CSI (franchise) — BrandWiki

CSI (franchise)

title	CSI
creator	Anthony E. Zuiker
origin	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
owner	CBS Studios
years	2000–2016; 2021–2024
tv	''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Miami CSI: NY CSI: Cyber CSI: Vegas The Real CSI: Miami''
tv films	Immortality
books	CSI novels
comics	CSI comics

CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) is a media franchise of American television series created by Anthony E. Zuiker and owned by CBS Studios. The first three CSI series follow the work of forensic scientists as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious deaths, while the fourth series, CSI: Cyber, emphasizes behavioral psychology and how it can be applied to cyber forensics.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation began on October 6, 2000, and ran for fifteen full seasons. Starring (at various times) William Petersen, Ted Danson, Marg Helgenberger, Elisabeth Shue, and Laurence Fishburne, the series concluded its run with a two-hour finale entitled "Immortality" on September 27, 2015. The series' original lead characters, Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows, were based upon Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Crime Scene Analysts Daniel Holstein and Yolanda McClary.[1] CSI first spin-off and the second series within the franchise is CSI: Miami, which ran for ten seasons between 2002 and 2012, and was canceled on May 13, 2012. Miami stars David Caruso and Emily Procter, with its lead character, Horatio Caine, based upon Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) bomb squad technician Detective John Haynes.[2]

Overview

The CSI franchise is available in 200 territories with an audience of two billion people.[7] Various spin-offs have been developed to cater for the market including novels, comic books, and computer games.

The franchise has had a large cultural impact. It has spawned what has been called the "CSI effect", in which juries often have unreasonable expectations of real-life forensics because of what they have seen on CSI. Equally, the new-found popularity of forensics dramas on television has led to an increase in applications for courses dealing with forensic science or archaeological science—in the United Kingdom applications are up by 30%.[8] The franchise is so influential that fellow CBS show How I Met Your Mother advertised itself as "not a Crime Scene Investigation show".[9] In some ways the franchise may also fill a cultural need: "'We started in 2000 and it was a success, but our ratings really shot up after the September 11 attacks,' Zuiker says in a documentary about the CSI phenomenon to be aired at Christmas [2007]. 'People were rushing to us for their comfort food. There was a sense of justice in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – it helped to know that there were people like our characters out there helping to solve crimes. And, of course, 9/11 was the world's largest crime scene.'[7]" The "CSI effect" is considered by some experts to be responsible for helping criminals covering up evidence that could be used to trace them using techniques learned by watching CSI and other shows in the same genre.[10] A 2018 study could not find conclusive evidence for the existence of this effect.[11]

Series

CSI: Miami and CSI: Cyber spun off from CSI, and CSI: NY spun off from CSI: Miami, all via backdoor pilot episodes. CSI: Vegas was not launched via a backdoor pilot episode, and instead premiered 21 years to the day of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation's launch.

Timeline

CSI: Miami and CSI: Cyber spun off from CSI, and CSI: NY spun off from CSI: Miami, all via backdoor-pilot episodes.

Differences between series

Las Vegas (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Vegas)

The Las Vegas team are scientists foremost, and follow the evidence. Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) CSIs are not employed as police officers. The crimes the Las Vegas CSI team face (other than the standard murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, and rapes) include casino robberies, bodies found buried in the Nevada desert, and murders during different conventions at casinos.

Crime lab

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Crime Lab is a modern crime lab and shares a lot (but not a building) with the Las Vegas Police Department. It reports to the sheriff's office. In early episodes of season one the lab is frequently referred to as the number two crime lab in the United States, solving cases believed unsolvable. The lab consists of specialist laboratories, a larger office (usually used by the Grave Supervisor), a smaller office used by Catherine Willows between seasons 5 and 12, a locker room, an AV room, a break-room, and stairs leading to a second floor, housing offices for senior staff.

Miami (CSI: Miami)

The Miami team are detectives foremost, and mainly use theories to solve crimes. The crimes the Miami-Dade Police Department's (MDPD) CSI team face (other than the standard murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, and rapes) include drug running, murdered refugees from Cuba, bodies found washed up on the beach, bodies dumped in the Everglades, and crimes involving the rich and famous who have secrets to hide in their mansions and beachfront properties.

Crime lab

The Miami CSIs were firstly, stationed out of a broom closet next to the MDPD's bull pen. They were given their own building prior to the start of the third season. Originally dark and technical, this building housed Horatio's office, Megan's office, specialist labs, and a locker room. During the fourth season a government grant meant that slanted glass walls, multiple modern labs, an interrogation room, and a new locker room were all constructed. Horatio's office is not seen following the lab's reconstruction—although a state-of-the-art ballistics suite was added, acting as Calleigh's office. The lab has reinforced windows and shutters to protect against hurricanes and tsunamis.

