THE

By Jim Colucci

DEADLYFOR MORE THAN EIGHT SEASONS, WILLIAM PETERSEN’S TIRELESS CSI FORENSICS INVESTIGATOR GIL GRISSOM HELPED BRING JUSTICE TO THE WEARY, SATISFACTION TO THE FANS—AND RATINGS TO CBS. TO MARK THE OCCASION, WE’VE TRACKED DOWN GRISSOM’S 12 MOST UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS ON CSI. Opposite Page: Robert Voets; Clock wise from top left: Ron Tom, Ron P. Jaff e, Ron Jaff e, Robert Voets, Richard Cartwright, Robert Voets Robert Cartwright, Richard Voets, e, Robert Jaff e, Ron Jaff P. Ron Tom, left: Ron top Clock wise from Voets; Robert Page: Opposite

FdCW0209_68-70_GrissomV2.indd DOZEN 68 12/15/08 3:11:37 PM pilot AIR DATE: 10/6/00 Who Are You? AIR DATE: 11/10/00 We first meet Gil Grissom, the leader of the No. 2 forensics lab in the When a wronged wife and killer pulls a gun on Nick Stokes, Grissom draws country—or as Vegas cops derisively call them, the “Nerd Squad.” But his own weapon—which we later learn is a historic first for the lab man—and when Grissom “rescues” newbie Holly Gribbs from the morgue, yelling talks the homicidal gal away from his co-worker. at the corpses for scaring her, we see that this is one nerd with a sense of paternalistic playfulness under his ever-shedding epidermis.

Ellie AIR DATE:12/6/01 Lady Heather’s Box AIR DATE: 2/13/03 While having a fatherly chat with his “apprentice” Warrick, Grissom waxes In this super-sized and adult-themed episode, Grissom nearly kisses poetic about the nature of mankind—and his apparent emotional discon- dominatrix and suspect Lady Heather. Yes, nerds have needs too—but in nect from the ways of the world. Perhaps unknowingly foreshadowing truth, the near smooch is a result of Grissom staring too intently at the Petersen’s later departure from CSI, Grissom predicts, “When I leave CSI, Lady’s luscious lips, in an attempt to disguise his own hearing impairment. there won’t be any cake in the break room. I’ll just be gone.”

Big Middle AIR DATE: 2/24/05 Grave Danger AIR DATE: 5/19/05 When a victim’s suffocation during sex leads the CSI team to a conven- In the season 5 finale, directed by Quentin Tarantino, Grissom races against tion of big gals, Grissom gets a mischievous swat on the behind from an the clock to piece together clues left by a kidnapper who blows himself attendee who’s obviously more woman than he can handle. up rather than reveal where he has buried Nick alive. We see Grissom at the top of his game: In a flashback, as he rigs a gooey reenactment to de- termine that a presumed sole victim was actually a set of twins, and now, as he lovingly talks to a freaked-out Nick through his plexiglass coffin. Opposite Page: Robert Voets; Clock wise from top left: Ron Tom, Ron P. Jaffe, Ron Jaffe, Robert Voets, Richard Cartwright, Robert Voets Robert Cartwright, Voets, Richard Robert Ron Jaffe, Jaffe, P. Ron Tom, left: Ron top Clock wise from Voets; Robert Page: Opposite Watch! February 2009 69

DozenFdCW0209_68-70_GrissomV2.indd 69 12/15/08 3:12:58 PM Pirates of the Third Reich AIR DATE: 2/9/06 Built to Kill AIR DATE 9/21/06 When Lady Heather’s daughter Zoe is found dead, the dominatrix takes Grissom is puzzled to find, alongside the body of rocker Izzy Delancy, justice—and her whip—into her own hands with her killer. That is, until a small-scale replica of that very crime scene. Later, as he and coroner Grissom tracks her down and orders her to stop, pulling a woman whose Dr. Robbins jam to one of Izzy’s tunes in a moment of levity before his business it is to inflict pain into an empathetic and comforting embrace. autopsy, little does Grissom know that a grueling game of cat-and-mouse with this new “Miniature Killer” is about to begin. Clock wise from top left: Robert Voets, Michael Yarish, Gale M. Adler, Ron P. Jaffe, Ron Jaffe, Bill Inoshita, Ron P. Jaffe

Monster in the Box AIR DATE: 2/15/07 Living Doll AIR DATE: 5/17/07 Returning from a sabbatical, Grissom is floored to open his mail to receive Grissom finally unmasks the true Miniature Killer, right in his midst—but a new replica from the presumed-dead Miniature Killer. As he peers down not before the killer kidnaps his beloved co-worker and secret girlfriend into the box, Grissom realizes the case is far from closed—and that this is Sara Sidle, placing her, à la another replica, precariously under a car. It’s one murder, of a woman and her cat, he may just have time to prevent. particularly satisfying when, in the closing minutes of this season 7 cliff- hanger finale, Grissom loses his customary cool, attempting to shake Sara’s whereabouts out of CSI cleaning lady Natalie.

Dead Doll AIR DATE: 9/27/07 Goodbye and good luck AIR DATE: 11/15/07 Season 8 begins with Sara’s death-defying escape from the Miniature Unable to escape the ghosts of a past case that reappear anew, Sara Killer’s trap, and her subsequent trek through the desert, racing against quits CSI—but not before giving Grissom the out-in-the-open, passion- dehydration. As Sara collapses and things look dire, Grissom and com- ate kiss fans had waited so long to see. pany swoop in with a rescue helicopter. There, in one of the series’ most eagerly anticipated moments, Sara awakens to look into Grissom’s eyes.

70 February 2009 Watch!

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