CSI franchise

Infobox Media franchises
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title=CSI franchise


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creator=Anthony E. Zuiker
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comics=Comics series
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otherlabel1=Exhibition
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otherlabel2=Partwork
otherdata2="CSI Magazine"
otherlabel3=Toys
otherdata3=CSI: Forensics Lab CSI: DNA Laboratory CSI: Forensic FacialThe term " franchise" is commonly used to describe a number of related American television programs created by Anthony E. Zuiker and originally broadcast on CBS, all of which deal with forensic scientists as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths and crimes committed.

Overview

As the shows are shown in 200 countries with an audience of 2 billion people, [http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article2087137.ece CSI: The cop show that conquered the world] "The Independent", April 22, 2007] 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%. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2044244,00.html Want a career in forensics? Here's some hard evidence] , "The Guardian", March 29, 2007] 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. "People were rushing to us for their comfort food. There was a sense of justice in CSI – 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."

eries

There are now three series, the second and third launched with a crossover/pilot episode.

*"" (2000–present, 9 seasons)
**Location: Las Vegas, Nevada.
***The current cast includes William Petersen as Gil Grissom, Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows, George Eads as Nick Stokes, Eric Szmanda as Greg Sanders, Lauren Lee Smith as Riley Adams, Robert David Hall as Al Robbins, Wallace Langham as David Hodges, Liz Vassey as Wendy Simms, David Berman as David Phillips and Paul Guilfoyle as Jim Brass.

*"" (2002–present, 7 seasons)
**Location: Miami, Florida.
*** The current cast includes David Caruso as Horatio Caine, Emily Procter as Calleigh Duquesne, Adam Rodríguez as Eric Delko, Jonathan Togo as Ryan Wolfe, Eva LaRue as Natalia Boa Vista, Rex Linn as Frank Tripp and Megalyn Echikunwoke as Tara Price.
**** CSI Miami first started in the "CSI" episode "Cross Jurisdictions".

*"" (2004–present, 5 seasons)
**Location: New York City.
*** The current cast includes Gary Sinise as Mac Taylor, Melina Kanakaredes as Stella Bonasera, Carmine Giovinazzo as Danny Messer, Hill Harper as Sheldon Hawkes, Anna Belknap as Lindsay Monroe, Robert Joy as Sid Hammerback, A.J. Buckley as Adam Ross and Eddie Cahill as Donald Flack, Jr.
**** CSI New York first started in the "CSI: Miami" episode "MIA/NYC NonStop".

eries color

Each incarnation of "CSI" has a distinctive color attained by filming through color filters. The "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" color is primarily green and white, "CSI: Miami" is deep yellow or gold, and "CSI: New York" is cobalt blue and grey.

Documentaries

Because of the popularity of the CSI franchise in the United Kingdom, Five created two documentaries about CSI.

The first one called "The Real CSI" follows real crime scene investigators as they work on crime scene.

The second documentary entitled "True CSI" features true tales of how forensic science has helped solve some 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 the Sam Sheppard case.

In early 2007, British channel ITV broadcast a special of its flagship documentary "Tonight With Trevor McDonald" discussing the ramifications of the "CSI effect", highlighting the effect not only of the franchise but of several other British and American TV police procedurals.

Crossovers

Crossovers are possible between "CSI" series, as well as with other programs within the same creative stable.

Between series

The baton is passed to the new "CSI" series via a crossover/pilot and cases have overlapped and personnel have been shared. Such episodes include:

* "Cross Jurisdictions", an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and the pilot of "CSI: Miami".
* "MIA/NYC NonStop", an episode of "CSI: Miami" and the pilot of "CSI: NY".
* A two-part story started in "CSI: Miami" ("Felony Flight", aired November 7, 2005) and concluded in "CSI: NY" ("Manhattan Manhunt", aired November 9, 2005).

Other shows

There are a family of police procedural programs on CBS (some produced by Jerry Bruckheimer) which could be crossed over with "CSI" or set in the same fictional universe. Currently the crossovers include:

*"Cold Case" and "": episode "Cold Reveal" (aired May 2, 2007) featured Detective Scotty Valens from "Cold Case", which is also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0997926/ "CSI: NY" Cold Reveal (2007) ] ]

*"Without A Trace" and "CSI" (both are also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer) had a crossover episode, "Who and What", airing on November 9, 2007. The first hour used "CSI"'s timeslot and the second part aired during "Without A Trace."

* The popularity of the series has also spawned forensic based reality television/documentary programs, including A&E's "The First 48" and truTV's "North Mission Road."

oundtrack

The title songs are all performed by The Who:

* "Who Are You" for "CSI".
* "Won't Get Fooled Again" for "CSI: Miami".
* "Baba O'Riley" for "CSI: NY".

