Greg Sanders
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| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation character | |
|---|---|
 Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders |
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| Greg Sanders | |
| Birthdate | May 5, 1975 (33) |
| City | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Status | Alive |
| Job | Lab Tech, CSI |
| Rank | CSI Level 1 |
| Position | Night shift CSI |
| Seasons | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Portrayed by | Eric Szmanda |
| First appearance | The Pilot |
Greg Hojem Sanders[1], (born May 5, 1975), is a fictional character featured on the US crime drama television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Greg is played by Eric Szmanda.
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[edit] Fictional Character Biography
[edit] Early life
Greg Sanders grew up in San Gabriel, California. Statements from other characters and Greg himself have hinted that the Sanders's were an upper middle class or wealthy family. Although friends and family told him that science was for geeks, Greg knew from a young age that he wanted to become a scientist. The season 4 episode "Coming of Rage" revealed that he had a palate expander, braces, a retainer, and head gear while growing up. Although he was never good at sports, Greg was the captain of the high school chess team. In the season seven episode "Toe Tags" he stated that he had been an Eagle Scout. The same season, in the episode "Fannysmackin'", Greg reveals that his overprotective mother refused to let him play sports in high school because he was her only child. Greg stated that his mother wanted four children, but only got one. In the same episode, he reveals a fondness for Doc Martens in high school and thinks that skinheads' enthusiasm for that style "kinda ruined it for everyone." It is revealed that Greg was a big fan of The X-Files because in the season 7 episode "Leapin' Lizards" he says that he "practically grew up on The X-Files" At some stage, Greg lived in New York (season 2, "Burked").
[edit] Education
In "The Ultimate CSI" Greg is said to have been an extremely intelligent child prodigy. He attended a school for the gifted for both grammar and high school.
Greg successfully managed to juggle studying and extra-curriculars and eventually went on to earn his degree in chemistry from Stanford University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He has a wide variety of hobbies, including surfing, scuba diving, and numismatics (the study of money/coins and currency - in the episode "Precious Metal" his knowledge of the subject helps the investigation). In "Precious Metal" it is also revealed that Greg likes supermodels, latex and Marilyn Manson.
He is fairly well read, being familiar with The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. However, he also contradicts his scientific training and believes in occultism, stating that one could have paranormal beliefs and also be a scientist, something which Grissom agrees with. His beliefs may derive from his lineage, as his grandmother was a psychic herself.
[edit] Professional life
Greg could be considered the most "normal" member of the CSI team. He's always smiling, he remains somewhat optimistic and he maintains a lot of interests aside from his Crime Lab work (he listens to Marilyn Manson while running lab machines and hides porn magazines in some area cabinets). This is most likely due to his youth; he hasn't been fully subjected to the horrors of this job like the rest of the team. He is also not concerned with the financial aspect of a job -- just the joy that it brings.
In the season 3 episode "Play with Fire" he was involved in a lab explosion, which he survived. Also, in the season 7 episode "Fannysmackin'" he is severely injured after he risks his life to save a tourist being beaten to death by a gang of teenage thrill seekers. He later tells Gil Grissom that he has kept his promotion to CSI a secret from his parents because he didn't want to worry them. Grissom tells Greg his mother will be proud of him for saving a man's life. In the season 7 episode "Post Mortem", Greg's split-second decision to run over one of the men threatening the tourist is found to be "excusable." The man's family disagrees with the verdict and serves Greg with a civil suit. In "Empty Eyes" Grissom informs Greg that the city of Las Vegas has settled the civil suit with the family, which has received millions. In a later episode, "Big Shots" the dead man's brother is implicated in a murder investigation, but Greg asks the prosecutor to be lenient with him. Greg appears to feel sympathy for the man's mother, who shouts at Greg that he "owes her" for the death of her first son and her second son is all she has left.
Greg has arguably had the greatest level of character development of all the CSI characters. He was initially the resident lab rat, appearing occasionally as a comic relief. From the second season onwards, there were hints that Greg longed for a position out in the field, especially following his involvement in the lab explosion in "Play with Fire". He failed his first proficiency test when he urinated in a toilet at a crime scene ("Viva Las Vegas"), but having spent several episodes studying and assisting the CSIs, he eventually attained the rank of CSI Level One ("Who Shot Sherlock?"). As the lowest-ranking CSI, he is often given the more menial or unpleasant tasks, such as fishing about in a liquified body or a dumpster. He initially rarely interviewed suspects. However, he later graduated to investigating crime scenes on his own. His first episode as a primary investigator was season seven episode "Fannysmackin'". Ironically, before he was able to reach the crime scene, he noticed a mob attacking a tourist. It was probable that this mob was the group suspected by the lab for a murder and an attack committed that same day. In a bid to save the tourist, Greg was severely beaten by the gang to be found by the back-up he had radioed in for. Both Greg and the tourist survived, but a gang-member that Greg had run over died in surgery, which causes problems in later episodes. In this episode, Greg also celebrated over dinner with the female district attorney after his testimony at a jury trial helped put away a criminal. This episode marked a turning point for Greg, professionally and psychologically.
