Gil Grissom
Template:CSI character Gilbert "Gil" Grissom, Ph.D. is a fictional character portrayed by William Petersen on the American TV crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Grissom is a forensic entomologist and the night-shift supervisor of the Clark County, Nevada CSI (forensics) team, investigating crimes in and around the city of Las Vegas. He plays an important role in the show and could be considered the protagonist.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation producer and writer Carol Mendelsohn considers Grissom the center of the show[1] and in the seven years the show has been running he has appeared in every episode, except in "Hollywood Brass", from season five, "Gum Drops", from season six, and three others from season seven: "Sweet Jane", "Redrum" and "Meet Market". In Season 7 he became romantically involved with subordinate CSI Sara Sidle.
Character creation
Gil Grissom is loosely based on real life Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department criminalist Daniel Holstein, today a show consultant.[2]
While being interviewed for UK TV channel Five US, series creator Anthony E. Zuiker mentioned that the character was originally intended to be named Gil Scheinbaum, but after Petersen was casted, Zuiker decided he was 'insufficiently Jewish' for the name and along with Petersen decided to rename the character for astronaut Gus Grissom, and Gil because of one of the actor's hobbies, fishing.[3]
Casting
In 2000, the head of drama development at CBS saw potential in the pilot script of CSI, so she passed it on to actor William Petersen, who had a pay or play contract with the network. Petersen has said that many TV shows were offered to him over the years, but he “didn’t want to get locked down", CSI finally appealed him, thanks to the complexity of the role of Grissom, he considered this one a character from whom he would be able to learn a lot, an interesting role that would not became boring over the years.[4] [5]
Gil Grissom was not the first scientist portrayed by William Petersen. In the 1985 film Manhunter Petersen portrayed a forensic scientist expert in entomology (as is Grissom), and writer of a fictional essay "The Standard Monograph on Determining Time of Death by Insect Activity". Coincidentally, Graham pursues serial killer Francis Dolarhyde, played in Petersen's film by Tom Noonan. Noonan also played a clever villain pursued by the CSIs in season three "Abra-Cadaver".
Appearances
Gil Grissom first appears in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on the pilot episode. After this he has appeared in almost every single episode throughout the show's eight years, except in "Hollywood Brass", from season five, an episode that turns entirely around Jim Brass; besides him, only three other regular characters appear.[6]
Again, William Petersen did not appear during the season six episode "Gum Drops". This episode was originally going to be how Grissom was convinced that an abduction victim was still alive. When Petersen's nephew died, he flew home and was unavailable for the filming of the episode, which turned out being centered around Nick.[7]
During 2007 (CSIs season seven) William Petersen took a break from CSI to appear in a five week run of the Trinity Repertory Company production of Dublin Carol in Providence, Rhode Island, resulting in Grissom taking a sabbatical, being replaced by Liev Schreiber, as Michael Keppler, who developed a small story arc through "Sweet Jane", "Redrum" and "Meet Market".
Carol Mendelsohn, one of the shows producer and writers considers Grissom the center of the show.[8] He does play an important role on most episodes, although he is not always the center, for example both "Grave Danger" episodes, which center around Nick, there is also "The Execution of Catherine Willows", "Weeping Willows" and "Built To Kill, Part 2" which center around Catherine.
Public Reaction
This fictional character has an extensive fanbase. There are more than one thousand videos made using this character in sites such as youtube and a thousand more depicting his relationship with Sara Sidle. Of more than seventeen-thousand fanfictions written about CSI in FanFiction.Net, more than half of them include Gil Grissom. [9] There are also many other sites that update daily news about either Gil Grissom status on CSI or William Petersen's activities in real life.[10][11]
The GSR ("Grissom and Sara Romance"; the abbreviation is a pun on the term for gunshot residue, often mentioned in CSI) has accumulated an extensive fanbase during the years with some sites getting thousands of viewers a week [12]. Some fans consider this "ship" very similar to the one of Mulder and Scully in the X-Files, which, as did CSI, showed a lot of chemistry between the two co-workers since the beginning of the show, letting viewers assume that a relationship between the two would soon begin, when in fact it would take years of a platonic relationship and sexual tension for something to actually be seen (for Mulder and Scully it was not until the eighth season that a kiss was seen, for Grissom and Sara nothing of the sort has yet been shown).
