CSI: Miami

10 Best Episodes of CSI: Miami - Season 3

CSI: Miami follows Crime Scene Investigators working for the Miami-Dade Police Department as they use physical evidence, similar to their Las Vegas counterparts, to solve grisly murders. The series mixes deduction, gritty subject matter, and character-driven drama in the same vein as the original series in the CSI franchise, except that the Miami CSIs are cops first, scientists second.

Written by Sophie and last updated on jan 28, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

Advertisement
CSI: Miami - S3E9

#15 - Pirated (Season 3 - Episode 9)

The team investigates a modern-day piracy off the coast of Miami after six bodies are discovered floating in the ocean tied together by rope. Horatio suspects that a ship was hijacked with some of the crew killed and then dumped overboard. Evidence suggests that other crew members might have escaped on a life raft. Using radar and GPS technology, the CSIs find survivors but their stories don't match. Now, Horatio and the team must learn what really happened out in the ocean as they find themselves investigating the seamy underbelly of Miami's militias and arms dealers.

The episode was rated 7.91 from 117 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E23

#14 - Whacked (Season 3 - Episode 23)

Advertisement

An axe murderer on death row is given a stay of execution just moments before it was to take place, on the grounds that there may have been tainted DNA analysis used at his trial. Now, without using any DNA evidence, the team must race against time and reexamine all of the physical evidence in the case, just as they get a call on a new double murder that looks suspiciously like the case they're working on.

The episode was rated 7.92 from 102 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E10

#13 - After the Fall (Season 3 - Episode 10)

The CSIs must investigate when a pedestrian is killed after a man falls from a building and lands on him. Horatio and the team find that the victim found on the sidewalk is not the same man who fell from the building, but the unfortunate person he landed on. The CSIs discover that the fallen victim is in possession of a sex DVD involving a top Miami criminal judge and a woman with a sordid sex life. When the woman is found dead, the team must delve into the complicated personal lives of those in Miami's judicial system in order to find the killer.

The episode was rated 7.95 from 118 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E20

#12 - Killer Date (Season 3 - Episode 20)

Advertisement

Horatio's life is changed forever when he learns important information about his deceased brother. Horatio must now figure out what to do with this information about his brother, Raymond, and whether or not to tell Yelina. Meanwhile, the team investigates when a woman is murdered at a crowded bar after she's approached by a female employee of a service that helps men pick-up women. Also, when Delko loses his badge after some reckless behavior and it's used in a crime, he must locate the badge before it's used again.

The episode was rated 7.95 from 100 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E6

#11 - Hell Night (Season 3 - Episode 6)

The wife of a famous baseball player is brutally killed in her home and her philandering husband is charged with the crime. The jury on the case, as well as the accused and his defense, visits the house to examine the crime scene, but when the lights are dimmed, as they were when the victim was killed, and then turned back on, the ball player is found dead with a meat clever in his back and a note that reads "guilty." Now, as Horatio and the team find that the husband's defense team tampered with the crime scene, they must examine the evidence to find the couple's killers. Meanwhile, Horatio gets a call from Yelina, who tells him that her son, Ray, Jr., is missing.

The episode was rated 7.97 from 107 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E4

#10 - Murder in a Flash (Season 3 - Episode 4)

Advertisement

E-mails and text messages trigger a mass gathering of students to perform a random task on a golf course. However, as the crowd disperses, the body of a high school student is found. The original message triggering the "flash mob" is traced to a high school senior whose father is a high-powered defense attorney. The case changes direction when Horatio and the team learn that the schoolmaster's daughter may have had something to do with the murder and evidence reveals that the victim was having an affair with his chemistry teacher.

The episode was rated 7.97 from 110 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E7

#9 - Crime Wave (Season 3 - Episode 7)

As a huge tsunami heads directly towards Miami, a ten-hour warning gives citizens just enough time to evacuate the city. In the chaos, two people are killed in a parking lot and the evidence leads Horatio to discover a plot to rob a bank timed to take advantage of the evacuation. However, as the CSIs close in on the robbery already in progress, they find that it's a more elaborate crime than they previously thought. In the wake of the storm, Ryan and Alexx discover a body washed up from a local cemetery that may have a different cause of death than originally recorded. Meanwhile, Horatio suspects that Yelina is being physically abused by her boyfriend, IAB's Rick Stetler.

The episode was rated 7.97 from 118 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E22

#8 - Vengeance (Season 3 - Episode 22)

Advertisement

A former high school football star is murdered at a reunion, the CSIs must find the killer. The victim was the big man on campus in high school and there are a lot of guests at the reunion with reasons to resent him all these years. Now, the team must investigate everyone, from the head cheerleader to the school misfit, to see who held a decade-old grudge big enough to kill. Meanwhile, Horatio and Delko arrive at a crime scene and discover that it's already been processed, leading Horatio to uncover further information about his brother possibly being alive.

