Directed by Rob Bailey
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, Pam Veasey, Zachary Reiter, Bill Haynes & Daniele Nathanson
"...Comes Around" is the 23rd episode of Season 3, and the 70th overall. It originally aired May 9, 2007.
Synopsis:
A groom-to-be is found dead in the men's room at the scene of his fianceé's bachelorette party and evidence points to tennis star John McEnroe as the prime suspect. Meanwhile, Mac continues to fight for his innocence and his job in the wake of Clay Dobson's death.Tropes for the episode:
- As Himself: John McEnroe appears as himself in two or three scenes.
- By "No", I Mean "Yes": After Mac has been cleared of all charges, Stella surmises that it was satisfying for him to use the same political tactics on his superiors that they were trying to use against him. At first he denies it, but...Mac: No, I don't take pleasure in other people's discomfort, Stella. [slight pause, smiles, chuckling] Yesss, it was *extremely* satisfying.
- Casting Gag: McEnroe also plays his doppelganger who goes around impersonating him. The man has a larger nose and McEnroe is aghast that anyone would mistake the two of them for each other.
- Celebrity Impersonator: A man who highly resembles John McEnroe takes advantage of the situation by letting strangers believe he is the tennis star. He has drinks bought for him and enjoys popularity like never before, and even practices McEnroe's signature so he can sign autographs. When bad things happen, tho, he says he has to protect both their reputations.
- Clear My Name: Mac goes to Gerrard and Sinclair to try and convince them of his innocence. It doesn't work at first, but he is later given some leverage that gets them to back off.
- Complete-the-Quote Title: What goes around "...comes around." This episode has Mac threatening Chief Sinclair and Gerrard with the same political/media-smear tactics that they've been using against him.
- Courtroom Episode: Mac is shown seated at the defense table at his hearing...until he storms out in protest of being branded a murderer. Stella, Danny and Flack are all called to testify.
- Exact Words: When Danny is asked if he can read a portion of a report at Mac's hearing, he replies, "Sure" and proceeds to do so - silently.
- Frame-Up: Dobson tries to frame Mac for his murder.
- My Death Is Just the Beginning: Dobson wants to ruin Mac's career by setting up his own suicide to look like Mac handcuffed him, then beat him up and threw him off a roof.
- Never Going Back to Prison: Dobson would rather die than go back to prison for murder again.
- Not Listening to Me, Are You?: Mac is in a fog as Peyton tells him about a case. She realizes this and, in a clear Shout-Out to The Silence of the Lambs, tells him she cut up the liver of someone she was autopsying, made a pâté out of it, and served it to her coworkers.
- Suicide, Not Murder: It is revealed here that Dobson had tried to hang himself the first time he was arrested, so Mac's superiors finally believe his account that the man killed himself rather than face a second incarceration.
- Taking You with Me: Dobson chooses death over prison, but decides to try and get Mac in serious trouble by making it look like Mac killed him.
