| CSI | |
|---|---|
 CSI series logos | |
| Created by | Anthony E. Zuiker |
| Original work | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |
| Owner | CBS Studios |
| Years | 2000–2016; 2021–2024 |
| Print publications | |
| Book(s) | CSI novels |
| Comics | CSI comics |
| Magazine(s) | CSI Magazine |
| Films and television | |
| Television series | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Miami CSI: NY CSI: Cyber CSI: Vegas The Real CSI: Miami |
| Television film(s) | Immortality |
| Games | |
| Traditional | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: The Board Game CSI: Crime Game Booster Pack CSI: Senses: The Game CSI: Miami: The Board Game CSI: Board Game |
| Video game(s) | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Dark Motives CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder CSI: Hard Evidence CSI: Miami CSI: NY CSI: Deadly Intent CSI: Crime City CSI: Fatal Conspiracy |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Toy(s) | CSI: Forensics Lab CSI: DNA Laboratory CSI: Forensic Facial |
| Exhibition | CSI: The Experience |
CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) is amedia franchise of American television series created byAnthony E. Zuiker. The first threeCSI 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, andLaurence Fishburne, the series concluded its run with a two-hour finale entitled "Immortality" on September 27, 2015. The series' original lead characters,Gil Grissom andCatherine Willows, were based uponLas Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Crime Scene Analysts Daniel Holstein and Yolanda McClary.[1]CSI's first spin-off and the second series within the franchise isCSI: Miami, which ran for ten seasons between 2002 and 2012, and was canceled on May 13, 2012.Miami starsDavid Caruso andEmily Procter, with its lead character,Horatio Caine, based uponLos Angeles Police Department (LAPD) bomb squad technician Detective John Haynes.[2]
In 2004,CSI: Miami spun offCSI: NY, the third series in the franchise and the only indirect spin-off ofCSI. It was canceled on May 10, 2013, after nine seasons.[3] The series starredGary Sinise,Melina Kanakaredes, andSela Ward. In 2014,CSI spun offCSI: Cyber, its second direct spin-off and the fourth series in the franchise.Cyber premiered in 2015, and starredPatricia Arquette and franchise alumnus Ted Danson—the only actor to appear as a series regular in more than oneCSI series. The lead character,Avery Ryan, was inspired by cyber-psychologist Mary Aiken, who was attached to the series as a producer.[4]CSI: Cyber was canceled on May 12, 2016.[5]
In 2020, CBS began considering a limited series revival featuring originalCSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast members, William Petersen and Jorja Fox.[6] It was eventually greenlighted, with a video teaser forCSI: Vegas released on March 31, 2021, the season airing from October 6 to December 8, 2021, and renewed for a second season without either Petersen or Fox, starring originalCSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast member Marg Helgenberger, airing for another two seasons from September 29, 2022, to May 19, 2024, before its cancellation.
Five television series make up theCSI franchise:Crime Scene Investigation,Miami,NY,Cyber, andVegas. All series in total amount to 838 episodes across 39 seasons of television.
TheCSI franchise is available in 200 territories with an audience of two billion people.[7] Variousspin-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 onCSI. Equally, the new-found popularity of forensics dramas on television has led to an increase in applications for courses dealing withforensic science orarchaeological science—in the United Kingdom applications are up by 30%.[8] The franchise is so influential that fellow CBS showHow I Met Your Mother advertised itself as "not aCrime 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 theCSI phenomenon to be aired at Christmas [2007]. "People were rushing to us for their comfort food. There was a sense of justice inCSI: 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 watchingCSI and other shows in the same genre.[10] A 2018 study could not find conclusive evidence for the existence of this effect.[11]
CSI: Miami andCSI: Cyber spun off fromCSI, andCSI: NY spun off fromCSI: Miami, all viabackdoor pilot episodes.CSI: Vegas was not launched via a backdoor pilot episode, and instead premiered 21 years to the day ofCSI: Crime Scene Investigation's launch.
