''CSI: NY'' (''Crime Scene Investigation: New York'', stylized as ''CSI: NY/
Crime Scene Investigation'') is an American
police procedural
The police procedural, police show, or police crime drama is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasises the investigative procedure of police officers, police detectives, or law enforcement agency, law enforcement agencies ...
television series that aired on
CBS from September 22, 2004, to February 22, 2013, for nine seasons and 197 original episodes. The show follows the investigative team of
NYPD
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
forensic scientists and police officers identified as "Crime Scene Investigators" (instead of the actual title of "
Crime Scene Unit Forensic Technicians" (CSU)) as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths, as well as other crimes. The series is an indirect
spin-off from the veteran series ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' and a direct spin-off from ''
CSI: Miami'', during an
episode
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a serial (radio and television), series intended for radio, television or Streaming media, streaming consumption.
Etymology
The noun ''episode'' is ...
in which several of the ''CSI: NY'' characters made their first appearances. It is the third series in the
''CSI'' franchise.
Originally in 2004, ''CSI: NY'' was produced in partnership with the Canadian media company
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. (commonly known as Alliance Atlantis) was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operator in Canada. Alliance Atlantis also had offices in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Los ...
. The company dissolved after season three in 2007, and all production after that was done under the purview of CBS Paramount Television.
The series was filmed at the
CBS Studio Center
Radford Studio Center, alternatively CBS Studio Center, is a television and film studio located in the Studio City district in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, United States. The lot has 18 sound stages from , of office spac ...
, with many of the outside scenes shot in and around Los Angeles. Occasionally, scenes were filmed on location in New York City.
The series aired its final episode on February 22, 2013. On May 10, 2013, CBS canceled the series after nine seasons.
Gary Sinise
Gary Alan Sinise (; born March 17, 1955) is an American actor, director, producer, musician and humanitarian. Among other awards, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has ...
,
Carmine Giovinazzo,
Hill Harper and
Eddie Cahill are the only main actors to have appeared in all 197 episodes of the television series.
Plot
''CSI: NY'' follows a group of crime scene investigators (CSI's for short) who work for the
New York Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
's (NYPD for short)
crime lab
A crime laboratory, often shortened to crime lab, is a scientific laboratory, using primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases.
Lab personnel
A typical crime lab has two sets of personnel:
*Field ana ...
. The series mixes gritty subject matter and deduction in the same manner as its predecessors, yet also places a great deal of emphasis on
criminal profiling. The team is led by Detective Mac Taylor, a former
Marine from
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Mac, a veteran of the NYPD, lost his wife on
9/11, and as such must work to rebuild his personal life while supervising his team. He is organized, efficient, dedicated, and very proper in his management style. Mac's partner is originally Detective Stella Bonasera. Stella is
half-Greek,
half-Italian. She helped Mac through the impact of his wife's death and has been by his side ever since. She is a savvy investigator, yet she often speaks before she thinks. Stella leaves New York to head a crime lab in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
and is replaced by Detective Jo Danville. Jo is a former
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
criminalist and an experienced psychological profiler. She and Mac quickly form a strong friendship and an even stronger working rapport. Jo is still haunted by her ousting from the FBI after blowing the whistle on improper lab procedure, so she works to regain her professional reputation. Together, Mac, Stella, and Jo head an elite team of detectives including Detectives Danny Messer, Aiden Burn, and Lindsay Monroe. The team also works alongside former
medical examiner-turned-CSI Sheldon Hawkes, Detective Don Flack, Medical Examiner Sid Hammerback, and CSI trainee Adam Ross.
Cast and characters
{, class="wikitable sortable"
, -
! rowspan="2", Actor !! rowspan="2", Character !! colspan="9", Seasons
, -
! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
1 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
2 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
3 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
4 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
5 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
6 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
7 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
8 !! class="unsortable" style="width:4%;",
9
, -
,
Gary Sinise
Gary Alan Sinise (; born March 17, 1955) is an American actor, director, producer, musician and humanitarian. Among other awards, he has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has ...
