This episode continues the trend of the 7th season of CSI which is to tie the crimes into an underlying theme and somewhat continuing story-line. The plot here is the same premise as other episodes but the story is truly involving and gives the viewer a potent juxtoposition of the innate good in humanity and the ability for evil when people are allowed to stray. We get to see a different side of Greg Sanders this episode and Nick Stokes also gives us something extra to think about. This episode is freaky, fun, exciting, compelling a little scary and a little sick - but CSI is continuing to evolve from a descrete episode show to a moving, living continuous story line. Thumbs up. CSI fans will enjoy this one and even non-fans will have their appetite whet for some high impact drama.
15 Reviews
Violence For The Sake Of Violence
ccthemovieman-116 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The most memorable part of this episode is that CSI's "Greg Sanders" (Eric Szmanda) is beaten up.
The good news is that he'll be okay. (In fact, he shows up for work on the next episode, although his face is still very swollen.) Sanders was a "Good Samaritan" in this episode, coming to the aid of a man being beaten up by masked thugs in an alley. These thugs, a gang a real sickos, has been going around the city of Las Vegas doing this "fannysmackin'" to a number of people......just for the helluva it, apparently.
The masks they were were legitimately scary, almost making this a horror-type story at the beginning. One of those scenes had one punk slowly approaching Greg's car with his a rock in his hand and is terrifying. Eventually, the gang smashes his windows, drags him out of the vehicle and almost beats him to death.
The rest of the show is devoted to finding out who these people are, and capturing them. It was good stuff - very entertaining. It was touching to see the compassion of Greg's fellow CSI workers.
The good news is that he'll be okay. (In fact, he shows up for work on the next episode, although his face is still very swollen.) Sanders was a "Good Samaritan" in this episode, coming to the aid of a man being beaten up by masked thugs in an alley. These thugs, a gang a real sickos, has been going around the city of Las Vegas doing this "fannysmackin'" to a number of people......just for the helluva it, apparently.
The masks they were were legitimately scary, almost making this a horror-type story at the beginning. One of those scenes had one punk slowly approaching Greg's car with his a rock in his hand and is terrifying. Eventually, the gang smashes his windows, drags him out of the vehicle and almost beats him to death.
The rest of the show is devoted to finding out who these people are, and capturing them. It was good stuff - very entertaining. It was touching to see the compassion of Greg's fellow CSI workers.
Great episode except for the theatrics...
Anonymous_Maxine17 October 2008
Like more than one other episode this season, this was a great show except for the whole theatrical element. Evidently there has been a mysterious gang of thugs brutally beating people all over the city for no apparent reason. Things get immediately interesting when Greg stumbles across the gang in the middle of one of their beatings and tries to break it up.
As I would have done, he backs up his Denali and drives toward them honking his horn with his police lights flashing. All of the thugs run except for one, who is made to look like a horror movie psycho who is completely fearless of the police, and instead of running away, he charges toward Greg's truck with a rock in his hand.
The episode starts off really good with the sudden sense of danger falling over the city because the attacks are so brutal and so random. It very effectively takes away that real life sense of safety that we have in our everyday lives, but then it falters because we get these psychotic teenagers beating people to death. I know we live in a violent world and I know that Vegas is the Sin City, but kids just don't do that.
One of them is caught and questioned, and after arrogantly snapping at every question the police ask her and generally acting like a high school girl lashing out at her parents, she admits that she and her "friends" regularly get together and beat random tourists within an inch of their lives just because they get tired of seeing them everywhere.
It's not uncommon for CSI to give us murder cases that happen under wildly outlandish situations (remember the guy who killed himself with the gun tied to a piece of elastic that pulled it up the chimney after he shot himself?), but this is an example of one of the stories that was just a little too unrealistic as far as basic human behavior.
Oh and yeah, Kevin Federline was in it. Who cares.
As I would have done, he backs up his Denali and drives toward them honking his horn with his police lights flashing. All of the thugs run except for one, who is made to look like a horror movie psycho who is completely fearless of the police, and instead of running away, he charges toward Greg's truck with a rock in his hand.
The episode starts off really good with the sudden sense of danger falling over the city because the attacks are so brutal and so random. It very effectively takes away that real life sense of safety that we have in our everyday lives, but then it falters because we get these psychotic teenagers beating people to death. I know we live in a violent world and I know that Vegas is the Sin City, but kids just don't do that.
