CBS built a monster from crime scenes, and that monster had four heads. The flagship show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” launched in 2000 and exploded on CBS, surprising executives with how fast it caught fire. Literally within the first couple of weeks, “CSI” exploded, according to CBS Corp. President and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves, who spoke ahead of the series finale in 2015. Three or four weeks in, the network knew it had something extremely special.
Then the spin-offs came. Four of them. Each added something different — a new city, a new approach, a new team. Some became huge hits in their own right, even outpacing the original globally. Others flopped. Now a new ranking asks the question: which “CSI” series was the best, and which was the worst?
The Worst of the Lot
“CSI: Cyber” lands at the bottom of the pile, and the ranking is blunt about why. It stars Patricia Arquette as Dr. Avery Ryan, a psychologist who turned to catching cyber criminals after a database hack killed one of her patients. She became a deputy director at the FBI and founded the Cyber Crime Division, working with field agent Elijah Mundo, analyst Brody Nelson, and special agent Daniel “Krummy” Krumitz.
The show was canceled after two seasons. Even the addition of Ted Danson, reprising his role from the flagship series, couldn’t save it. The problem was the premise itself: cyber crimes don’t typically require the kind of dramatic response that makes for gripping television. The melodrama felt forced, the performances left a lot to be desired, and Arquette — fresh off an Oscar win for “Boyhood” — was one of many cast members who phoned it in.
NY’s Gritty Dip
“CSI: NY” launched in 2004 and tried to make the franchise grittier. It worked — at least initially. Gary Sinise led the line as Mac Taylor, a former marine who lost his wife in the September 11 terrorist attacks and became director of the NYPD crime lab. He worked with assistant CSI supervisor Stella Bonasera, medical examiner Sheldon Hawkes, and detectives Danny Messer and Aiden Burn.
Most of the praise went to Sinise. Critics and viewers connected with his character from the start. The Houston Chronicle said it couldn’t keep its eyes off him, while the Seattle Post-Intelligencer called him “scene by scene, silently begging for your empathy.” Sinise brought his A-game across nearly 200 episodes and nine seasons, but the scripts grew weaker with every passing year. Ratings declined, and CBS pulled the plug in 2013.
Miami’s Global Run
“CSI: Miami” arrived just a few years before “NY” and ran alongside it for most of its lifespan. The two shows couldn’t have been more different in tone. “Miami” was bright and sunny, with a hyper-saturated color palette that made everything look sun-drenched. David Caruso starred as Horatio Caine, a bomb disposal expert who became director of the Miami Dade Crime Lab. His assistant supervisor was Calleigh Duquesne, a ballistics specialist.
The show was huge for a time. A 2005 international study declared it the most popular TV show in the world after it appeared more than any other series in national top 10 lists. Part of the appeal was seeing Caruso return to a cop show after he broke out on “NYPD Blue” as Detective John Kelly. Variety said the wait was finally over for fans who wanted another vehicle that fit his intensity and brooding.
As the show neared the end of its 10-season run, it became more camp and self-aware, essentially turning into a parody of itself. Whether that was a bad thing depended entirely on how much you loved Horatio Caine’s one-liners.
Back to Vegas
“CSI: Vegas” took the flagship series back to its original setting with mostly new characters. William Petersen and Jorja Fox reprised their roles as Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle from “CSI” for the first season, joined by Marg Helgenberger.
The ranking places the original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” at the top of the list. It was the show that started it all, the one that exploded in 2000 and surprised everyone.
The spin-offs each added something different — a new city, a new approach, a new team. Some became huge hits in their own right, even outpacing the original globally. Others flopped.
Key Facts Box
– “CSI: Cyber”: 2 seasons, canceled after viewership failed to meet CBS expectations
– “CSI: NY”: 9 seasons, nearly 200 episodes, canceled in 2013
– “CSI: Miami”: 10 seasons, declared most popular TV show in the world in 2005
Source material: “Every CSI Series, Ranked,” TVLine.
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