"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" If I Had a Hammer... (2009)

Director:

Brad Tanenbaum

Writers:

Anthony E. Zuiker (creator)
Allen MacDonald (teleplay) ...

TV Series:

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000)

Original Air Date:

23 April 2009 (Season 9, Episode 21)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A case from Catherine's past is reopened when a man who has been in prison for 18 years challenges the evidence that convicted him. |

Plot Keywords:

Investigation | Crime Lab | Police | Evidence | Crime Scene

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 27	1:00 PM	SPIKETV	If I Had a Hammer	#9.21
Sun. Dec. 27	8:00 PM	SPIKETV	If I Had a Hammer	#9.21

Cast

Laurence Fishburne	...	Dr. Raymond Langston
Marg Helgenberger	...	Catherine Willows
George Eads	...	Nick Stokes
Eric Szmanda	...	Greg Sanders
Robert David Hall	...	Dr. Al Robbins
Wallace Langham	...	David Hodges
Lauren Lee Smith	...	Riley Adams
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Captain Jim Brass
Henry Thomas	...	Jeremy Kent
David Berman	...	David Phillips
Liz Vassey	...	Wendy Simms
Charlotte Ross	...	Sabrina Owen
Mark Totty	...	Clint Owen
Archie Kao	...	Archie Johnson
John Prosky	...	ADA Vanderpool

Company:

CBS Paramount Network Television

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The CSIs take the license plate of the Dodge Super Bee from an old photo and attempt to locate it in their database. However, they enter the number in a field clearly labeled "Drivers License Number" in a section called "Driver Information" rather than in the adjacent field "License Plate Number" in the "Vehicle Information" section, both of which are visible in a closeup of the computer monitor.

Good episode

I have never previously watched CSI, but I saw that Henry Thomas was the guest star. You may remember him from "E.T." (1982), "Legends of the Fall" (1994), "Suicide Kings" (1998) or "Gangs of New York" (2002) among others. He plays a man who has spent 18 years in prison and now wants a new trial to claim innocence.

There is suspense in this episode and a lot of technical sequences where detectives go through evidence. Helgenberger and Fishbourne do good work, as does the dependable Thomas who doesn't get enough chances to shine on film in major projects. On the basis of the show, I may be inclined to view it again from time to time.