The Unexpected CSI Character That Really Grew On Fans

Let's face it: the "CSI" universe is hardly upbeat. And as such, there's no shortage of characters with moral blindspots, small and large, even among the good guys. This is, after all, a world where some truly heinous crimes are an everyday occurrence, and that inevitably takes a toll on the members of the crime lab setting out to solve them. That gray area is, just as an example, brought to the fore in the very first season of "CSI: Vegas" as trace technician David Hodges (Wallace Langham) tries to clear his name after being accused of fabricating evidence and potentially putting innocent people in prison.

That being said, even with these characters' myriad foibles and failings on display, fans of "CSI" are bound to have their favorites and least favorites. Almost as common is the case of the character who starts downright unlikable but then, over time, finds a place in the hearts of audience members. It could happen for all sorts of reasons, from writers or producers wanting to tweak the direction of a show to revealing a side of a character that had been there all along. Whatever the reason, viewers are won over, as happened with one of the most recognized characters on "CSI."

Sifting through the comments below a post about the most tragic "CSI" character at the r/csi subreddit –- spoiler: it's Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle), more on that below -– we can see that some viewers were rather unsure about the deadpan detective at first, but over time, they were won over to him. When u/MajesticVegetable202 replied that Brass was their favorite character, u/AutumnalSunshine answered that they simply didn't like him at first but that he grew on them quickly. Other users seem to agree. One fan wrote: 

Given that Guilfoyle's Brass is one of the faces most recognizably associated with the original "CSI," this may surprise some readers. But then, Brass did come off as fairly gruff, coarse –- even malicious in the early seasons, as u/AutumnalSunshine also points out. As seasons progressed and more of his tragic backstory was revealed to viewers, his toughness came more into view. He also became far more sympathetic. It also helped that, as u/MajesticVegetable202 also replied, he developed a deadpan sense of humor. One fan wrote: "He has some of the best lines. And a lot of what he says is such pure DAD energy I love it."

Unfortunately, tragedy never really stopped coming for Brass. As "CSI: Vegas" brought more of the old cast back, Brass was revealed to be suffering from Fuchs' dystrophy, a degenerative condition that has left him legally blind (via Outsider.com). As u/Unusual_Blacksmith13 wrote, "He deserved better." We couldn't agree more.