, ,
Mac Taylor , , colspan="9" {{CMain
, -
,
Melina Kanakaredes , ,
Stella Bonasera , , colspan="6" {{CMain , , colspan="3" {{CNone
, -
,
Carmine Giovinazzo , ,
Danny Messer , , colspan="9" {{CMain
, -
,
Vanessa Ferlito , ,
Aiden Burn , , colspan="2" {{CMain , , colspan="7" {{CNone
, -
,
Hill Harper , ,
Sheldon Hawkes , , colspan="9" {{CMain
, -
,
Eddie Cahill , ,
Don Flack , , colspan="9" {{CMain
, -
,
Anna Belknap , ,
Lindsay Monroe Messer , , {{CNone , , colspan="8" {{CMain
, -
,
Robert Joy , ,
Sid Hammerback , , {{CNone , , colspan="3" {{CRecurring , , colspan="5" {{CMain
, -
,
A. J. Buckley , ,
Adam Ross , , {{CNone , , colspan="3" {{CRecurring , , colspan="5" {{CMain
, -
,
Sela Ward , ,
Jo Danville , , colspan="6" {{CNone , , colspan="3" {{CMain
Main characters
{{Main, List of CSI: NY characters
* {{anchor, Mac TaylorMac Taylor (Gary Sinise) is a Detective First Grade and the director of the
NYPD crime lab. Born in Chicago, Mac served as a major in the USMC, serving in both the
1983 Beirut barracks bombings
On October 23, 1983, two truck bombs were detonated at buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF), a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese Civil War. The ...
and
Operation Desert Storm, once saying that he had wanted to serve his country more than anything else in the world. Mac lost his wife, Claire, in the
World Trade Center attacks, dates occasionally, and eventually proposes to an old friend, Christine Whitney, in the series finale.
* {{anchor, Stella BonaseraStella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes) is a half-
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
, half-
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
orphan. She is a Detective First Grade with the NYPD and the Assistant CSI Supervisor of Mac's team. She often speaks before she thinks, leading to numerous complaints being made against her by those suspected of crimes. Never married and with no children, various episodes suggest she was subtly interested in Detective Taylor, but the latter was always shown to be grieving the death of his wife during the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Always going where she can do the most good, Stella resigns from the NYPD crime lab following the season-six finale to run the
NOPD crime lab. (seasons 1–6)
* {{anchor, Danny MesserDanny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo) is a Detective Third Grade and a Crime Scene Investigator working on Mac's team. Growing up in a family under surveillance Danny formulated his own set of hybrid ethics, blending the world of lawbreakers with the world of lawmakers. He is driven by ethics and one day hopes to run the New York crime lab, at one point taking a promotion to sergeant to put him on track to do so. He develops a romantic relationship with Lindsay Monroe.
* {{anchor, Aiden BurnAiden Burn (Vanessa Ferlito) is a
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
native and a Detective Third Grade assigned to Taylor's team. In the first season she is the newest member of the CSI team, but is just as capable as any of them. She is fired from the crime lab after considering planting evidence on a rape suspect. Aiden goes on to apply for a private investigator's license and continues to investigate this suspect. She is fatally beaten and set on fire as a result, leaving the entire team devastated. During her murder, she was able to leave behind enough evidence to convict her killer. (seasons 1–2; guest star: season 2)
* {{anchor, Sheldon HawkesSheldon Hawkes, M.D. (Hill Harper) is a medical examiner with the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) when the series starts. He was a child prodigy who graduated from college at age 18 and was a board-licensed surgeon by the age of 24 and had several years experience in the emergency room. He left surgery because the pain of losing two patients was too intense. In the second season he becomes a CSI on Mac's team, although he is not a sworn NYPD detective like his colleagues.
