Directed by Duane Clark
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, Trey Calloway & Zachary Reiter
"The 34th Floor" is the Season 7 premiere and the 141st episode overall. It originally aired September 24, 2010.
Picks up 5 months after the events of "Vacation Getaway."note Stella has left NY to head up the New Orleans Crime Lab and has been replaced by former FBI agent, Jo Danville. On her first day on the job, Jo discovers a body in the Crime Lab, but the woman didn't have the security clearance code to be on their floor, so how did she get there? Lindsay is still dealing with the repercussions of her own actions.
Tropes for the episode:
- Arc Villain / Story Arc: After approximately four seasons, the team is finally done with Shane Casey for good.
- Bleed 'Em and Weep: Lindsay finally has a breakdown that leaves her badly shaken after she had to shoot serial killer Shane Casey when he broke into her and Danny’s apartment and held their daughter at gunpoint the previous season. She’s a detective but never had to kill anyone before and it shows. She throws away the medal of valor she received for taking Casey out, but Mac and Danny calm her down and help her get through it.
- Embarrassing Browser History: Adam freaks out when Jo teases him, "We know about those web sites you visit," and says he's not the only one who uses that computer because he has friends over a lot.
- Is It Always Like This?: Jo's reaction at the end of her first day on the job after finding a dead pregnant woman in the Lab, and dealing with a premeditated murder, a crime of passion, and a high-end thief:Jo: Are all your cases like this?Mac: [nodding] Pretty much.
- Medal of Dishonor: Lindsay is shown literally throwing away the commendation medal she receives. She doesn't think she deserves it because she was just doing her job and defending her family, as anyone would do, not just a police officer.
- Put on a Bus: After the Cold Open, it is revealed that Stella left NYC months earlier to accept the position of Head of the New Orleans Crime Lab.
- Real Award, Fictional Character: The NYPD's Combat Cross, which Lindsay receives for taking out Shane Casey, is an actual award given to officers who exhibit extraordinary heroism while engaged in life-threatening combat with an armed adversary.
- Rooftop Confrontation: Mac & Flack have a shoot-out with the killer atop the Chrysler Building.
- Suicide by Cop: The Rooftop Confrontation ends with the killer pulling his gun on Mac & Flack, knowing they'll shoot him.
- Time Skip: As Lindsay mentions to Mac in their heart-to-heart, it's been five months since she shot Shane Casey in her family's apartment.
- Voiceover Letter: When Lindsay reads the note from Stella silently, her own voice is heard.
- Welcome Episode: Jo.Jo: [referring to the victim she discovered upon her arrival] My first thought was it's a practical joke. You know, "Welcome to the New York Crime Lab."Mac: We usually sabotage a pair of latex gloves or have a tech pose as a dead body in Autopsy, then suddenly pop to life. But murder? Not our style.Jo: Good to know.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: After Lindsay reads the plaque Stella sent her which says, "Bravery means being the only one who knows you’re afraid,” she rushes up to the roof to be alone. In turn, Mac and Danny arrive to comfort and reassure her. Mac tells her she has the spirit of a warrior which can't be broken and that, whether she realizes it or not, she is coming to terms with the fact that she killed another person. Danny tells her she's his hero... not for the life she took, that of a crazed serial killer, but for the life she saved, that of their daughter, whom she'd rescued from Casey.