One of them is caught and questioned, and after arrogantly snapping at every question the police ask her and generally acting like a high school girl lashing out at her parents, she admits that she and her "friends" regularly get together and beat random tourists within an inch of their lives just because they get tired of seeing them everywhere.
It's not uncommon for CSI to give us murder cases that happen under wildly outlandish situations (remember the guy who killed himself with the gun tied to a piece of elastic that pulled it up the chimney after he shot himself?), but this is an example of one of the stories that was just a little too unrealistic as far as basic human behavior.
Oh and yeah, Kevin Federline was in it. Who cares.
Don't Hate On Because Federline
fannysmackin21 December 2006
The low user rating doesn't reflect the episode. The low scores are from Federline haters. Look at the breakdown. 16 voters gave it a ten. 10 gave it a one just because Federline line was in it. This is clearly one of the best CSI's ever made. All fans from season one on will agree. Federline can't ruin that. Plus, he was casted perfectly. George got to hit him! He got caught at the end. Who can deny the beating sequences, the characters, the storyllne. This really happened in Las Vegas. But keep it to the writing staff for making the truth more entertaining. The special effects were amazing. The masks were horrifying. The episode was better than most horror movies. This is CSI at its best.
Excellent Episode!
missflick13 January 2008
Kudos to Eric Szmanda for showing us his acting chops. Nice to learn he (Greg) notices things that don't require eyesight (note his comment toward Sara) Even (dare I say it) K-Fed was pretty good, and was in his element. (Granted, not a stretch, but hey). Loved it! So to haters, who give it a low rating just because K-Fed is in it...boo to you. Look at the entire picture, will ya?
And nice to see Nick get all macho on the "Pig's" ass. Heehee. He needs to do that more often. (It would not be out of place, considering Nick is very emotional).
I have become one of the biggest CSI fans out there, simply because I think Gill Grissom is one of the coolest characters out there. So it is a little funny that one of my fave episodes does not highlight him.
And nice to see Nick get all macho on the "Pig's" ass. Heehee. He needs to do that more often. (It would not be out of place, considering Nick is very emotional).
I have become one of the biggest CSI fans out there, simply because I think Gill Grissom is one of the coolest characters out there. So it is a little funny that one of my fave episodes does not highlight him.
Fannysmakin
JuniorEdgarsRaven19 June 2007
The majority of people voted it a ten, which is saying a lot. This episode is a great example that Eric Szmanda can act and that C.S.I has great potential to come through with good episodes in the next season. The people who voted it a one probably voted that way due to the casting of Federline. He didn't get a super big role, but since people don't exceptionally like him, this episode was voted poorly due to the feelings of him being in the cast. I think the episode is terrific and does not deserve to be voted poorly due to the cast. If the only reason this episode, or any other episode for that matter, is voted low, than I think that people should watch the show anyway seeing how it was a great episode and had great acting done.
Amazing!
Draconifers20 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
In this episode we see Greg calling for help as he watches an assualt in progress from his car. Unfortunately, the nearest back up is 5 minutes away, so Greg drives into the group that is beating up a citizen. Most run away, but one stays back and runs at Greg. Greg runs him over in self defence, but the group come back and attack him. Then he is left for dead...
Absolutely stunning episode. Greg's character showed us what he was capable of in this one. He truly is a hero. And Eric Szmanda can ACT very well. Everything, the storyline, the acting especially, the emotional scenes,etc, really grab the viewer's attention. It will connect the viewer to Greg emotionally. I give it a 10/10 simply because it was one of the few episodes that really rocked me hard (Grave Danger is included in this) from any TV series.
The directing and music were also very well done: close ups, woozy zooms, dramatic drums, etc. I recommend this episode to any of you who are not yet convinced of what CSI is capable of.
Absolutely stunning episode. Greg's character showed us what he was capable of in this one. He truly is a hero. And Eric Szmanda can ACT very well. Everything, the storyline, the acting especially, the emotional scenes,etc, really grab the viewer's attention. It will connect the viewer to Greg emotionally. I give it a 10/10 simply because it was one of the few episodes that really rocked me hard (Grave Danger is included in this) from any TV series.
The directing and music were also very well done: close ups, woozy zooms, dramatic drums, etc. I recommend this episode to any of you who are not yet convinced of what CSI is capable of.