New York City (CSI: NY)

The New York team are equally scientists and detectives, and frequently use criminal profiling (as well as evidence and theories) to solve cases. The crimes the New York CSI team face (other than the standard murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, and rapes) include organized crime activity involving the Italian Mafia, street-gang violence, and ethnic, cultural, and ability differences.

Crime lab

During the first season, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) CSI lab is in an old underground building with rustic brick walls. The lab houses Mac's office, a locker room, the autopsy suite, and specialist forensic laboratories. As of the second season the lab is on the 35th floor of a high-rise building in Manhattan. Equipped with glass walls and state-of-the-art equipment, this lab consists of the Supervisor's office (belonging to Mac, and – for a short time – Jo), specialist laboratories, an observation walkway, a break-room and kitchen, a locker room, and an office belonging to the Assistant Supervisor (first Stella, then Jo), containing an additional hot-desk used by Hawkes, Danny, Lindsay, and Aiden. Part of this second lab is blown up in the season three finale, "Snow Day", but is restored by the beginning of season four.

Washington, D.C. (CSI: Cyber)

The Cyber team focuses on the technical aspect of crimes, with NextGen forensics providing it with a real-world crime scene investigative counterpart. The FBI Cyber Crime Division investigates cyber-based terrorism, internet-related murders, espionage, computer intrusions, major cyber-fraud, cyber-theft, hacking, sex offenses, blackmail, and any other crime deemed to be cyber-related within the FBI's jurisdiction.

Divisions

— Cyber Crime Division The FBI Cyber Crime Division operates out of Washington, D.C. and is housed in the Cyber Threat Operations Center. The CTOC consists of Ryan's office, Russell's office, a communications bull pen housing the desks of Krumitz, Nelson, and Ramirez, a cyber lab, a glass walkway, and a 'tear-down room'. Due to their nomadic nature the team are often seen interviewing suspects at various FBI field offices and police departments.

— Next Generation Cyber Forensics Division The Next Generation Cyber Forensics Division is a lab-based facility within the Cyber Crime Division used for the processing of evidence in cyber-related cases.

Other media

Comics

There have been a number of comic books based on all three series published by IDW Publishing. Writers include Jeff Mariotte and Max Allan Collins.

Games

The CSI franchise has spawned 12 computer games published by Ubisoft across the three shows. Nine for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation–2003, CSI: Dark Motives–2004, CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder–2006, CSI: Hard Evidence–2007, CSI: Deadly Intent–2009, CSI: Fatal Conspiracy–2010, CSI: Unsolved–2010, CSI: Crime City–2010, and CSI: Hidden Crimes–2014.[62] Two for CSI: Miami: CSI: Miami–2004 and CSI: Miami – Heat Wave–2012. One for CSI: NY: CSI: NY – The Game–2008.[63]

Gameloft has also published a series of mobile games based on the CSI series including CSI: The Mobile Game (Vegas) and CSI: Miami.

In addition, several board games and puzzles based on all three series have seen release, all published by Canadian game manufacturer Specialty Board Games, Inc. In 2011, the CSI Board Game was released by another Canadian company, GDC–GameDevCo Ltd. It is the first game to include all three CSI shows.[64]

A pinball game machine called CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was released in 2008.[65]

Exhibition

Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry opened an exhibit in CSI's honor on May 25, 2007 called: "CSI: The Experience".[66] In October 2011 it was at Discovery Times Square in New York City.[67] There is also a game on the website where players are trained in forensic biology, weapons and tool mark analyses, toxicology and the autopsy.

Novels

Various tie-in novels have appeared based on the series. Authors include Max Allan Collins (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Donn Cortez (CSI: Miami), Stuart M. Kaminsky (CSI: NY), and Keith R.A. DeCandido (CSI: NY).

Magazine

Titan Magazines published 11 issues of CSI Magazine starting in November 2007. They contained a mixture of features and interviews looking into the world of the three CSIs and the people who help create it.[68] They were available in the UK and US.[69]

Toys

A range of toys have been developed. These include: However, they have been the source of some controversy. The Parents Television Council, who have complained about CSI in general, in 2004 released a statement specifically aimed at the toys.[70] The PTC e-mailed letters to their supporters, telling them the content of the games were entirely inappropriate for children to be exposed to "because the CSI franchise often displays graphic images, including close-ups of corpses with gunshot wounds and other bloody injuries." The letter went on to say "The PTC doesn't think the recreation of blood, guts and gore should be under a child's Christmas tree this year," PTC concluded. "This so-called 'toy' is a blatant attempt to market CSI and its adult-oriented content directly to children."

In urging members to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, PTC said CBS parent company Viacom needed to hear from parents who are concerned about the "graphic scenes of blood, violence, and sex" in their product. They also asked their supporters to contact Target and Toys "R" Us.

"CSI: Forensics Lab"
"CSI: DNA Laboratory"

Music

In 2008, British indie band Half Man Half Biscuit released the album CSI:Ambleside. The title was parody of the CSI franchise but replaced the glamorous American locations with a sleepy English town.