Click to see the full-sized images!

“It’s an interesting character,” Welliver added. “It was great to work with Ted [Danson, DB Russell], who I’ve known for a while, and Paul Guilfoyle (Jim Brass) who is a total Jedi knight and ninja master actor. I also loved working with Marg, and Annabeth Gish (Laura Gabriel). They’re a great bunch of people, and it was a lot of fun.”

Synopsis:

Kevin Fetzer is a successful entrepreneur, and he throws an elaborate birthday party for himself and his friends. Unfortunately, he doesn’t survive his own celebration—he’s found dead, with his pants down, in the birthday cake. His childish underwear are on backwards, and all but eight of the candles have been removed from the massive cake. Someone wanted to make Kevin look like a child.

Kevin experienced blunt force trauma, and his two front teeth have been knocked out. He died after choking on his broken veneers. Brass talks to Kevin’s father, who left angry messages on his son’s voicemail after getting into an argument and being kicked out of the party. Kevin’s father says something was wrong with his son when he was a child, but he denies killing him. He came to the party to ask Kevin for money to get his truck back, and he went to the casino to win it after Kevin kicked him out.

Kevin was killed using a wooden ball from arcade bowling. There wasn’t a game like that at the scene, so the killer brought it with them. Catherine finds an old, unsolved case from when Kevin was 15: an 8-year-old boy named Mikey Moran was killed with a wooden bowling ball and left behind the building with his pants down. Kevin worked at the arcade, and he was questioned as a person of interest; however, an arrest was never made—it looks like someone punished Kevin.

Meanwhile, Nick and Sara look into the death of a man who was shoved into a stack of tires and burned. He was killed in a gang neighborhood, and this particular method of death is popular in Mexico. The fire did not destroy the flesh where his arms were pressed against his sides, and a scar identifies him as a gang member called Espectro, aka “The Ghost”. They speak to another gang member in prison, Diego Barra, who may have ordered the hit; he says he wanted Espectro dead, but he lost track of him before he could get the job done. The crime scene makes him think of Marta, who was Barra’s former girlfriend. She was killed in a similar manner nine years ago.

Greg and Morgan head to a motel, where Darlene Crocker died after being loudly attacked. There’s some sort of crystalline substance on the bed, which turns out to be PCP; Darlene killed herself with a shard of broken mirror while she was high, but someone force-fed her the drug. The PCP is vintage, and drugs from the very same batch caused the death of Darlene’s daughter Chelsea 22 years ago. The sample was checked out of the police vault by former Detective Stan Richardson two days before he retired. It looks like Stan is involved, but he’s dying in hospice and could not have left his room—he must have an accomplice. Nick and Catherine look around Richardson’s room, and they locate a locked box containing the bag that previously held the PCP evidence used to kill Darlene.

Sheriff Liston comes into the precinct, and she says Richardson was her first partner. She doesn’t know who is working with him, but she has a bad feeling about his next target: Rex Camford. Camford’s wife filed for divorce 15 years ago, and she vanished the next night. They never found her body, so the District Attorney was hesitant to press charges against Camford based on circumstantial evidence. Meanwhile, Catherine checks Richardson’s phone records and finds a disposable cellphone that made calls to the room around the time of each murder. They are able to track the disposable phone to Lake Mead, which is where Camford is suspected to have dumped his wife’s body. The team rushes to the scene and finds Vega trying to kill Camford, and Vega is shot when he starts to raise his own gun.

Analysis:

“Crime After Crime” is an intense, absorbing episode. It’s always disappointing to see the return of a familiar character only to learn that they’ve become a dirty cop, but it does make the case even more personal for the viewers. Detective Vega has been on CSI for more than a decade, first appearing in “Too Tough to Die” during the very first season. He was last seen in season nine’s “Hog Heaven”, and his return this week takes a tragic turn when it is revealed that he has been working with Stan Richardson. Richardson found out that Vega had killed a confidential informant a few years ago, and he kept the bloody knife as collateral while he forced Vega to mark names off a short list of killers who evaded justice.

