User Reviews

A white cop with a documented history of racism murders a black cop, goes on a racist rant, and then they try to justify it by saying he had poor vision. Brass was coddling him. Catherine was making excuses for the blatantly racist things he said. Greg treated a black witness like garbage. This guy shot a man in the back without even announcing himself at the scene at all because the man was black in a "bad neighborhood". And the show had the AUDACITY to use their tokenized black CSI (Laurence Fishbourne) to basically say it was okay and not racism. I know I shouldn't expect better from a cop show but this was just absolutely disgusting.

I like CSI because they try their best to focus on the science. They should not have attempted this take on a racially motivated killing at the hand of a police officer.

Using the only Black character on your show as the person who says "cops don't shoot Black people because of racism" is simply in poor taste.

Also at the end of the episode they say "who's the bad guy here?" Pretty clear to me that it was the cop who was not physically fit for duty who murdered a man without identifying himself or the person he was firing at and made no attempt at de-escalation.

Although this episode puts forth substantial effort in an attempt to disprove racism and wrong-doing from an armed hypocrite "sworn to uphold the law", it overwhelmingly shows how biased he actually was. It's the same mentality of most of the privileged people in the US that are enraged when called out as racist, yet display inappropriate behaviours and actions on a regular basis. It's almost as if it's inherent rather than a learned behaviour, allowed to persist as a law enforcement officer, which justifies the actions markedly in being supported by their superiors. Aired in 2009, it's only gotten worse in 2023. This episode earned a one out of ten for the preponderance of evidence to the contrary indicates that racism is prevalent within the Law enforcement community.

Last Season was flagging in quality, hanging onto the coat tails of Grissom but this season, CSI is trying to pick up its flagging reputation, actually quality with an updated database of going-ons. CSI gave me some interest facts that maybe some people out of the US wouldn't know of. And though there isn't something fantastically new but characters are given a shine of their own without Grissom watching from the shadows.

I still get that Ray Langston being another version of Grissom but he easily catches your attention be it for the resemblance of his character of many's favourite Grissom (I hope) or that Laurence Fishbourne has the screen presence that can dim or at least keep up with the veteran cast of CSI. He may be the newest member but he is easily the one called upon by everyone, be it for the writer's choice or maybe to perk up the ratings.

Nonetheless, I like how the team is sort of building up this season and though Catherine is the head, she is more of a 'gather-around' head for exchange of ideas than 'You pose the problem, and I will do magic in instantly posing the answer, delegating tasks to do it and all will miraculously fall into place'. I notice, no one personally walks up to her with a problem but she is a sort of submerged head which makes a team of CSI working for the work, not for a man or woman. Funnily, even Eckley has come into sync.

Now about the topic at hand, I have to say I like this episode though the end was an empty triumph of sorts. A police-shootout turns dismal as the killed 'suspect' was a police officer who was not a threat. Racial motivation comes into play and may have the underlying reason to some extent but what interested me is how Laurence Fishburne's character was made to be objective and the understanding tolerant CSI who did his utmost to prove the shooting officer was not wholly responsible for what he did.

I never understand what would go through their minds, being of neither race but I would say it would be hard to hold Ray's untempered focus to find the direction the evidence pointed. It Did seem that most of CSI were trying to exonerate the shooting officer honourably be it whatever they say, but most CSIs were sort of tiptoeing around Ray.

The thing that hits the mark though is never said in words, are the victims' bound to their deeds and sense of duty, including the shooting officer's. It seems to say, no matter what you think, what you did or have done makes you the person in your mind. And if you are happy with that person, you are happy.