On August 2007, upon rumors of Jorja Fox leaving the show, a grassroots campaign started. [13] Thousands of fans that want to save "the GSR" and Jorja Fox, have donated to the cause, collecting over $8000 for gifts and stunts targeted at CBS executives and CSIs producers and writers. Some of the stunts included a wedding cake delivery to Carol Mendelsohn, 192 chocolate covered insects with the message "CSI Without Sara Bugs Us" to Naren Shankar and a plane flying several times over the Universal Studios of Los Angeles with a "Follow the evidence keep Jorja Fox on CSI" banner.[14] Another side of the campaign includes mailing the show's producers a dollar, so as to save Fox's contract "one dollar at a time". As of October 16, according to the site's running tally, more than 20000 letters with money or flyers have been mailed to the Universal Studios and to CBS headquarters in New York from forty-nine different countries since the campaign started on September 29.[15][16]
On September 27 2007, after CSI's season eight premiered, a miniature model of Gil Grissom's office (which he was seen building during season seven) was put up on eBay. The auction ended on October 7th with the prop being sold for U$15600, which CBS donated to the National CASA Association.[17]
Character background
Family life
Grissom was born on August 17, 1956 in Santa Monica, California to a middle-class family and grew up in Marina Del Rey, California. His father was a botanist and his mother ran an art gallery in Venice. Grissom's father died when he was nine years old, most likely from heat stroke. His father inspired his love of the natural sciences.[18]
He was raised Roman Catholic, but he now seems to be a lapsed Catholic. He told Sara Sidle in a season seven episode that, while he is not really a Catholic anymore, he practices a sort of "secular Catholicism, which implicates ritualizing aspects of everyday life and then viewing them with a spiritual intensity they would not otherwise possess".[19]
Grissom's mother was deaf and because of this, he knows sign language [20] and can lip read[21]. He inherited his mother's otosclerosis, a disease which nearly led to the loss of his hearing. But he underwent corrective surgery [22] and his hearing problems have never resurfaced.
Pre-Vegas
Growing up he became an avid reader and an amateur scientist, conducting necropsies on the corpses of animals he found in the neighborhood. In a season two episode he told Warrick that in high school, he was a "ghost", meaning that he did not belong to any group in particular.[23] When he was in college, Grissom financed his first body farm with his winnings from a high stakes poker game. [24] At the same time, he also attended boxing matches to learn about the patterns of bruise formations on bodies.
He became a forensic entomologist, earning his degree in biology from UCLA.
Career
Grissom once mentioned losing a body while in Minneapolis, implying he spent time there before taking a job in Las Vegas.[25] This is mentioned again when he works with his former mentor, Dr. Phillip Gerard, played by Raymond J. Barry, stating that he used to work for him in Hennepin County, whose seat is Minneapolis. [26]
He became the night shift team supervisor for the Las Vegas CSI unit on the second episode of the series, after Jim Brass got demoted following the death of co-worker Holly Gribbs. [27]
In season seven, Grissom took a sabbatical to teach a class at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts for four weeks.[28] Prior to his sabbatical, Grissom had been showing signs of "burnout". Upon his return, however, he appears reinvigorated and tells Warrick Brown that he "missed" Las Vegas." [29]
Grissom has a dog named Bruno, who is portrayed by William Petersen's real-life dog of the same name.
Character development
Evolution through the years
Early episodes revealed Grissom to be a witty, enthusiastic and quirky scientist, who had some sense of humor (used to have a Big Mouth Billy Bass over his door). He flirted regularly and seemed to be constantly on a hyperactive state.[30][31]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b7/CSI_Grissom.jpg/200px-CSI_Grissom.jpg)
However, when he began to lose his hearing, Grissom retreated into himself and lost a lot of the nerdy spark he once had. He became easily irritable and unapproachable.[32] After his surgery, he lightened up a bit, but he has never gone back to the whimsical science nerd he once was. He has, however, seemed happier and more relaxed since season six, probably because of his relationship with Sara Sidle.[33]
Personality
Grissom has always been portrayed as the father figure of the team, the leader who can be perceived as cold and emotionless, but who is fiercely loyal to his CSIs and passionate about his work.
