Smart attire, dazzlingly bright weather, and the unmistakable sound of The Who's piercingly energetic "Won't Get Fooled Again" is the starter kit for the first spin-off to CSI, entitled CSI: Miami. The program came to fruition in 2002 and ran for a solid 10 seasons, also making it across the pond to the UK and becoming a celebrated television series there.

Though CSI: Miami was predominantly crime-fighting, viewers got an insight into individual characters' backgrounds and their relationships. Each member of the CSI: Miami team was written with clarity and defining features that contributed to their work and gave them a valid reason for being part of the plot.

Horatio Led the Team

The police procedurals that still hold up are layered with great plot lines and performed by first-class actors who make their characters stand out. David Caruso's name has become synonymous with CSI: Miami, portraying the very cool, calm and collected Lieutenant, Horatio Caine. Horatio leads his team with confidence, knows his job inside-out, and always smoothly puts his sunglasses on, alongside delivering an iconic one-liner just before the opening titles roll.

Caruso was no stranger to the franchise, having first appeared in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as the same character he presented in CSI: Miami. He also played Detective John Kelly in NYPD Blue, clearly having a knack for believable police dramas. Caruso is an accomplished actor, but it's his time on CSI: Miami that will always be the role he is most recognized for.

Calleigh Duquesne Was a Strong Female Lead

Assistant Supervisor and Detective Calleigh Duquesne had a vital role in Miami's investigation team. She gained the nickname "Bullet Girl" due to her expertise and training in ballistics. She was a well-rounded character that incorporated empathy, as well as intelligence, kindness and dedication to her job. Calleigh epitomized the creators' ability to write powerful female leads who weren't restricted to portraying one stereotype.

Of course, Calleigh's brilliance is also down to Emily Procter's acting, as she made the character fully credible and endearing. Procter was already an experienced actor. Before stepping into Calleigh's investigative shoes, she had a recurring role as Ainsley Hayes in The West Wing and appeared in an episode of Friends as Annabel in 1995. Most notably in film, Procter took on the role of Leah Fuller in Big Momma's House 2.

Ryan Wolfe Quirks Became His Strength

Having joined the series in Season 3, Jonathan Togo made his mark on CSI: Miami as Ryan Wolfe, with a solid background in science. Ryan's attention to detail was a specific trait that set him apart from the other investigators and made him an invaluable member of the team, although he had a rocky start with some of the others. Ryan got the job after Tim Speedle died, which left Tim's friends feeling a little uneasy at his replacement.

Like some of his co-stars, Togo was no stranger to acting in a drama series prior to his time on CSI: Miami. He'd had small roles in the Emmy Award-winning show Law & Order and, later, The Jury. His career continued after his time as Ryan Wolfe, appearing in Covert Affairs and Lucifer.

Eric Delko Went Through a Few Tough Situations

Eric Delko was an original character in CSI: Miami and continued throughout the show until it came to an end. His specialty was fingerprint and drug identification while also being an expert in underwater recovery. Eric's personal life was often part of the plot line, as he regularly came up against adversity. His sister, Marisol, who was also Horatio's second wife, was killed, which became a further motivation for the criminal to be caught.

Fans of the Magic Mike movies will recognize Adam Rodriguez as Tito, one of the dancers in the Kings of Tampa. Rodriguez has shown his diverse skills in acting just from the two aforementioned roles, showcasing his ability in fast-paced drama and as a dancer. Rodriguez has also secured his position as a voice actor, playing a Detective in Incredibles 2.

Alexx Woods Carried Out Her Work With Precision and Attentiveness

CSI: Miami was a great show to follow on from the original show. The creators managed to make the show its own, with characters like Alexx, who was unique in her personality and work ethic. Alexx was the finest in her field of work, displaying her professionalism as a medical examiner. Alexx held the utmost respect to the bodies she had to study, often talking to them with a warmth and caring attitude.

Alexx's individuality was so aptly portrayed by Khandi Alexander. Alexander has a string of successful projects to her name, including Scandal, BoJack Horseman, and, most recently, What We Do in The Shadows. Her carer wasn't always in acting, having worked as a dancer and choreographer, which led her to choreograph for one of Whitney Houston's tours.

Frank Tripp Worked Closely With Horatio's Team

Frank Tripp was a homicide detective who would often meet the regular CSI: Miami team at a crime scene. He worked well alongside Horatio and had a tough, no-nonsense approach, which made him good at his job. He seemed to have a wealth of knowledge that he put to good use, able to handle any situation he was presented with.

Rex Linn plays Frank. Linn had already been in a plethora of projects before starting on CSI: Miami. But since donning the smart suits as Frank, Linn has starred in some top-rated shows and movies. He's had a few more parts as a law-enforcer in A Million Ways To Die in The West, Key and Peele and Roar. He also had a small part in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, as well as playing Rush Hour's Agent Dan Whitney in 1998.

Tim Speedle Had a Short-Run on the Show

Unlike Horatio, Tim Speedle wasn't in the show for the long haul, but the character still had a memorable impact on the franchise. Tim (whose full name was abbreviated to "Speed") was a specialist in Trace and Impressions. The trait that he was known for was not properly looking after his firearm, which ultimately influenced his death in Season 3. Ryan Wolfe replaced the character, though, as a completely different investigator.

Rory Cochrane's work in acting continued to develop, with a host of film roles that include Argo, Encounter and Public Enemies. In the latter, he played FBI Agent Carter Baum, a role that he could perhaps transfer the skills he'd learned to portray in CSI: Miami.

Walter Simmons Was a Respected Addition to the Team

Walter Simmons joined the CSI: Miami team much later in the show, first showing up in Season 8. The Detective has a well-balanced personality, generally building good relationships with his colleagues. His good sense of humor provided a little comic relief to the show, while he was also able to stand up for himself, confronting any situation that may need it.

Omar Benson Miller has had an extensive career in film and TV, enabling him to show how versatile he is as a performer. His time on shows like West Wing and Law & Order were a far cry from his voice acting in Rugrats and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but all of which he was equally adept at.

Yelina Salas Was Connected to Horatio Caine

Yelina Salas' stint on CSI: Miami helped to cross over Horatio Caine's personal life with his work. Yelina was Horatio's sister-in-law through his brother Raymond Sr. It becomes clear that Horatio and Yelina also had feelings for each other, though they never acted on them. Their complex family issues filtered into their jobs and made Yelina a character with depth and key importance to the narratives.

Sofia Milos had already built a catalog of work before stepping foot on the set of CSI: Miami. Among other things, she starred in one episode of ER and played Annalisa Zucca in The Sopranos. Following on from her portrayal of Yelina, Milos dived into a mixture of shows and films, namely Chicago Justice and Project Blue Book.

Natalia Boa Vista Had an Integral Job While Dealing with a Difficult Private Life