David Hodges' character has been somewhat expanded since Greg's promotion, and he now seems to fill the role of lab rat on the show that Greg once held.
[edit] Greg's personal life
Greg is notable for his ever-changing hairstyles. In Seasons One and Two, he favoured a dark brown short-back-and-sides, with occasional variations appearing such as double shaved stripes either sideburn, progressing on to a vigorously spiked dirty blonde, which lasted Seasons Three and Four. By Season Five, the hair had become brown with vibrant blonde patches and spikes, although incomparable in size to those well-remembered from the previous two seasons. In Season Six, Greg's hair was relatively long (ear-length) and somewhat curly. For Season Seven, the curls became short and dark. In the early episodes of Season Eight, Greg's hair appears to be a straight light brown.
Throughout the early seasons, Greg favoured Hawaiian shirts, and later became known for his unusual style of clothing in general. However, this has diminished somewhat since he went out into the field.
Greg shows great interest in the historical aspect of Las Vegas, and in Season Eight episode The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp it was revealed that he is writing a book on the "untold stories of Vegas". Interestingly, Greg's subplot in this episode is comparable to that in Season Six episode Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye, where he becomes fascinated by the biography of Lois O'Neil. The trilby hat which Greg wears is, similarly, a nod to his hat in Kiss-Kiss, Bye-Bye.
[edit] Relationships
Greg seems to be generally well-liked. He initially seems somewhat in awe of the other CSIs, and, especially when he first graduates to CSI, he is looked at with fond superiority.
[edit] Supervisor Gilbert Grissom
Greg has always had nothing but respect for Grissom, idolising him from the very first season. Grissom, however, initially seemed to find Greg's bouncy attitude and loud music tiresome. Despite this rocky start, Grissom seemed to develop a paternal fondness for Greg, evident by Season Two episode Chasing The Bus, where Grissom encourages Greg and denies that he "messed up" in the field. In Season Three episode Precious Metal, Greg first concretely expressed a desire to move from the DNA lab to the field despite the decrease in salary that this would involve, a statement in response to which Grissom looked at Greg as if seeing him for the first time. In the Season Three finale, Inside the Box, Grissom expresses concern that Greg's hands constantly shake as a result of the explosion which he survived in previous episode Play With Fire. By Season Five, Grissom has begun to look at Greg as a surrogate son. He gave Greg another chance to pass his Final Proficiency Test in Viva Las Vegas, even though Greg failed on his first attempt. He was concerned that Greg had not told his parents about his promotion, two years previously, and encouraged him to "come clean". Following Fannysmackin', Grissom sees that Greg is mortified that his actions may have disappointed Grissom, but is immensely relieved when, in Post Mortem, he tells Greg that he did 'a good job'. In Leaving Las Vegas, Grissom worries that Greg will be appointed a sub-standard lawyer and advises him on the best course to take. However in the Season 8 episode You Kill Me it showed Greg show some rare ill-feeling towards Grissom, presumably over Sara Sidle's departure although this has not yet been clarified as his reason.
[edit] Sara Sidle
Greg makes no secret of his enormous crush on Sara. Sara doesn't reciprocate Greg's romantic feelings; she appears to only have eyes for Gil Grissom. However, he was not bitter about her dating Grissom, and continues to flirt with her. He tells Nick in A La Cart that he was aware of their relationship. In the field, Sara mentors Greg, particularly in his early days as a CSI. In Fannysmackin', Sara stays with Greg and comforts him before he is taken to hospital. She says that she "came for him" despite his asking her to "process the scene now". She is moved when he points out where there may be evidence, e.g. under his fingernails and on his car. Sara is less dismissive of Greg now that he is a CSI: in the early seasons, she tended to look at him as somewhat annoying and immature. Greg took the role of the rookie which was once filled by Sara, which Sara seemed grateful for.
[edit] Catherine Willows
Catherine is decidedly motherly towards Greg, particularly in the more recent seasons. She was horrified to discover that she accidentally caused an explosion which nearly killed Greg in Season Three episode Play With Fire and spent her week of suspension with Greg at the hospital. She asks if Greg is alright in Season Seven episode Double-Cross, which follows on from Fannysmackin'. Greg's bruises are still visible on his face at this point. Greg and Catherine came into disagreement following Sara's suspension in Nesting Dolls. He tells Catherine that they ought to help Sara because she was "always there for them".