Out of all the team members, Brass and Nick were closest to Vega, and his involvement in this case hits them particularly hard. When they find him at the lake with Rex Camford, they try to talk him down and offer to help him. Despite the fact that Vega has a gun, they don’t believe he is a threat to them, but the uniformed officers who accompanied them to the lake can’t know that for sure. When Vega says that the other cops can help him, Brass and Nick realize what is happening, but it’s already too late. Vega raises his gun, pointing it away from the others, and the uniformed officers shoot him.

When the group rushes forward, most of the cops are focused on Vega instead of Camford. DB moves toward Camford, trying to help him as the others realize that Vega can’t be saved. Nick looks up at DB and tells him to leave Camford alone and let the other officers handle it. Brass, who has already called in Vega’s death, reluctantly lifts the phone to his mouth to add that they will also be needing an ambulance. The next morning, DB and Nick are still at the lake. They realize that Camford must have brought Vega to the spot where he killed his wife, and they call in divers to search for evidence. They locate the woman’s skull, which shows that she was shot in the back of the head. The bullet is still lodged in the bone, and they pull it out and match it to Camford’s gun. Sheriff Liston heads to the hospital to handcuff Camford to his bed, but it is no doubt a bittersweet victory to arrest him for murder.

“Crime After Crime” highlights the frustration police officers feel when criminals evade justice. Sheriff Liston is one of the officers who shared her anger with Richardson, and she’s the reason that Camford was on Richardson’s list. However, her role in the story is small. Vartann shares a scene with Catherine earlier in the episode, talking about Kevin Fetzer and his role in the death of Mikey Moran. It was one of Vartann’s first murder cases, and the most damning piece of evidence—a pubic hair found on Mikey’s body—was consumed during the first DNA test. DNA technology was new back then, and they weren’t able to use it to pin the murder on Fetzer, but Vartann was sure he did it. Like Liston, Vartann aired his frustration at the bar with Richardson, but he tells Catherine that he hasn’t spoken to the man since he quit drinking 11 years ago. Catherine presses him a bit, and he admits that some other officers might still go out for a drink with Richardson, including Brass.

There’s plenty of tension between Brass and DB throughout the episode, and it emphasizes the divide between these two men. Brass is a cop who has been wearing a badge for a long time, and DB is very much a scientist first and foremost. They come at the case from very different perspectives, and it creates some very intense interaction between them. Brass may not be cheering Richardson on, but it’s clear that he truly understands where the man was coming from when he made the list and went after killers who got away with their crimes. Like Vartann and Liston, Brass has a connection to one of the cases the team is investigating. He worked the original Crocker case, when 12-year-old Chelsea was forced to swallow a lethal dose of PCP. Even 20 years later, it’s obvious that the image of Chelsea’s dead body still haunts Brass. DB asks him about the case, and Brass reveals that Chelsea’s older brother Ken confessed to the murder, but he hired a private investigator two years into his prison sentence and was able to prove his innocence. Despite the fact that evidence pointed to Darlene as the real killer, the District Attorney chose not to file charges. DB is surprised when Brass says that justice has been served, pointing out that Darlene was murdered. Brass cuts him off, correcting him: Chelsea was murdered, but Darlene “got what was coming to her.”

Later in the episode, DB returns to Brass’s office to ask him about Richardson, and the tension is still thick between them as they talk. Brass doesn’t believe that Richardson would be involved in the revenge killings, and he tells DB that every cop has a “hit list” running through his mind—but they don’t act on that desire. When DB reveals that Richardson checked the PCP evidence out of the LVPD vault, Brass sits down slowly and says that Richardson isn’t a murderer. DB reminds him of his own words, suggesting that Richardson might think of his actions as justice, that the victims ‘got what they had coming to them.’

At the end of the hour, Brass heads to Richardson’s room at the hospice to pick up his personal effects, including a letter explaining his actions. A bit later, DB comes to Brass’s office for one last conversation. The case may be over, but things are still awkward between the men. DB takes the opportunity to tell Brass that while they may not be close friends, he does have a great deal of respect for the detective. He also reminds Brass that they did arrest a man who killed his wife, and that means something.

