CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 3
Season three of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, comprising twenty‑three episodes, extends the ongoing narrative of the Las Vegas forensic unit. The series, created by Anthony E. Zuiker and first broadcast in October 2000, follows a team of investigators trained to solve criminal cases by meticulously examining physical evidence. Operating as the United States’ second dedicated crime‑scene laboratory, the Las Vegas di
Season 3 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- CSI was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and debuted on October 6, 2000, establishing a long‑running crime‑drama franchise.
- The series centers on a Las Vegas forensic investigation team that serves as the United States’ second criminal laboratory.
- Key characters include William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger, who lead the team in analyzing evidence to solve cases.
- The core premise is that evidence never lies, and the investigators are trained to solve crimes by scouring physical clues.
Season overview
Season three of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, comprising twenty‑three episodes, extends the ongoing narrative of the Las Vegas forensic unit. The series, created by Anthony E. Zuiker and first broadcast in October 2000, follows a team of investigators trained to solve criminal cases by meticulously examining physical evidence. Operating as the United States’ second dedicated crime‑scene laboratory, the Las Vegas division continues to apply scientific methods to uncover truth in a city known for its complex crimes. Returning cast members, including William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger, lead the effort to interpret trace evidence, DNA, and other forensic data, reinforcing the series’ premise that “evidence never lies.” Throughout the season the investigators confront a variety of cases that test their expertise and collaborative dynamics, while the overarching saga of the show’s procedural storytelling persists. The season maintains the show’s blend of crime, drama, and mystery, emphasizing the role of forensic science in modern law enforcement and the personal dedication of the team members to deliver justice.
Episode Guide
Season 3 Progress Shield
Revenge Is Best Served Cold
Sep 25, 2002 · 43 min
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
The Accused Is Entitled
Oct 2, 2002 · 45 min
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 deni
Let the Seller Beware
Oct 9, 2002 · 45 min
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 t
A Little Murder
Oct 16, 2002 · 44 min
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.
Abra-Cadaver
Oct 30, 2002 · 50 min
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 t
The Execution of Catherine Willows
Nov 6, 2002 · 43 min
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 fou
Fight Night
Nov 13, 2002 · 45 min
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, Cat
Snuff
Nov 20, 2002 · 42 min
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 clea
Blood Lust
Dec 4, 2002 · 43 min
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 ben
High and Low
Dec 11, 2002 · 44 min
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 proble
Recipe for Murder
Jan 9, 2003 · 43 min
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.
Got Murder?
Jan 16, 2003 · 45 min
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 in
Random Acts of Violence
Jan 30, 2003 · 45 min
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 e
One Hit Wonder
Feb 6, 2003 · 44 min
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 assau
Lady Heather's Box
Feb 13, 2003 · 65 min
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 w
Lucky Strike
Feb 20, 2003 · 42 min
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 NB
Crash and Burn
Mar 12, 2003 · 44 min
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
Precious Metal
Apr 2, 2003 · 44 min
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 Gri
A Night at the Movies
Apr 9, 2003 · 44 min
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.
Last Laugh
Apr 23, 2003 · 45 min
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-
Forever
Apr 30, 2003 · 44 min
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 fou
Play with Fire
May 7, 2003 · 44 min
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
Inside the Box
May 14, 2003 · 44 min
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 ban