I am a huge fan of Law and Order, and someone recommended I check out CSI. I got the first season on DVD from Netflix so I could start at the beginning.
I was unimpressed by the pilot episode. The plot moved slowly, and there were several extraneous scenes that were largely irrelevant. For example, one of the investigators went to interview a little girl who had been molested. We only see a few seconds with the little girl, and then we never hear anything else about her. Instead, we follow the investigator as she goes to check in on her own daughter.
I understand that this is the pilot episode, so it's reasonable to assume the writers were attempting to introduce us to the characters, but still, it could definitely have been done more smoothly. One thing that was good about it was the character of Holly Gribbs, the new girl in the CSI office. Similar shows always seem to portray the new gal as very strong and unfazed by anything, no matter how gruesome. Holly GRibbs, however, is shown getting ill in an autopsy room, then freaking after having a gun drawn on her, and later making the fatal mistake of turning her back on a stranger. All of these things made her character less predictable and therefore more realistic and believable. The pilot was decent, even interesting at times, but rather unremarkable.moreless
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Episode Summary
Gil Grissom is the supervisor of the graveyard shift of Las Vegas' elite crime scene investigators. Holly Gribbs, fresh out of the academy, joins the team. Jim Brass is head of the unit and is trying to scare Gribbs from CSI. Catherine Willows, mother of a young daughter, is the number two CSI on this shift. Warrick Brown and Nick Stokes are competing to solve their 100th case to earn a promotion to CSI 3. Grissom investigates a murder staged to look like a suicide with precious little evidence. Warrick and Catherine take the case of a drunk who breaks into the house where he had been staying and is shot to death. Nick talks to a man who picked up a woman who drugged and robbed him.moreless
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William Petersen
Gil Grissom
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Marg Helgenberger
Catherine Willows
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Gary Dourdan
Warrick Brown
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA- This episode shows Catherine being dropped off at work by her sister, Nancy. This is one of only two times that her sister is ever mentioned during the course of the show. The other mention was fifteen episodes later in "Too Tough to Die" to Warrick when working with the dummy. Edit
- This episode shows that Jeep Liberties are the standard issue vehicles at the moment. Edit
- The terms "CSI" and "Crime Scene Investigations" are not used in the pilot episode. The CSI's are referred to as "Criminalistics Techs" and where they work is called the "Criminalistics Lab". Edit
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Notes
ADD NOTES- International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Důkazy nelžou (Evidence Does Not Lie) Edit
- In the televised cut, O'Reilly mispronounces Milander's last name. In the Blu-Ray director's cut, O'Reilly says it correctly. Edit
- Real Vegas locations included XO Liquors, Bally's (Warrick was filmed in front of it), and the Fremont Street Experience. The aftermath of a traffic collision (Kristy Hopkins' accident) was filmed there. A temporary median was set up on Casino Center Drive. Edit
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES- Grissom (to Holly): We scrutinize the crime scene. Collect the evidence. Recreate what had happened without ever having been there. It's pretty cool actually. Edit
- Holly (gasping): There were...bodies. I could feel them.....breathing... Grissom (chuckling): It's okay, Holly. It's alright. (turns around to yell at the bodies through the door) You assholes! (Holly laughs) There. Okay? Edit
- Brass: Suicide. Grissom: You think so, huh? Brass: You got the sleeping bag for easy cleanup, the bathtub to catch the bullet, open window so the stench alerts the neighbors ... god bless him. (Brass coughs. He flips the lights on. Grissom puts on his glasses to look at the scene. Brass clears his throat. Grissom looks around and finds a bug and he picks it up) Grissom: Pupa, stage three. Brass: English. I'm not an entomologist. Grissom: It's the third stage of larva metamorphosis. This guy's been dead seven days. (Grissom puts the larva into a container) Brass: That's a maggot, and he stinks. Oh, good, it's almost 11:00. Maybe if I'm lucky I can break out of here in time for a shot at the first rack of the Krispy Kreme. Edit
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Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS- Brass: That's a maggot, and he stinks. Oh, good, it's almost 11:00. Maybe if I'm lucky I can break out of here in time for a shot at the first rack of the Krispy Kreme. Krispy Kreme doughnuts are a yeast based doughnut. The original is a plain glazed doughnut. Today they come with many toppings, and fillings. Vernon Rudolph bought the recipe from a French chef in New Orleans, July 13, 1937. He started by baking and selling to grocery stores, until the demand for hot, fresh doughnuts inspired him to open his own store to sell to the public. Edit
- The liquor store owner (Nancy Fish) sarcastically identifies herself as "Lesley Stahl". Lesley Stahl is a veteran CBS newscaster, having served as White House correspondent and anchor for shows like Face The Nation and 60 Minutes. Although she made appearances (as herself) on non-news shows like Murphy Brown and Frasier, she has never personally appeared on any of the CSI shows. Edit
- When Greg and Nick are waiting for test results, they discuss NFL 2K for Sega Dreamcast (a video game and system which were released shortly before this episode aired). Edit
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Official "Willows in the Wind" topic
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Official "Tressed to Kill" topic
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Elisabeth Shue joins CSI
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General Questions & Answers Thread - Please post all your questions here.
3 days ago2730
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Official "Ms. Willows Regrets" topic
01/26/1214
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