A Very Complex World
Hitchcoc12 February 2021
Fifteen years later we hear about groups of kids attacking some poor guy on the street. Even when he or she gives up their valuables, they either beat them half to death or kill them. This is mob mentality. I'm writing this in February, 2021. This is the world we live in where a group seems to think they are immune if they act together. This episode is so hard to watch because there are underlying factors that feed into this, unemployment, poverty, and even boredom. I'm going through these for the second time (watched them when they were originally on) so I know what's coming.
Great by all means!!
pmitsi-110 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A great episode by all means. First: it shows more emotional (human) side in everyone: The actor portraying Greg shows his more sensitive side, when he becomes a Good Samaritan and he reveals he hides the truth about his occupation from his over-protective mother. He is also touched and obviously pre-caught by the scene where the family of the SOB he so rightfully run over is in mourning.
Sarah, even if she does not appear a lot, delivers very good lines, first when she goes to Greg telling him that she came for him not to investigate the scene and at the end, when she delivers the biggest insight (IMO): no-one blames the "kids", even if they WERE the ones responsible, no matter what they were told by the "Federline character".
Nick expresses the feeling of every "human" viewer of the episode by punching the punk (spoiler: THE punk, as we see later on) in the stomach. In any other circumstance I would be the first to shout "police power abuse", but in this case I said "Bra-vo!".
Catherine expresses subtly, as always her emotions, as we see through her reactions when the slut, sorry I meant the girl participating in the "funnysmucking", was providing the "reasons" she does it.
The rest of the actors also performed greatly in this episode (e.g. Warwick when both protects and reprimands Nick).
Last, but not least, I enjoyed the cameo of the "Supernatural" Uncle Bob, the passing-by of Daniel Franzese the and even the "over-emphasized" Federline.
Also, the discussion of the CSI team at the end about "where is the blame". And I wish not to hear that "things like these do not happen, nobody does that, this episode was just to portray violent scenes...". People! Don't you watch the news?!
Sarah, even if she does not appear a lot, delivers very good lines, first when she goes to Greg telling him that she came for him not to investigate the scene and at the end, when she delivers the biggest insight (IMO): no-one blames the "kids", even if they WERE the ones responsible, no matter what they were told by the "Federline character".
Nick expresses the feeling of every "human" viewer of the episode by punching the punk (spoiler: THE punk, as we see later on) in the stomach. In any other circumstance I would be the first to shout "police power abuse", but in this case I said "Bra-vo!".
Catherine expresses subtly, as always her emotions, as we see through her reactions when the slut, sorry I meant the girl participating in the "funnysmucking", was providing the "reasons" she does it.
The rest of the actors also performed greatly in this episode (e.g. Warwick when both protects and reprimands Nick).
Last, but not least, I enjoyed the cameo of the "Supernatural" Uncle Bob, the passing-by of Daniel Franzese the and even the "over-emphasized" Federline.
Also, the discussion of the CSI team at the end about "where is the blame". And I wish not to hear that "things like these do not happen, nobody does that, this episode was just to portray violent scenes...". People! Don't you watch the news?!
Don't let Federline sabotage
dianeonnet10 April 2007
I think is episode was awesome! The plot tied nicely together really smoothly - I think this episode deserves a 7/10 to 15/10. But Federline ruined everything! Look at the votes. 5.1/10 just doesn't qualify for Fannysmackin', people just voted low because of him. Don't hate, please. Even though I don't think CSI should have picked him for the cast; the audience has died - and even for his hateful role of 'Pig', don't you think he really is one? CSI actually picked him really well. His character matches up perfectly with the 'Pig' he portrays. CSI and Eric Szmanda (Greg Sanders) deserve higher than this! Eric Szmanda's acting was awesome in this one. I loved this episode.
Great but painful
AngelCullen18 December 2019
talk about jumping the shark
chefz229 May 2009
I love CSI, but enough is enough.
The show's brilliance comes from down-playing the main characters and up-playing the cases. Watching the human condition playing itself out is more interesting than what they flaunted in this episode- well pretty much the beginning of season seven on; almost complete and undivided attention to torturing the CSI team.
They've been doing this on and off since the very first episode, ever since Warrick left a newbie at a scene- letting her get shot and killed. It continued when Catherine's ex was accused of rape and was later killed, not to mention her father is a wealthy S.O.B. from the days of the Vegas mobs. Nick has a long list of issues in being a victim, including having a murderous stalker and being buried alive. There's more, but I'm sure most fans already know.
