Synopsis  

A roller coaster runs off track leaving 6 people dead. The CSI team must uncover whether this was an accident, or foul play. Warrick and Catherine try to find the killer of a 13 year old girl.

Note: This episode was originally titled ‘A Turn of the Screws’ and then ‘A Screw Turned Loose’ before being titled ‘Turning of the Screw’. After going through so many titles, they decided to stick closer to the original and titled it ‘Turn of the Screws’.

Review  

Sara, Nick and Greg arrive at the scene; Greg is carrying Sara’s kit. Sara is a bit amused when Greg seems confused by Grissom’s question about questions, but avoids directly answering him. Sara knows about the Henry James’ novel ‘A Turn of the Screw’, but thinks of it as a mystery rather than a horror novel. Sara seems to enjoy working in close proximity with Grissom under the coaster loading platform, where she finds a greasy substance on the support frame; they requisition the maintenance guy’s pipe wrench, and later Sara finds another pipe wrench in the park employee’s car. Sara and Nick go through the coaster photos, and discover that the dead employee had sex on the coaster the night before; she and Grissom go and question ‘Cleopatra’, who confirms it – Sara nods when Cleo explains that the employee was a hot guy who didn’t notice her. Hodges identifies the greasy substance Sara found, and she discovers who had a prescription for that particular ointment, showing off to Grissom with a trivia question about the real Cleopatra. Sara and Brass talk to the suspect, and Sara grabs prints from his broom – later she and Grissom question the suspect, and she realizes why he killed the park employee.

Notes  

• Sara thinks of the novel A Turn of the Screw as a mystery rather than a ghost story; the first of several comments over the seasons marking her interest in horror stories.

Quotes  

Greg: So, when he asks if anybody has any questions, he’s not really asking?
Sara: (smiles) Well, I don’t know much about roller coaster accidents, but in auto collisions, the victims found furthest away from the car usually weren’t wearing a seat belt. That’d be my bet.

Sara: ‘A Turn of the Screw’ isn’t really a horror story. It’s more of a mystery. Did the governess kill the little boy, or did the ghost do it?
Grissom: Well, it’s only a mystery if you believe in ghosts.

Sara: What? Sex on a rollercoaster?
Greg: Or some kid shaking hands with Shorty.

Sara: Oh, roller coaster wacko at 12:00.

Hodges: Your killer has a rash.
Sara: And we need to catch it.

Sara: You want a clue? Her death ended the Ptolemy dynasty’s reign in ancient Egypt, hence making her the last pharaoh.

Gallery  

Images ©CBS (2004) - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from the episode 'Turn of the Screws'.