Directed by Mike Vehar
Written by Anthony E. Zuiker, Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn & Pam Veasey
"Identity Crisis" is the 18th episode of Season 7 and the 158th overall. It originally aired April 1, 2011.
Jo's daughter, Ellie, skips school and witnesses a murder on the subway.
Tropes for the episode:
- Adoption Angst: Ellie gets a little upset with Jo when she learns Jo hid the fact that her birth mother is in prison, and at first assumes Jo adopted her out of guilt for arresting the woman.
- The Con: Among other things, the perp tricks at least one boyfriend into borrowing money, which she then steals before disappearing from their lives, only to change her name and start over.
- Daddy's Little Villain: A con-artist's father had been one as well.
- Happily Adopted: At first it seems that Ellie was running away to find her birth mother because she was unhappy, but she later admits she just wanted to see what she might look like some day because a friend of hers looks just like her mother.
- Marrying the Mark: The con-artist's husband is told he would likely have been the next victim.
- They Wasted a Perfectly Good Sandwich: During their heart-to-heart, Jo buys Ellie a milkshake. Ellie takes one sip, declares it to be awful and hands it back to Jo, who tosses it in the nearest trash can.
- Violin Scam: The con-artist's favorite trick, as per Flashbacks shown. She swindles a guy out of his watch and wallet by folding them up in a newspaper, showing him how to stick it in the back of one's pants beneath a jacket, then pulls out and hands him a different newspaper...wrapped around a couple of rocks.
- Working with the Ex: Jo's ex-husband Russ, an FBI Agent, is familiar with the con-artist's father and shares what he knows.
