CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 3

2002 · 23 episodes · ★ 7.8

What Season 3 of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

A team of forensic investigators works for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Every case starts the same way: walking the crime scene, collecting evidence and turning it into the proof that points to the culprit. Leading the team is Dr. Gil Grissom, a reserved entomologist who reads crime scenes through insects and small details. His right hand, Catherine Willows, is a single mother with the instincts of a street cop. The season combines complicated investigations with personal problems. Grissom watches as his former mentor, Philip Gerard, looks for flaws in his work, while Catherine has to face her past and her ex-husband, Eddie.

23episodes

Sep 25, 2002premiered

May 14, 2003latest episode

17.3 hrtotal runtime

Season 3 Episodes

3x01 Revenge Is Best Served Cold
Sep 25, 2002 · 43 min · ★ 7.9
Catherine and Nick become absorbed in the dangerous world of street racing after one of the illegal sport's hotshot drivers is found dead out in the desert at an abandoned airstrip. Back in town, Grissom and his crew probe the sudden death of a renowned poker player who suffered a violent convulsion in the middle of a high-stakes game with three others. It looks like natural causes, at first, but Grissom suspects foul play.
Directed by Danny Cannon · Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn · Starring David Berman, Ian Somerhalder, Todd Stashwick, Walter Jones
3x02 The Accused Is Entitled
Oct 2, 2002 · 45 min · ★ 7.5
Grissom and his crew are called in to investigate the death of a young woman found in the hotel room of popular actor Tom Haviland. Haviland admits that he slept with her, but denies killing her. Grissom believes otherwise, however, after finding blood evidence on the celebrity. Then things get personal when Haviland's lawyer hires Grissom's former mentor, Philip Gerard, to find mistakes in the forensic part of the case. And, unfortunately for Grissom, Gerard finds plenty of errors to exploit.
Directed by: Kenneth Fink · Written by: Ann Donahue, Elizabeth Devine · Starring: David Berman, Chad Michael Murray, Justin Cooper, Corinna Harney
3x03 Let the Seller Beware
Oct 9, 2002 · 45 min · ★ 7.0
Grissom and Catherine investigate the murder of a wealthy couple who are discovered just outside of their glamorous Las Vegas house, which was up for sale. Meanwhile, Sara probes the death of a cheerleader who is found eviscerated on a soccer field, her organs having been ingested by her killer.
Directed by Richard J. Lewis · Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Andrew Lipsitz · Starring David Berman, Chris Johnson, Taylor Handley, Nicole Paggi
3x04 A Little Murder
Oct 16, 2002 · 44 min · ★ 8.0
Grissom suspects murder, not suicide, when the body of a dwarf is found hanging from a rope high above a stage in a casino hotel where a convention of little people is being held. Across town, Catherine is attacked at a crime scene where a man was murdered during what appears to have been a home robbery.
Directed by Tucker Gates · Written by Ann Donahue, Naren Shankar · Starring David Berman, Michael Gilden, Phil Fondacaro, Linden Ashby
3x05 Abra-Cadaver
Oct 30, 2002 · 50 min · ★ 8.1
Grissom investigates when a woman vanishes while taking part in a magician's act. The female volunteer is placed inside the Amazing Zephyr's "Chamber of Doom" and the illusionist thrusts swords through the box. When it's opened, she's gone---and doesn't reappear in her seat as she's supposed to. Only traces of blood are left inside the chamber. Clues lead the CSIs to an eerie, decrepit mansion filled with secrets. Elsewhere, a rock star's death on a band bus appears to be the result of an overdose, but Catherine uncovers evidence that points to murder.
Directed by: Danny Cannon · Written by: Danny Cannon, Anthony E. Zuiker · Starring: Lawrence Monoson, Tom Noonan, Jennifer Sky, Jack McGee
3x06 The Execution of Catherine Willows
Nov 6, 2002 · 43 min · ★ 8.2
Fifteen years ago, Catherine helped put John Mathers on death row for the rape and murder of a coed at a nearby college. Her body was dumped in a trash bag, and two other girls found the same way were also linked to the suspect. As the episode opens, Mathers is about to be executed when he's granted a stay based on new DNA evidence. But while Catherine awaits the results of tests on hair samples found on the first victim, another girl at the same school is murdered... and discarded just like the first three - meaning the wrong man could be behind bars.
Directed by Kenneth Fink · Written by Elizabeth Devine, Carol Mendelsohn · Starring David Berman, Viola Davis, Skip O'Brien, Beth Grant
