CBS has officially cancelled CSI: Vegas after its third season. The decision doesn’t come as an enormous surprise following speculation regarding its fate via insider whisperings, but despite achieving respectable ratings, CSI: Vegas could not escape the chopping block as CBS makes room for upcoming new series. The series premiered in 2021 as the latest installment in the venerable CSI franchise, and it aimed to continue the narrative of the original 2000 show that revolutionised the portrayal of forensic science in entertainment, attracting viewers with a mix of familiar and new characters.
The recent seasons saw the return of series veterans such as William Petersen and Jorja Fox, with Marg Helgenberger rejoining in the second season. They were accompanied by new stars including Paula Newsome and Matt Lauria. The cancellation appears to be part of a broader strategy by CBS, which is introducing new dramas like NCIS: Origins, Matlock, and Watson in the 2024-25 season slate. With an already successful lineup, the network faced tough choices about which shows to continue.
Despite its solid performance — ranking 21st in linear Nielsen viewership with over 6 million viewers — CSI: Vegas was among the lesser-watched CBS dramas this spring. That change appears to be indicative of larger overall trends across the network television industry, where networks are attempting to grapple with a challenging advertising market and overall belt tightening when it comes to spending bucks for little return. Additionally, there are currently no plans to transition the series to streaming platforms such as Paramount+, at least not at the moment.
What Is the ‘CSI’ Franchise About?
The CSI franchise has been a cornerstone of CBS‘s identity for more than two decades, known for its pioneering use of forensic science which influenced both television storytelling and real-world criminal investigations. The original series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, premiered on CBS in 2000 and was set in Las Vegas. It quickly became popular for its intriguing plots, detailed crime-solving processes, and character development. The show’s success led to the creation of several spin-offs, including CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, and CSI: Cyber, bringing a new perspective to the procedural crime drama genre. Each show in the CSI franchise followed a consistent approach: gather physical evidence at the crime scene, analyse it in the laboratory, and then use the clues to crack the case, often encountering dramatic surprises and moral challenges along the way. The series became renowned for its vivid portrayals of crimes and scientific methods, which played a significant role in making forensic science popular with the wider public.
CSI: Vegas airs Sunday nights on CBS. Past seasons are streaming now on Paramount+ in the U.S.
via Collider