Crime labs

*The Las Vegas Lab has a very dark feel to it, and although the sets have changed, the lab is virtually the same as CSI's pilot episode. It is headed up by CSI Supervisor Gil Grissom and his left hand/best friend Catherine Willows. The director of the crime lab is Conrad Ecklie.

*The Miami lab is the most modern of them all, with slanted walls and state of the art technology. It is headed up by CSI/Crime Lab/Homicide Supervisor Lt. Horatio Caine and CSI Supervisor Calleigh Duquesne.

*"CSI: NY" is the only show to have had two labs, the first an old building in which rustic brick contrasts against new, flat paneled walls and top of the range lab equipment. The second lab is a 35th floor office building, with glass walls and state of the art equipment. The second lab was blown up in the Season 3 Finale "Snow Day", but has since been restored. Both labs were/are run by Detective Mac Taylor.

pin-offs

Comics

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

Computer games

The CSI franchise has spawned a number of computer games, with four based around the Las Vegas team and a fifth set in Miami.

Websites

The website onthescenenews.com mentioned in the episode "Bloodline", Series 5 episode 9, is a "secret" website containing extra footage from the show.

Exhibition

Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry opened an exhibit in "CSI"'s honor on May 25, 2007 called: "CSI: The Experience".cite web |url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Tv-Guide-News/Csi-Stars-Spend/800015799 |title="CSI" Stars Spend a Night at the Museum |work=TVGuide.com |accessdate=2007-05-24] There is also a game on the website where you are trained in forensic biology, weapons and tool mark analyses, toxicology and the autopsy.

Magazine

Titan Magazines will start publishing "CSI Magazine" in mid-November, 2007. It will contain a mix of features and interviews looking into the world of CSI and the people who help create it. [ [http://www.csifiles.com/news/301007_02.shtml The Official 'CSI' Magazine Hits Newsstands] , CSI Files, October 30, 2007.] It will initially be available in the UK [ [http://www.titanmagazines.co.uk/app?service=external/Product&sp=l1074 CSI Magazine (UK)] ] and US. [ [http://www.titanmagazines.com/app?service=external/Product&sp=l1075 CSI Magazine (UK)] ]

Novels

Various novelizations have appeared based on the series. Authors include Max Allan Collins ("CSI"), Donn Cortez ("CSI: Miami") and Stuart M. Kaminsky ("CSI: NY").

Partwork

A CSI partwork, "CSI: The DVD Collection", [ [http://www.csicollection.com/ "CSI: The DVD Collection" main page] ] was produced by Ge Fabbri [ [http://www.gefabbri.co.uk/publication_csi_the_dvd_collection GE Fabbri page on "CSI: The DVD Collection"] ] , which was a fortnightly serialization of the series on DVD with an accompanying magazine which looked at the cast, characters, episodes featured on the DVD and general forensic techniques.

Toys

A range of toys have been developed. These include:

* "CSI: Forensics Lab"
* "CSI: DNA Laboratory"
* "CSI: Forensic Facial"

However, they have been the source of some controversy. The Parents Television Council, who have complained about "CSI" in general, have released a statement specifically aimed at the toys: [cite web | url=http://www.mensnewsdaily.com/archive/newswire/news2004/1104/111704-csi-toy.htm | title=Pro-Family Group Outraged Over CSI "Toy" | publisher=Men's News Daily | accessdate=2006-10-14]

In an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday, PTC said this kind of content is 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 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."

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

In popular culture

There are numerous references to "CSI" including:

*"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife", an episode of "The Simpsons" in which Homer gives an outline of his perception of a typical "CSI: Miami" plot: "There's this guy that got killed; I think it was in Miami, so CSI: Miami investigated, then a family said how much they love the Olive Garden; then I fell asleep. When I woke up, Letterman was talking to Alias." [cite web | url=http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/homer-simpson-this-is-your-wife/episode/463616/summary.html | title=Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife | publisher=CNET | work=TV.com | accessdate=2007-04-23]

*In another "Simpsons" episode, 2008's "Smoke on the Daughter", the family watches "CSI: Miami". In a parody of the character's dramatic pre-credits statements, Horatio explains a person's ability to commit murder from a long distance by saying, "Maybe, he reached out... and killed someone." This is immediately followed by a "Won't Get Fooled Again"-esque scream.

*On the 2003 episode of "South Park", "Lil' Crime Stoppers", the boys give a theory to who might have stolen a woman's pie that is, without justification, very violent and complicated. This theory includes a husband dismembering his wife in a bathtub and getting rid of the torso by throwing it into a lake, all of which is shown in a way similar to that of CSI's crime reenactments. In shock the woman screams "Oh my God, what kind of television have you kids been watching?!"

