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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Plot

Created by Anthony Zuiker, the CBS cop series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which first aired on October 6, 2000, could be described as "Quincy for the 21st century." Set in Las Vegas, the weekly, 60-minute series focused on the activities of that city's Crime Scene Investigations Bureau. Working the overnight shift, the principal characters deployed state-of-the-art forensic technology to solve unsolvable crimes. Whenever scientific analysis failed, however, the lab's "criminalists" relied upon good, old-fashioned logic -- logical to them, if not to their superiors. So efficient was the CSI team that it was rated the number two such crime lab in America. The series' main protagonist was Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen), once the youngest coroner in the history of the L.A. police department, who after 15 years with the Vegas PD, was put in charge of the crime lab when its former skipper, the mercurial Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle), was transferred back to the homicide division. Grissom's elite ensemble included his second-in-command, onetime exotic dancer Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger), who juggled her professional responsibilities with her home duties as a single mother; ex-grave digger Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan), the only member of the team who was born in Vegas and, as such, the most savvy member when it came to the ins and outs of the casino industry that figured so largely in the proceedings; Warrick's friendly rival, the warm and outgoing Nick Stokes (George Eads), late of the Dallas PD; and the brilliant but somewhat distant Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), who was initially brought in from San Francisco to investigate the murder of her predecessor, rookie criminalist Holly Gribbs (a case that had lost Captain Brass his position as head of the lab). Each of these worthies brought a distinct specialty to their work: Willows was a blood-splatter analyst, Brown an audio-visual expert, Stokes a hair-and-fiber specialist, and Sidle a materials-and-element analyst.

The criminalists generally worked in sub-teams to investigate the myriad of baffling cases which came across their desk in each episode (usually two crimes were depicted and solved per week). During the series' first three seasons on the air, there were no significant cast changes, though former recurring characters Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) and Dr. David Robbins (Robert David Hall) were gradually elevated to weekly-regular status. In many ways, however, there was an unbilled "major character" in the form of the series' fluid camerawork, deploying quickie montages, juxtaposed images, and dreamlike scene transitions -- all complemented by a driving but low-key background music score. Cinematographers like Michael Barrett and Frank Byers and editors like Alex Mackie and Alec Smight were as responsible for the "look" of CSI as were the series' producers, directors, and stars. As of 2002, the highly rated series had been nominated for a myriad of Emmy Awards, scoring one win for makeup artists Nicholas Pagliaro, John Goodwin, and Melanie Levitt. 2002 was also the year that the producers cooked up a spin-off series, CSI: Miami. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Credit

Timothy J. Eckel - Art Director, April Webster - Casting, Danny Cannon - Director, Claudia Finkle - Editor, Augie Hess - Editor, Alex Mackie - Editor, John Ganem - Editor, Tom McQuade - Editor, Lou Angelo - Editor, Alec Smight - Editor, J. Benjamin Chulay - Editor, John M. Keane - Editor, Jerry Bruckheimer - Executive Producer, Jonathan Littman - Executive Producer, Sam Strangis - Executive Producer, Carol Mendelsohn - Executive Producer, Ann Donahue - Executive Producer, Anthony Zuiker - Executive Producer, James C. Hart - Executive Producer, John Keane - Composer (Music Score), Cherie Baker - Production Designer, Richard Berg - Production Designer, Frank Byers - Cinematographer, Gale Tattersall - Cinematographer, Roy H. Wagner - Cinematographer, Jonathan West - Cinematographer, Michael Barrett - Cinematographer, William Petersen - Producer, Naren Shankar - Producer, Kenneth Fink - Producer, Ron Mitchell - Producer, Peter Dunne - Producer