This is the second episode in a row to end with a closeup of Brass’s expression. As I mentioned in my review for “Brain Doe”, Paul Guilfoyle has a tremendous talent for bringing emotion to the smallest moments. The character’s feelings are written all over his face, and it is clear that the “burden of the badge”, as Richardson referred to it in his letter, weighs heavily on Brass as the hour draws to a close. Before DB leaves his office, Brass reveals that the funerals for Richardson and Vega will take place on the same day. Rather than attend either one, a very subdued Brass suggests that he might get up early and ride a motorcycle out of town.

See also: “Crime After Crime” episode guide

Synopsis:

A convertible rolls through a Tasty Time drive-through, and it looks like no one is behind the wheel. The car continues rolling into the street, causing an accident with a Jeep and a truck that claims three lives. The man in the convertible is dead, the man driving the Jeep was ejected from the car and died, and the man in the truck had his throat slit during the accident. DB notices a problem when he finds a brain that doesn’t belong to one of their victims resting among the tires that fell from the truck.

The man in the convertible, Danny Clegg, was transporting the brain in a cooler. Sara finds oxycodone pills in the car, and there’s yellow powder on a crowbar in a gym bag. They don’t find the body that goes with the brain in the trunk, but they do find a football with the number 17 on it. Clegg has several of the oxy pills in his stomach, and there are track marks on his arms. He died from a drug overdose and collapsed on the front seat of the car before rolling out into traffic.

The spare brain belongs to a man, and Catherine heads out to a mortuary after they get a call that a man’s brain has been stolen. Lt Theodore Seligson was Jewish, so he was not embalmed, and there is a shoe print matching Clegg’s on the ground next to the body. Yellow powder and crow bar marks on the door offer further proof that Clegg broke in and stole Seligson’s brain. However, the brain Clegg was transporting when he died does not belong to the dead soldier—Seligson’s brain is still missing.

The brain they have belongs to Ryan Dempsey, a former MMA fighter who was having problems before he killed himself. He wanted his brain to be studied so they would know if he had something called Chronic Traumatic Encephalitis, or CTE. After Dempsey committed suicide, his wife called their family friend Bill Pernin for help, and Pernin contacted a private pathologist named Dr Eller. Eller came to remove Dempsey’s brain, and he was supposed to deliver it to a hospital for analysis; however, instead of taking the brain to the hospital, Eller met with Clegg in the parking lot of another Tasty Time restaurant. They switched containers, and Eller delivered Lt Seligson’s brain to the hospital instead. The team searches for Eller, but they find him dead inside of his car. He was shot once by another driver who pulled up beside him in an abandoned parking lot.

The yellow powder in Clegg’s gym bag and on the floor in the mortuary is a type of high end talcum powder used at gyms—including Bill Pernin’s Power Center, where Dempsey learned to fight in the MMA along with Clegg before Clegg was kicked out for using drugs. Pernin has an energy drink that he is trying to market, and the team realizes that it would look bad for him if one of his fighters was diagnosed with CTE. Pernin hired Clegg to get another brain, and he hired Eller—who once worked out at the gym—to remove Dempsey’s brain and make the switch. Pernin’s goal was to keep Dempsey’s brain from being studied. However, it seems unlikely that Pernin would go through the trouble of having Dempsey’s brain stolen and then killing Eller if he was only trying to cover up the CTE diagnosis.

Nick and DB are still confused about the football in Clegg’s trunk, and they wonder the significance of the number 17—right before he died, Clegg ordered a number 17 triple cheeseburger from the Tasty Time menu even though he always bought chicken nuggets. They know that Clegg never played football, but Dempsey did, and they wonder if the ball belonged to him. Curious about what secrets the ball might be hiding, Nick cuts it open and finds syringes inside with Pernin’s fingerprints on them. Clegg died on his way to a nearby police station to deliver Dempsey’s brain and the syringes so he could expose the truth about Pernin. The trainer had been dosing his fighters with a drug called dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and that was the secret Pernin was trying to protect. The syringe evidence gets the team a warrant, and they find the gun that killed Eller in the trainer’s house.