He has Asperger-like traits, and in a second season episode it is hinted that, in fact, he has Asperger's syndrome.[34] Another character on CSI who shares these kind of traits is his subordinate (and current girlfriend), Sara Sidle. She once insinuated that Grissom was a misanthrope when he quoted her Thoreau's Walden.[35]
Although he is very dedicated to his job and sometimes goes to extremes in his investigations, his unwillingness to dabble in office politics often alienates his superiors, and sometimes his subordinates.[36] He gets a lot of help in these areas from right-hand woman Catherine Willows, who is always trying to make him "look up from the microscope".[37][38]
Grissom claims to have never hired a prostitute for sex, stating that sex is intended to create a human emotional connection. He has also expressed distaste for carrying a firearm when on the field, a tendency that has brought several scoldings from co-worker Jim Brass.[39] Despite this, he has proven to have an exceptional accuracy at the firing range.[40]
He once listed his hobbies to Lady Heather: "I have outlets. I read. I study bugs. I sometimes even ride roller coasters".[41] Indeed, he has proven to be a very cultured man on many occasions, having a wide knowledge of history, literature and art. He often offers quotes from a variety of literary sources, including Shakespeare and Keats. Later in this same season, he reveals himself to be a baseball fan. Sara notes that this is typical of Grissom, saying that he would like "all those stats".[42]
Being an entomologist, he has a wide and varied knowledge of insects, which he applies to his investigations. This has led to his nickname, "The Bug Man". In the beginning of the show, he was referred as "Gruesome Grissom" for his sometimes morbid fascination with the more bizarre aspects of man and nature. Grissom keeps a variety of specimens in his office, including a radiated fetal pig, a tarantula, and a two headed scorpion. He also has a bulletin board on which unsolved cases go: "the ones that got away".[43] Occasionally, he keeps evidence from closed cases (such as the models created by "The Miniature Killer"). In season seven, CSI newcomer Michael Keppler takes a look around Grissom's office and observes that he must be quite a freak.[44]
When asked why he is a CSI, he responds, "Because the dead can't speak for themselves." This is one of his favorite quotes and he uses it frequently.[45]
Relationships with other characters
Grissom may not ask to take on the role of mentor, but it seems to happen naturally, going all the way back to Sara Sidle when they first met in San Francisco, then Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders in Vegas. Although he can be annoyed with his proteges at times, he is visibly proud when they succeed, as Greg did by passing his field test and becoming a CSI.[46]
He also shares a good friendship with Dr. Al Robbins, and in the season six finale, it was revealed that Jim Brass's living will gave Grissom power of attorney, showing that Grissom was the one person Brass trusted with his life.[47]
His relationship with Warrick Brown had aspects of a mentor/student bond, but out of all the CSIs (Catherine included), Grissom seems to view Warrick as his successor, the one who will lead when he is gone.[48]
Some fans have always expected to see a relationship between Grissom and Catherine Willows, in whom he is shown confiding many times, once even likening her to being his "wife".[49] The two have never been more than very good friends, and will probably never be anything more since the show producers see them as more of brother and sister than lovers.[50] Catherine has many times encouraged Grissom to be more open and less self-absorbed,[51] and to pursue something with Sara Sidle.[52]
Grissom has been allegedly involved with forensic anthropologist Teri Miller [53] and with S&M parlor operator Lady Heather, whose "safeword" he knows.[54]
Sara Sidle
Since CSI's first season there were hints that both Sara Sidle and Grissom were interested in each other romantically, in fact creators made Sara Sidle while thinking of a future love interest for Grissom,[55][56] but during the show's first three seasons Grissom flirted with all the female characters, and when Sara asked him out to dinner he rejected her, claiming that he does not know what to do about what is going on between them.[57][58]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7b/Grissomsara_csi.jpeg/250px-Grissomsara_csi.jpeg)
In season four Grissom's true feelings are revealed in "Butterflied", an episode that centers entirely around him discovering his sentiments for Sara. It was then that he admitted not been able to risk his career to be with her.[59] In this season Sara apparently develops a drinking problem, which Grissom acknowledges on the season finale, after this they would hardly see each other, and Grissom becomes interested in detective Sofia Curtis.
