Season 9, Episode 9: 19 Down

Even though there's been plenty of build-up to this moment--indeed, Grissom tiring of the job can be traced as far back as season seven--it was still jarring to hear him speak the words, "I've decided to leave CSI." His departure truly marks the end of an era and the way the team grapples with the news in what is the first of William Petersen's final two episodes as a regular on CSI definitely drives it home.

In typical Grissom fashion, he slips the announcement in after divvying up the evening's calls. He calmly tells the team the news that he's leaving, that Catherine will be stepping up into the supervisor position following his departure and that he and Ecklie are searching for a new Level 1 CSI all at once as their faces register the surprise. Then, before anyone can really take in the news, he takes a call himself. It's a typical Grissom way to handle the situation.



But if the long-running and much-beloved CSI supervisor thought he was going to get off easy, he was wrong. During the episode, he's bombarded with the emotional response to his decision. Dr. Robbins gruffly tells Grissom he's crazy after Grissom observes he's going to have to find someone else to tell his old jokes to.

Hodges is clearly upset by the news when he's with Catherine and Nick, asking them anxiously if Grissom may have been just referring to a "leave of absence." But when he's with Grissom, Hodges is downright angry, telling Grissom "it's too late" when the CSI supervisor tries to tell him about his decision. Hodges is obviously hurt that he didn't hear the news straight from the man he's obsequiously idolized for years. His hurt runs deeper than that; when he huffily tells Grissom that he's "gotta do what [he] has to do" and tells him to have a nice life, it's clear that he's upset at the idea of Grissom's departure itself.

Grissom has much gentler exchanges with Wendy and David Phillips, both of whom he offers words of encouragement to. Wendy thanks Grissom for his support and encouragement over the years, and his response is simply, "You earned it." It's quintessential Grissom--of course he wouldn't give either his support or encouragement if she hadn't earned it, but he also probably didn't realize how much it meant to her. David Phillips tells Grissom he's going to miss the job after he identifies the maggots on Keesey's body, but Grissom unsentimentally observes, "There are bugs everywhere." He makes up for it when he tells the coroner, "I will miss you, though." David looks up, clearly moved by Grissom's words.

His interactions with Catherine and Brass are decidedly more complex. He actually broaches the subject with Catherine, telling her he knows he surprised her with the news. For once, Grissom is wrong: she tells him she knew before he did.



In her own way, Catherine is every bit as astute as Grissom is, and no doubt she picked up on Grissom's growing weariness and the daze he's been in since Warrick died and Sara left. When Brass brings up Grissom's impending departure, Grissom reassures him that they'll see each other. Brass tosses off a few suggestions, the Fourth of July, going out on the boat. Grissom turns to Brass, surprised, asking, "You have a boat?" Brass's response is no. The exchange shows that no matter how close they've become on the job, the two don't really know each other socially. Will that change after Grissom leaves?

Review provided by CSI Files.