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally released | Rank | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||||
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | 1 | 23 | October 6, 2000 (2000-10-06) | May 17, 2001 (2001-05-17) | 10 | 20.8[12] | |
| 2 | 23 | September 27, 2001 (2001-09-27) | May 16, 2002 (2002-05-16) | 2 | 23.7[13] | ||
| 3 | 23 | September 26, 2002 (2002-09-26) | May 15, 2003 (2003-05-15) | 1 | 26.12[14] | ||
| 4 | 23 | September 25, 2003 (2003-09-25) | May 20, 2004 (2004-05-20) | 2 | 25.27[15] | ||
| 5 | 25 | September 23, 2004 (2004-09-23) | May 19, 2005 (2005-05-19) | 2 | 26.26[16] | ||
| 6 | 24 | September 22, 2005 (2005-09-22) | May 18, 2006 (2006-05-18) | 3 | 24.86[17] | ||
| 7 | 24 | September 21, 2006 (2006-09-21) | May 17, 2007 (2007-05-17) | 4 | 20.34[18] | ||
| 8 | 17 | September 27, 2007 (2007-09-27) | May 15, 2008 (2008-05-15) | 9 | 16.62[19] | ||
| 9 | 24 | October 9, 2008 (2008-10-09) | May 14, 2009 (2009-05-14) | 4 | 18.52[20] | ||
| 10 | 23 | September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24) | May 20, 2010 (2010-05-20) | 12 | 14.92[21] | ||
| 11 | 22 | September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23) | May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12) | 12 | 13.52[22] | ||
| 12 | 22 | September 21, 2011 (2011-09-21) | May 9, 2012 (2012-05-09) | 21 | 12.49[23] | ||
| 13 | 22 | September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26) | May 15, 2013 (2013-05-15) | 23 | 11.63[24] | ||
| 14 | 22 | September 25, 2013 (2013-09-25) | May 7, 2014 (2014-05-07) | 18 | 11.86[25] | ||
| 15 | 18 | September 28, 2014 (2014-09-28) | February 15, 2015 (2015-02-15) | 34 | 11.19[26] | ||
| Finale | 2 | September 27, 2015 (2015-09-27) | — | 12.22[27] | |||
| CSI: Miami | Backdoor pilot | May 9, 2002 (2002-05-09) | — | — | |||
| 1 | 24 | September 23, 2002 (2002-09-23) | May 19, 2003 (2003-05-19) | 12 | 16.45[28] | ||
| 2 | 24 | September 22, 2003 (2003-09-22) | May 24, 2004 (2004-05-24) | 9 | 18.06[29] | ||
| 3 | 24 | September 20, 2004 (2004-09-20) | May 23, 2005 (2005-05-23) | 7 | 19.00[30] | ||
| 4 | 25 | September 19, 2005 (2005-09-19) | May 22, 2006 (2006-05-22) | 9 | 18.12[31] | ||
| 5 | 24 | September 18, 2006 (2006-09-18) | May 14, 2007 (2007-05-14) | 12 | 16.98[32] | ||
| 6 | 21 | September 24, 2007 (2007-09-24) | May 19, 2008 (2008-05-19) | 16 | 13.91[33] | ||
| 7 | 25 | September 22, 2008 (2008-09-22) | May 18, 2009 (2009-05-18) | 13 | 14.26[34] | ||
| 8 | 24 | September 21, 2009 (2009-09-21) | May 24, 2010 (2010-05-24) | 24 | 12.65[35] | ||
| 9 | 22 | October 3, 2010 (2010-10-03) | May 8, 2011 (2011-05-08) | 27 | 11.75[36] | ||
| 10 | 19 | September 25, 2011 (2011-09-25) | April 8, 2012 (2012-04-08) | 36 | 10.84[37] | ||
| CSI: NY | Backdoor pilot | May 17, 2004 (2004-05-17) | — | — | |||
| 1 | 23 | September 22, 2004 (2004-09-22) | May 18, 2005 (2005-05-18) | 21 | 13.59[38] | ||
| 2 | 24 | September 28, 2005 (2005-09-28) | May 17, 2006 (2006-05-17) | 22 | 14.04[39] | ||
| 3 | 24 | September 20, 2006 (2006-09-20) | May 16, 2007 (2007-05-16) | 25 | 13.92[40] | ||
| 4 | 21 | September 26, 2007 (2007-09-26) | May 21, 2008 (2008-05-21) | 28 | 11.71[41] | ||
| 5 | 25 | September 24, 2008 (2008-09-24) | May 14, 2009 (2009-05-14) | 17 | 13.50[42] | ||
| 6 | 23 | September 23, 2009 (2009-09-23) | May 26, 2010 (2010-05-26) | 23 | 12.66[43] | ||
| 7 | 22 | September 24, 2010 (2010-09-24) | May 13, 2011 (2011-05-13) | 37 | 10.73[44] | ||
| 8 | 18 | September 23, 2011 (2011-09-23) | May 11, 2012 (2012-05-11) | 38 | 10.34[45] | ||
| 9 | 17 | September 21, 2012 (2012-09-21) | February 22, 2013 (2013-02-22) | 26 | 11.27[46] | ||
| CSI: Cyber | Backdoor pilots | April 30, 2014 (2014-04-30) | November 16, 2014 (2014-11-16) | — | — | ||
| 1 | 13 | March 4, 2015 (2015-03-04) | May 13, 2015 (2015-05-13) | 39 | 10.51[47] | ||
| 2 | 18 | October 4, 2015 (2015-10-04) | March 13, 2016 (2016-03-13) | 50 | 8.50[48] | ||
| CSI: Vegas | 1 | 10 | October 6, 2021 (2021-10-06) | December 8, 2021 (2021-12-08) | 30 | 6.80[49] | |
| 2 | 21 | September 29, 2022 (2022-09-29) | May 18, 2023 (2023-05-18) | 36 | 5.66[50] | ||
| 3 | 10 | February 18, 2024 (2024-02-18) | May 19, 2024 (2024-05-19) | 30 | 6.15[51] | ||
CSI: Miami andCSI: Cyber spun off fromCSI, andCSI: NY spun off fromCSI: Miami, all via backdoor-pilot episodes.
