CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV Series) Dead Doll (2007) User Reviews

Tense Fight for Survival in the Desert

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 24 February 2023]

In the Nevada desert, Sara is trapped by her arm under the red Mustang and a storm is coming. Meanwhile, LVPD and CSI are looking for her, running against time. When Nick finds the reference to a junkyard in Natalie Davis apartment, Capt. Brass drives to the place and the owner shows where he has taken the wrecked Mustang in his truck. The police and CSI find the car, but Sara succeeded to escape and now they need to look for her in the desert without any clue.

"Dead Doll" is a tense episode of "CSI", with police officers and CSI investigators trying to find Sara I the desert like a needle in a haystack. The storyline is short, but the episode leaves the viewer breathless. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Dead Doll"

Sara

[melissa-langston-2007 · 10/10 · 27 September 2007]

Sara is just excellent in this episode. Honestly I never really liked her before. In 7 seasons there was never an episode about her that caught my attention. Her "special" episodes were pretty boring and not impressive at all. But in this episode, she is amazing. This episode alone is worth seeing for her acting abilities.

Some of the scenes are still cheesy, but the way that the episode incorporates the flashbacks and the way that the other characters react to her impresses me. This is by far one of my most favorite episodes in this series. I love Nick, but this episode is much better than when Nick was in trouble. This episode proves to me that this series can definitely go on for more years!

It's not often...

[spuffyholic · 10/10 · 2 January 2008]

... that CSI blows you out of chair (or sofa) like this episode does. And it's not just me who believes this; as my friend who watched CSI as an in-and-out viewer told me the same thing. She also said she considered it as one of the best Season premiers of Fall 2008 and if not, the best.

This episode was captivating. Some parts were a little cheesy, but overall this was a wonderful episode. From how they handled the flashbacks of how Sara ended up underneath the car to the team's reaction and her escaping the car, it ran smoothly and there never seemed to be anything you question at first viewing. Of course, after re-watching the episode a few times, questions pop up but they're just minor oversights that could have been explained by a line or two.

Even viewers who may not be clear with some story lines, such as the romantic relationship between Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle, would enjoy the episode. There isn't a lot of scenes that feature their relationship, but just enough to clue the viewers into how the characters feel for each other. Done very tactfully and with true emotions, it isn't mushy material that makes you head for the puke bag.

An episode with a case that packs a hell of an emotional punch, this is CSI at the top of its game.

Far From the Best, But Not Awful

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 18 February 2021]

I always get a kick out of the comments where something that is quite average is given a one or a two. I admit that good writing would have helped and the forensics are in short supply, but if you don't like Sara, don't dis the whole episode. At the very least it was a study in survival. Unfortunately, we expect more from a season opener.

Surprisingly-Boring For A Season-0pener

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 14 January 2009]

I can't recall, although there must have been at least one, any CSI episode that I could label as "boring." The stories might get a little too wacky here and there - especially this Las Vegas one - but they never dragged......until this one.

Usually, a lot is going on in a CSI episode, whether it is one crime being solved or three at once. Here, however, it's just trying to find a person: CSI employee "Sara Sidle," who is trapped underneath a car somewhere out in the desert. The question is "where?" The only person who knows is the "Miniature Killer" who is in some sort of mental state in which she's unable to communicate.

Thus, the whole show is trying to find out where Sara is, plus showing Sara trying to get out from underneath the car. Being a regular on the show since Day One, you know Jorja Fox ("Sara") is going to make it, so I didn't feel much suspense. One just observes how she's found, and it's a very slow, drawn out story with very little, frankly, happening.

Worst episode ever

[GMEllis625 · 2/10 · 28 September 2007]

What a long, boring episode! Cheesy attempts to create suspense, almost none of the elements that make CSI what it is, and actually repeats the same theme as an earlier episode! First, there was very little suspense. The flashback mechanism didn't work at all because we knew the outcome before we saw the danger. We see Sara struggling to get out of the trunk of a car, but we already know she doesn't get away. That's not suspenseful, it's just dumb.

Next, there was almost no science. In a very early episode Grissom uses infrared to not only find a women in the desert, but she was buried alive. Where was that technology while looking for Sara? I was actually getting interested at the point I thought Hodges might actually contribute and find Sara. But alas, no--just another dead end. Watching the team trudge through the desert was just monotonous. And then add a helicopter hovering 10 feet above the convoy of cars heading into the desert--what was the point of that? I guess it made a "cool" visual shot, but that's not at all how the helicopter would have been used.

Finally, how was this different than the desperate search to save Nick (except, of course, the Nick episode actually required forensic science to solve and this one did not). Both are two-part episodes. Both involve someone coming after the CSI team intentionally. Both put a team member in prolonged danger waiting for the rest of the team to find them. Both showed the victim showing their own resourcefulness to survive. Both lead the audience to believe the victim has been found only to shift gears and add a twist putting them in danger again. This was very repetitive.

I'm not even going to comment on the writing or acting. I didn't feel that much concern for Sara because I didn't see much concern from the CSI team. But had I been of the actors I would have had a hard time getting enthused about doing that show--again!

Very disappointing.

[perkypaula · 2/10 · 29 September 2007]

I completely agree with the previous reviewer (GMEllis625). Even the character of Natalie was unbelievable. For such a brilliant and physically fit person (had to be to plan and pull off everything she did), she mysteriously turned into a turnip once she was caught.

It felt like the writers had to get this episode together at the last minute, there were so many holes in the plot. And to say that Sara was disoriented - hmmm. This reason might have worked if it had been woven into the story somehow, but to write it into a subsequent episode (if, in fact, this is what will happen) is just an easy way out of some poor writing.