*On February 22, 2006, Dan Piraro spoofed CSI on his comic strip "Bizarro" by making "CSI: OZ".

*In the pilot episode of the UK sci-fi show "Torchwood" (a spin-off from "Doctor Who"), "Everything Changes", PC Gwen Cooper and her partner Andy discuss whether the mysterious Torchwood team are DNA experts with Andy saying how he would like to see a "CSI: Cardiff", where the investigators would measure the velocity of a flying kebab.
*A segment on "Sesame Street" goes by the name of RSI: Rhyme Scene Investigation.

*In "NCIS", another CBS police procedural, there are three references to "CSI":
**In the pilot episode "Yankee White", an airport security guard asks Special Agent Tony DiNozzo if NCIS is "anything like CSI"; DiNozzo's curt reply is "only if you're dyslexic". Actor Gerald McCullouch, who plays ballistics expert Bobby Dawson on "CSI", also appears in the episode as an FBI agent.
**In the episode "One Shot, One Kill", DiNozzo and Caitlin Todd are collecting evidence in a toy shop (a sniper's bullet had punched through the wall from the neighboring USMC recruiting office); the shop clerk (ironically, an actor from the show "Bones", another forensic drama) observes that "That's not how they do it on CSI", much to Tony's annoyance. This is patently a reference to the "CSI" TV show, dispelling theories that the two shows might exist in the same fictional universe.
**In the episode "Witch Hunt" (S04 E06), DiNozzo and Gibbs storm into a Halloween fancy dress party where they are taken to be in-costume and greeted by a giant carrot with the words "Great group costume guys, but you spelt 'CSI' wrong on your hats!". Gibbs responds by pinning the carrot to the wall while DiNozzo comments "It's not easy being a root vegetable".

*On 2005 Hallmark Cards released a controversial card where they made fun of the Kansas capital Topeka while spoofing "CSI". The card implies that Topeka is a city where people die of boredom. Many Topekans where rather offended by this implications. [ [http://www.cjonline.com/stories/093005/loc_card.shtml City leaders aren't laughing at card] , "The Topeka Capital-Journal", September 30, 2005.]
*"CSI" was parodied on the Lenny Henry show under the name ForenSIC: UK, with Henry playing a Grissom parody by the name of Dagger. The parody also used a CSI-like opening and The Who's "Who Are You?" as its theme.

*The flash cartoon Weebl and Bob have their own version of "CSI" called "CSI: PIE AMI" [ [http://www.weebls-stuff.com/wab/CSI/ CSI - Weebl's Stuff ] ]

*Weird Al Yankovic refers to a "CSI: Boise" in his parody of Eminem's song "Lose Yourself", called "Couch Potato".

*There is a reference to CSI in the August 23 of 2007 edition of "The Wichita Eagle", when in the comic strip "Hi and Lois", Lois Flagstone discovers that it was her son that took a cookie from the cookie jar.

*The Season 1 finale of "Entourage" has Johnny Drama receiving an opportunity to audition as an extra on the pilot of "CSI: Minneapolis", starring Don Johnson.

*In the sketch comedy series "Blue Collar TV" one episode pokes fun at the many CSI spinoffs with "CSI: Greater Greensborough Tricounty Area", in which detectives played by Bill Engvall and Jeff Foxworthy investigate the shooting death of a deer.

*The "Looney Tunes" do their own version of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" called "Cartoon Scene Investigator".

*In the song "We Get On", Kate Nash declares "I particularly like CSI".

*In the 2008 video game "Grand Theft Auto IV", a television show entitled "The Science of Crime" is described as both popular and "forensically boring". In fact, the show was so popular that it spawned over a dozen completely identical spin-offs, such as "The Science of Crime: Vice City" and "The Science of Crime: Las Venturas" (Vice City and Las Venturas being representative of Miami and Las Vegas, respectively, while Liberty City, the city in which "GTA IV" takes place, is the representative of New York City, thus accounting for all three "CSI" shows). The theme song of "The Science of Crime" is a parody of "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, particularly Roger Daltrey's famous scream. This can be purchased as a ringtone for the in-game cell phone, leading one woman who purchased it to proudly proclaim that "now everyone knows I'm as boring as the show!"

Further reading

As well as fictional books based on the franchise there have also been a number of guides published:

*"CSI" Companion" (by Mike Flaherty and Corinne Marrinan, 302 pages, Pocket Books, September 2004, ISBN 0743467418)
*"Ultimate "CSI": Crime Scene Investigation" (by Corinne Marrinan and Steve Parker, 144 pages, Dorling Kindersley, October 2006, ISBN 1405316721)
*"Investigating "CSI" (by Donn Cortez, 240 pages, Smart Pop series, BenBella Books, December 2006, ISBN 1932100938)

References