I got in the mood to re-watch some of the original CSI : Crime Scene Investigation (hereafter called CSI “Vegas”) recently. The urge to rewatch this one doesn’t happen often. I mean, I watched the entire series when it was airing. All the way to the end. For the most part I really enjoyed it even with all the character changes.
Now, however, I only re-watch selected episodes. And not necessarily the ones anyone else might pick to re-watch either. Outside of episodes that have intriguing detective work or science, I tend towards favoring two distinct types. First are the ones I call Chaos episodes, which are usually extremely convoluted puzzles with surprising explanations. And, two, I love Old Vegas cases that deal with Vegas history CSI style. Old Vegas style mobsters usually included and the best part.
Ending Happy (CSI “Vegas” s7-e21) is my all-time favorite episode of any of the CSIs and, during this re-watch, I realized I’d never talked about it here. Here are ten reasons why I love it, saving the best for last:
Warning Major Spoilers Ahead!
You have been warned!
- It’s one of the pure Chaos episodes that looks so simple at the start and then goes in a completely bonkers direction. A down-on-his-luck prize fighter called Lorenzo ‘Happy’ Morales is found dead floating in a swimming pool. Simple. Yeah. Right.
- The pure perfection of the one location setting for the crime – a brothel/trailer park called Binky’s Sugar Cane Ranch located out in the middle of the dessert with a country western theme (kind of) run by a man with a Eastern European accent and his very Southern sounding wife.
- Brass and the team interviewing the “pleasure providers”. Nuff said.
- Dreama Little is one of the “pleasure providers”. She also has an interesting attitude and outlook on life.
- The lighthearted moments between Gil Grissom and Sarah Sidle. First time I could “believe” in them having a relationship outside of work.
- The multiple ways people tried to kill Happy. And failed. Until he finally died. From his heart stopping. For some strange reason?
- Happy for his staying power because how many people can say they survived 4(+?) things that could kill most people? Yeah, he eventually died but come on. Give the guy some credit.
- The final wrap up with the team going through the timeline of everything that happened to Happy to convince themselves that, yeah, no way is a prosecutor going to try this crazy case. Even if they could pin it on one person.
- The final shot of watching the coroner filling out the cause of death form with all of Happy’s assorted “boo-boos”. Then listing unknown/cardiac arrest as the cause. Because. Just because.
- The various expressions on Captain Brass’ face every time the coroner basically says “I don’t care if they confessed, they didn’t do it”. Pure perfection.
Bonus point. One of the guest stars is James Whitmore playing an old man called Milton who keeps telling everyone that “Someone shot my wife.” No one believes him because she’s been dead for years. But he has proof! (See the video below.)