* {{anchor, Don FlackDon Flack (Eddie Cahill) is an NYPD Homicide Detective First Grade who comes from a long line of law enforcement officials. He bridges the gap between old-school NYPD and the new generation of CSI. His techniques are borderline yet effective. Despite being an NYPD strongman Flack is emotionally mature. He is left devastated when girlfriend Detective Jessica Angell is shot and killed on the job. Years later, he begins a relationship with Detective Jamie Lovato.
* {{anchor, Lindsay MonroeLindsay Monroe Messer (Anna Belknap) is a Detective Third Grade. She worked as a CSI in
Montana
Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
and finally realized her dream of moving to a big city like New York. Her
northwestern work ethic and willingness to tackle any job is a welcome addition to the team. She develops a romantic relationship with Danny Messer and the two marry in season five. Lindsay is awarded the
Police Combat Cross by the NYPD for killing a psychopathic fugitive who had intruded her home. (seasons 2–9)
* {{anchor, Sid HammerbackSid Hammerback, M.D. (Robert Joy) is the NYPD's Chief Medical Examiner. He is described as an "off-the-charts genius" who only recently traded in a career as a chef. He has two college-aged daughters and at least two ex-wives. He has a habit of over-talking and over-sharing, but despite any eccentricities on his part, Sid is extremely perceptive and sincerely cares for the well-being of his coworkers. He is diagnosed with cancer in season nine, only telling friend Jo Danville of his diagnosis. (seasons 5–9; recurring: seasons 2–4)
* {{anchor, Adam RossAdam Ross (A. J. Buckley) is a lab tech originally from
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
. His specialty is
trace evidence
Trace evidence occurs when objects make contact, and material is transferred. This type of evidence is usually not visible to the naked eye and requires specific tools and techniques to be located and obtained. Due to this, trace evidence is often ...
. He sometimes accompanies the CSIs to crime scenes to aid in reconstruction or evidence collection. Outside work he dabbles in various subcultures from ''
Second Life
''Second Life'' is a multiplayer virtual world that allows people to create an Avatar (computing), avatar for themselves and then interact with other users and user-created content within a multi-user online environment. Developed for person ...
'' gaming to dating a
Suicide Girl, and is a textbook modern
geek
The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe Eccentricity (behavior), eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In th ...
. Stella Bonasera in particular develops a soft spot for the much younger Adam. (seasons 5–9; recurring: seasons 2–4)
* {{anchor, Jo DanvilleJo Danville (Sela Ward) is a Detective First Grade, a skilled investigator, an unrivaled criminal profiler, and the most recent assistant supervisor on Mac's team. She was an FBI Supervisory Special Agent in Washington prior to her dismissal after she
blew the whistle on a corrupt technician. She has a college-aged son, Tyler, from her previous marriage to a fellow FBI agent, and an adopted daughter, Ellie. (seasons 7–9)
Guest stars
{{main, List of CSI: NY characters#Notable guest stars
Music
The theme song for ''CSI: NY'' was taken from the first verse of
The Who
The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
's "
Baba O'Riley." For season four (and onward), the theme was revamped to be more instrumental, removing the lyrics: "I don't need to fight to prove I'm right. I don't need to be forgiven." The score composer for the series was
Bill Brown, who won a
BMI Award for season one.
Episodes
{{main, List of CSI: NY episodes
{{:List of CSI: NY episodes
Reception
Franchise
{{main, CSI (franchise)
Like ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' and ''CSI: Miami'', ''CSI: NY'' has a
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
,
novel
A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
s, and a
video game
A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
based on the show.
Nielsen ratings
Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of ''CSI: NY'' on
CBS:
''Note: Each U.S. network television season generally starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May Sweeps.''
