episodes of any crime drama where the victim is a child. However CSI always does a really good job dealing delicately with emotional subjects and this episode is no exception.

This was a well written, emotional episode which portrayed not only the poignant effect the death of a child has on a community but also the effect of 'Megan's law'. On the other hand, the concept wasn't completely original and has been handled a number of times already by the show.

I liked the ending to the episode, which was foreboding of a possible storyline to come. My criticism of Catherine in these episodes; is that she becomes self-righteous and accusatory she when faced with a child victim. It is completely relevant that she would react in the way she does as she is the mother of a young daughter. However I feel the writers play on this too much; so whereas in earlier episodes you may empathise with Catherine, in later episodes it begins to annoy you. However, as I mentioned above, the reaction is relevant to Catherine as a character and fits with her personality but it has perhaps been overused in these types of storylines.

Despite this minor criticism, A Thousand Days on Earth is a well written and well handled episode of CSI one that shows that the show hasn't faltered in its ability to tell good stories.moreless

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1 0
Full of twists and turns.

7.0

"Good"

By kermitscrubs, Jun 01, 2008 Report Abuse

Something seems amiss. Maybe its that I watched it one time only but I thought the girl died of blunt force trauma as determined by the coroner. When the stepsister and later the stepfather started to relate what really happened that the girl was innocently locked under their sink during a game of hide and seek; there was practically no showing of blunt force trauma.

The most it could have come from was when the stepfather tried to bring the girl to the hospital by riding a bus wherein her head was dangling but even that scene was left unclear as the cause of her death.

Too bad I missed the replay though.moreless

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0 2
Emotional...

9.0

"Superb"

By Parricida, May 14, 2008 Report Abuse

This was Cathrine's episode mostly as she was the most influenced by the case but everyone was. And I really liked this - there was emotion. There was the misunderstood and tragic. The story itself was simple but the way it was plotted and it was put into motion. It was brilliant.

The ending was somehow off standing but it had it's own beauty there and added something to wait for.

But somehow I feel they are out of ideas. This episode was very deep and moving but the case was not too original, I would say. But this episode had some great acting and.. one of the best over some time.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- <Trivia: The title of this episode is "A Thousand Days on Earth"; a thousand days on Earth makes the child to be 2 years, 8 months and 27 days old. Edit
- Donald Balboa, the father of Inez Balboa, when Catherine and Brass are talking to him on the prison, you can see a tattoo on his neck that says INEZ, the name of Inez Balboa, the little girl that was found dead on the episode. Edit
- Goof: Leo Finley is initially listed as D.O.B.: 01/11/74 and Height: 6'2" on Simms' search results. Later, his criminal history sheet shows D.O.B.: 08/07/67 and Height: 5'10". Edit
Notes
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- International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Tisíc dnů na zemi (Thousand Days on Earth) Edit
- Music Featured In This Episode: Fire Sign- David Berkeley Original Bedroom Rockers- Kruder & Dorfmeister Wade in the Water- Eva Cassidy Waiting for the World to Change- The Storm Edit
- Original International Air Dates: United Kingdom: April 15, 2008 on Channel 5 Denmark: April 18, 2008 on Kanal 5 Latin America: May 5, 2008 on AXN Norway: May 6, 2008 on TVNorge Australia: June 1, 2008 on Network 9 Sweden: October 13, 2008 on Kanal 5 Estonia: November 24, 2008 on TV3 Spain: December 15, 2008 on AXN Finland: February 11, 2009 on MTV3 Czech Republic: November 19, 2009 on TV Nova Edit
Quotes
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- Hodges: Grissom! Grissom: What's our rule, Dave? Hodges: That it better be good, and this is. Edit
- Fat Guy: I mean it, man. You had me laughing my ass off. Greg: Thanks, man. If someone finds a size 54 ass, I'll have 'em put it on ice for 'ya. Edit
- Wendy: Okay. This one has a tag. Now... (hands hair follicular tag to Hodges) ... tag, you're it. Hodges: Is that what passes for DNA humor around here? Never thought I would miss Sanders. Edit
Allusions
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- Baby Jane Cordova This episode, featuring an infant identified as Baby Cordelia, directly references the uncleared homicide in Las Vegas of a young girl who was identified as Baby Jane Cordova Doe. CBS Las Vegas ran updates on the real case following the airing of this episode. Edit