This ‘CSI’ Couple Will Always Be the Franchise’s Best

The Big Picture

• The relationship between Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom on CSI was built on mutual respect and admiration, rather than an endless game of will-they-won’t-they.
• Sara and Grissom’s love story developed slowly and realistically, with their relationship being revealed in the Season 6 finale.
• The focus of CSI was always on the science and techniques used to solve crimes, but the relationship between Sara and Grissom was satisfying because it made sense and honored their characters.

The budding relationship between Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and Gil Grissom (William Petersen) on CBS’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (known by CSI fans as GSR – Grissom Sara Relationship) wasn’t exactly a slow burn; it was a smoldering ember at best. But that’s what made it so good. While it was evident from the beginning of the CSI series that Sara and Grissom had feelings for one another, there wasn’t much of an attempt to build the romantic tension. The revelation for viewers that Grissom and Sara were involved romantically was revealed in the Season 6 finale. The final scene showed Grissom lying on a bed and talking, and when Sara was revealed, coming out of the bathroom in a robe, it was clear what was happening.

While the slow burn can be a great tactic to build interest in a couple, CSI took a different approach. It was clear that feelings existed between Sara and Grissom, but CSI didn’t tease viewers with an endless game of will-they-won’t-they. Instead, they built a foundation of mutual respect, admiration, and friendship between the two characters. It was clear that Grissom wanted to keep things professional between them. He declined any offer to socialize with Sara outside of work. Since the series was all about the cases and the science involved in solving crimes, audiences didn’t need or expect much in the way of romance. When it was revealed that the two characters had taken their relationship to the next level, though, it made sense, and in true CSI fashion, their relationship remained in the shadows for quite some time.

Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom Kept Things Professional on ‘CSI’

The path to coupledom for CSI’s Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom was long. Sara joined the world of CSI in Season 1, Episode 2 when she was brought in to help out on a case, and then she was offered a permanent position. She already knew Grissom, having met him at a conference in San Francisco. There was some flirtation and an invitation for intimacy from Sara, but the fact that Sara moved from San Francisco to Las Vegas for a job offer from Gil Grissom speaks volumes about her feelings for him.

Throughout the first couple of seasons of CSI, there isn’t much that happens between them to further a romantic relationship. They always seem drawn to each other, and they find enjoyment in the other’s company. They both have an intense intellect that forms the basis of their mutual attraction. They are also both workaholics who rarely make time for a personal life. Grissom confronts this side of himself in the Season 4 episode, “Butterflied,” when he talks with a murder suspect, who has led a very similar life to Grissom, about work and personal connections. Grissom says he couldn’t give up his career for a woman, and Sara, behind the glass, hears every word. With that, it seems that any hope of a relationship is dead.

Sara Opens Up to Grissom in ‘CSI’ Season 5

In the CSI Season 5 episode “Nesting Dolls,” Sara finally shares her past. Most of the characters on CSI have some dark, hidden past that comes back to haunt them occasionally, but Sara’s past is almost entirely unknown. In the Season 3 episode “One Hit Wonder,” Sara reveals that she has a brother, but that is the only personal information known about Sara. That all changes in “Nesting Dolls.”

On CSI, Sara has a temper and butts heads with her colleagues periodically. Occasionally, she gets a little too aggressive when questioning suspects. This is all documented in her file, and it’s something that is brought up in “Nesting Dolls.” When Sara and Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) get into an argument over a case involving domestic abuse, Sara is highly insubordinate. She makes a demeaning comment to Catherine, and Conrad Ecklie (Marc Vann), Sara’s superior, calls Sara into his office to discuss her behavior. When she is insubordinate towards him, he tells Grissom that he wants her fired. Grissom decides against it, but he asks Sara about her behavior and won’t accept anything but the truth.

In CSI Season 5, Sara confides in Grissom the terrible details of her past. She tells him that she grew up in an abusive home. Her father was constantly beating up on her mother, making a very compelling reason for her to be more sensitive about domestic abuse cases. One day, Sara’s mother had enough, and she stabbed Sara’s father to death. Sara was then taken by Child Protective Services and entered the foster care system. Grissom understands that Sara’s trouble with authority and tendency to take certain cases more personally than others has to do with her traumatic past.

Sara and Grissom Find Love on ‘CSI’

The CSI Season 6 finale finally made it clear to audiences that Sara and Grissom were in a relationship. It’s never revealed exactly when or how it happened, but the final scene involves Grissom lying in bed and Sara appearing in a bathrobe. While this was a bit shocking to viewers, their relationship made sense. The groundwork for a relationship was laid over six seasons, so, as much as it was a shock, it was also the most logical thing to happen on CSI.

CSI was never a show that spent too much time on the details of the main characters’ personal lives. The forensics always came first, and everything else was secondary. So, of course, the series would choose to reveal a significant relationship moment as an afterthought. That was a hallmark of the game-changing procedural. And, in a way, it’s one of the best things about the show. The characters are essential, but the most crucial aspect of the show is the crime-solving techniques.

Sara and Grissom Sail into the Sunset on ‘CSI’

Throughout CSI Season 7, Sara and Grissom keep their relationship under wraps. There are little moments to remind viewers of their intimacy, but their relationship remains in the background and very much hidden from their colleagues. In the Season 7 finale, “Miniature Killer,” Sara is abducted and nearly killed by serial killer Natalie Davis (Jessica Collins), a.k.a. the “Miniature Killer.” Grissom comments to the other CSIs that Sara was taken because of how important she is to him, something the rest of the team is shocked to hear.

The rest of the CSI series is a rollercoaster for Sara and Grissom. The couple gets engaged in Season 8, but that is derailed when Sara leaves the crime lab. The two break up, but Grissom gives up his career to get Sara back. Sara and Grissom get married and face the troubles of a long-distance relationship again when Sara returns to the Las Vegas Crime Lab in Season 10. In Season 13, Sara has had enough of the long-distance marriage, and she and Grissom part ways. In the Series finale, “Immortality,” the couple reunites and literally sails off into the sunset on Grissom’s boat.

CSI laid the groundwork for a Grissom-Sara relationship by respecting their characters and the premise of the show. Their love story developed slowly and was built on mutual respect and admiration. It wasn’t a gimmick; it was realistic. Even when they did couple up, their relationship was never the show’s focus. It was about science and the techniques used to solve serious crimes. Their relationship was satisfying because it made sense and happened in a way that honored both of their characters. For that reason, their relationship will always be the best in CSI franchise history.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

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