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;"
, -
! rowspan="2", Season
! rowspan="2", Episodes
! rowspan="2" width="15%", Timeslot
! colspan="3", Original airing
! rowspan="2", Rank
! rowspan="2", Viewers
(in millions)
, -
! Season premiere
! Season finale
! TV season
, -
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
1
, style="text-align:center" , 23
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6", Wednesday 10:00{{nbsppm
, September 22, 2004
, May 18, 2005
, style="text-align:center" ,
2004–2005
, style="text-align:center" , #21
, style="text-align:center" , 13.59
["ABC Television Network 2004–2005 Primetime Ranking Report"]
(June 1, 2005). ABC Medianet. Archived fro
the original
on April 21, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
2
, style="text-align:center" , 24
, September 28, 2005
, May 17, 2006
, style="text-align:center" ,
2005–2006
, style="text-align:center" , #22
, style="text-align:center" , 14.04
["ABC Television Network 2005–2006 Primetime Ranking Report"]
(May 31, 2006). ABC Medianet. Archived fro
the original
on October 11, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
3
, style="text-align:center" , 24
, September 20, 2006
, May 16, 2007
, style="text-align:center" ,
2006–2007
, style="text-align:center" , #25
, style="text-align:center" , 13.92
["ABC Television Network 2006–2007 Primetime Ranking Report"]
(May 30, 2007). ABC Medianet. Archived fro
the original
on July 3, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
4
, style="text-align:center" , 21
, September 26, 2007
, May 21, 2008
, style="text-align:center" ,
2007–2008
, style="text-align:center" , #28
, style="text-align:center" , 11.71
["ABC Television Network 2007–2008 Primetime Ranking Report"]
(May 28, 2008). ABC Medianet. Archived fro
the original
on April 13, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
5
, style="text-align:center" , 25
, September 24, 2008
, May 14, 2009
, style="text-align:center" ,
2008–2009
, style="text-align:center" , #17
, style="text-align:center" , 13.50
["ABC Television Network 2008–2009 Primetime Ranking Report"]
(June 2, 2009). ABC Medianet. Archived fro
the original
on July 2, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
6
, style="text-align:center" , 23
, September 23, 2009
, May 26, 2010
, style="text-align:center" ,
2009–2010
, style="text-align:center" , #23
, style="text-align:center" , 12.66
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
7
, style="text-align:center" , 22
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2", Friday 9:00{{nbsppm
, September 24, 2010
, May 13, 2011
, style="text-align:center" ,
2010–2011
, style="text-align:center" , #37
, style="text-align:center" , 10.73
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
8
, style="text-align:center" , 18
, September 23, 2011
, May 11, 2012
, style="text-align:center" ,
2011–2012
, style="text-align:center" , #38
, style="text-align:center" , 10.34
, - style="background:#f9f9f9;"
! style="background:#F9F9F9;text-align:center" ,
9
, style="text-align:center" , 17
, style="text-align:center" , Friday 8:00{{nbsppm
(1–2)Friday 9:00{{nbsppm
(3–17)
, September 28, 2012
, February 22, 2013
, style="text-align:center" ,
2012–2013
, style="text-align:center" , #26
, style="text-align:center" , 11.27
Broadcast history
United States
*First run – Broadcast on CBS from September 2004 to September 2010 on Wednesdays at 10{{nbsppm/9c, and from September 2010 to February 2013 on Fridays at 9{{nbsppm/8c (except for the first two episodes of season 9 which aired at 8{{nbsppm/7c).
*Repeats –
Spike TV
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel and the flagship property of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, who operates it through the MTV Entertainment Group. The network's headquarters are locate ...
acquired the rerun rights to ''CSI: NY'' in November 2004. Both
A&E and Spike TV shared the rerun rights to the crossover episodes (with ''CSI: Miami'') "
Felony Flight" and "
Manhattan Manhunt". Spike TV began sharing the rights to air ''CSI: NY'' with
TNT. Spike TV aired the show in the daytime (1–3 p.m.) and early evening (5–7 p.m.), leaving TNT to air the show in primetime.