3x07 Fight Night
Nov 13, 2002 · 45 min · ★ 8.0
A middleweight boxing champ dies in the ring after taking a brutal beating from his nemesis, but Grissom finds evidence that points to murder. Outside, in a nearby parking lot, Catherine works a crime scene where a Los Angeles gang member was gunned down, apparently by a rival gang. Also, Nick investigates a jewelry-store robbery.
Directed by Richard J. Lewis · Written by Andrew Lipsitz, Naren Shankar · Starring Jennifer Aspen, Greg Serano, Khalil Kain, Skip O'Brien
3x08 Snuff
Nov 20, 2002 · 42 min · ★ 8.0
Catherine called in by a pornographic-film developer to view graphic footage from a snuff movie in which a woman is brutally slain. But the clues are scant: The murderer isn't clearly seen, the cheap-looking hotel room could be almost anywhere and the film was sent to the developer anonymously. Outside of town, Grissom investigates another killing when a body, smothered with fire ants, is found stuffed inside a large toolbox. The initial findings indicate that the person died well over a year earlier.
Directed by Kenneth Fink · Written by Bob Harris, Ann Donahue · Starring David Berman, Pamela Gidley, Tyler Christopher, Niecy Nash-Betts
3x09 Blood Lust
Dec 4, 2002 · 43 min · ★ 8.4
Distracted by an attractive passenger, an Indian taxi driver feels his cab strike something at a suburban intersection. When he gets out to check, he finds a teenage boy pinned beneath the left rear tire, apparently killed on impact. The cabbie jumps back into the taxi to call for help, but a mob of angry onlookers - all of them white - drags him out and beats him for the crime. When Grissom arrives on the scene, he discovers that the teen has been eviscerated and has stab wounds, but shows no signs of having been struck by the cab.
Directed by: Charles Correll · Written by: Josh Berman, Carol Mendelsohn · Starring: David Berman, Anjul Nigam, Michele Greene, Gina Philips
3x10 High and Low
Dec 11, 2002 · 44 min · ★ 8.3
Grissom, Warrick, and Nick investigate the case of man who apparently was murdered and pushed off a six story building. Grissom's involvement is cut short by renewed hearing problems. Catherine looks into the murder of man outside of his regular bar.
Directed by: Richard J. Lewis · Written by: Eli Talbert, Naren Shankar · Starring: David Berman, Cynthia Preston, Michael Trucco, Leslie Bega
3x11 Recipe for Murder
Jan 9, 2003 · 43 min · ★ 7.1
Grissom and Catherine investigate the grisly meat grinder murder at a slaughterhouse. Warrick and Sara look into the apparent suicide of a troubled young woman.
Directed by: J. Miller Tobin, Richard J. Lewis · Written by: Ann Donahue, Anthony E. Zuiker · Starring: Wallace Langham, Robert Mailhouse, Lori Rom, Cameron Mathison
3x12 Got Murder?
Jan 16, 2003 · 45 min · ★ 7.8
Some bird watchers find a raven with a human eyeball in its beak. This eventually leads our CSIs to a divorced man and his 2 children but not much else. Warrick and Grissom look into the circumstances of David's unusual and first autopsy. This takes them to a car dealership where the man worked.
Directed by: Kenneth Fink · Written by: Sarah Goldfinger · Starring: David Berman, Allison Smith, Colton James, Jules Sylvester
3x13 Random Acts of Violence
Jan 30, 2003 · 45 min · ★ 8.0
Warrick investigates the drive by murder of a young girl in his old neighborhood. The girl's father is a friend and mentor of Warrick's as well. Warrick struggles to control his emotions to the point where Grissom pulls him off of the case. Nick tackles the murder of a computer company employee. The only supects are the three other employees in the building.
Directed by Danny Cannon · Written by Danny Cannon, Naren Shankar · Starring David Berman, Tom Virtue, Keith David, Dwayne L. Barnes
3x14 One Hit Wonder
Feb 6, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.8
Catherine takes the point in the investigation of an escalating series of peeping tom incidents. The crew is racing to stop the attacker before his crimes become more serious assaults. Meanwhile, Sara reopens the dormant case of her friend, a district attorney. The DA is facing surgery to remove a bullet she got in an attack that killed her husband three years prior.
Directed by: Félix Alcalá · Written by: Corey Miller · Starring: Leslie Grossman, Joseph Mazzello, Frank Novak, Elizabeth Mitchell
3x15 Lady Heather's Box
Feb 13, 2003 · 65 min · ★ 7.1
Grissom investigates the murder of two men that leads him to a new encounter with Lady Heather. Catherine is desperate to find out what lead to the near death of her daughter and why her ex, Eddie, disappeared.