Episodes

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 01 (2000)
The first season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was inaugurated with a shakeup in the Las Vegas crime-lab unit, with overnight-shift supervisor Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen) appointed head of the unit after former skipper, Capt. Jim Brass, made a misfired decision that brought about the death of rookie "criminalist" Holly Gribbs (Chandra West). New team member Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) was brought in from San Francisco to aid in the investigation of Gribbs' death, causing friction between Grissom and his second-in-command, Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). Meanwhile, the friendly rivalry between team members Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan) and Nick Stokes (George Eads), both of whom were jockeying for a promotion, served to accelerate the solutions of many of the crimes depicted therein. Although the team was generally successful in bringing perps to justice, at least one case remained frustratingly unsolved: a string of murders made to look like suicides, clearly committed by a "signature" killer with an intimate knowledge of forensic procedure. As season one drew to a close, Grissom wondered if he would ever catch up with this elusive murderer, whose deliberately planted false clues resulted in far too many wild goose chases for the team -- and whose equally deliberate real clues proved that the team was up against some sort of homicidal genius. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 02 (2001)
The freshman season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation had ended with a dramatic rescue, as the head of the Las Vegas crime-lab unit, Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen), was saved from becoming the latest victim of a serial killer by the quick thinking of Gil's second-in-command, Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). Clearly, the relationship between Gil and Catherine was destined to go beyond the "just friends and co-workers" stage during season two. With the series' ratings riding high -- so high that it was now network television's number one cop drama -- the producers saw no reason to make any radical changes in the format or cast. The list of regulars remained intact, with Eric Szmanda (as Greg Sanders) and Robert David Hall (as coroner David Robbins) graduating from recurring characters to weekly co-stars. The success of CSI encouraged the producers to develop a spin-off series, this one set in Miami and starring David Caruso and (briefly) Kim Delaney, two alumni from NYPD Blue. The pilot for CSI: Miami was telecast as the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode titled "Cross-Jurisdictions" on May 9, 2002. Nominated for several Emmy awards during the 2001-2002 season, CSI copped one Emmy, shared jointly by makeup artists Nicholas Pagliaro, John Goodwin, and Melanie Levitt. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 03 (2002)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation entered its third season still riding high as network television's top-rated drama program. There was, therefore, no need for CBS to change its time slot, nor to make any major cast changes. There were, however, two significant additions to the cast lineup. A romantic interest was created for series regular Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) in the form of Hank Peddigrew (Christopher Wiehl), a handsome paramedic. Also, the recurring character of Detective Lockwood (Jeffrey D. Sams) was seen on a more frequent basis. Both of these characters, however, would be effectively disposed of by the time season three was over, with the demise of Lockwood leading to a powerful season finale. In addition, the off-and-on domestic travails of the CSI's Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) were intensified when her husband was killed and her daughter seriously injured. The season's most significant story development involved CSI head man Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen). After a few instances in which he noticed that he was experiencing a hearing loss, Grissom was diagnosed with otosclerosis, a hereditary disorder which threatened to culminate in total deafness. As the third season's final episode drew to it conclusion, Grissom was undergoing surgery to correct this problem -- with the result of the operation remaining unresolved until the beginning of season four. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 04 (2003)
Some dangling plot strands left over from season three of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation were tied up in season four; others were not, and of course, new complications ensued throughout the latter season's 23 episodes. Facing surgery to correct (or at the very least forestall) his hereditary hearing loss, CSI team leader Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen) emerged from the operation somewhat better off, though his hearing was still not 100 percent. Struggling to overcome the death of her husband and relieved that injuries sustained by her daughter were not fatal, team member Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) nonetheless faced several other crises, not least of which was the discovery that unsavory casino owner Sam Braun (Scott Wilson) was her biological father; a hefty check given to Catherine by Braun for her indirect assistance in helping him beat a murder rap also caused a great deal of soul-searching on her part, not to mention an embarrassing situation when she came up for her annual departmental review. And the already seething tensions between Catherine and her fellow CSI'er Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) were exacerbated by decisions made from the top pertaining to job assignments and promotions. Sara's inner demons threatened to overwhelm her by the end of season four, culminating in a drunk-driving charge that figured into the season-ending cliffhanger. The regular cast remained intact, though there were hints that at least two of them would be gone before season five began due to contract negotiations. New to the series was Xander Berkeley as Nevada sheriff Rory Atwater, who was prominently featured in at least one episode that, in true CSI tradition, was "ripped from today's headlines." Some critics carped that the series' storylines were more gratuitously kinky than in previous seasons, with episodes involving modern-day vampires, a cult of fur fetishists, and the like. Also, there were those who felt that the personal problems of the major characters tended to impede the investigations to an excessive degree. But most viewers didn't mind, as witness the excellent ratings posted by CSI throughout season four. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 05 (2004)
As season four of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation drew to a close, it appeared as though a contract dispute would rob the series of two of its most popular characters, Las Vegas PD forensic specialists Sara Sidel (Jorja Fox) and Nick Stokes (George Eads). At the last moment, however, a suitable financial arrangement was worked out, and both characters -- and the actors who played them -- were retained for the whole of season five. Reiko Aylesworth stars in the first episode ("Viva Las Vegas") as Chandra Moore, a dedicated, no-nonsense lab tech who is to replace Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) when Greg is promoted to CSI field duty. Both Chandra and Greg prove to be worthy of their new responsibilities, though both are somewhat nonplussed by being dropped head-first into a whole new world of investigation. (Aylesworth's character was dropped after Fox and Eads resolved their contracts.) In a major mid-season development, a storm of controversy attending the apparent bungling of a murder investigation prompts CSI boss Ecklie (Marc Vann) to split the forensics bureau into two teams, with senior officer Gil Grissom (William L. Petersen) heading one team, and his former assistant Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) heading another. The arrangement is hardly to the liking of either party, especially when the efficiency their investigations is compromised by radical and often arbitrary budget cuts. Other demons plaguing the CSIers this season include the return of a particularly vicious (and brilliant) serial killer from the earlier episode "The Execution of Catherine Willows," the revelation that a man with whom Catherine flirted in a bar is the prime suspect in a high-profile murder case, and the unpleasant childhood memories of Sara Sidel. The Grissom and Willows teams are reunited for the season's unbearably suspenseful finale, "Grave Danger" (a two-parter directed by Quentin Tarantino) as the combined officers search for their colleague Nick Stokes (George Eads), who has been buried alive in a casket filled with red ants by a maniacal murderer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Viva Las Vegas
No Humans Allowed
Down the Drain
Harvest
Crow's Feet
Swap Meet
What's Eating Gilbert Grissom?
Formalities
Ch-Ch-Changes
Mea Culpa
Who Shot Sherlock?
Snakes
Nesting Dolls
Unbearable
King Baby
Big Middle
Compulsion
Spark of Life
4 x 4
Hollywood Brass
Committed
Weeping Willows
Iced
Grave Danger

