Greg Sanders

Template:In-universe/Television Template:CSI character Greg Hojem Sanders, is a fictional character featured on the US crime drama television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Greg is played by Eric Szmanda.

Character's background

Early life

Greg Sanders is originally from San Gabriel, California. Statements from other characters and Greg himself have hinted that the Sanders family were from an upper middle class or wealthy background. Although friends and family told him that science was for geeks, Greg knew from a young age that he wanted to become a scientist. The season 4 episode "Coming of Rage" revealed that he had a palate expander, braces, a retainer, and head gear while growing up. Although he was never good at sports, Greg was the captain of the high school chess team. In the season seven episode "Toe Tags" he stated that he is an Eagle Scout. The same season, in the episode "Fannysmackin'", Greg reveals that his overprotective mother refused to let him play sports in high school because he was her only child. Greg stated that his mother wanted four children, but only got one. In the same episode, he reveals a fondness for Doc Martens in high school and thinks that skinheads' enthusiasm for that style "kinda ruined it for everyone." It is revealed that Greg was a big fan of The X-Files because in the season 7 episode "Leapin' Lizards" he says that he "practically grew up on The X-Files" At some stage, Greg lived in New York (season 2, "Burked").

Education

In "The Ultimate CSI" Greg is said to have been an extremely intelligent child prodigy. He attended a school for the gifted for both grammar and high school. Greg successfully earned his degree in chemistry from Stanford University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He has a wide variety of hobbies, including surfing, scuba diving, and numismatics (the study of money/coins and currency - in the episode "Precious Metal" his knowledge of the subject helps the investigation). In "Precious Metal" it is also revealed that Greg likes supermodels, latex and Marilyn Manson. He is portrayed as well read, being familiar with The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. However, he also contradicts his scientific training and believes in occultism, stating that one could have paranormal beliefs and also be a scientist, something with which Grissom agrees.

Professional life

Greg Sanders is portrayed as a cheerful and optimistic individual. The character has often met with the disapproval of his supervisor Gil Grissom, due to listening to loud music such as Marilyn Manson while running lab machines and hiding porn magazines in some area cabinets.

In the season 3 episode "Play with Fire" he was involved in a lab explosion, which he survived. Also, in the season 7 episode "Fannysmackin'" he is severely injured after he risks his life to save a tourist being beaten to death by a gang of teenage thrill seekers. He later tells Gil Grissom that he has kept his promotion to CSI a secret from his parents because he didn't want to worry them; they had, for the most part, tried to keep him from playing aggressive sports out of fear of injury to their only child. Moreover, Greg indicates that they were prone to excessive responses to even minor injuries, such as one instance where they took him to an emergency room for a bloody nose. Grissom tells Greg that he needs to come clean, and that they will probably take the news well if he explains; in particular, Grissom states that his mother will be proud of him for saving a man's life. In the season 7 episode "Post Mortem", Greg's split-second decision to run over one of the men threatening the tourist is found to be "excusable." The man's family disagrees with the verdict and serves Greg with a civil suit. In "Empty Eyes" Grissom informs Greg that the city of Las Vegas has settled the civil suit with the family, which has received millions. In a later episode, "Big Shots" the dead man's brother is implicated in a murder investigation, but Greg asks the prosecutor to be lenient with him. Greg appears to feel sympathy for the man's mother, who shouts at Greg that he "owes her" for the death of her first son and her second son is all she has left, though he commented that he was not responsible for their actions and so "owes her nothing."

There has been significant development of the Greg Sanders character throughout the seasons. He was initially the resident lab rat, appearing occasionally. From the second season onwards, it was shown that Greg longed for a position out in the field, especially following his involvement in the lab explosion in "Play with Fire". He failed his first proficiency test when he urinated in a toilet at a crime scene ("Viva Las Vegas"), but having spent several episodes studying and assisting the CSIs, he eventually attained the rank of CSI Level One ("Who Shot Sherlock?"). As the lowest-ranking CSI, he is often given the more menial or unpleasant tasks, such as fishing about in a liquefied body or a dumpster. He initially rarely interviewed suspects. However, he later graduated to investigating crime scenes on his own. His first episode as a primary investigator was season seven episode "Fannysmackin'". Ironically, before he was able to reach the crime scene, he noticed a mob attacking a tourist. Both Greg and the tourist survived and the team arrested the gang members, but a gang-member that Greg had run over died in surgery, which causes problems in later episodes. In this episode, Greg also celebrated over dinner with the female district attorney after his testimony at a jury trial helped put away a criminal. By season 9, in the last regular episode Gil Grissom appears in, Greg has been newly promoted to CSI Level 3

The character has "grown up" somewhat since the first season. He was originally portrayed as a girl-crazy geek with interesting hair and odd shirts. He would be seen dancing in his lab (Season 1 episode 15 "Table Stakes") and sometimes the hallways or conducting an invisible symphony (episode 104 "Pledging Mr. Johnson"). Eventually, Greg matured quite a bit, but still not losing his wacky touch.

