CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (also known as "CSI" or "CSI: Las Vegas") is a CBS network drama series created by Anthony E. Zuiker which aired from October 6, 2000 to September 27, 2015, lasting for 15 seasons & 337 episodes.
The series ended with a featured-length, two-part TV movie finale called "Immortality." It has also spawned three spin-offs: "CSI: Miami, "CSI: NY" and "CSI: Cyber."
Synopsis[]
Set in Las Vegas, Nevada, "CSI" centered on police crime scene investigators who use physical evidence in order to solve crimes.
Cast[]
Main[]
- William L. Petersen as Gil Grissom (Seasons 1-9, TV movie)
- Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows (Seasons 1-12, TV movie)
- Ted Danson as D.B. Russell (Seasons 12-15, TV movie)
- Elisabeth Shue as Julie "Finn" Finlay (Seasons 12-15)
- Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Raymond Langston (Seasons 9-11)
- Jorja Fox as Sara Sidle (Seasons 1-8, seasons 10-15, TV movie, recurring seasons 9-10)
- Gary Dourdan as Warrick Brown (Seasons 1-8)
- George Eads as Nick Stokes (Season 1-15)
- Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders (Seasons 3-15, TV movie, recurring season 1-2)
- Robert David Hall as Dr. Albert "Al" Robbins (Seasons 3-15, TV movie, recurring season 1-2)
- Louise Lombard as Detective Sofia Curtis (Seasons 5-7, guest season 8 and 11)
- Wallace Langham as David Hodges (Seasons 8-15, TV movie, recurring season 3-7)
- Lauren Lee Smith as Riley Adams (Season 9)
- Liz Vassey as Wendy Simms (Season 10, recurring seasons 6-9, guest season 11)
- David Berman as David Phillips (Seasons 10-15, TV movie, recurring season 1-9)
- Elisabeth Harnois as Morgan Brody (Seasons 12-15, TV movie, guest season 11)
- Jon Wellner as Henry Andrews (Seasons 12-15, TV movie, recurring season 5-12)
- Paul Guilfoyle as Captain Jim Brass (Seasons 1-14, TV movie)
Recurring Cast[]
- Marc Vann as Conrad Eckile
- Conor O'Farrell as Jeff McKeen
- Barbara Eve Harris as Sherry Liston
- Skip O'Brien as Ray O'Riley
- Jeffrey D. Sams as
- Alex Carter as Louis Vartann
- José Zúñiga as Chris Caviliere
- Enrique Murciano as Carlos Moreno
- Katee Sackhoff ass Frankie Reed
- Alimi Ballard as Kevin Crawford
- Mark Valley as Daniel Shaw
- Larry Sullivan as Officer Andy Akers
- Larry M. Mitchell as Officer Larry Mitchell (himself)
- Katie Stevens (TV movie), Kay Panabaker (Season 7-10) and Madison McReynolds (Season 1-3, 5-6) as Lindsey Willows
- Krista Allen as Kristy Hopkins
- Timothy Carhart as Eddie Willows
- Melinda Clarke as Lady Heather Kessler
- Teal Redmann (Season 5-7, 13-14) and Nicki Aycox (Season 2) as Ellie Brass
- Annabella Sciorra as Nancy Brass
- Tracee Ellis Ross as Gloria Parkes
- Brandon Jones as Charlie Russell
- Peri Gilpin as Barbara Russell
- Brooke Nevin as Maya Russell
- Mia Hays as Kaitlyn Russell
- Jaclyn Smith as Olivia Hodges
- Catriel Marlon as Elisabetta Hodges
- Chandra West as Holly Gribbs
Production[]
During the '90s, Anthony Zuiker caught producer Jerry Bruckheimer's attention after writing his first movie script. Zuiker was convinced that a series was in the concept; Bruckheimer agreed and began developing the series with Touchstone Pictures.
The studio's head at the time liked the spec script and presented it to ABC, NBC, and Fox executives, who decided to pass.
The head of drama development at CBS saw potential in the script, and the network had a pay-or-play contract with actor William Petersen, who said he wanted to do the "CSI" pilot.
The network's executives liked the pilot so much, they decided to include it in their 2000 schedule immediately, airing on Fridays after "The Fugitive".
After CBS picked up the series, the Disney-owned Touchstone decided to pull out of the project because they didn't want to spend so much money producing a show for another network (ABC is also owned by Disney).