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 06 (2005)
Season 6 begins a few weeks after the traumatic events recounted in the two-part Season 5 finale in which Nick Stokes (George Eads) was kidnapped and buried alive. Nick is now back at work but still occasionally relives the experience. This is certainly true when Nick spots Kelly Gordon (Aimee Graham), the daughter of the man who abducted him, watching him at a crime scene. What he doesn't know is that Grissom (William Petersen) is investigating who might have been an accomplice in Nick's case. Nick's brush with death makes colleague Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan) realize how short life is, so he impetuously marries girlfriend Tina (Meta Golding), a nurse, much to the dismay of Catherine (Marg Helgenberger). Unfortunately, Warrick's marriage hits some rough spots as the season progresses. Meanwhile, Sofia Curtis (Louise Lombard), a one-time lab tech who considered quitting, resurfaces as a detective working the graveyard shift. She is horrified when a rookie police officer is killed by friendly fire during a shootout with gang members. Sofia fears she may have fired the fatal bullet. Or could it have been Brass (Paul Guilfoyle)? Catherine, too, is fearful when her estranged dad Sam Braun (Scott Wilson) becomes the suspect in a murder that occurs at a posh party hosted by a once glamorous Vegas showgirl (guest star Faye Dunaway). Of course, twisted cases once again take center stage: A man suffering from human werewolf syndrome is gunned down with a silver bullet; a shooting victim is revealed to be a virgin who has given birth; a "mini Jonestown" massacre is discovered; a deadly rivalry erupts between two rappers (Blink-182's Travis Barker guest stars); and Lady Heather (Melinda Clarke) resurfaces after her estranged daughter's emaciated body is found dumped in the desert. In the season finale, the relationship between Grissom and Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) takes a dramatic turn. ~ Tim Holland, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 07 (2006)
Season 7 begins with a murder at Cirque du Soleil and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) drugged at a nightclub. She awakes, nude, in a hotel room and starts processing herself. Later, her daughter Lindsey (Kay Panabaker) is kidnapped, and Catherine realizes they are pawns in a cat-and-mouse game involving her father Sam Braun (Scott Wilson). Meanwhile, Grissom (William Petersen) and Sara (Jorja Fox) investigate the murder of an aging rock star (guest star Danny Bonaduce) who is found dead in his kitchen near an exact replica of the crime scene. He's the first victim of the Miniature Killer, who leaves handcrafted and meticulously detailed replicas of his or her murders. As the season progresses, clues come to light and a replica is delivered to Grissom of a crime not yet committed that targets a member of his staff. But before that occurs, Grissom goes on a four-week teaching sabbatical, and his departure proves difficult for Sara. To help cover the night shift while Grissom is away, Mike Keppler (Liev Schreiber), an experienced CSI from Baltimore who is the latest hire on the day shift, comes aboard. But his not-always-by-the-book methods, including faking a crime scene and deceiving colleagues, cause friction within the lab and lead to violence. And Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) accidentally kills a young man with his truck while attempting to rescue another man who is being beaten by a gang headed by a thug dubbed Pig (guest star Kevin Federline). The death leads to an inquest and threats from the victim's family. Other compelling happenings include: Five corpses in the morgue describe their bloody deaths to each other; identical twin sisters who didn't know of each other's existence are murdered on the same night; a sadistic client of Lady Heather (Melinda Clarke) tries to murder her; and the remains of a '70s Vegas crime boss are fished out of Lake Mead, and the investigation centers on several suspects, all played by the Who's Roger Daltrey. ~ Tim Holland, Rovi