In mid-season five, Sara is suspended for insubordination and she reveals to Grissom her tormented childhood. He refuses to fire her and has her working in every case of the next two seasons with him.[60]
It was not until the sixth season finale that it is revealed that Grissom and Sara have worked through whatever issues they had, and are, in fact, a couple, and have been for two years.[61] This revelation caused mix reviews among critics, some of them see this relationship as CSI "jumping the shark", an attempt to include more drama and romance to the show, so as to be able to compete with the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which airs in the US at the same time.[62][63] By killing off the sexual tension between the two characters and making them an item, the production crew were seen to be adding more personal drama to the show, increasing the appeal to some of Grey's Anatomy's younger audience.[64][65][66] This has been denied by the writers, Carol Mendelsohn even said that she has never been able to see Grissom with someone else other than Sara and that this episode was seen as the writers as the right time to reveal the relationship, Jorja Fox and William Petersen have also admitted that the relationship is not new.[67][68]
Throughout season seven the audience sees Grissom and Sara as a couple,[69][70] but the relationship is kept secret from the others in the lab until Sara's abduction by The Miniature Killer in the season finale.[71] During the current season, season eight, they have become engaged to be married.[72]
References
- Marrinan, Corinne and Parker, Steve. Ultimate CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2006). DK Publishing Inc. ISBN 0-7566-2353-7
- CSI Characters Biographies at CBS.com
Footnotes
- ^ Chicago Tribune "Solving the mystery of the 'CSI' finale shocker"par.19aprox. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ pc.gamezone.com"UbiSoft Creates CSI PC Game" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ CSIfiles.com-"Petersen Explains How Gil Grissom Got His Name" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Television Heaven-"CSI" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"Bound for home"para.135aprox. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Hollywood Brass". Sarah Goldfinger,Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Bill Eagles (director). CSI. CBS. 2005-04-21. Season 5 Ep. 2.
- ^ TV.com episode summary Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"Solving the mystery of the 'CSI' finale shocker" paragraph 19 aprox. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Fanfiction.net/tv/CSI Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ The William Petersen Appreciation Page Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ The William Petersen Attic Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ GSR:GrissomandSaraRomance.com Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ TVguide-"Ausiello Report" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Flyover pictures and videos Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ TVguide - CSI Boss Vows Jorja Fox is "Coming Back Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ 'CSI' fan says losing Sara would be a crime Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ CBS CSI Gil Grissom’s rare office replica TV prop Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Marrinan and Parker (2006), p. 22
- ^ "Double-Cross". Marlane Meyer (writer) & Michael Slovis (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-10-19. Season 7 Ep. 5.
- ^ ""Sounds of Silence"". Josh Berman and Andrew Lipsitz (writers) & Peter Markle (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-4-19. Season 1 Ep. 20.
- ^ ""Grave Danger"". Anthony E. Zuiker, Naren Shankar, Carol Mendelsohn, Quentin Tarantino (writers) & Quentin Tarantino (director). CSI. CBS. 2005-5-19. Season 5 Ep. 24/25.
- ^ "Inside the Box". Anthony E. Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2003-5-15. Season 3 Ep. 23.
- ^ "Ellie". Anthony E. Zuiker &Charlie Correll (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-12-6. Season 2 Ep. 10.
- ^ "Revenge is Best Served Cold". [[Anthony E. Dannie Cannon (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-9-26. Season 3 Ep. 1.
- ^ "Precious Metal". Andrew Lipsitz, Naren Shankar (writers) & Deran Sarafian (director). CSI. CBS. 2003-3-4. Season 3 Ep. 18.
- ^ "The Accused is Entitled". Elizabeth Devine, Ann Donahue (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-10-3. Season 3 Ep. 2.
- ^ "Cool Change". Anthony E. Zuiker (writers) & Michael Watkins (director). CSI. CBS. 2000-10-13. Season 1 Ep. 2.
- ^ "Leaving Las Vegas". Allen MacDonald, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-1-4. Season 7 Ep. 11.
- ^ "Law of Gravity". Richard Catalani, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-2-8. Season 7 Ep. 15.
- ^ "I-15 Murders". Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Oz Scott (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-01-12. Season 1 Ep. 11.
- ^ "Crate 'n Burial". Ann Donahue (writer) & [[Danny Cannon]] (director). CSI. CBS. 2000-10-20. Season 1 Ep. 3.
- ^ "High and Low". Naren Shankar, Eli Talbert (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-12-12. Season 3 Ep. 10.
- ^ "Ending Happy". Evan Dunsky (writer) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-4-26. Season 7 Ep. 21.
- ^ "Caged". Elizabeth Devine,Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-11-8. Season 2 Ep. 7.
- ^ "Happenstance". Sarah Goldfinger (writers) & Jean de Segonzac (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-11-16. Season 7 Ep. 8.