Analysis:

“Brain Doe” is an intriguing mystery, and the viewer is drawn in the moment DB finds an extra brain at the scene. It appears that the man driving the convertible, Clegg, is involved in a murder, but the reality is far more complex. I had trouble keeping up with all of the twists and turns at one point, but everything became clear by the end of the episode.

What happened to the victims and poor Lt Seligson is horrible, but the truth about Dempsey’s death is even more tragic. Years of MMA fighting left the man with a string of concussions and eventual Chronic Traumatic Encephalitis (CTE). The degenerative disease left him with memory problems and made him aggressive, and DB sees bruises on his wife Joyce’s arm when he brings her in to let her know that her husband’s brain is missing. Brass feels an immediate connection with Dempsey’s son Declan, and he sits down to speak to the boy while DB is with Joyce. Brass talks about his own father, who was also a police officer, revealing that the man could be abusive. Brass says he was 15 when he finally hit his father back, and he’d never felt better—or worse—than he did in that moment. He tries to ask Declan if his parents fought, but Joyce emerges from the interrogation room and leaves with her son before Declan can say anything. Brass decides that he should look up whether there were any domestic violence calls against Dempsey, but he finds something disturbing when he gets the file for Dempsey’s so-called suicide. There’s no sign of gunshot residue on Dempsey’s shirt, proving that the shooter was standing at least three feet away when the gun was fired.

Knowing that Dempsey was abusive toward his wife, Brass assumes that the woman shot her husband in self-defense. Bill Pernin’s phone records prove that he has been having an affair with Joyce, and they wonder if Dempsey found out about the relationship and went after his wife. Pernin helped make the murder look like a suicide, but even after he is arrested for killing Dr Eller, Pernin refuses to give up anything on Joyce. Brass tries to speak to Declan again, hoping the boy will give them the information they need to prove that Joyce was holding the gun. Declan says his father was always abusive. The night he died, Dempsey pushed Declan down the stairs and started choking Joyce, and Declan couldn’t stop him. Brass realizes the truth before Declan can say it out loud, and he tells him not to say another word, but Declan doesn’t listen. He confesses to shooting his father, and he says he never felt better.

Paul Guilfoyle is a tremendous actor, and he always hits just the right note in every scene. The look on his face in the final scene with Declan is perfect. He’s convinced that he knows what happened that night, and he comes into the room feeling confident that his rapport with Declan will help him uncover the truth. However, as the scene continues, his expression transitions to confusion and then a dawning realization. You can see it in his eyes the moment he figures out what happened in that cabin, and his hand comes up as if he can physically stop Declan from confessing. The episode ends with a shot of Brass’s stunned face, and Guilfoyle never fails to impress me with how much talent he brings to the show and his ability to bring genuine emotion to even the smallest moments.

A far different father-son relationship is featured in “Brain Doe” as well, and the audience gets their first glimpse of DB’s son Charlie. As he revealed in “Bittersweet”, Charlie is a freshman at WLVU, and he’s on the basketball team. The young man comes to the lab this week to see his father, and he speaks with Nick. It’s fun to see DB’s son interact with part of his ‘work family’, especially since DB has taken on a paternal role with the younger members of the team. As Charlie finds out, DB’s methods at the lab are definitely similar to the way he helps run the family at home, and it’s a really interesting moment between the characters. DB comes in a minute later, and things get a bit awkward before Nick excuses himself to get back to work and leaves DB and Charlie alone.

DB is not pleased to learn that Charlie has been suspended from the basketball team for a game after he missed curfew, but he keeps his cool and tells the young man they’ll discuss the situation later. When DB and Charlie sit down to talk toward the end of the episode, the audience learns what happened. It would be easy for Charlie to be written as a typical, troublesome teenager—those are so very common on TV—but that isn’t the case here. Charlie missed curfew because he was out bouldering alone, and he confesses to his father that he feels like an outcast around the rest of the team. DB says Charlie is the weird new guy on the team, and he can relate since he’s the weird new guy in the lab. This earns a laugh, and DB encourages Charlie to apologize to his coach and work hard during the next game. The relationship between father and son is really touching, and I’m glad we finally got a chance to see DB in ‘action’ as a parent, so to speak. Brandon Jones is a great choice for the role, and I hope we haven’t seen the last of Charlie. The next item on my wishlist is to see DB’s wife on screen—their phone conversations have me curious about just what kind of woman married DB Russell.