Directed by Richard J. Lewis · Written by Andrew Lipsitz, Carol Mendelsohn, Eli Talbert · Starring Melinda Clarke, Michael Riley, Dobó Kata, Leslie Bega
3x16 Lucky Strike
Feb 20, 2003 · 42 min · ★ 8.2
A man driving with a wooden stake in his head dies in front of a casino. Grissom and Nick work to discover the 'vampire' killer. Warrick and Catherine hunt for the killer of a NBA star's 5 year old son.
Directed by: Kenneth Fink · Written by: Eli Talbert, Anthony E. Zuiker · Starring: Christina Christian, Tequan Richmond, Tracy Middendorf, Jeffrey D. Sams
3x17 Crash and Burn
Mar 12, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.1
An elderly woman crashes her car into a crowded restaurant. One of the patrons is Sara's paramedic boyfriend. Grissom and Nick investigate the possible carbon monoxide murder of a woman in her home.
Directed by: Richard J. Lewis · Written by: Josh Berman · Starring: Wallace Langham, David Berman, Christopher Gorham, Jonathan Tucker
3x18 Precious Metal
Apr 2, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 8.1
Catherine, Nick, and Sara investigate a seemingly months old body found in the mountains. Discovery of the man's identity lead the team to the world of robot wars. Warrick and Grissom look into the case of a man found murdered in an alley. Complicating their efforts, the medical examiner ""lost"" the body for 11 days. Greg helps this case by doing some undercover work.
Directed by: Deran Sarafian · Written by: Andrew Lipsitz, Naren Shankar · Starring: Katherine Boecher, Alexandre Chen, Matt Winston, Garret Dillahunt
3x19 A Night at the Movies
Apr 9, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 8.4
Grissom and Catherine investigate a movie-goer who was stabbed to death; the team comes to a forensic impasse while processing a teenager who died from a gunshot wound.
Directed by: Matt Earl Beesley · Written by: Anthony E. Zuiker, Danny Cannon · Starring: Wallace Langham, Peter Dobson, Kevin Christy, Knate Gwaltney
3x20 Last Laugh
Apr 23, 2003 · 45 min · ★ 7.0
Grissom and Catherine investigate the murder of a despised comic who died onstage, apparently after drinking from a tainted bottle of water. The case grows more puzzling when a 15-year-old boy dies in a convenience store after drinking the same brand of water. Brass reopens a woman's accidental-death case after spotting the deceased's husband in a flashy new car with a trophy date on his arm.
Directed by Richard J. Lewis · Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Bob Harris · Starring Wallace Langham, David Berman, Gilbert Gottfried, Jeff Ross
3x21 Forever
Apr 30, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.8
A murder aboard a luxurious 747 and the discovery of two formally attired teens in the desert confound Grissom and his crew in this absorbing episode. First, a horse trainer is found dead in the cargo bay of a private jet carrying 12 well-heeled passengers and a million-dollar show horse. Initially, it appears the victim was trampled to death, but Grissom and Catherine uncover evidence of foul play. Meanwhile, in the Hell's Gate section of Death Valley, Sara and Warrick probe the apparent suicide of a 15-year-old boy found under a bedspread. The investigation intensifies when a girl's body turns up a half-mile away.
Directed by David Grossman · Written by Sarah Goldfinger · Starring Lee Garlington, Arielle Kebbel, Patrick Fabian, Susan Walters
3x22 Play with Fire
May 7, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.6
A woman's body is discovered in a small press box at a high-school football field, apparently the victim of strangulation. The evidence leads investigators to two convicts, one of whom is still in prison. At the crime lab, an explosion destroys key evidence and leaves Greg and Sara injured.
Directed by: Kenneth Fink · Written by: Andrew Lipsitz, Naren Shankar · Starring: Wallace Langham, David Berman, Danielle Panabaker, Bob Gunton
3x23 Inside the Box Season Finale
May 14, 2003 · 44 min · ★ 7.2
Things get personal for the CSIs in the top-rated series' third-season finale, which explores the intersection of the investigators' work and their personal lives. Three masked bandits steal a safe-deposit box from a Las Vegas bank in a daring daytime heist, during which Det. Lockwood is killed. Lockwood's death provides Grissom and his crew with added incentive to find the murderous culprits. But the case really hits home for Catherine when the evidence leads to casino owner Sam Braun, who is like a father to her. Also, Grissom's hearing gets progressively worse and he seeks out Dr. Robbins for help.
Directed by Danny Cannon · Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Carol Mendelsohn · Starring David Berman, Jimmy 'Jax' Pinchak, Jeffrey D. Sams, Michael Shamus Wiles