Instead of the intended effect of making CBS cancel the show (since it no longer had a producer), Bruckheimer was able to convince Alliance Atlantis to step in as a producer, saving the show and adding CBS as another producer.
Initially, "CSI" was thought to benefit from "The Fugitive" (a remake of the 1960s series), which was expected to be a hit, but by the end of 2000, the show had a much larger audience.
Reception[]
Critical & commercial reception[]
During its 15 years in production, "CSI" secured an estimated world audience of over 73.8 million viewers (in 2009) commanded, as of the fall of 2008, an average cost of $262,600 for a 30-second commercial and reached milestone episodes including the 100th ("Ch-Ch-Changes"), the 200th ("Mascara") and the 300th ("Frame by Frame").
The series spawned three spin-off series, a book series, several video games, and an exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
At the time of its cancellation, "CSI" was the seventh-longest-running scripted U.S. primetime TV series overall.
It had been recognized as the most popular dramatic series internationally by the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo, which awarded the series the International Television Audience Award ("Best Television Drama Series") three times.
"CSI" became the second-most watched show on American television by 2002, finally taking the top position for the 2002–2003 season. It was later named the most watched show in the world for the sixth time in 2016, making it the most watched show for more years than any other show.
Critical reception to the show has been positive, with an IMDB score of 7.8/10 while early reviews showed a mixed to favorable review of the opening season.
The Hollywood Reporter noted of the pilot "...the charismatic William Petersen and the exquisite Marg Helgenberger, lend credibility to the portrayals that might be indistinct in lesser hands. There's also a compelling, pulsating edge at the outset of CSI that commands instant attention, thanks in part to dynamic work from director Danny Cannon.".
Entertainment Weekly gave the opening two seasons "B+" and "A-" ratings, respectively, noting: "The reason for CSI’s success is that it combines a few time-tested TV elements in a fresh way. Each episode presents a murder case and a group of lovable heroes armed with cool, high-tech gadgets who do the sleuthing and wrap things up in an hour."
Public Reaction[]
"CSI" was often criticized for its level and explicitness of graphic violence, images, and sexual content. The series and its spin-off shows have been accused of pushing the boundary of what is considered acceptable viewing for primetime network television.
The show had numerous episodes on sexual fetishism and other forms of sexual pleasure (notably the recurring character of Lady Heather, a professional dominatrix).
"CSI" was ranked among the worst primetime shows by the Parents Television Council from its second through sixth seasons being ranked the worst show for family prime-time viewing after the 2002–2003 and 2005–2006 seasons.
The PTC also targeted certain CSI episodes for its weekly "Worst TV Show of the Week" feature.
In addition, the episode "King Baby" that aired in February of 2005, which the PTC named the most offensive TV show of the week, also led them to start a campaign to file complaints with the FCC with the episode; to date, nearly 13,000 PTC members complained to the Federal Communications Commission about the episode.
The PTC also asked Clorox to pull their advertisements from CSI and "CSI: Miami" because of the graphically violent content on those programs.
A grassroots campaign started in August of 2007, upon rumors of Jorja Fox leaving the show, organized by the online forum Your Tax Dollars At Work.
Many of its 19,000 members donated to the cause, collecting over $8,000 for gifts and stunts targeted at CBS executives and CSI's producers and writers.
The stunts included a wedding cake delivery to Carol Mendelsohn, 192 chocolate-covered insects with the message "CSI Without Sara Bugs Us" to Naren Shankar, and a plane flying several times over the Universal Studios of Los Angeles with a "Follow the evidence keep Jorja Fox on CSI" banner.
Other protests included mailing the show's producers a dollar, to save Fox's contract "one dollar at a time".
By October 16, 2007, according to the site's tally, more than 20,000 letters with money or flyers had been mailed to the Universal Studios and to CBS headquarters in New York from 49 different countries since the campaign started on September 29, 2007.
Fox and Mendelsohn chose to donate the money to Court Appointed Special Advocate, a national association that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children.
On September 27, 2007 (after the eighth season of "CSI" premiered), a miniature model of character Gil Grissom's office (which he was seen building during season seven) was put up on eBay. The auction ended October 7th, with the prop being sold for $15,600; CBS donated the proceeds to the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association.
Awards and Achievements[]
"CSI" has won six Primetime Emmy awards (out of 39 nominations) and four People's Choice awards (out of six nominations) and was nominated for six Golden Globe Awards, among other awards.
External links[]
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on Fandom
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on Wikipedia
Videos[]