Greg's personal life

Throughout the early seasons, Greg favored Hawaiian shirts, and later became known for his unusual style of clothing in general. However, this has diminished somewhat since he went out into the field; his manner of dress is more formal now, though he does still periodically change his hair style and color. After a particularly strange case, it is revealed Greg didn't lose his virginity until he was 22, a fact a lab tech points out to him, saying she heard it from Sara.

Greg shows great interest in the historical aspect of Las Vegas, and in Season Eight episode The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp it was revealed that he is writing a book on the "untold stories of Vegas". Interestingly, Greg's subplot in this episode is comparable to that in Season Six episode Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye, where he becomes fascinated by the biography of Lois O'Neil. The trilby hat which Greg wears is, similarly, a nod to his hat in Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye. His book is mentioned again in the episode Cockroaches, Greg stated he had been researching Mob bosses from Vegas' past; one boss he had come across in his research owned a waste management company and an old garbage truck from this company was used in a Mob-related murder case. By the time of the events of For Gedda and For Warrick, Greg has completed his book and has interviews with three Los Angeles Area publishing companies; he skips the interviews after Warrick's murder to aid the team in their investigation.

Relationships

Supervisor Catherine Willows

Catherine was horrified to discover that she accidentally caused an explosion which nearly killed Greg in Season Three episode Play with Fire and spent her week of suspension with Greg at the hospital. She asks if Greg is all right in Season Seven episode Double-Cross, which follows on from Fannysmackin'. Greg's bruises are still visible on his face at this point. Greg and Catherine came into disagreement following Sara's suspension in Nesting Dolls. He tells Catherine that they ought to help Sara because she was "always there for them".

CSI Nick Stokes

Greg and co-worker Nick Stokes have remained brotherly since the first season with Nick affectionally calling him Greggo sometimes. Nick does not look at Greg any differently now that he is a CSI. Nick was furious following the attack on Greg in Fannysmackin'; to some extent, he took his anger out on an irritating onlooker, who, it was later revealed, was actually the leader of the gang. He has often encouraged Greg in the field, and has been seen giving Greg some of his first CSI experiences; Greg took his notes in the episode Chasing the Bus, and in Scuba Doobie-Doo, he sought Greg's advice concerning a dead diver, much to Catherine's annoyance, as she was the one working with him on the case. The two remain very close friends. In The Grave Shift, Greg and Riley are invited by Nick to share office space with him, after he accepts an offer to have Grissom's old office.

CSI Sara Sidle

Greg makes no secret of his crush on Sara. Sara doesn't reciprocate Greg's romantic feelings. However, when the relationship between Sidle and Grissom was revealed he was not bitter about her dating Grissom, and continues to flirt with her. He tells Nick in A La Cart that he was aware of their relationship. In Fannysmackin', Sara stays with Greg and comforts him before he is taken to hospital. She says that she "came for him" despite his asking her to "process the scene now". She is moved when he points out where there may be evidence, e.g. under his fingernails and on his car. They still have a close and more personal relationship than the other CSI's, this can be seen in the starting episodes of Season 10.

Detective Captain Jim Brass and Others

Although Greg has a good working relationship with Detective Captain Jim Brass, Brass likes to take the opportunity to pick on the "new guy": in Viva Las Vegas, he says to Grissom: "Oh, hello Grissom. You've got something stuck to your shoe... Wait. It's just Sanders." Conrad Ecklie and Greg come into little or no visible contact. However, there are several references in Room Service, where Greg says that Ecklie assigned him onto Warrick and Nick's case. They tease Greg about "kissing Ecklie's ass". In the same episode, Greg also works in the DNA lab as "a favour to Ecklie", which spawns more teasing. When a "rookie" CSI, Ronnie Lake joins the team, Greg is relieved at not being the new kid anymore and even goes so far as to help Sara and Ronnie with a case when he is off the clock. Concerning the lab techs, Greg finds trace analyst David Hodges deeply annoying and the two often bicker with each other. Greg has little to no contact with Archie Johnson, Bobby Dawson or Mandy Webster.

(Former) CSI Riley Adams

Greg had been shown to have a friendly relationship with new CSI Riley Adams. The two often used to banter and exchange jokes, and were usually shown working cases together. They even used a form of code between each other to indicate when there was trouble, which is done by them swapping last names in conversations in the presence of suspects (who are usually none the wiser).

