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Season guide

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 12

22 episodes Premiered Sep 21, 2011 Updated Sep 25, 2026

In the twelfth season of the long-running procedural drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the Las Vegas forensic unit undergoes a significant leadership transition. D.B. Russell assumes the role of the new supervisor, taking charge of the team as they navigate complex criminal investigations. The season maintains the series' established focus on the application of advanced forensic science and rigorous methodology t

Previously on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Season 12 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a long-running drama series centered on a team of forensic investigators based in Las Vegas.
  • ⚡ The series follows a procedural format where investigators solve crimes by scouring crime scenes and collecting irrefutable evidence.
  • ⚡ The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and serves as the inaugural entry in the broader CSI television franchise.
  • ⚡ The core premise relies on the use of advanced forensic methods to analyze evidence and identify perpetrators in criminal cases.

Season overview

In the twelfth season of the long-running procedural drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, the Las Vegas forensic unit undergoes a significant leadership transition. D.B. Russell assumes the role of the new supervisor, taking charge of the team as they navigate complex criminal investigations. The season maintains the series' established focus on the application of advanced forensic science and rigorous methodology to solve baffling cases. As the team continues to scour crime scenes and collect irrefutable evidence, they operate under the guidance of Russell to address the various mysteries presented within the city. The narrative arc centers on the integration of this new leadership within the existing framework of the forensic unit, ensuring that the investigators remain dedicated to their primary objective of solving crimes through detailed analysis. By utilizing sophisticated techniques and maintaining a commitment to scientific accuracy, the team faces new challenges while upholding the standards of their profession. This season serves as a continuation of the franchise's legacy, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of the investigators as they process evidence to bring clarity to the most difficult and perplexing criminal activities encountered by the Las Vegas department.

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Season 12 Episodes

Episode Guide

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Season 12 Progress Shield

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Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 12: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

Time Saved 0.7h Skipping 1 filler episode
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Mytharc (3): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (18): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (1): Standalone / filler
S12·E1 Mytharc

73 Seconds

Sep 21, 2011 · 44 min

After multiple attacks on a public tram, the team has just one witness and a lot of questions.

S12·E2 Core

Tell-Tale Hearts

Sep 28, 2011 · 44 min

When three people confess to killing a family, the team must decide who is telling the truth.

S12·E3 Core

Bittersweet

Oct 5, 2011 · 43 min

During a date, Stokes discovers decomposing body parts in part of an art exhibit; D.B. Russell deals with a staff member confrontation.

S12·E4 Core

Maid Man

Oct 12, 2011 · 44 min

The investigators attend the gala grand opening of a mob museum, only to witness an attempted hit on mob lawyer and former mayor Oscar Goodman.

S12·E5 Core

CSI Down

Oct 19, 2011 · 43 min

The CSI unit investigates when Frank, an apparent murder victim, sits up and needs help but is he just another victim?

S12·E6 Filler

Freaks & Geeks

Nov 2, 2011 · 43 min

The murder of a popular sideshow performer sends the team behind the scenes at a carnival freak show.

S12·E7 Core

Brain Doe

Nov 9, 2011 · 44 min

The CSI crew is stumped when they discover a disembodied brain at a crime scene where all the other brains are accounted for.

S12·E8 Core

Crime After Crime

Nov 16, 2011 · 43 min

Three new murders related to three unsolved (or incorrectly solved) crimes from the past come back to haunt the CSIs.

S12·E9 Core

Zippered

Dec 7, 2011 · 44 min

The murder of a retired Army Ranger brings the FBI in on the case, to Russell and Catherine's initial chagrin.

S12·E10 Core

Genetic Disorder

Dec 14, 2011 · 44 min

When a man's dead body turns up naked in the bed of Doc Robbins' wife, the detectives try to "just work the scene" without bringing their pre-judgments to the table, but it sure lo

S12·E11 Core

Ms. Willows Regrets... (1)

Jan 18, 2012 · 44 min

Catherine's friend Laura's mogul husband Mark has a lot to hide behind his successful international corporation, and he's hired a crack team of assassins to carry out the murders o

S12·E12 Core

Willows in the Wind (2)

Jan 25, 2012 · 44 min

The CSI team says goodbye to Catherine Willows as she makes a life-changing decision.

S12·E13 Core

Tressed to Kill

Feb 8, 2012 · 44 min

When a woman is found dead and her hair is done up '70s style complete with vintage clothes, the CSI team discovers clues that point to a killer with a hair fetish.

S12·E14 Core

Seeing Red

Feb 15, 2012 · 43 min

Russell seeks advice from a former colleague during an investigation into the death of a man's ex-girlfriend.

S12·E15 Core

Stealing Home

Feb 22, 2012 · 44 min

When a house is stolen completely off its foundation, the CSIs are on the case in search of answers. Meanwhile, new CSI Julie Finlay showcases her skill in blood analysis.

S12·E16 Core

CSI Unplugged

Feb 29, 2012 · 43 min

When a blackout cripples the city, the CSIs must revert to old-school methods to solve the case of a missing child.

S12·E17 Core

Trends with Benefits

Mar 14, 2012 · 44 min

When a photo of a dead college student starts trending on the Internet, the team steps in to investigate.

S12·E18 Core

Malice in Wonderland

Mar 21, 2012 · 44 min

The team has few leads to go on when investigating a robbery-homicide at a themed wedding

S12·E19 Core

Split Decisions

Apr 4, 2012 · 43 min

When the CSI team is called in to investigate a man who is shot at point-blank range in a local casino, they shut down the entire building to find their killer.

S12·E20 Core

Altered Stakes

Apr 11, 2012 · 44 min

When Stokes learns that a man he helped put in prison is going to have his conviction overturned, the CSI team needs to prove the killer is guilty again or he will be released.

S12·E21 Mytharc

Dune and Gloom

May 2, 2012 · 43 min

When a bomb kills an off-road race truck driver mid-race, the CSI team is called on the scene to investigate why.

S12·E22 Mytharc

Homecoming

May 9, 2012 · 44 min

The investigation of a triple homicide leads to the discovery of corruption running rampant throughout the LVPD. The closer they get to the truth, the more serious are the repercus

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