csi: crime scene investigation
lab rats (20/24)

The successful Las Vegas-based forensics drama continues its seventh season. This week’s episode is a departure for CSI, as the focus turns to the crime lab technicians. Hodges convinces his fellow techs that Grissom needs their help in cracking the replica killer case, so they review each of the murders.

It is a busy night in Vegas as the CSIs handle multiple cases. With Grissom occupied, lab tech David Hodges (guest star Wallace Langham) comes up with a covert plan to help crack the replica killer case. The killer has struck four times, leaving a model of the crime scene at each location. Hodges gathers his fellow techs Archie Johnson, Henry Andrews and Mandy Webster and implies that Grissom needs a hand: “We have one shift to show what we’re made of,” he says.

Hodges calls a meeting in Grissom’s office to discuss the first two victims: Izzy Delancy (see the episodes ‘Built to Kill’, Parts 1 and 2) and Penny Garden (see the episode ‘Post Mortem’). Their colleague Wendy Simms (guest star Liz Vassey) joins them to study the third victim, Raymundo Suarez (see the episode ‘Loco Motives’). This case led to a man named Ernie Dell confessing to the murders before killing himself.

Hodges breaks up the meeting to remonstrate with Simms, telling her that he did not include her in the plan because she dominates the group: “You think you’re too cool!” he snaps.However, Simms sticks around as they review the fourth case, the murder of Barbara Tallman (see the episode ‘Monster in the Box’). Ernie Dell’s confession was found to be false and his son Lionel was interviewed as a suspect.

The techs realise that the only link between the cases was a phone number called by all the victims. “What happened when they called the number?” Simms asks. When Hodges cannot provide an answer, she impulsively dials the number on his phone, only to get a computerised answer message.

Hodges, Andrews and Simms try to list the common features between the crimes. They rule out several factors – including food, music and flowers – because the Suarez case does not fit. Hodges examines the Suarez replica again and discovers a tiny canister containing bleach. He realises that bleach was present at all the scenes except for the Garden case – could it be there too?

Hodges is interrupted by Simms, who tells him that she is fed up of sneaking around behind the CSIs’ backs. “What makes you think if the CSIs can’t solve this, we can?” she asks. Later, Simms realises that Hodges lied about Grissom asking for their help, and confronts him angrily. “You put all of us at risk here!” she says. Hodges explains that it is his “lucky day”: a string of good fortune on his way to work prompted him to look into the replica killer case.

Hodges’ persistence pays off when he discovers a bleach coupon in the Garden replica. He has found a common theme. Grissom appears, looking unimpressed: “This better be good, Dave!” he growls, before Hodges outlines his theory that bleach may have been the trigger for the killer. Grissom’s interest is piqued. Has Hodges’ discovery provided a breakthrough?

Also this week, Grissom helps Robbins in the morgue with the body of a man found in a lake. Movement inside the corpse’s stomach results in a gruesome explosion, as a rat bursts out and scurries off into the shadows. Grissom leads the morgue staff in a hunt for the slippery rodent.