(Former) Supervisor Gil Grissom

Greg has always had nothing but respect for Grissom, idolizing him from the very first season. Grissom, however, initially seemed to find Greg's bouncy attitude and loud music tiresome. Despite this rocky start, Grissom seemed to develop a paternal fondness for Greg, evident by Season Two episode Chasing The Bus, where Grissom encourages Greg and denies that he "messed up" in the field. In Season Three episode Precious Metal, Greg first concretely expressed a desire to move from the DNA lab to the field despite the decrease in salary that this would involve, a statement in response to which Grissom looked at Greg as if seeing him for the first time. In the Season Three finale, Inside the Box, Grissom expresses concern that Greg's hands constantly shake as a result of the explosion which he survived in previous episode Play With Fire. Grissom gave Greg another chance to pass his Final Proficiency Test in Viva Las Vegas, even though Greg failed on his first attempt. He was concerned that Greg had not told his parents about his promotion, two years previously, and encouraged him to "come clean". Following Fannysmackin', Grissom sees that Greg is mortified that his actions may have disappointed Grissom, but is immensely relieved when, in Post Mortem, he tells Greg that he did 'a good job'. In Leaving Las Vegas, Grissom worries that Greg will be appointed a sub-standard lawyer and advises him on the best course to take.

(Former) CSI Warrick Brown

Greg's relationship with Warrick Brown is friendly with good natured goading and ribbing between the two on many occasions. Of note, his mentorship of the fledgling CSI can be seen in episode 4.15 “Early Rollout”, where Warrick counsels Greg on his casual dress and his bad organization. In an episode early in the 5th season, during which a shootout occurred at one of Greg's crime scenes, Warrick pays him a visit in the lab to see how he's doing. In episode 5.11 “Who Shot Sherlock?” Warrick joins the rest of the team in congratulating Greg on attaining his CSI Level 1 status. In episode 9.01 "For Warrick", Greg is noticeably distraught over Warrick's murder and assists Sara in helping plan the funeral and investigate the shooting. He discovers the results of a paternity test in Warrick's dresser, leading the team to realize that Warrick had a son. In episode 9.03 "Art Imitates Life", co-worker David Hodges spots Greg in another room, speaking with a grief counselor who has been appointed to help the lab cope with their feelings regarding Warrick's death. He is presumably upset, as the counselor nudges a box of tissues towards Greg as he speaks.

(Former) Detective Sofia Curtis

Detective Sofia Curtis offers encouragement to Greg in Season Five episode Spark of Life she tells him how to deal with the shock of seeing burn victims. She tells him that she had heard that he was quite a "funny guy", something that he "shouldn't lose". She also occasionally gives him forensic advice, such as in the Season 5 episodes No Humans Involved, when Greg was unsure how to recover a fingerprint, and Snakes, when Greg is sent to assist her in a shooting. In Season Seven episode Post Mortem, she tells Greg that cops often pay a hell of a price for what they do, possibly a reference to her own experience of being suspected for shooting another cop in Season Six episode A Bullet Runs Through It. She has been over to Greg's apartment, and in one episode she tells Sara "who hasn't been to Greg's place".

Family

Greg is half Norwegian, which was revealed in season 3, episode 3 ("Let the Seller Beware"):

Grissom: Your mother's maiden name is Hojem, correct? Hojem is Norwegian?

Greg: Yeah. And you know, my grandfather got tossed from Norway for getting my grandmother pregnant before they got married. To this day, he still tells me "som man reder, så ligger man".

(pause)

Greg: One must lie in the bed one has made.

Grissom: This is true.

His heritage was referenced again in season 5, episode 5 ("Swap Meet"):

Hodges: Good thing you don't have to pass a spelling test to work in the field. 'Funtain' water?

Greg: My people are Norwegian. That's how we spell it.

(Note: Fountain in Norwegian is "fontene". So it is likely that he used this excuse to cover up his spelling mistake.)

While Greg fondly refers to his grandparents and his mother, his father has only once been mentioned, although not in the season seven episode "Fannysmackin'", after Greg is beaten by a gang after trying to save a man's life. (He simply tells Grissom, "My mom is going to freak.") He has only once mentioned his father individually. This reference is from Gum Drops when he points out to Sara, "My dad used to take me sailing when I was a kid. Do you know what the inboard end of an anchor rope is called? 'The bitter end.'" In "Ultimate CSI" Greg's name is printed as "Gregory Hojem-Sanders".

Greg has mentioned on several occasions his grandfather, whom he affectionately calls 'Papa Olaf.' He also mentions his Nana Olaf in season 6, episode 19 ("Spellbound"). She apparently possessed psychic powers, and his family believes that Greg may have inherited this ability from her. This is humorously referenced on several occasions, with Greg making a seemingly innocuous comment, which later either occurs or is referenced. Ironically, Greg is never present when these discoveries are made, and nobody ever seems to notice as well.

References

• Marrinan, Corinne and Parker, Steve, Ultimate CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2006), DK Publishing, Inc.