These were done in manageable doses. It gave the impression that the job is dangerous but the focus always went back to solving other cases. 'A Bullet Runs Through It' is a great example. It brought some realism to the story about how a community reacts to a shoot out and how law-enforcement is effected by the death of a fellow office. This put enough attention on the CSI/police team to give it power, but ultimately the story was on the events of the shoot-out.
Now it just feels like an attempt to grab ratings. These characters are starting to spend more time being victimized than actually solving other crimes. And now they are adding the likes of Danny Bonaduce and Kevin Federline to the list. Where are the good actors who you could actually believe? Since when does being a 3rd rate reality 'star' get you a starring role on CSI? Go back to the way things were. Focus on the crimes, not the people solving them.
The show's brilliance comes from down-playing the main characters and up-playing the cases. Watching the human condition playing itself out is more interesting than what they flaunted in this episode- well pretty much the beginning of season seven on; almost complete and undivided attention to torturing the CSI team.
They've been doing this on and off since the very first episode, ever since Warrick left a newbie at a scene- letting her get shot and killed. It continued when Catherine's ex was accused of rape and was later killed, not to mention her father is a wealthy S.O.B. from the days of the Vegas mobs. Nick has a long list of issues in being a victim, including having a murderous stalker and being buried alive. There's more, but I'm sure most fans already know.
These were done in manageable doses. It gave the impression that the job is dangerous but the focus always went back to solving other cases. 'A Bullet Runs Through It' is a great example. It brought some realism to the story about how a community reacts to a shoot out and how law-enforcement is effected by the death of a fellow office. This put enough attention on the CSI/police team to give it power, but ultimately the story was on the events of the shoot-out.
Now it just feels like an attempt to grab ratings. These characters are starting to spend more time being victimized than actually solving other crimes. And now they are adding the likes of Danny Bonaduce and Kevin Federline to the list. Where are the good actors who you could actually believe? Since when does being a 3rd rate reality 'star' get you a starring role on CSI? Go back to the way things were. Focus on the crimes, not the people solving them.
A Thriller To Watch!!!!
TaylorLynne13 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This was the best episode I have seen! I got scared though, when Greg Sanders got hurt! I have a small crush on him and get scared when things happen! It WAS scary at times!!! Those people would hurt tourists EVERYWHERE!!! I am glad CSI didn't spend 2 episodes with them in it! I think in that episode, that Nick needed to chill! He can't just go punching people like that! It was great!!! I wish I could see it again and again!!!! But, sadly, no. I hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did! I hope they make another episode where someone else is in peril! Add the thrills and drama to the stories! It was AWESOME! I LOVED IT!!!
Idiot csi
tert725 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
At first I was like ya, he hit that dude.. but as soon as his windows broke, reverse and get out. And how do you let someone pull you out (you would have to be a body builder though to pull someone out of a high car like that) but shouldn't a CSI be wearing a seat belt? Just bad lazy writing. Which has been an issue as this series progresses.
The Street Gang
claudio_carvalho9 February 2023
The Latino dishwasher Vasco Ruiz is walking to his car in a parking garage after-hours when a hooded gang beat him up and steal his possessions. While Grissom and Catherine are processing the crime scene, the Jewish tourist Jessica Hershbaum is also beaten up by the gang nearby. Soon Sara finds that both attacks are related since there are common evidences. When the group robs a liquid store, Grissom sends Greg to process the scene. While driving by an alleyway, Greg sees the gang kicking a man on the ground. He reports the attack but does not wait for the backup and drives towards the attackers that flee but one. Greg hits him with his car but the gang returns and beats him up and one of the attackers spit on him. When Sara arrives, Greg asks her to process his spitted vest, his nails and his car. Soon the CSI team identifies a few members in the beginning of the downfall of the hooded gang.
"Fannysmackin'" is a great episode of "CSI", with a violent story. The hooded gang is amazingly cruel and social alienation. The scene when Cha Cha Romero laughs at Vasco Ruiz, who had countless fractures are exposed by Dr. Robbins, is one of the most unpleasant in this series. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Fannysmackin'"
"Fannysmackin'" is a great episode of "CSI", with a violent story. The hooded gang is amazingly cruel and social alienation. The scene when Cha Cha Romero laughs at Vasco Ruiz, who had countless fractures are exposed by Dr. Robbins, is one of the most unpleasant in this series. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Fannysmackin'"
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