We've seen too much of the spotlight focused on new (and obviously suddenly prominent) team member Raymond Langston (Laurence Fishburne) in recent episodes of CSI, so last week's episode was quite a refreshment.  And, perhaps, a reminder that the show is very much different from what we're used to.

Or, am I the only one who saw a parallel?  Last week, Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) found herself returning to her very first solo case, which was eighteen years back, when the accused--since thrown into jail--demanded a retrial after accusing the evidence against him of being faulty.  Disregarding guest star Henry Thomas' ability to be annoying (which is a good thing), the story's fairly straightforward: there are things you miss the first time around, including the murder weapon--a hammer since virtually eaten by the tree of the victim's neighbors--and further incriminating evidence of the suspect's involvement and, perhaps worst of all, the involvement of another person.


But symbolically it's more of a flip towards a new page in CSI history.  It's in the details, I'll say.  That case was Cath's first solo case, after a year or so working with a supervisor.  Two decades later she finds herself leading the whole team uncover more truths in the case, a task that she took on after Grissom (William Petersen) left.  Need further proof of that?  She talked to Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) in the middle of the episode, and the camera lingers to one new detail in her desk: "Catherine Willows, supervisor."

We've seen a lot of Langston, and to a lesser extent Riley (Lauren Lee Smith), in the episodes since they were introduced.  A good thing, sure, but there's a flipside to the whole thing, and that is the way the changes have affected the remaining members of the team.  Last week, it finally sunk in: somebody else is in charge, and things will inevitably change with it, too.

On tonight's episode of CSI, the highlight will move to Robbins (Robert David Hall), or so I presume.  He's the medical guy, after all, so when a mysterious illness finds its way to Las Vegas and starts victimizing random people, who else will the team go to?  It should be interesting how he inevitably takes charge of things--also note the relationship he has with newcomer Langston.  That should be interesting.  The whole thing airs tonight from 9pm on CBS.  The photos are below and, in case you haven't seen them yet, my list of thirty gruesome murders on CSI's down there, too.







-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of CBS)