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
TheLas 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.
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 theEverglades, 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 theMDPD'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.
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, theNew 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.
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
TheFBI 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.
The opening themes for all five series are remixes of songs performed byThe Who.
| Series | Theme song |
|---|---|
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | "Who Are You" |
| CSI: Miami | "Won't Get Fooled Again" |
| CSI: NY | "Baba O'Riley" |
| CSI: Cyber | "I Can See for Miles" |
| CSI: Vegas | "Who Are You" |
Crossovers are possible betweenCSI series as well as with other programs within the same creative stable. Between the series the baton is passed to the newCSI series via a crossover/pilot where cases are overlapped and personnel are shared. Many actors have appeared in two of the series. Five actors have appeared in three: David Caruso, Laurence Fishburne, and Gary Sinise all appeared inCSI,CSI: Miami, andCSI: NY, whileTed Danson appeared as a guest star onCSI: NY and a series regular on bothCSI andCSI: Cyber, making him the first actor to be a main character in more than oneCSI series. Before becoming a regular as "Danny Messer" onCSI: NY,Carmine Giovinazzo had a small role as "Thumpy G" in an episode ofCSI, making him the only lead actor to play two characters within the franchise.[52] Crossovers have also, on occasion, taken place between aCSI series and a series outside the franchise.
| Crossover between | Episode | Type | Actors crossing over | Date aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | Series B | Series C | ||||
| CSI | CSI: Miami | — | "Cross Jurisdictions" (CSI 2.22) | Backdoor pilot | Series A:David Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, Rory Cochrane, Khandi Alexander | May 9, 2002 |
| Catherine and Warrick team up with Horatio Caine to investigate the murder of Las Vegas' former chief and the kidnapping of his wife and daughter following a wild party. | ||||||
| CSI: Miami | CSI: NY | — | "MIA/NYC NonStop" (CSI: Miami 2.23) | Backdoor pilot | Series A:Gary Sinise, Melina Kanakaredes, Carmine Giovinazzo, Vanessa Ferlito, Hill Harper | May 17, 2004 |
| Horatio travels to New York believing it to be the residence of someone who committed a double homicide. He is assisted by Mac Taylor who suspects that the crimes in Miami might be connected to the murder of an undercover New York cop. | ||||||
| CSI: NY | CSI | — | "Grand Master" (CSI: NY 1.04) | Character appearance | Series A:Ricky Harris | October 27, 2004 |
| CSI consultant Disco Placid (first seen in "Anonymous") consults on the audio aspects of a murder that takes place during a turntable competition. | ||||||
| CSI: Miami | CSI: NY | — | "Felony Flight" (CSI: Miami 4.07) "Manhattan Manhunt" (CSI: NY 2.07) | Two-night event | Series A: Gary Sinise Series B: David Caruso | November 7, 2005 November 9, 2005 |
| A convicted serial killer, Henry Darius, sabotages and escapes an airplane that was flying him from New York to Miami, where he supposedly buried a body. After fleeing the crash site he goes on a killing spree and abducts a college student. Since Darius was originally arrested in New York, Mac Taylor arrives in Miami to help Horatio track the killer down. Darius murders a group of teens in a luxury apartment where he tries to rob a security vault. | ||||||
| CSI: Miami | CSI: NY | CSI | "Bone Voyage" (CSI: Miami 8.07) "Hammer Down" (CSI: NY 6.07) "The Lost Girls" (CSI 10.07) | Three-part crossover | Series A & B:Laurence Fishburne | November 9, 2009 November 11, 2009 November 12, 2009 |
Main article:CSI: Trilogy Ray Langston arrives in Miami to investigate a severed leg found in the Everglades that belonged to a girl who disappeared in Las Vegas a week before. He discovers a human-trafficking ring that specializes in black-market organ harvesting that leads him to New York where he assists Mac in attempting to free a hostage. Ray returns to Las Vegas to find a missing girl who's been taken by the human traffickers and may be part of a prostitution ring. | ||||||
| CSI | CSI: NY | — | "In Vino Veritas" (CSI 13.13) "Seth and Apep" (CSI: NY 9.15) | Two-night event | Series A: Gary Sinise Series B:Ted Danson | February 6, 2013 February 8, 2013 |