Elsewhere, the wheels are being set in motion for Marg Helgenberger’s upcoming exit from the series. Sheriff Liston comes to see Catherine and asks how she’s doing. Catherine says she’s fine, but Liston reveals that she’d be angry if she got demoted and had no immediate chance for advancement. Liston says, “Sometimes you have to move out to move up,” and she tells Catherine about a great opportunity in Washington, DC, where the Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to establish a Forensic Science Commission. They need a full-time staffer who is an expert in the field, and Liston recommended Catherine for the position. The sheriff points out that it can be difficult for women in law enforcement, and she gives Catherine the phone number so she can think it over and make her decision soon. I’m not sure if Catherine will take the job, but it would be an interesting way to write her out of the series while giving the audience a satisfying sense of closure. As much as I love DB as a character and as a boss in the lab, it was disappointing to see Catherine demoted in the wake of the Nate Haskell fiasco. If she moves to Washington, DC to work for the FBI, it would definitely allow the character to leave on a high note.

See also: “Brain Doe” episode guide

Click the image to see it full-size. It is the exclusive property of CBS Broadcasting Inc. and may not be archived, leased, sold or distributed in any fashion without consent from CBS. It is released for one-time editorial use only.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Behind-the-scenes: Marg Helgenberger while the next scene is being set up in this behind-the-scenes photo from her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Marg Helgenberger receives her name plate knowing millions of fans across the world will miss seeing her on CSI. See her last episode airing, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, left) stands in the doorway along side Laura Gabriel (Annabeth Gish) in this scene in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) walks through the walls of CSI one last time in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) hugs one of her longtime co-workers (Nick Stokes (George Eads) as members of the CSI team look on in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Ted Danson, Paul Guilfoyle, Elisabeth Harnois, Marg Helgenberger, Eric Szmanda and George Eads. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) hugs one of her longtime co-workers (Nick Stokes (George Eads) as members of the CSI team look on in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger, left) hugs Captain Jim Brass as other CSI members including D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, left), Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) look on in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- This is a very emotional moment for Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- This is a very emotional moment for Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- This is a very emotional moment for Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) in her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox, left) and Nick Stokes (George Eads) are about to be hit with some news in Marg Helgenberger's last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Morgan Brody (Elisabeth Harnois, left), Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), Nick Stokes (George Eads) and Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) all look concerned as they leave the lab in this scene from Marg Helgenberger's last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) checks her phone while being engaged in conversation in this scene in Marg Helgenberger's last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) stands beside Laura Gabriel (Annabeth Gish) and Agent Pratt (Matt Lauria) in this scene from her last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Marg Helgenberger's last episode. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Catherine Helgenberger on her last day on the set of CSI, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Members of the CSI team from left to right Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda, left), Morgan Brody, (Elisabeth Harnois), Nick Stokes (George Eads) and Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox, right) all react to what Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle, standing) has to say in Marg Helgenberger's last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Willows in the Wind"-- Cather Willows (Marg Helgenberger, left) and D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) in Helgenberger's last episode on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

You can find the video featuring the full interview embedded after the jump!

Source: Premiere.fr

It’s good to be Elizabeth Devine. Not only is the former criminalist back on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as a consulting producer (Devine left the series after season four to work on spinoff CSI: Miami), but “Genetic Disorder,” her first script produced this season, brought in big ratings–the highest since this season’s premiere. Just a few hours after preliminary ratings surfaced, the Jill of all trades (fair to say for someone who can write and solve crimes in real life!) talks with CSI Files’ Shane Saunders about some behind-the-scenes changes required for her episode, saying goodbye to a best friend, and teases what’s to come after CSI‘s winter hiatus. Spoilers after the jump!

CSI Files: This was your first teleplay since you returned this season. What’s different about being at CSIsince your last episode?