Built to Kill, Part 1
Loco Motives
Built to Kill, Part 2
Toe Tags
Fannysmackin'
Double-Cross
Burn Out
Post Mortem
Happenstance
Living Legend
Leaving Las Vegas
Sweet Jane
Redrum
Meet Market
Law of Gravity
Monster in a Box
Fallen Idols
Empty Eyes
Big Shots
Lab Rats
Ending Happy
Leapin' Lizards
The Good, the Bad & the Dominatrix
Living Doll

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 08 (2007)
Season 8 begins where Season 7's cliffhanger ended, with Sara (Jorja Fox) pinned underneath a car in the desert and left to die after being abducted by Miniature Killer Natalie Davis (Jessica Collins). While Sara escapes and is rescued, the horrific ordeal proves too much for her and she contemplates leaving CSI. Details about her intimate relationship with Grissom (William Petersen) begin to emerge, which makes her decision all the more difficult. Gil's attention is temporarily redirected when he joins forces with the FBI's Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia in a crossover episode with Without a Trace) to track a serial killer responsible for the kidnapping of a boy six years ago in New York who matches the profile of a murder victim in Las Vegas. Another CSI facing difficult times is Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan). When a murder is connected to a nightclub with mob ties, Warrick is convinced that the club owner is responsible and sets out to prove it by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Warrick's addiction to pills and his increasingly reckless lifestyle lead to tragedy and his alleged involvement in two additional murders. Other intriguing stories include: A horror-film icon is found with an ax in her back on the set of her latest picture; three murders occur during an annual bull-riding rodeo (Jewel, Shooter Jennings, and professional bull rider Ty Murray appear as themselves); a jailed convict (Method Man) is freed to help investigate homicides in apartments he rents; a series of murder victims are discovered to all have green blood; and an acid-tongued actress (Katey Sagal) is murdered while filming her sitcom in Vegas (the episode was written by Two and a Half Men scribes Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn). In addition, Season 8 comes to a shocking conclusion as one CSI team member becomes a killer's target. ~ Tim Holland, Rovi

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 09 (2008)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 10 (2009)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Season 11 (2010)

Shock Waves
418/427
Pool Shark
Blood Moon
Sqweegel
House of Hoarders
Cold Blooded
Bump and Grind
Fracked
Wild Life
Man Up
A Kiss Before Frying
The Two Mrs. Grissoms
All That Cremains
Targets of Obsession
Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead
The List
Hitting for the Cycle
Unleashed
Father of the Bride
Cello and Goodbye
In a Dark, Dark House