Synopsis  

CSI: VEGAS opens a brand-new chapter in Las Vegas – the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the entire Crime Lab and release thousands of convicted killers back onto the neon-lit streets of Vegas, a brilliant new team of investigators led by Maxine Roby must enlist the help of old friends Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle. This combined force will deploy the latest forensic techniques to do what they do best – follow the evidence – in order to preserve and serve justice in Sin City. In the premiere episode, an attack on Jim Brass kicks off a twisted conspiracy targeting the Las Vegas crime lab.

Review  

After Jim Brass is attacked at home, he calls Sara Sidle to ask her to help solve the crime. Believing it to be a kidnapper Brass chased in the late 1990s, Lucky, who stole millions by abducting people and getting ransoms. However after a severed (and desiccated) head is delivered with the note “Jim Brass is just the beginning.” more questions arise.

With Sara welcomed back to the lab by the new head, Maxine Roby, she works alongside the new CSIs to find that, in fact, it’s not Lucky! Following the evidence on the severed head, Sara uncovers the rest of the body in a distillery, with more money that matches the bills found on Brass’ attacker. The body is unquestionably one of Lucky’s victims, however it also proves that Lucky is dead. He killed his girlfriend in 1996 and died in prison in 2018. Instead, after the seemingly unrelated kidnapping of a police officer, DNA is found on a $100 bill that matches the pattern of those found on Brass’ attacker, and leads the CSIs to Bill Dwyer, a rapist whom Sara (and David Hodges) put away years ago.

Dwyer approaches Sara near the strip, threatening her and claiming he knows all ’their’ tricks, like faking evidence. Calling for backup, Sara gives chase but is nearly hit by a car and Dwyer gets away. The police are able to follow his car (thanks to Sara’s photos) and SWAT decends on Dwyer’s house. After SWAT clears the scene, with Dwyer and the kidnapped police officer missing, the CSIs realize he’s hiding under the house! As it happens, someone has been instructing Dwyer via letters to arrange for the attack on Jim Brass. One of the letters directed Dwyer to get the head, and to wear gloves.

Dwyer likes the guy who’s been giving him directions, and said he now knows all about how they caught him. This is even more galling when the CSIs visit the storage facility and find a miniature crime lab inside. The lab is packed with evidence and details from old cases, included Natalie Davis (aka The Miniature Killer).

The owner of the facility? David Hodges.

Within three days, the lawsuits began. Every case that was touched by Hodges is suspect. Just how much evidence could have been faked?

Notes  

• Grissom and Sara are married again.
• Sara talks to Brass now and then, but he didn’t tell her he was going blind.
• Sara does not regret retiring.
• Sara believes Hodges was framed.

Gallery  

Images ©CBS (2021) - CSI: Vegas from the episode 'Legacy'.