CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 10 Review: Eyeballs
Social media can be dangerous.
Yeah, CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 10 had a simplistic message.
But it did get young CSI Chris front and center. So that kind of balanced out things.
With the case of the week set at a party for social-media influencers, Chris was the logical choice to be involved.
That was because his side hustle was posting videos about CSI procedures as @chrissolves. Even though he never posted about ongoing cases, Maxine was right to be concerned once she learned that he was doing so, even though it was on his own time.
Chris has always been the oddity in the lab, connected to the outside world while working with a group of oblivious nerds. It's not an age thing. It's an interest thing.
He should have clued in his potential bosses about this hobby when applying for the CSI. Even though, it turned out, @chrissolves could have played a role in his being hired at the lab.
Max shouldn't have been hearing, for the first time, Chris say, "I knew the victim. I helped clear him of a murder charge four years ago." That shouldn't have come out of the blue.
That put Max in a difficult position, and she did her best with it. She had LVPD check out his postings since he joined the lab. But she also didn't hesitate to put him in charge of the investigation because who else there knew social media as well as he did?
Chris was familiar with all these influencers, most of whom came off as narcissistic jerks. That was especially true of Warren, the victim's so-called "best friend."
As Chris grudgingly admitted to Beau later, the adoration of the faceless masses could be addicting to these influencers. This case certainly made Chris reflect on the negatives of social media.
It was a shame that the proclamation that had earned Chris his 15 minutes of fame was proven to be, at best, half right. But at least it caused him to think about his avocation.
Max rightfully gave him a heart-to-heart talk, pointing out the danger he was unintentionally putting himself in by becoming an opinionated public figure. Sure, his brain can be his greatest weapon. But a gun could offer him more protection.
Chris proved that he could be the driving force in an investigation. He identified a drone as a murder weapon and found the physical directions that helped to tie Vincent, the killer, to the murder victim.
Granted, with no murder weapon found, the case against Vincent would have been more problematic to make if he hadn't launched into that typical villain speech, explaining why he had done what he did.
Chris got the CSI position that he deserved. It's unlikely those hiring were aware of his minor Internet fame. Vincent got rejected twice, so maybe he wasn't good enough to qualify.
In the end, the whole experience soured Chris on social media. He's not the first, and he won't be the last. He owned up to his earlier mistake and then left it behind, at least for the time being.
It was enjoyable to see Chris embrace the spotlight. Sadly, with a large cast, that will probably be his only star turn this season.
Max continued her campaign of attempting to ignore the aftermath of her being attacked on CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 3.
She didn't even tell her son Bryan because she knew he would want to take care of her, as he insisted on doing when he found it.
Folsom and Allie have made timid inquiries into her state of mind. But she is their boss, and they had no choice but to back off when she denied any problem exists.
Serena doesn't work directly for Max. So, again this episode, she explicitly asked Max how she was recovering. Serena isn't going to let this go.
That's probably why the two of them were later shown at the shooting range. After urging Chris to carry a gun, Max showed she's still uncomfortable with the concept of "center mass."
Having Catherine around could have taken some of the leadership weight off of Max's shoulders. But unfortunately, Catherine has been an intermittent presence, especially now that she has solved Grace's murder.
Josh and Allie were still seeking a new working relationship ever since Allie had told him they couldn't continue their friendship as it had always been on CSI: Vegas Season 2 Episode 9.
When they finally ended up in the same place, their interactions were every bit as awkward as could be expected. Since Allie had obliquely admitted to her feelings for Folsom, he wasn't sure how he should act around her.
Fortunately, they settled for acting like adults who had a job to do. When they were processing evidence, it was like that outburst had never happened. They were back to being a well-oiled laboratory machine.
Will they ever address Allie's feelings directly? Probably not.
Neither one of them is particularly well-equipped to tackle such personal topics. They'll keep avoiding it unless Serena ever decides to make it an issue.
To revisit Chris's time at the lab, watch CSI: Vegas online.
How did you enjoy this Chris-centric episode?
Did it make you ponder the value of social media?
Does Max need to take her PTD more seriously?
Comment below.