Australia and New Zealand
*In Australia
Nine Network
Nine Network (stylised 9Network, and commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of the five main free-to-air television ...
aired new episodes of ''CSI: NY'', and repeats were shown on satellite channel
TVH!TS (formerly
TV1).
*In New Zealand the show aired on
TV3 Saturdays at 9:30{{nbsppm, with the final first-run episode of the series broadcast on May 3, 2014.
United Kingdom
*First run – Seasons one through eight were aired on Saturday nights at 10{{nbsppm on
Channel 5. The channel moved the show to broadcast at 9{{nbsppm on Tuesday nights starting July 30, 2013, for the ninth and final season. On October 22, 2013, Channel 5 aired a night of the show spanning from 9 to 11:50{{nbsppm. From 9 to 10:55{{nbsppm, the final two episodes aired, concluding both the ninth season and the series. These were followed at 10:55 to 11:50{{nbsppm by a special screening of the first episode "Blink" to round off the show.
*Repeats – Shown on Channel 5,
5USA
5USA is a British free-to-air television channel owned by Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global, which is grouped under Paramount Networks UK & Australia division. It was launched on 16 October 2006 as ...
,
CBS Drama
True Crime Xtra (Styled as TRUE CRIME XTRA, formerly known as CBS Drama and RealityXtra) is a British free-to-air television channel that centres its programming on American television shows produced by CBS. It is the sister channel of True Crim ...
, and the former
Universal Channel
Universal TV, formerly Universal Channel, is an international pay television network specializing in movies and television series in the Thriller (genre), thriller, Drama (genre), drama, comedy, Horror (genre), horror, Crime (genre), crime and in ...
. It was also available on
Demand 5, for a week after the Channel 5 broadcast date. Channel 5 aired the newest season starting late July through till the autumn with ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' then began its seasonal run in late January or early February of the following year. Channel 5 broadcast the season each week until it reached the last episode, unlike in the U.S. In mid-May 2020 the series began a repeat from the first episode on
CBS Justice
CBS Justice, formerly CBS Action, is a television channel specializing in factual programming ranging from action films to drama and murder-mysteries. Currently available only in Africa since 21 November 2019 via DStv and Ireland, it was previo ...
.
[CBS Justice (May 11, 2020)]
"We're back cracking crime in the city that never sleeps"
Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
Other releases
Online sales
{, class="wikitable"
, -
! Country !! Store !! Available seasons
, -
, France , ,
TF1 Vision , , No longer available
, -
, Germany , , VOXnow , , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
, -
, Hong Kong , , Deltamac , , No longer available
, -
, International , ,
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
, , No longer available
, -
, United Kingdom , ,
Demand 5 , , No longer available
, -
, United States , ,
iTunes Store , , 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
All episodes are available to stream on Paramount+.
References
{{reflist
External links
{{wikiquote
{{Commons category
*{{IMDb title
''CSI: NY'' Episode Guideon CSI Files
''CSI: New York''on
The Futon Critic
''The Futon Critic'' is a website that provides articles and information regarding prime time programming on broadcast and cable networks in the United States. The site publishes reviews of prime time programming and interviews of people in th ...
{{CSI: NY
{{CSI franchise
{{DEFAULTSORT:Csi: Ny
CSI: NY
CSI (franchise) television series
2004 American television series debuts
2013 American television series endings
2000s American crime drama television series
2000s American mystery television series
2000s American police procedural television series
2010s American crime drama television series
2010s American mystery television series
2010s American police procedural television series
American English-language television shows
American television spinoffs
CBS crime dramas
Fictional portrayals of the New York City Police Department
Television series by Alliance Atlantis
Television series by CBS Studios
Television series created by Ann Donahue
Television series created by Anthony E. Zuiker
Television series created by Carol Mendelsohn
Television shows adapted into comics
Television shows filmed in Los Angeles
Television shows set in New York City