If this weren't one of my favorite shows, I wouldn't have been so disappointed. But I've come to expect some pretty good stories on CSI and this was certainly not one of them.

You can't force me to care.

[kakuraffe · 2/10 · 19 March 2017]

I don't know if this episode was trying to create the suspense of the amazing two-part "Grave Danger" but it failed on so many levels.

The big part is Sara Sidle being the most uninteresting character and expected me to care if she lived or died. I did not. Honestly if she would have, it would have been a lot more interesting. I haven't seen anything else with Jorja Fox, but if she was meant to play a childish bore, it was pretty spot on. In Grave Danger - Nick gave us something to care about. He had this strength one can only hope for and it was easy to root and feel for him. He has a good heart, showed he's a great friend and CSI, I felt for him. I would have cared if he died.

Big difference between the two from a viewer.

The "Miniture Killer" arc was incredible. Very well written and a great (possible?) nod to "The Doll House Murders", which I had taken a big interest when I was a teen. Needless to say, I found the arc very entertaining. Which is why I didn't like the conclusion at all. Natalie's backstory could have been written a little better, but I'm sure they had to flatten it to watch Sara walk around the desert. Zzz.

No palpable tension and a boring character made for a very irritating conclusion. When it first aired I remember being at my end. With all the very false forensics, questionable liking of many other characters, and horrible police procedures - I felt the testing of my patience was up.

Rewatching it all now, my opinion hasn't wavered in almost 10 years and I guess that says quite a lot.

What was even the point of this episode?

[interestingstuff · 10 March 2022]

This episode didn't accomplish anything and it was obviously going for nothing but pure emotional response from the viewers. They just wanted people to feel really really terrible for Sara and the episode served literally no other purpose. It's like writers are out of ideas and now they are going for dramatic effect alone without any substance or purpose.

SLOW AND FULL OF HOLES

[DcharlesS · 2/10 · 23 July 2023]

1. The sequence of flashbacks inadvertently causes loss of suspense. 2. The trapped arm changes from one to the other. 3. The once brilliant serial killer turned catatonic vegetable did not a memorable villain make. 4. Very little forensics were performed or tech used to find Sara when lots of forensic science and technology were used in previous episodes when finding other victims in the desert. 5. It was raining for the majority of the episode, the news called it the heaviest storm of the year, warnings of flooding. However, as soon as the sun came up, all the water was gone! Dust clouds forming behind vehicles, car tires and shoes were sinking in 4 inches of dry sand. It was evident the area hadn't seen rain in weeks, yet we're supposed to believe that it's the next morning after the storm of the year was dumping rain all night? Sure. This inconsistency causes confusion about what the threat was. Because it was supposed to be the likelihood of drowning face down in water and mud. But now a few hours later the water is gone and the threat is now supposedly dehydration and sun stroke. So either the rain must not have been that heavy or the desert was not very hot and dry. In mere hours both of these threats are impossible. It would have taken days for all that water to dissipate. She was missing for less than 24 hours.

Worst season opener.

[robertsfrmn · 3/10 · 15 September 2019]

This episode was one of my least favorite. I have seen every episode several times and this series has been great. This episode was terrible on so many levels. I was so hoping for a big reveal with miniture killer but was a let down. Of course the episode has to revolve around Sara the worst character on this show. No personality, no real drive. Her character gets to involved in the cases and she whines when thinks do not go her way. There should have never been a relationship between Sara and Grissom. And this epeisode proves that n one really cares about her character except Grissom. The others that have reviewed ths episode have stated as much. The writers should have killed of Sara in this episode and kept Warrick.

Meh

[kat0158 · 5/10 · 2 March 2022]

The biggest disappointment of this episode was that Sara survived. I can't remember ever actively rooting for a main character to die before but I did.

I was so disappointed in this episode

[spida · 4/10 · 28 September 2007]

It looks like the writers/producers are trying to kill the show off. I was very disappointed in the outcome of last night's episode. It should have ended right the opposite of the way it did. Look out fast forward for future episodes. Can't say more or I will have a real spoiler in place. This is supposed to be a investigative crime drama, not a romantic drama. Let's get back to crime, investigation, blood and guts. Cut out the source of this romantic posh!! Put some spine back into Grissom. Quit the personal flashbacks. If there must be a romantic interest for Grissom, let it be with someone other than the weak character, monotoned voiced, mannish Sarah. He should be with someone more like Lady Heather or Catherine. Someone who has a range of emotion, intellect, and femininity.

SO many mistakes in this episode

[Dancer1975 · 3/10 · 27 December 2011]

first of i would like to say that i am somewhat disappointed with the series, not the best out there, but interesting enough to watch a few episodes in a row. Most info is accurate, though they seem to jump to conclusion a bit often. THIS episode however should not have been allowed to air. Starting scene has Sara under the car, with CLEARLY her right hand sticking out, but when it is shown she is escaping from the car, she is using her right hand to get her LEFT hand out. (meanwhile all the intervals where u can see her hand sticking from under the car, it is very obviously not stuck). Than, her rescuers ride through a desert that shows NO remnants of it pouring 3 inches of rain out the night before....soil completely dry as dust flies up when they ride through. her car gets overflown with mud at night, but somehow her footprints do not get washed away ? And HOW did Nathalie get that car to lower so slowly onto Sara, in the middle of the desert, when u see her drive of in her own car, and nothing else is there ? Combining all those goofs with the utter implausibility of Sara jumping out of a moving car AFTER she smashed Nathalie's head through the side window, makes for easily the worst episode of CSI i have seen to date.