CSI: Vegas is done but the franchise will live on, CBS boss teases

CSI: Vegas is done but CBS is promising the franchise is still potentially alive. Could there be a new revival coming? 

Debuting in 2021, CSI: Vegas was a revival of the series that kick-started CBS’ love for police procedurals. Fans took to the flagship going into the details of using science to solve murders, often with some bizarre crime scenes and terrific production (including then new CGI) to show how the deaths happened. 

The series ran 15 seasons and spawned three spin-offs. CSI: Vegas was intended to be a limited series as original stars William Petersen and Jorja Fox returned to aid some new CSI techs in a long-range mystery case. 

Its success led to CBS giving it a second season, with Petersen and Fox leaving while Marg Helgenberger joined as her Catherine Willows character. Season 3, like all CBS shows, was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes before debuting in February. 

However, CSI: Vegas is among the shows canceled by CBS and before its season 3 finale airs. That makes fans wonder if this means the end of the entire franchise and speaking to Deadline about CBS’s schedule, Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach hinted it may not be the end. 

"I definitely think that franchise is alive and well and we continue to be in discussions. It’s a part of our legacy."

Her words are interesting and make one wonder if CBS might continue the franchise in some fashion. 

What could the future of CSI be like? 

CBS does seem to have an eye for reliving the past. They have scheduled NCIS: Origins, which looks into the adventures of a younger Gibbs and reports they’re planning a revival of Cold Case, the 2000s hit show of cops investigating past murders. That hints that there’s still potential for CSI. 

If anything, making the show feel like it was just another season of the original series was a double-edged sword. Sure, fans enjoyed seeing some older characters, but the show had already done pretty much every Vegas-themed crime scene imaginable, so it was harder to make it feel fresh.

CSI: Miami worked for years mostly due to David Caruso’s infamous “sunglasses quips.” CSI: New York was notable for showing how cold weather affected crime scenes so they could do stuff the other two shows couldn’t. There are so many cities out there that could house a CSI show, each with its own culture and history to showcase unique storylines.

Chicago can play on the city’s mob history, Los Angeles is packed with locales and vibrant characters, and there are always places like Philadelphia and Boston. Why stop with just the U.S.? Imagine a CSI in London or even Canada, which has different laws and scientific methods. 

It doesn’t have to be on CBS itself as Paramount+ can use the original content, and adding a CSI show would be a good boost. Given the show’s popularity in syndication and reruns, it’s smart of CBS not to totally bury it, as CSI can still live on in some form. 

CSI: Vegas season 3 airs Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.