Season 7, Episode 11: Leaving Las Vegas

It's sayonara, Gil Grissom, at least for four episodes. Much is made of Grissom's sabbatical by the team, and each member reacts differently to it. It's interesting to see how each character approaches Grissom about his leave of absence--there's a nervous energy at the lab that's understandable, given that the group is going to have to go a month without the man who has been their leader for years now.

Nick's straightforward yet clearly uneasy response reflects what members of the team (and indeed, many viewers as well) fear: that Grissom's sabbatical is a prelude to him leaving for good. Nick faces his fear head on, by simply jumping to the conclusion that it is. He takes a baffled Grissom by surprise when he affectionately hugs him and tells him he knows he's leaving for good and that he'll miss him. William Petersen plays Grissom's befuddlement to the hilt, and his tone is delightfully outraged when he tells Nick to stop hugging him, and that he really will be back in a month.

Nick: I've learned a lot from you [hugging Grissom].

Grissom: [firmly] I'll be back in four weeks. Stop hugging me!

Nick: [deflated} Yes, sir.

Hodges as usual gets to provide the comic relief in the episode, bringing Grissom a sweatshirt from his alma mater, Williams, and recalling the good old days, albeit briefly.

Warrick seems uneasy at the prospect of Grissom's departure, but Grissom tells him he's the "rock" of the team, and asks him to support Catherine, who will be in charge while he's gone.

Warrick: Sick of babysitting?

Grissom: I'm a teacher without any students.

Warrick: I've still got a lot to learn. Having you around keeps me honest.

Grissom: Whether you know it or not, you're the rock of my team. Catherine's gonna be in charge while I'm gone. Be there for her like you've been there for me and we'll all be fine.

Warrick: Thanks. It means a lot. I've got you covered.

Grissom is clearly concerned for Greg, who is facing a civil suit over the death of Demitrius James, who he struck with his SUV in order to save the life of Stanley Tanner, whom James and several other teens were beating ("Fannysmackin'" and "Post Mortem"). Grissom tells Greg he needs to stick to the accounting he gave during the public inquest. There's an urgency in Grissom's tone that reflects his concern for the young CSI. If Nick is like a son to Grissom, Greg is as well--the younger son to Nick's more experienced older one.

Catherine, ever the cool cucumber, takes Grissom's news in stride, jetting off to Larkston, with a simple promise to Grissom that she'll be back before he leaves. Of all the CSIs, Catherine seems the least ruffled by Grissom's departure. Perhaps that's because this won't be Catherine's first stab at being in charge--after all, back in season five she was running the swing shift.

We never did get much of an explanation as to why Catherine gave up her command to come back to Grissom's shift, but I guess we do now know why she didn't give up her job after Sam's death: she tells Nick all of his funds are tied up in property, meaning Catherine is rich on paper but not in cash.

Is she looking forward to being in charge while Grissom is gone? It's definitely possible; she did for the most part seem to enjoy running the swing shift in the fifth season.

The case Catherine takes on in this episode brings her back in contact with attorney Adam Novak, whom she first encountered in season five's "Weeping Willows". In fact, one scene in particular highlights how Catherine is willing to use her sexuality to get ahead in a case when she goes to the prison to question an inmate about his knowledge of a person of interest.

Novak, who's played by Marg Helgenberger's real life husband, Alan Rosenberg, initially seems just as sleazy as ever, but by the end of the episode, he appears to be genuinely impressed (and shocked) that Catherine has managed to tie Finch to two other murders. Catherine even seems willing to give him a second chance, suggesting he represent Robert Guffey, who really is innocent of the murders he stands accused of, as opposed to the creepy Finch.

Earlier in the episode, before the case was solved, Nick found Finch in the CSI lobby demanding to see Catherine. Finch was not pleased that she was ignoring him, but Nick puts him quickly in his place.

Novak: She has a personal vendetta. She's a man-hater. How long do we have to pay for the sins of her father?
Nick: Catherine and I get along just great. Maybe it's you

Part of this review provided by CSI Files.