Marg Helgenberger (left) and Elizabeth Devine (right) on the set of "Genetic Disorder." (photo: Elizabeth Devine)

Elizabeth Devine: Well, we have a really collaborative writing staff here–not that we didn’t before–and everybody is just more seasoned. Trying to find new methods is really hard now because our fans are just so smart they know everything, so I was fortunate to be able to find the familial DNA in CODIS was something we hadn’t done before. That was kind of fun. At first when we were writing, everything was new to us and everything was cool. Now, you really have to work to get our fans interested because they know everything, so that was fun.

CSI Files: Last year David Rambo and Carol Mendelsohn had a pilot in development that dealt with geneology. Was “Genetic Disorder” an idea from Carol since the pilot was never produced?

Devine: She has a complete fascination with geneology and yes, her research in the pilot that she wrote had something to do with that, absolutely. I wouldn’t say that’s why she wanted to do geneology but she knows it’s a great arena that people are really interested in. We thought it would be fun to do an episode around it. She has a lot of research that I got to look through. She just loves this episode; she was just so excited about it. Geneology is very close to her heart.

CSI Files: How many drafts did your script go through due to the cast changes in this episode?

Devine: That was, I guess, the hardest part. I was told initially that Jorja [Fox, Sara Sidle] would not be in the episode, that Ted [Danson, DB Russell] and Marg [Helgenberger, Catherine Willows] would be light; so I thought ‘well, okay, that’s fine.’ We have such a great cast we can always focus on someone else. But at the very last minute George Eads [Nick Stokes] had a family emergency, so the night before we started shooting we did have to rewrite the whole show. That was kind of stressful. [Laughs.] And because there was personal geneology information from a character’s standpoint, I had to do a lot of research at the last minute to get the Norwegian backstory as opposed to what I had for Nick. There wasn’t just dialogue changes for the characters, it was some major geneology stuff that I had to find at the very last minute, but that’s kind of the fun part. I was sad to not have George, but things happens and we’re a family here and supported whatever had to be done on his end. We knew Eric Szmanda [Greg Sanders] would step up to the plate, which he did fabulously.

CSI Files: So your first draft had Nick working with all of the geneology information?

Devine: Yes.

CSI Files: It was a big episode for Doc Robbins last night, and Robert David Hall just knocked it out of the park. When creating the character of Judy Robbins, what did you guys have in mind? We’ve never seen her before, but she’s been mentioned during the past eleven seasons.

Devine: What I really wanted to demonstrate is that despite his disability, not only does he have a wife that loves him, but they have a very long-term marriage, which long-term anything has its ups-and-downs, but there was a general faith that they had in each other that was rocked a little bit in this episode. What I wanted to do is what you would not expect when you have someone finding their wife in a compromising situation where it really looks like she’s having an affair. I wanted him to be different than what we would expect which is the yelling and the ‘I’m gonna divorce you,’ all of that stuff that you usually see on shows. I really wanted Doc to be smarter than that and be hurt, but because he’s a forensics person he really did try to put his head before his heart and figure out what the evidence was before he got his heart into it too much.

CSI Files: Which is the polar opposite of how Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) was acting.

Devine: Right. I just felt that Paul Guilfoyle as Brass was perfect because he is a guy that got blindsided by his wife and was really hurt by her; he’s still getting over it. When he sees that tableau in Doc Robbins’ master bedroom, he had made up his mind. The last scene when they make up is actually the first scene we shot in the episode and Paul just got it; he knew where he had to end up in the episode. It’s fun when the actors really get the episode and understand what you’re trying to accomplish.

CSI Files: Will we be seeing Wendy Crewson (Judy Robbins) again?

Devine: We are leaving that open. She was such a joy; absolutely wonderful to work with. She and Doc Robbins and the real Judy Robbins, Robert David Hall’s wife really bonded. We’re really hoping we can bring her back. I think we’ve left that door open.

CSI Files: This is your first season back and of course it’s Marg Helgenberger’s last. The two of you are very close, so how has it been knowing one of your good friends is leaving just as you’re back on the show?