[edit] Nick Stokes
Greg and co-worker Nick Stokes have remained brotherly since the first season. Nick does not look at Greg any differently now that he is a CSI. Nick was furious following the attack on Greg in Fannysmackin': to some extent, he took his anger out on an irritating onlooker, who, it was later revealed, was actually the leader of the gang.
[edit] Warrick Brown
Greg's relationship with Warrick Brown is more or less of the mentorship variety, though their relationship is friendly. Good natured goading and ribbing between the two on many occasions also denotes camaraderie. Though Warrick seems to find Greg somewhat immature at times, he recognizes that the younger man has come a long way from his days of drawing on masks and dancing in drag. Of note, his mentorship of the fledgling CSI can be seen in episode 4.15 “Early Rollout”, where Warrick counsels Greg on his casual dress and his bad organization. In episode 5.11 “Who Shot Sherlock?” Warrick joins the rest of the teaming in congratulating Greg on attaining his CSI Level 1 status.
[edit] Sofia Curtis
Greg has a sisterly relationship with Detective Sofia Curtis. Sofia always seems to be there to encourage Greg: in Season Five episode Spark of Life she tells Greg how to deal with the shock of seeing burn victims. She tells him that she had heard that he was quite a "funny guy", something that he "shouldn't lose". In Season Seven episode Post Mortem, she tells Greg that cops often pay a hell of a price for what they do, possibly a reference to her own experience of being suspected for shooting another cop in Season Six episode A Bullet Runs Through It.
[edit] Other Characters
Although Greg has a good working relationship with Detective Captain Jim Brass, Brass likes to take the opportunity to pick on the "new guy": in Viva Las Vegas, he says to Grissom: "Oh, hello Grissom. You've got something stuck to your shoe... Wait. It's just Sanders." Conrad Ecklie and Greg come into little or no visible contact. However, there are several references in Room Service, where Greg says that Ecklie assigned him onto Warrick and Nick's case. They tease Greg about "kissing Ecklie's ass". In the same episode, Greg also works in the DNA lab as "a favour to Ecklie", which spawns more teasing. When a "rookie" CSI, Ronnie Lake joins the team, Greg is relieved at not being the new kid anymore and even goes so far as to help Sara and Ronnie with a case when he is off the clock. Even though it is implied that Ronnie has a crush on Greg; no clues have yet been given on whether the feelings are mutual. Concerning the lab techs, Greg finds trace analyst David Hodges deeply annoying and the two often bicker with each other. Greg has little to no contact with Archie Johnson, Bobby Dawson or Mandy Webster but seems to have a good working relationship all the same.
[edit] Family
Greg is half Norwegian, which was revealed in season 3, episode 3 ("Let the Seller Beware"):
- Grissom: Your mother's maiden name is Hojem, correct? Hojem is Norwegian?
- Greg: Yeah. And you know, my grandfather got tossed from Norway for getting my grandmother pregnant before they got married. To this day, he still tells me "som man reder, så ligger man".
- (pause)
- Greg: One must lie in the bed one has made.
- Grissom: This is true.
His heritage was referenced again in season 5, episode 5 ("Swap Meet"):
- Hodges: Good thing you don't have to pass a spelling test to work in the field. 'Funtain' water?
- Greg: My people are Norwegian. That's how we spell it.
- (Note: Fountain in Norwegian is "fontene". So it is likely that he used this excuse to cover up his spelling mistake.)
While Greg fondly refers to his grandparents and his mother, his father has only once been mentioned, although not in the season seven episode "Fannysmackin'", after Greg is beaten by a gang after trying to save a man's life. (He simply tells Grissom, "My mom is going to freak.") He has only once mentioned his father once individually. This reference is from Gum Drops when he points out to Sara, "My dad used to take me sailing when I was a kid. Do you know what the inboard end of an anchor rope is called? 'The bitter end.'" In "Ultimate CSI" Greg's name is printed as "Gregory Hojem-Sanders" which is assumed to mean that his parents are divorced or had never married.
Greg has mentioned on several occasions his grandfather, whom he affectionately calls 'Papa Olaf.' He also mentions his Nana Olaf in season 6, episode 19 ("Spellbound"). She apparently possessed psychic powers, and his family believes that Greg may have inherited this ability from her. This is humorously referenced on several occasions, with Greg making a seemingly innocuous comment, which later either occurs or is referenced. Ironically, Greg is never present when these discoveries are made, and nobody ever seems to notice as well.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Marrinan and Parker (2006), p. 68
[edit] References
- Marrinan, Corinne and Parker, Steve, Ultimate CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2006), DK Publishing, Inc.
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