Scratch (8 Jan. 2010)

Don and the team try their luck at investigating the theft of scratch-off lottery tickets, but the stakes are raised when one of the culprits killed at a botched robbery turns out to be a former lottery winner.

Director:

Stephen Gyllenhaal

Writers:

Cheryl Heuton (creator), Nicolas Falacci (creator),

Stars:

Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Judd Hirsch

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Rob Morrow	...	Don Eppes
David Krumholtz	...	Charlie Eppes
Judd Hirsch	...	Alan Eppes
Alimi Ballard	...	David Sinclair
Sophina Brown	...	Nikki Betancourt
Aya Sumika	...	Liz Warner
Nicole Sullivan	...	Nancy Hackett
Michelle Nolden	...	Robin Brooks
David Barry Gray	...	Scott Wilson
Allison Smith	...	Sara Lewis
Bubba Lewis	...	Zack
Bellina Logan	...	Lawyer
Michael O'Neill	...	Boyd Keene
Sarah Buehler	...	Punk Teen
Tom Beyer	...	Carl Graham

Storyline

Don and the team try their luck at investigating the theft of scratch-off lottery tickets, but the stakes are raised when one of the culprits killed at a botched robbery turns out to be a former lottery winner.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 January 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scott Free Productions, Post 109, CBS Television Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Alan Eppes: I hear Robin's back in town.
Don Eppes: Yeah, I'm really happy she's back.
Alan Eppes: Did you tell her that?
Don Eppes: Not yet, not in words, no.
Alan Eppes: You know, it's guys like you that make Beyonce sing that "Single Ladies" song.

---

Crazy Credits

[This appears on the beginning of the episode] 1 in 576,000 odds of being hit by lightning 1 in 880,000 odds of dating a supermodel 1 in 3,000,000 odds of seeing a UFO 1 in 14,000,000 odds of winning the lottery

---

Soundtracks

"Money for Nothing"
(uncredited)
Music by Mark Knopfler and Sting
(plays over the opening scenes)

User Reviews

Lotto losers

The convenience store robbers are not looking for easy money to take; the purpose of the break-in is to get the blocks of the unsold scratch lotto tickets in the store. The owner, a no-nonsense man, repels the criminal aggression and even manages to kill one of the perpetrators. The store camera will help the FBI team track down the bad guys.

Charlie is surprised by the wit of the blond he meets in the elevator on the way to his office. As it turns out, Nancy Hackett has come to see him to give her input in the way the lottery department works to the agents working on the botched robbery case. Something she mentions in the conversation will prove the key for discovering who is the mastermind behind the store break-ins. Nancy has come highly recommended by the head of the lottery department, Boyd Keene, that thinks she is an export that might prove helpful to the FBI agents.

Lotto winning does not necessarily mean wealth. It is a fact, as with Scott Wilson, a lotto winner that is conducting a class on how to adjust to the new found richness. On Scott's advice, winners in the lotto are sent to a financial adviser, Sarah Lewis, to be helped with their investments, something most people forget to do, deciding to spend their money in flashy stuff. It is because of Charlie's insight that the reason behind stealing the tickets is known. The secret comes as a total surprise.

This episode was directed by Stephen Gylenhaal, and written by Mary Leah Sutton. Mr. Gylenhaal keeps the action moving with good results. There are good contributions from the guest stars, notably, Nicole Sullivan who plays Nancy Hackett. The regulars do their fine job making this chapter of the series worthy of a look.