- ^ "Sex, Lies and Larvae". Josh Berman, Ann Donahue (writers) & Thomas J. Wright (director). CSI. CBS. 2000-12-22. Season 1 Ep. 10.
- ^ "Burden of Proof". Ann Donahue (writer) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-2-7. Season 2 Ep. 15.
- ^ "Evaluation Day". Anthony E. Zuiker (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-5-10. Season 1 Ep. 22.
- ^ "Ending Happy". Evan Dunsky (writer) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-4-26. Season 7 Ep. 21.
- ^ "Assume Nothing". Danny Cannon, Anthony E. Zuiker (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2003-9-25. Season 4 Ep. 1.
- ^ "Slaves of Las Vegas". Jerry Stahl (writer) & Peter Markle (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-11-15. Season 2 Ep. 8.
- ^ "Primum Non Nocere". Danny Cannon, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-1-31. Season 2 Ep. 16.
- ^ "Who Are You?". Josh Berman, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Danny Cannon (director). CSI. CBS. 2000-11-10. Season 1 Ep. 6.
- ^ "Sweet Jane". Kenneth Fink, Naren Shankar (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-1-18. Season 7 Ep. 12.
- ^ "Toe Tags". Allen MacDonald, Carol Mendelsohn, Richard Catalani, Douglas Petrie (writers) & Jeffrey Hunt (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-10-5. Season 7 Ep. 3.
- ^ "Who Shot Sherlock?". David Rambo, Richard Catalani (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2005-1-6. Season 5 Ep. 11.
- ^ "Way To Go". Jerry Stahl (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-5-18. Season 6 Ep. 24.
- ^ "Leaving Las Vegas". Allen MacDonald,Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-01-04. Season 7 Ep. 11.
- ^ "Jackpot". Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar (writers) & Danny Cannon (director). CSI. CBS. 2003-10-6. Season 4 Ep. 6.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"A very special 'CSI' Thanksgiving" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Evaluation Day". Anthony E. Zuiker (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-5-10. Season 1 Ep. 22.
- ^ "Burden of Proof". Ann Donahue (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-2-7. Season 2 Ep. 15.
- ^ "To Halve and to Hold". Ann Donahue, Andrew Lipsit (writers) & Lou Antonio (director). CSI. CBS. 2001-2-15. Season 1 Ep. 14.
- ^ "Pirates of the Third Reich". Jerry Stahl (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-2-9. Season 6 Ep. 5.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"Bound for home" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Deseret Morning News - Apparently, autopsies and romance do mix Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Primum Non Nocere". Danny Cannon, Carol Mendelsohn (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2002-1-31. Season 2 Ep. 16.
- ^ "Play with Fire". Andrew Lipsitz, Naren Shankar (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2003-5-8. Season 3 Ep. 22.
- ^ "Butterflied". David Rambo (writers) & Richard J. Lewis (director). CSI. CBS. 2004-1-15. Season 4 Ep. 12.
- ^ "Nesting Dolls". Sarah Goldfinger (writers) & Bill Eagles (director). CSI. CBS. 2005-2-3. Season 5 Ep. 13.
- ^ "Way To Go". Jerry Stahl (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2006-5-18. Season 6 Ep. 24.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"The Gil and Sara show on 'CSI'" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ CSI in JumpTheShark.com Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"The Gil and Sara show on 'CSI'" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Buddy TV-"CSI's Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ TVguide-"Note to CSI—Don't Do It" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Chicago Tribune-"A 'terrifying' romance on 'CSI'" Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ Cult Times, April 2005, Interview with Jorja Fox Retrieved on 2007-10-22.
- ^ "Leapin' Lizards". Evan Dunsky (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-5-3. Season 7 Ep. 22.
- ^ "Fallen Idols".CSI. CBS. 2007-2-22. Season 7 Ep. 17.
- ^ "Living Doll". Sarah Goldfinger, Naren Shankar (writers) & Kenneth Fink (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-5-17. Season 7 Ep. 24.
- ^ "The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp". David Rambo, Jacqueline Hoyt (writers) & ... (director). CSI. CBS. 2007-10-18. Season 8 Ep. 4.
External links
- GSR: Grissom and Sara Romance A complete guide to this fictional relationship
- Gil Grissom at the Official CSI Wiki
- The Sexiest Man in the Morgue, Slate, February 11, 2005