Devine: I know. Especially in my last episode she had other committments, and I didn’t get to have her very much. I’m going to miss Marg; no one can replace Marg. I know our fans are a little frustrated with her leaving; I can see from her own standpoint, she’s been Catherine Willows for twelve years and I can see that’s a lot to do for one role for that long. We beg her on a daily basis just to change her mind, and I think I can safely say that when our fans see her exit the door is open for her to come back. She’s fabulous. When I read articles saying she’s being replaced, that does bother me because you can’t replace these characters. What we try to do is bring in other characters that bring a different point of view and are interesting. I understand that without Grissom [William Petersen] and Catherine it is hard for some of our fans because they’re so wonderful. It’s heartbreaking for me and I can tell you her last scene… we were all in tears crying. It was just a mess. The whole stage was in tears. She’s fabulous and everyone loves her and she’s such a great person–great actress, but a really great person. We are really going to miss her here.

CSI Files: And the show has done a good job of bringing in new blood, such as Ted and Elisabeth Harnois (Morgan Brody) and coming up there will be Elisabeth Shue. What can you share about her character?

Devine: She’s going to be a reconstruction expert and I’m really excited about that because that’s what I did. [Laughs.] It’s easy for me to totally relate to that and write that. She will be very physical. She’ll be getting down into crime scenes because doing reconstruction means throwing a lot of blood around and figuring out who is standing where. Really bringing a different point of view to the characters. She will know DB from when they worked together in Seattle, so they have a bit of a connection; she was his number two there. It’ll be interesting to see DB when Catherine leaves… he was getting settled in. When Catherine leaves CSI, he realizes there’s something that he needs, so he goes to the person that can fulfill that need in the standpoint of work, which will be Elisabeth Shue, who I believe will be playing the character of Julie Finlay. It’s really going to be an interesting dynamic. They do finish each other’s sentences and they do have sort of a yin-and-yang as they say, but she’s not there to replace Catherine. She’s a completely different character and I just hope fans can–insteading of just closing things up and saying ‘I’m done’–give her a chance, because I think they’re really going to like these characters. We love our existing characters but we also think that adding a little new blood gives you a fresh take sometimes. It adds a little life being twelve years into it. We’re all very excited here and I think the fans that stick with us will be pleased.

Ted Danson’s just been wonderful and he’s such a nice man. I personally feel fortunate that he’s so dedicated to the show already and he’s only been here a few months. We’re very excited here.

CSI Files: Changing gears, you had a pilot at A&E that you were working on. Anything to come of that?

Devine: They decided they weren’t going to go that route. Pilot writing is very difficult and I enjoy it, but at the same time I’m surprised any shows get made. [Laughs.] It’s so difficult! I’m still working on some new stuff, but right now I’m just really happy to be here at CSI.

CSI Files: Do you have another episode that you’ll be working on this season?

Devine: I’m not sure. I may have involvement in some of the last episodes. We’re so far ahead–knock on wood–and we’re already breaking Episode Nineteen. We’re in such great shape that it’s just a testament to how hard everyone works. There’s only three episodes to break after this, so if they tap me on the shoulder I’m more than happy to jump in.

CSI Files: Do you anticipate that you’ll be back for Season Thirteen?

Devine: I hope to be. I would like to be, absolutely.

CSI Files: What can viewers expect after the winter hiatus?

Devine: Well of course we have the farewell to Catherine, which is a great trilogy. We’re going to rerun “Zippered” to kick off her exit. Then we have some really funky fun episodes. We have the important introduction of Elisabeth Shue’s character, which is also very fun. I think fans are going to like her right away. Some moving houses and caterpillars and all kinds of crazy stuff, so it’ll be fun.

Shane Saunders is a freelance writer and reviewer. His work can be seen on EDGE Network and ShaneSSaunders.com. Twitter: @ShaneSSaunders.

