Directed by Jeff T Thomas
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn & Zachary Reiter
"Uncertainty Rules" is the 16th episode of Season 6 and the 133rd overall. It originally aired March 3, 2010.
A bloody young man carrying an ax through the streets is taken into custody. Upon retracing his steps, the team finds four victims of a massacre in a hotel room. Is the young man responsible and, if so, what led to the carnage?
Tropes for the episode:
- Blown Across the Room: When Mac fires at a perp from across the street, the man is propelled backwards through a storefront window.
- Bodybag Trick: A variation. They young man is so strung out that he's acting crazy and dangerously swinging the ax that officers taze him and wrestle him into a body bag in order to transport him to the precinct for questioning.
- The Body Parts That Must Not Be Named: Danny speculates that the two female victims may have been hired "to blow out the birthday boy's candle."
- Deus Ax Machina: Played with. The young man is innocent. He is strung out on LSD in the bathroom during the killings and only picks up the ax when he discovers the bodies.
- Dwarfism in Media: Character Actor Martin Klebba, who has a form of Dwarfism, plays one of the suspects.
- Games of the Elderly: One of the places the Characters of the Week visit is a retirement home where they join in on Bingo Night...and win the $25,000 pot.
- Man Bites Man: Among the suspects is a Little Person who makes his living as a wrestler and is known for biting his opponents on the shin. Such a mark on one of the victims leads detectives to him.
- Menacing Mask: On an introverted young man's 21st birthday, he is held at gunpoint by his two best friends who are wearing rubber clown masks with spiked red hair, pointed teeth, and evil grins. The gun turns out to be a realistic-looking water pistol filled with vodka, and they're there to force him to go out and live it up for once.
- Monster Clown: The young man is frightened by two others wearing clown masks with scary faces. One is also carrying a pistol which he forces into the young man's mouth.
- Scary Surprise Party: The young man is a serious introvert who gets abducted by his two best friends, disguised as evil clowns, in order to celebrate his 21st birthday out on the town.
- Slipping a Mickey: Two girls the friends pick up during the course of the night spike all three guys' drinks with LSD.
- What Did I Do Last Night?: Due to the drugs, the young man has a very hard time remembering what happened. All things considered, Mac is extremely patient with him.