| Mac Taylor visits Las Vegas to surprise his girlfriend, Christine, who is missing upon his arrival. It turns out she was kidnapped in New York before the trip and a look-alike took her place. D.B Russell insists on accompanying Mac back to New York to help find her. | ||||||
| CSI | CSI: Cyber | — | "Kitty" (CSI 14.21) | Backdoor pilot | Series A:Patricia Arquette | April 30, 2014 |
| Avery Ryan, a Special Agent attached to the FBI Cyber Crime Division, travels to Las Vegas when the murder of a casino mogul's wife is linked to anUnSub she has been tracking who commits crimes on the internet that play out in the real world. | ||||||
| CSI | CSI: Cyber | — | "The Twin Paradox" (CSI 15.06) | Guest appearance | Series A: Patricia Arquette | November 16, 2014 |
| Finlay leads the CSI team in a hunt for Seattle's notorious Gig Harbor Killer, while Russell meets with colleague Avery Ryan for advice on how to catch a mentally unstable serial killer. | ||||||
| Crossover between | Episode | Type | Actors crossing over | Date aired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | Series B | ||||
| CSI: NY | Cold Case | "Cold Reveal" (CSI: NY 3.22) | Guest appearance | Series A:Danny Pino | May 2, 2007 |
| When Stella Bonasera's DNA matches evidence found during a Cold Case investigation in Philadelphia,Detective Scotty Valens visits the New York Crime Lab in order to rule her out as a homicide suspect. | |||||
| CSI | Without a Trace | "Who and What" (CSI 8.06) "Where and Why" (Without a Trace 6.06) | Two-hour event | Series A:Anthony LaPaglia Series B:William Petersen | November 8, 2007 |
| Jack Malone joins forces with Grissom to track a serial killer since a boy who was kidnapped in New York six years before matches the profile of a Las Vegas murder victim. The two of them establish the killer's pattern of behavior to track him down. | |||||
| Crossover between | Episode | Type | Actors crossing over | Date aired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | Series B | ||||
| Two and a Half Men | CSI | "Fish in a Drawer" (Two and a Half Men 5.17) "Two and a Half Deaths" (CSI 8.16) | Writer exchange | Series A:George Eads Series B:Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer,Angus T. Jones | May 5, 2008 May 8, 2008 |
| The two shows' writers swapped roles. George Eads appears in "Fish in a Drawer" as a wedding guest when a man is found dead, possibly murdered. In "Two and a Half Deaths" Grissom investigates the death of a sitcom diva who was filming in Las Vegas. Sheen, Cryer, and Jones appear as themselves wearing the same clothes from "Fish in a Drawer". | |||||
| CSI | MythBusters | "Theory of Everything" (CSI 8.15) "Fireball Stun Gun" (MythBusters 8.10) | Cameo appearance | Series A:Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage | May 1, 2008 June 2, 2010 |
| The team investigates an abundance of cases that turn out to be related, including the death of a man who may havespontaneously combusted in police custody due to the combination of two supposedly nonlethal weapons:pepper spray and astun gun. Hyneman and Savage appear in "Theory of Everything" as lab technicians watching Nick test the idea and then later onMythBusters test it themselves in earnest and find it plausible. | |||||
In the UK,Channel 5 edited together related episodes to make one whole feature. These include:
| Series | Title | Episodes edited together | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | The CSI Pilot Movie | "Pilot" / "Cool Change" | |
| The CSI Movie:Grave Danger | "Grave Danger (Part 1)" / "Grave Danger (Part 2)" | ||
| The CSI Movie: Bullet[53] | "A Bullet Runs Through It (Part 1)" / "A Bullet Runs Through It (Part 2)" | 110 mins | |
| The CSI Movie: Bang-Bang[54] | "Bang-Bang" / "Way to Go" | 110 mins | |
| The CSI Movie: Built to Kill[55] | "Built to Kill (Part 1)" / "Built to Kill (Part 2)" | 110 mins | |
| The CSI Movie: Dr Who & Mr Jekyll[56] | "Doctor Who" / "Meat Jekyll" | 105 mins | |
| The CSI Movie:Immortality | "Immortality Part I" / "Immortality Part II" | 87 mins | |
| CSI: Miami | The CSI Movie: Crisis[57] | "No Man's Land" / "Man Down" | 105 mins |
| The CSI Movie: Fallen[58] | "All Fall Down" / "Fallen" | 105 mins | |
| CSI: NY | The CSI Movie: Revenge[59] | "Nothing for Something" / "Life Sentence" | 100 mins |
Also Channel 5 will sometimes group episodes with similar themes together such as:
There have been a number ofcomic books based on all three series published byIDW Publishing. Writers includeJeff Mariotte andMax Allan Collins.