The episode was rated 8.01 from 102 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E2

#7 - Pro Per (Season 3 - Episode 2)

A woman is killed during a posh party at an exclusive waterfront estate when a man opens fire on the proceedings from a cigarette boat. When a former con is arrested, he acts as his own lawyer and proves to be smarted than he appears. Complicating matters is the fact that the leading witness in the case is the dead woman's 10-year-old son, whom Horatio wants to protect, refusing to let him testify.

The episode was rated 8.03 from 117 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E1

#6 - Lost Son (Season 3 - Episode 1)

Advertisement

After a large yacht slams into a major Miami bridge, the team finds that the man steering the boat was shot and killed before the accident. The victim's wife reveals that their son had been kidnapped and her husband was handing over the ransom – three million dollars worth of jewels. But when the team learns that the jewels were fake, the investigation leads them into a dangerous situation at a jewelry shop that may contain crucial evidence, where Horatio must face the unimaginable when one of the team is killed in the line of duty.

The episode was rated 8.04 from 139 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E21

#5 - Recoil (Season 3 - Episode 21)

After a bitter custody battle, shots are fired outside the courthouse. Bullets fly and the target is the little girl's mother. Horatio goes after the father, who he suspects may not be the girl's biological father after all. However, when the mother's shady past is uncovered, the team finds that she has a lot of enemies who would like to take a shot at her. Meanwhile, Calleigh's father returns to the crime lab for her guidance but for an unexpected reason.

The episode was rated 8.06 from 96 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E3

#4 - Under the Influence (Season 3 - Episode 3)

Advertisement

The CSIs must find the killer after a young woman is pushed in front of a moving bus. Alexx finds a bruise shaped like a hand imprint on the victim's back, proving that she was pushed in front of the bus, and her boyfriend, Jay Seaver, is the prime suspect. When one of Jay's office rivals also turns up dead, Jay reveals that he has a psychotic stalker, Claudia, who he thinks might kill to please him. However, when Jay hires a lawyer to protect Claudia, Horatio suspects that Jay may be more involved than they thought. Later, a man's body is discovered down an elevator shaft in a nearby building, and there is evidence to link the victims to a common killer. Meanwhile, Calleigh's father seeks her help when he fears that he may have killed someone after a night of drinking, and Horatio assigns a new CSI, Ryan Wolfe, to the case.

The episode was rated 8.08 from 116 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E16

#3 - Nothing to Lose (Season 3 - Episode 16)

Evidence leads the CSIs to believe that someone started a massive fire in the Everglades in order to cover up a murder. Local prisoners are brought in as free manpower to help fight the wild fire in the Everglades. However, when a serial killer escapes the scene, Horatio must track him down before he strikes again. Meanwhile, the body of a local college student is found shot to death and the fire has destroyed the crime scene and the evidence. However, when the team uncovers an illegal moonshine operation and homemade ammunitions in the vicinity, the CSIs uncover the real reason why the boy was out there.

The episode was rated 8.15 from 99 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E15

#2 - Identity (Season 3 - Episode 15)

Advertisement

When the CSIs find a woman swallowed whole and killed by a gigantic snake, they uncover a covert drug smuggling operation. Evidence leads Horatio and the team to a drug smuggling operation where large snakes are suspected of be being used to bring illegal drugs into the country to avoid detection by customs. However, when Horatio finds that Clavo Cruz, a nemesis of Horatio's who hides behind his diplomatic immunity, may be behind the operation, the team must find a legal way to put the criminal behind bars. Meanwhile, Wolfe must find the truth when two women each claim that they are the real victim of identity theft and the other is the culprit.

The episode was rated 8.15 from 104 votes.

CSI: Miami - S3E24

#1 - 10-7 (Season 3 - Episode 24)

While investigating the murder of man hired to make dirty bombs that terrorists intend to set off in Miami, Horatio finds the bloody fingerprint of his brother, Raymond, who he believed to be dead. However, when Raymond's son is kidnapped, he emerges from deep undercover and the estranged brothers must work together to save the boy. Meanwhile, while processing a crime scene, an unknown assailant holds a gun to Calleigh's head and, after a deadly confrontation in her gun lab, she is left doubting that she can continue as a CSI.

The episode was rated 8.26 from 98 votes.

Search for TV shows...

About Series with Sophie

Welcome to our community!

We are a community of women who are passionate about our favorite series and want to share that passion with others.

Our mission is to create a space where women can discover new content, connect with like-minded individuals, and engage in meaningful discussions about the series we love.

We believe that everyone should have access to reliable and trustworthy information about their favorite shows, and we strive to be the premier destination for women seeking that information. Whether you're looking for recaps, fan theories, or just want to connect with other fans, we've got you covered.

So join us and be a part of our growing community of series enthusiasts!