Nick Stokes - Career

Career

Nick has a natural empathy with the people affected by the crimes he investigates; in contrast with many of his colleagues, who prefer to keep an emotional distance. On occasion, Nick's empathy causes friction his colleague Warrick Brown and with his supervisor, Grissom, but Nick defends his approach and it often proves beneficial to the case. Nick has a good command of Spanish; he frequently deals with cases involving Hispanics and the Latino community.

In Season Six, Nick grows a moustache then shaves it off. He has had a variety of hair cuts, such as a mop-top and a shaved head.

Nick is characterized as something of a ladies' man, but the only onscreen romance over the course of the series is a brief affair with a prostitute named Kristi Hopkins and a date with Dr. Robbins's niece ("Bittersweet"). His celibacy might be explained by a running gag that whenever Nick is with a woman, misfortune befalls someone else. For example, he sleeps with Kristi, and she is murdered later that night ("Boom"). Also, Nick and Catherine go to a club together then shortly after Nick meets a woman at the club, Catherine is drugged and abducted ("Built to kill" part one). Again, during breakfast with the team at a diner, Nick eyes a pretty waitress and stays behind to get her number, while Warrick leaves. Shortly afterward, Warrick is murdered ("For Gedda"). In the Season 13 episode, "Play Dead", Nick refers to a girlfriend in passing when talking to his dog, Sam.

Catherine turns down an offer to move into Grissom's office and offers it to Nick. He accepts it after some thought, then, in turn, decides to share the office space with Greg Sanders and Riley Adams. ("The Grave Shift"). Grissom's infamous "fetal pig in a jar" is placed in the room by Hodges, who says that "it is where it belongs". Nick is promoted to assistant supervisor after Sara Sidle advises Catherine that she needs a "number two". Nick handles tarantulas and takes Grissom's old tarantula under his care (season ten premier). However, Nick's promotion, is compromised after the CSIs tried to apprehend serial killer Nate Haskell in Los Angeles ("Cello and Goodbye"). Nick and Ray are apprehended by the LAPD for going beyond their jurisdiction, when Nick used his gun in attempt to apprehend Haskell. Haskell kills Tina, but Ray is implicated in her death. Nick returns from a work-related trip to find that he has lost his office to new CSI supervisor D.B. Russell (Season 12 premiere).

In the Season 12 finale, "Homecoming", Nick announces to his colleagues that he is quitting his job at CSI, as he is no longer able to stand the widespread corruption in the department. He then walks out of the room and appears to be heading out of the building.