Click the images to see them full-size. It is the exclusive property of CBS Broadcasting Inc. and may not be archived, leased, sold or distributed in any fashion without consent from CBS. It is released for one-time editorial use only.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Dr. Robbins (Robert David Hall) is concerned as he looks on behind the police tape at his home, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Morgan Brody (Elisabeth Harnois) in a moment while on the property of Dr. Robbins, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Morgan Brody (Elisabeth Harnois) approaches Judy Robbins (Wendy Crewson) to introduce herself to her, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) takes notes and pays close attention to the words of Judy Robbins on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, left) tries to lighten the moment some with Judy Robbins (Wendy Crewson) at the Robbins' house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) gets ready to examine what he hopes will be a key in the case, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, left) tries to lighten the moment some with Judy Robbins (Wendy Crewson) at the Robbins' house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) left) with Judy Robbins (Wendy Crewson) at the Robbins' house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, left) and Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) discuss the circumstances surrounding the dead body found at Dr. Robbins house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Dr. Robbins (Robert David Hall, left) waits as D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, middle) and Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) arrive at Dr. Robbins house which is now a crime scene, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle, left) prepares to interview Judy Robbins (Wendy Crewson, right) about a body found in their home, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) walks through the back door of Dr. Robbins house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Genetic Disorder"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) examines pieces of plants at Dr. Robbins house, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 14 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

]]> http://www.csifiles.com/content/2011/11/%e2%80%98csi%e2%80%99-first-look-%e2%80%98genetic-disorder%e2%80%99/feed/ 0 http://www.csifiles.com/content/2011/11/interview-tom-mularz-2/ http://www.csifiles.com/content/2011/11/interview-tom-mularz-2/#comments Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:14:37 +0000 Shane Saunders http://www.csifiles.com/content/?p=18500

This week’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation dropped a big bombshell on the CSI team with the reveal of Detective Sam Vega, played by Geoffrey Rivas since “Too Tough To Die,” being a dirty cop. Tom Mularz, co-writer of the episode, talks exclusively with CSI Files’ Shane Saunders about the surprising turn.

CSI Files: The big reveal at the end of “Crime After Crime” — Vega’s involvement in the murders — seems a bit surprising based on how he’s been represented as a very by-the-book law official since his first appearance back in season one. What was the genesis of turning him into dirty cop?

Tom Mularz: To give the episode a real impact, we wanted to have the final twist be the discovery that one of our familiar detectives was involved in the revenge killings.  While Vega never gave any hint of being dirty in past episodes (and wasn’t dirty in the cases we saw him work), it had been a little while since we last saw him.  He worked gang detail, which sometimes involves legally-dubious tactics… and can drag a police officer over to the wrong side.  It seemed reasonable that he could have gotten caught up in some seedy practices since we last saw him.  From his point-of-view, though, he might argue that he was simply dealing justice to those who deserved it.

CSI Files: With Brass’ involvement in the Haskell cover up in last season’s “In A Dark, Dark House,” it appears there’s a darker side to the character than in year’s past. First off, do you think Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) had an idea that Vega was potentially dirty? And, two, is there going to be more light shed on that matter?

Mularz: I think Brass, like a lot of law enforcement, believes there are darker sides than most people show.  But Brass is a good guy, on the right side of the law — I don’t think he would knowingly disregard knowledge of a dirty cop.  When he helped Langston out, in last year’s finale, he weighed the repercussions of his friend’s act and determined that Haskell brought his fate upon himself.  Langston didn’t deserve to have his life ruined over it.

CSI Files: In real life, I would assume there would be some investigating into Vega’s previous cases. Was this episode more of a self-contained story, or will this story continue into future episodes?

Mularz: There aren’t any plans to continue the story.

CSI Files: Nick (George Eads) seemed particularly saddened by Vega’s death. With those two sharing many scenes in year’s past, was it intentional to have him be there when Vega committed suicide by proxy?

Mularz: Yes — Nick and Vega had a bond, so we thought it would be especially resonant for Nick to witness his friend’s death.  And it was a moment, for Russell, to get a sense of the history that all his new co-workers have.

CSI Files: What are you currently working on as Season Twelve continues?

Mularz: I’ve been in the writers’ room helping on a couple upcoming stories… nothing in particular to tease, except there are some great ones coming up!

]]> http://www.csifiles.com/content/2011/11/interview-tom-mularz-2/feed/ 1