The "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" Season 4 finale, "Bloodlines" (via IMDb), is a fairly standard episode of the forensics procedural drama. It expands on personal storylines, chronicles the investigation into a gut-wrenching case, and ends with a shocking revelation about the crime the team has been investigating. However, "Bloodlines" also exposes audiences to the extent of Sara Sidle's problem with alcohol.

Fans of "CSI" know about Sara's devastating childhood and the trauma she carries from those formative years. As such, the introduction of her using alcohol to cope early in Season 4 comes with mixed emotions, as it's both easy to understand but hard to accept Sara's decision in a desperate attempt to keep her personal demons at bay. Things come to an explosive head in "Bloodlines" when a case goes awry, and it forces her to grapple with how often her line of work fails victims of sexual violence. 

Sara's drinking escalates, and the episode ends with her being pulled over for a DUI. Gil Grissom gets a call from the officer who pulls her over, and he comes to the rescue. As he learns about her excessive drinking, the two share a sweet moment as he says he'll bring her home, and she is free to go despite her blood alcohol content being over the legal limit.

While the episode offers a realistic and grim look at the flawed legal system, it also unintentionally highlights the reality that those working within this system don't have to adhere to the rules they regularly enforce. Of course, this isn't the scene's intention — it was to reveal Sidle's increasingly tumultuous relationship with alcohol to Grissom to progress her storyline in Season 5.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).