CSI: Vegas won't have a satisfying ending, unfortunately

It’s bad enough that CSI: Vegas is ending after three seasons. But now, one of its stars has confirmed it’s going to be with cliffhangers that will likely have no conclusion!

CSI: Vegas, like all CBS shows, had to be delayed a while due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. The show made up for it with plotlines like Josh facing the consequences for going after his mother’s killer and being busted down to a Grade 1 CSI. 

While handling various cases, the team has also faced a long-range mystery involving a murder at a company owned by tech titan Truman Thomas. This has involved AI, a robot, and a mysterious lab. 

Max (Paula Newsome) and Chris (Jay Lee) were checking out the lab when someone threw a canister of poisonous gas at them. Chris knocked it away but inhaled gas as someone held a gun to Max’s head.

This sets up the season 3 finale as the rest of the team races to find the pair before it’s too late. It also has Max finally confront Thomas (Faran Tahir) and find out what this lab is about. Newsome talked to TV Line about what is coming for Max. 

"It’s not often when she’s actually in a place like this. You take on a job like this, you have to expect there to be a certain amount of danger, but when you wake up in the morning you wouldn’t expect you’d have to deal with it yourself, or look at one of your employees [possibly dying]. So yeah, it’s a bit of a noodle."

Sadly for fans, this is going to be the last run for CSI: Vegas as CBS has axed the show, meaning it’s joining a few other series in an unexpected cliffhanger. 

Why CSI: Vegas won’t get closure

CSI: Vegas isn’t alone in ending on a cliffhanger. NCIS: Hawaii producers were clearly set for season 4 and ended season 3 with a big set-up. Likewise, So Help Me Todd producers were sure they'd have multiple seasons and ended season 2 with a big cliffhanger. 

The latest CSI series had seen an uptick in the ratings but also lagged behind almost all other CBS shows in total viewers. Thus, as brutal as it sounds, its cancellation while other shows continue and CBS prepares a few new ones for the 2024-25 season makes a bit of sense. After all, NCIS: Hawaii was axed despite being among the highest-rated shows on the network so it’s little surprise CSI: Vegas was cut. 

It’s going to be frustrating as Newsome hinted that the finale will “definitely” leave viewers with multiple cliffhangers. It’s likely to be about some of the interpersonal drama, if Josh is still with the team and perhaps the superiors threatening to come down hard on the team over their antics.

It’s jarring for fans to see CSI: Vegas ending too soon and leaving the fate of several characters up in the air like this. Sadly, it happens a lot on TV so fans better be ready for the CSI: Vegas series finale to not have closure.

CSI: Vegas series finale airs Sunday at 10/9c on CBS.