TheCSI franchise has spawned 12 computer games published byUbisoft across the three shows. Nine forCSI: 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, andCSI: Hidden Crimes–2014.[60] Two forCSI: Miami:CSI: Miami–2004 andCSI: Miami – Heat Wave–2012. One forCSI: NY:CSI: NY – The Game–2008.[61]
Gameloft has also published a series of mobile games based on theCSI series includingCSI: The Mobile Game (Vegas) andCSI: Miami.
In addition, several board games and puzzles based on all three series have seen release, all published by Canadian game manufacturerSpecialty Board Games, Inc. In 2011, theCSI Board Game was released by another Canadian company, GDC–GameDevCo Ltd. It is the first game to include all threeCSI shows.[62]
Apinball game machine calledCSI: Crime Scene Investigation was released in 2008.[63]
Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry opened an exhibit inCSI's honor on May 25, 2007 called: "CSI: The Experience".[64] In October 2011 it was atDiscovery Times Square in New York City.[65] There is also a game on the website where players are trained in forensic biology, weapons and tool mark analyses, toxicology and the autopsy.
Varioustie-in novels have appeared based on the series. Authors includeMax Allan Collins (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation),Donn Cortez (CSI: Miami),Stuart M. Kaminsky (CSI: NY), andKeith R.A. DeCandido (CSI: NY).
Titan Magazines published 11 issues ofCSI Magazine starting in November 2007. They contained a mixture of features and interviews looking into the world of the threeCSIs and the people who help create it.[66] They were available in the UK and US.[67]
A range of toys have been developed. These include:
However, they have been the source of some controversy. TheParents Television Council, who have complained aboutCSI in general, in 2004 released a statement specifically aimed at the toys.[68] 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 theCSI 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 marketCSI and its adult-oriented content directly to children."
In urging members to file a complaint with theFederal 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 contactTarget andToys "R" Us.
In 2008, British indie bandHalf Man Half Biscuit released the albumCSI:Ambleside. The title was parody of theCSI franchise but replaced the glamorous American locations with a sleepy English town.
Producers announced intentions to break theGuinness World Record for largest ever TV simulcast drama on March 4, 2015, with the episode "Kitty" airing in 150 countries in addition to digital streaming.[69] They succeeded in breaking the record by airingCSI: Cyber's backdoor pilot in 171 countries.[70]
Because of the popularity of theCSI franchise in the United Kingdom,Channel 5 created twodocumentaries about CSI. The first one calledThe Real CSI follows real crime scene investigators as they work on crime scene. The second documentary,True CSI, features true tales of how forensic science has helped solve some of the world's best known crimes.True CSI had actors re-enacting the crime as well as interviews with people involved in the solving of the crimes themselves. Cases featured included theSam Sheppard case.
In early 2007, British channelITV1 broadcast a special of its flagship documentaryTonight with Trevor McDonald discussing the ramifications of the "CSI effect", highlighting the effect of not only the franchise but also several other British and American TV police procedurals.
The popularity of the series has also spawned forensic basedreality television/documentary programs, includingA&E'sThe First 48 andtruTV'sNorth Mission Road.
In April 2012,PBS'Frontline aired a documentary called "The Real CSI" investigating the limitations of the CSI techniques in forensic science.[71]
In May 2024,CBS announced an official reality television documentary series spin-off toCSI: Miami titledThe Real CSI: Miami which premiered on June 26, 2024.[72]
As well as fictional books based on the franchise there have also been a number of guides published:
