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''CSI: Miami'' (''Crime Scene Investigation: Miami'') is an American police procedural drama television series that ran from September 23, 2002 until April 8, 2012 on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
. Featuring
David Caruso David Stephen Caruso (born January 7, 1956) is a retired American actor and producer, best known for his roles as Detective John Kelly on the ABC crime drama ''NYPD Blue'' (1993–94) and Lieutenant Horatio Caine on the CBS series ''CSI: Mi ...
as Lieutenant
Horatio Caine Horatio Caine is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American crime drama ''CSI: Miami'', portrayed by David Caruso from 2002 to 2012. He is the head of the crime lab, under the rank of Lieutenant of the Miami-Dade Police Department ...
,
Emily Procter Emily Mallory Procter (born October 8, 1968) is an American actress and activist. She played Ainsley Hayes in the NBC political drama ''The West Wing'' (2000–2002; 2006) and Det. Calleigh Duquesne in the CBS police procedural drama '' CSI: M ...
as Detective
Calleigh Duquesne Detective Calleigh Duquesne is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Miami'', portrayed by Emily Procter. Background Calleigh is a ballistics and tool mark specialist originally from Louisiana. She is fluent in Spanish and ha ...
, and Adam Rodriguez as Detective
Eric Delko List of characters for the CBS Television show, television series, ''CSI: Miami''. Equations During ''CSI: Miami''s opening credits, several actors' names morph in and out of equations. Notable cast members ''CSI: Miami'' ran for ten seasons ...
, the series is the first direct spin-off of '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', "transplanting the same template and trickery—gory crimes, procedural plot and dazzling graphics—into new citywhile retaining the essence of the original idea". ''CSI: Miami'' was executive produced by Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony E. Zuiker, and Ann Donahue, with the latter acting as show-runner. The series ended on April 8, 2012, after 10 seasons and 232 episodes. Following the series finale, Nina Tassler credited ''CSI: Miami'' as a "key player in CBS's rise to the top", stating that the series "leaves an amazing television legacy—a signature look and style ndglobal popularity". In 2006,
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
published an article stating that ''CSI: Miami'' was the world's most popular television series, featuring in more countries' top ten rankings for 2005 than any other series.


Premise

''CSI: Miami'' follows a group of detectives assigned to the Miami-Dade Police Department's Crime Scene Investigations, an elite unit operating out of the (fictional) "Miami Dade police headquarters, with its eerie blue light and flickering screens". The team is led by Lieutenant Horatio Caine (
David Caruso David Stephen Caruso (born January 7, 1956) is a retired American actor and producer, best known for his roles as Detective John Kelly on the ABC crime drama ''NYPD Blue'' (1993–94) and Lieutenant Horatio Caine on the CBS series ''CSI: Mi ...
), who, through his history as a bomb-disposal expert, has gained specialized knowledge in explosive forensics. Horatio believes that "evil ''is''" and lives "between the perpetrators of this evil and the people who try and come between that evil and the citizen". In his pursuit of justice, he has proven that "he can handle himself on the street and he's not a person to be messed with". ''
The New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New Yor ...
'' has described Caine as an amalgam of "the spirits of all the laconic American law men who preceded him", while the ''
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'' describes Caine's partner Detective Calleigh Duquesne (
Emily Procter Emily Mallory Procter (born October 8, 1968) is an American actress and activist. She played Ainsley Hayes in the NBC political drama ''The West Wing'' (2000–2002; 2006) and Det. Calleigh Duquesne in the CBS police procedural drama '' CSI: M ...
) as "a bilingual Southern beauty with a specialty in ballistics". Together, Caine and Duquesne head a team of forensic investigators that includes Lieutenant Megan Donner (
Kim Delaney Kim Delaney (born November 29, 1961) is an American actress known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series ''NYPD Blue'', for which she won an Emmy Award. Early in her career, she played the role of Je ...
), conceived as "a strong woman ho couldduplicate the chemistry that Caruso displayed with Marg Helgenberger" during "
Cross Jurisdictions "Cross Jurisdictions" is episode twenty-two of the second season of the American crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', which is set in Las Vegas, Nevada. It also served as a backdoor pilot episode of the spin-off series, ''CSI: Miami'', ...
", Detective Eric Delko ( Adam Rodriguez), an underwater recovery expert, Walter Simmons ( Omar Miller), a detective who forces the "CSIs to do more science and research instead of relying on databases", Los Angeles Police transfer Jesse Cardoza (
Eddie Cibrian Edward Carl Cibrian ( ; born June 16, 1973) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Cole Deschanel on the television series '' Sunset Beach'' and Jimmy Doherty on ''Third Watch''. His other notable television roles include Matt ...
), former FBI agent Natalia Boa Vista (
Eva LaRue Eva Maria LaRue (; born December 27, 1966) is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Maria Santos on ''All My Children'' and Det. Natalia Boa Vista on ''CSI: Miami''. Early life LaRue was born in Long Beach, California ...
), and Ryan Wolfe (
Jonathan Togo Jonathan Frederick Togo (born August 25, 1977) is an American actor, best known for his role in ''CSI: Miami'' as Ryan Wolfe. Early life, family and education Togo was born in Rockland, Massachusetts, the son of Sheila, a housewife and former ...
), a master of genetics recruited following the death of Detective Timothy Speedle (
Rory Cochrane Rory Cochrane (born February 28, 1972) is an American actor. He is known for playing Ron Slater in '' Dazed and Confused'', Lucas in ''Empire Records'', Lee Schatz in ''Argo'', Freck in '' A Scanner Darkly'', and Tim Speedle in ''CSI: Miami''. ...
). The team are assisted by Medical Examiner Alexx Woods (
Khandi Alexander Harriet Rene "Khandi" Alexander (born September 4, 1957) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. She began her career as a dancer in the 1980s and was a choreographer for Whitney Houston's world tours from 1988 to 1992. During the 199 ...
), who began her career as a medical Examiner in New York, and her replacement Tara Price (
Megalyn Echikunwoke Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke ( ; born May 28, 1983), also known as Megalyn E.K., is an American actress, known primarily for her roles in television and film. Born in Spokane, Washington, she was discovered while performing in a theatri ...
), Miami Dade Police Sergeant Frank Tripp (
Rex Linn Rex Maynard Linn (born November 13, 1956) is an American film and television actor. He is best known domestically for playing the role of Sgt. Frank Tripp in the CBS drama ''CSI: Miami'' and more recently for playing Kevin Wachtell in the televi ...
), and Horatio's sister-in-law, Detective Yelina Salas (
Sofia Milos Sofia Milos (; gr, Σοφία Μίλος, born 27 September 1969) is a Swiss-born actress. She is best known for her role as Yelina Salas on ''CSI: Miami''. She has also had a role on ''The Sopranos'' as Camorra boss Annalisa Zucca, as well ...
). During their investigations, the team cooperate with both allies and nemeses, including Internal Affairs Lieutenant Rick Stetler (
David Lee Smith David Lee Smith (born September 8, 1963) is an American actor, known for his role as John Oldman, the protagonist of the 2007 science fiction film, ''The Man from Earth'' and its 2017 sequel, ''The Man from Earth: Holocene;'' he co-starred with J ...
), States Attorney Rebecca Nevins ( Christina Chang), Medical Examiner Tom Loman (
Christian Clemenson Christian Dayton Clemenson (born March 17, 1958) is an American film and television actor. He is well known for his portrayal of Jerry "Hands" Espenson in the television series ''Boston Legal'', for which he was nominated for three Emmy Awards a ...
), and newly minted detective Sam Owens ( Taylor Cole).


Production


Concept and development

On April 17, 2002,
CBS Television Studios CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount Television, as a renaming of the o ...
announced plans to launch a series originally titled ''CSI: Miami-Dade'', a spin-off to the hit procedural ''CSI''. On the location choice, co-creator Carol Mendelsohn stated that " he, Anthony E. Zuiker, and Ann Donahuefelt Miami was the most happening place ..Miami is so rich as a character. There is so much water. There are so many different cultures here all colliding. Its politics are so interesting. All that gives Miami an edge." CBS ordered 22 episodes of the series, with Anthony Zuiker stating that whilst he intended for the series to look "ridiculously gorgeous", he felt that the "show asnot about women walking around in bikinis. It's about science." The series was launched as a second-season episode of ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', and originally featured a cast led by Caruso, Procter, Rodriguez, Alexander, with Cochrane. Delaney joined the series following the pilot episode's broadcast. The series is executive produced by creators Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony E. Zuiker, and Ann Donahue, with Ann Donahue acting as show-runner.
Jerry Bruckheimer Jerome Leon Bruckheimer (born September 21, 1943) is an American film and television producer. He has been active in the genres of action, drama, fantasy, and science fiction. His films include '' Flashdance'', ''Top Gun'', '' The Rock'', '' ...
also executive-produces the series. ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' stars
William Petersen William Louis Petersen (born February 21, 1953) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his role as Gil Grissom in the CBS drama series ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (2000–2015), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Aw ...
and
Marg Helgenberger Mary Marg Helgenberger (born November 16, 1958) is an American actress. She began her career in the early 1980s and first came to attention for playing the role of Siobhan Ryan on the daytime soap opera ''Ryan's Hope'' from 1982 to 1986. She is ...
expressed their displeasure at CBS' launch of ''Miami'', with Petersen stating that "
hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
should have waited five years for a ''CSI'' spinoff." Helgenberger supported Petersen's comments during an Emmy acceptance speech, noting that "as far as he wasconcerned, there's only one ''CSI''." Petersen jestingly referred to the series ''NYPDCSI'', as it initially featured both Caruso and Delaney, of '' NYPD Blue'' fame.


Casting

In 2002, ''CSI'' executive producer Anthony Zuiker began casting for the then-unnamed Miami based spin-off. First cast was Procter, as Calleigh Duquesne. Regarding her decision to leave ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...
'' and join ''Miami'', Procter stated that "It was like choosing between a boyfriend that wants to be with you casually or a man that says I love you." She described her character as "a weird girl ..bright and very nerdy. She wears a lot of boot-cut corduroy pants and turquoise necklaces and looks like a hippie. I just like to pretend I'm Velma in Scooby-Doo." Rodriguez, Cochrane, and Alexander were cast alongside Procter, completing the supporting ensemble. For the lead,
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
suggested Caruso. Zuiker, who stated that he had "heard about the NYPD Blue thing", was initially hesitant. Elaborating, Zuiker stated that he "sort of jumped in and said, 'Naw, I don't know about this guy. The show's tough enough to get off the ground and I don't want to walk into any problems." CBS president Les Moonves had announced in January that a Miami spin-off was imminent, yet "It wasn't until we sort of, like, at the eleventh hour, really started to look at our options as to who was going to play Horatio, uiker, Mendelsohn, and Donahuerevisited Caruso. And
hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
said, 'Yeah, we'll have him come out for dinner, see what he's about.'" Caruso was later cast as Caine. He was the last pilot cast member to be contracted to series. Following the back-door pilot, Zuiker stated that he believed the series "needed a little more balance in terms of a leading woman". Executives offered
Sela Ward Sela Ann Ward (born July 11, 1956) is an American actress, author, and producer. Her breakthrough TV role was as Teddy Reed in the NBC drama series '' Sisters'' (1991–1996), for which she received her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstandin ...
the part of Megan Donner, a lieutenant and Horatio's former boss. Ward turned down the role, and producers later cast Delaney. Ann Donahue described Delaney's casting as "a no-brainer", stating that "when Kim became available, we knew in a heartbeat that we wanted her." Zuiker elaborated, noting that "Kim brings a level of maturity, a level of balance with David Caruso ..We just felt we were missing something in the whole picture – we needed a strong female in the cast." ''The New York Times'' reported that original lead Procter would "now follow Ms. Delaney in the credits." In late 2002, despite receiving excellent feedback from producers, Delaney departed the cast after ten episodes. CBS issued a statement noting that Delaney's character had become less integral to the series as it progressed, "they had hoped to duplicate the sparks between William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger on the original CSI," noted EW, but Delaney and Caruso's chemistry was lackluster. Delaney's departure allowed for "younger Emily Procter's profile" to be raised to that of "leading female". Sofia Milos was cast in a recurring role to "fill the void" supposed to have been created by Delaney's departure. In season three, Milos was promoted to series regular.
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...
reported that Milos would depart after one season as a main cast member. Also in the third season, Jonathan Togo was cast as Ryan Wolfe, a character created to replace an unnamed "member of the CSI team" expected to "die in the line of duty". This cast member was later announced as Rory Cochrane. On April 10, 2006, Ann Donahue announced that recurring cast members Rex Linn and Eva LaRue were also joining the main cast, after recurring since season one, and season four, respectively. The fourth main cast member to depart the series was Khandi Alexander, in the series' sixth season. Alexander was replaced by Megalyn Echikunwoke, who departed after a single season. Adam Rodriguez departed in season eight, though he returned in season nine. During Rodriguez's temporary departure, Eddie Cibrian appeared as a series regular, though in June 2010 he was let go from his contract. Omar Miller also joined the cast in season eight.


Locations

''CSI: Miami'' was filmed primarily in California. Indoor scenes were shot at Raleigh Manhattan Studios in Manhattan Beach,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. Most outdoor scenes were filmed in
Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
, as well as portions of Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Beach areas of Marina Green Park and Rainbow Lagoon Park in downtown Long Beach were often used for other outdoor scenes, as the newly constructed high-rise condos there gave the appearance of being in Miami. The sculptured walkway paying tribute to the old Pike Roller Coaster can be seen in the background in the episodes "Wrecking Crew" and "Under The Influence". Footage from the Biscayne Courthouse, visible prominently in the episode "Recoil", among others, was filmed at the Water Garden Park in
Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to i ...
, at 34.028728, −118.471331. Other locations around Long Beach are used, such as the Naples district, whose canals and upscale homes featuring large boat docks and palm trees impart a Miami-like atmosphere. The building used for exterior shots of the Miami-Dade Police Department crime lab is actually the SkyOne Federal Credit Union headquarters located at 14600 Aviation Boulevard in
Hawthorne, California Hawthorne is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It is part of a seventeen-city region commonly called the South Bay. As of the 2020 US census, Hawthorne had a population of 88, ...
. Many outdoor location shots were also filmed in Miami-Dade County,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, including
Coconut Grove Coconut Grove, also known colloquially as The Grove, is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood of Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The neighborhood is roughly bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, S ...
, Coral Gables, and Miami Beach.


Music

''CSI: Miamis main theme is "
Won't Get Fooled Again "Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the English rock band the Who, written by Pete Townshend. It was released as a single in June 1971, reaching the top 10 in the UK, while the full eight-and-a-half-minute version appears as the final track ...
", written and performed by
The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
, who also perform the theme songs of ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', ''CSI: NY'', ''CSI: Cyber'' and ''CSI: Vegas''. Prior to the opening credits, Horatio Caine delivers a "one-liner", or witticism, relating to the crime committed.


Cancellation

On February 1, 2012, CBS announced that the 10th season of ''CSI: Miami'' would have its episode order reduced to 19 episodes, in order to make room on the schedule for
mid-season replacement In American network television scheduling, a mid-season replacement is a television show that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between December and May. Mid-season replacements usually take place after a ...
''
NYC 22 ''NYC 22'' (pronounced NYC 2-2) is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on CBS from April 15 to August 11, 2012, as a mid-season replacement for '' CSI: Miami''. On May 13, 2012, CBS canceled the series after one seas ...
''. On May 13, 2012, both series were canceled. Procter later stated that "the cancellation was kind of shocking for everyone because they had given an indication that '' CSI: NY'' might go, so people would have been prepared and we just weren't prepared." Procter had previously commented on the longevity of the series, commenting that "I remember sitting around with David in the parking lot during season one, getting ready for the first episode to air. We said ..'we are going to spend the rest of our lives together. For better or worse.'" Eva LaRue later echoed Procter's sentiments, stating that she "was sad because we did not get a chance to say goodbye to the fans or to each other". CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler issued a statement noting that "when the slightly different budgets and ratings concerns for the ''CSI'' spin-offs were factored in, there was no distinction — at least in terms of numbers. They were very close, looking at them forensically, they were very close. It was an indiscernible difference . . . it was just a matter of looking at the schedule and what looked better". "In the end, ''NY'' won that particular duel simply because it features
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, which helped CBS create a Friday night NYC-fest".


Cast and characters


Main

*
David Caruso David Stephen Caruso (born January 7, 1956) is a retired American actor and producer, best known for his roles as Detective John Kelly on the ABC crime drama ''NYPD Blue'' (1993–94) and Lieutenant Horatio Caine on the CBS series ''CSI: Mi ...
as Horatio "H" Caine; the "iconic" director of the Miami Dade Crime Lab and a police lieutenant. Rising through the ranks as a bomb squad technician, Caine is an expert in explosive forensics and is incredibly protective of his team. He often goes to extraordinary lengths to save evidence or a potential victim. Throughout the course of the series, he becomes more jaded and less ethical, developing a far more serious, direct, and to-the-point attitude, though he maintains his ability to communicate well with children who have suffered traumatic ordeals. He is also a skilled marksman. *
Emily Procter Emily Mallory Procter (born October 8, 1968) is an American actress and activist. She played Ainsley Hayes in the NBC political drama ''The West Wing'' (2000–2002; 2006) and Det. Calleigh Duquesne in the CBS police procedural drama '' CSI: M ...
as
Calleigh Duquesne Detective Calleigh Duquesne is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Miami'', portrayed by Emily Procter. Background Calleigh is a ballistics and tool mark specialist originally from Louisiana. She is fluent in Spanish and ha ...
; a CSI Level 3 and Horatio's Assistant Supervisor. Duquesne is a veteran MDPD Detective and the longest serving member of the crime lab. She is a ballistics specialist. Her slight build, blonde hair, and Southern belle accent often lead others to underestimate her, but she is a brilliant and a dedicated scientist. She develops a romantic relationship with fellow CSI Eric Delko, and, in the show's final season, adopts two children. * Adam Rodriguez as
Eric Delko List of characters for the CBS Television show, television series, ''CSI: Miami''. Equations During ''CSI: Miami''s opening credits, several actors' names morph in and out of equations. Notable cast members ''CSI: Miami'' ran for ten seasons ...
; a fingerprint and drug expert of Cuban and Russian descent. Detective Delko first encountered the CSI team whilst working as a tow-truck driver. Caine persuaded him to join the MDPD, and the two became good friends. Eric has three sisters. One of them, Marisol, married Caine and was killed at the end of season 4. Because of this he builds strong bonds where he works, developing a strong friendship with Tim Speedle, and a romantic interest in Calleigh. (seasons 1–8, 9–10; recurring: season 8) *
Khandi Alexander Harriet Rene "Khandi" Alexander (born September 4, 1957) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. She began her career as a dancer in the 1980s and was a choreographer for Whitney Houston's world tours from 1988 to 1992. During the 199 ...
as
Alexx Woods Alexx Woods is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Miami'', portrayed by actress Khandi Alexander. Character's background Alexx Woods, originally from Los Angeles, California, is a medical examiner who worked for the Miami- ...
; a medical examiner for Miami Dade County. Alexx began her medical career in New York as a physician and became a medical examiner with the CSI team after moving to Miami for personal reasons. She is a very emotional person, and is more of a "mother" figure for the CSI team, showing great concern for them. She also often talks to the dead bodies. Alexx eventually leaves CSI in order to spend more time with the living. (seasons 1–6; guest star: seasons 7–8) *
Rory Cochrane Rory Cochrane (born February 28, 1972) is an American actor. He is known for playing Ron Slater in '' Dazed and Confused'', Lucas in ''Empire Records'', Lee Schatz in ''Argo'', Freck in '' A Scanner Darkly'', and Tim Speedle in ''CSI: Miami''. ...
as
Tim Speedle Timothy "Tim" Speedle, known by his nickname Speed, is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Miami''. He was portrayed by Rory Cochrane until the character's death in the third season opening episode "Lost Son". Characterization ...
, known affectionately as "Speed"; a trace evidence and impressions expert from Syracuse, New York. He worked for the St. Petersburg PD in 1997, and had a degree in
biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
from
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. Speed joined the team at the recommendation of Jesse Cardoza, and became an invaluable asset. Speed often failed to comply to departmental standards, however, and was killed as a result of his unclean weapon misfiring. (seasons 1–3; guest star: season 6) *
Kim Delaney Kim Delaney (born November 29, 1961) is an American actress known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series ''NYPD Blue'', for which she won an Emmy Award. Early in her career, she played the role of Je ...
as
Megan Donner Megan Donner is a fictional character and one of two original protagonists of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Miami''. Portrayed by Kim Delaney, Donner appeared in the first ten episodes of the series. Megan was an MDPD Lieutenant and the Day Shift A ...
; Horatio's first partner and a respected MDPD Police Lieutenant. She was the director of the MDPD Crime Lab prior to taking indefinite leave due to the death of her husband, who was killed in the line of duty. She believes in following the evidence, and as such is often seen as adversarial to Horatio's go-with-the-gut detective style. As a result of this, Megan resigns, finding the pressure of the job to now be more than she could handle. (season 1) *
Sofia Milos Sofia Milos (; gr, Σοφία Μίλος, born 27 September 1969) is a Swiss-born actress. She is best known for her role as Yelina Salas on ''CSI: Miami''. She has also had a role on ''The Sopranos'' as Camorra boss Annalisa Zucca, as well ...
as Yelina Salas; a Colombian homicide detective frequently attached to CSI investigations, and the widow of Horatio's brother Raymond Caine. She later starts a relationship with IAB Sergeant Rick Stetler. Yelina leaves the team and moves to Rio with her family, although she later returns to Miami as a private investigator. (Recurring: seasons 1–2; main: season 3; guest star: seasons 5–7) *
Jonathan Togo Jonathan Frederick Togo (born August 25, 1977) is an American actor, best known for his role in ''CSI: Miami'' as Ryan Wolfe. Early life, family and education Togo was born in Rockland, Massachusetts, the son of Sheila, a housewife and former ...
as
Ryan Wolfe Detective Ryan Wolfe is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama ''CSI: Miami'', portrayed by Jonathan Togo. Background Ryan Wolfe, a former patrol officer, is hired after CSI Tim Speedle is killed on the job. He has a strong background in ...
; a Detective attached to Horatio's team. Ryan was working as a police officer at the time he was hired for the lab by Caine, who noted Ryan's immaculate care of his gun, likely due to Wolfe having OCD. Ryan was replacing fallen CSI
Tim Speedle Timothy "Tim" Speedle, known by his nickname Speed, is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Miami''. He was portrayed by Rory Cochrane until the character's death in the third season opening episode "Lost Son". Characterization ...
, who died in the line of duty as a direct result of his poor gun maintenance. The team, and Eric in particular, are hostile to Ryan at first, though they later warm to him. (seasons 3–10; recurring: season 3) *
Rex Linn Rex Maynard Linn (born November 13, 1956) is an American film and television actor. He is best known domestically for playing the role of Sgt. Frank Tripp in the CBS drama ''CSI: Miami'' and more recently for playing Kevin Wachtell in the televi ...
as Frank Tripp; a Texas-born homicide detective who accompanies the team to the crime scenes. He is known for interrogating suspects in his typical sarcastic manner and has a good working relationship with all the CSIs. He is divorced with three kids, and has known Horatio since at least 1997. Over the course of the series, he is promoted to sergeant, taking on a more prominent role within the MDPD, and spending a short time in uniform. (Recurring: seasons 1–4; seasons 5–10) *
Eva LaRue Eva Maria LaRue (; born December 27, 1966) is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Maria Santos on ''All My Children'' and Det. Natalia Boa Vista on ''CSI: Miami''. Early life LaRue was born in Long Beach, California ...
as Natalia Boa Vista; an MDPD Detective and DNA specialist hired by Caine. Upon her arrival, she was only allowed to work on cold or unsolved cases due to the restrictions of her federal grant, although it is later revealed she is in fact an FBI Special Agent working undercover. She later applies to join the team permanently, much to the initial chagrin of Delko and Wolfe. She was a victim of domestic abuse during her marriage. (Recurring: season 4; seasons 5–10) *
Megalyn Echikunwoke Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke ( ; born May 28, 1983), also known as Megalyn E.K., is an American actress, known primarily for her roles in television and film. Born in Spokane, Washington, she was discovered while performing in a theatri ...
as
Tara Price List of characters for the CBS television series, '' CSI: Miami''. Equations During ''CSI: Miami''s opening credits, several actors' names morph in and out of equations. Notable cast members ''CSI: Miami'' ran for ten seasons between 2002 an ...
; the day-shift
medical examiner The medical examiner is an appointed official in some American jurisdictions who is trained in pathology that investigates deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictio ...
who replaces Alexx following her departure. She is initially well received by the team, until she is shown to steal a bottle of
Oxycodone Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...
(an opioid analgesic medication) from a victim in the morgue. Ryan Wolfe confronts Tara about the stolen pills in her locker, and she is later arrested and dismissed from the team. Tara is replaced shortly thereafter by Dr. Tom Loman. (season 7; recurring: season 7) *
Eddie Cibrian Edward Carl Cibrian ( ; born June 16, 1973) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Cole Deschanel on the television series '' Sunset Beach'' and Jimmy Doherty on ''Third Watch''. His other notable television roles include Matt ...
as Jesse Cardoza; an MDPD Detective who worked with Horatio and Megan prior to the formation of the CSI team. He returns to Miami following a stint as a LAPD officer in order to track the man who murdered his wife. Cardoza builds strong friendships within the team but is killed in the line of duty during a halon attack on the lab. Walter is particularly hurt by his loss. (season 8; guest star: season 9) *
Omar Benson Miller Omar Benson Miller (born October 7, 1978) is an American actor. He is known for his work as Walter Simmons on '' CSI: Miami'' (2009–2012), as Charles Greane on ''Ballers'' (2015–2019), as the voice of Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urb ...
as Walter Simmons; "a Louisiana native and
art theft Art theft, sometimes called artnapping, is the stealing of paintings, sculptures, or other forms of visual art from galleries, museums or other public and private locations. Stolen art is often resold or used by criminals as collateral t ...
specialist who transfers over from the night-shift to join Horatio's team". Simmons' large build is often intimidating to suspects. However, he is shown to be one of the most caring and compassionate members of the team. He is extremely close to both Ryan and Jesse, and develops a friendship with LVPD CSI Raymond Langston. (seasons 8–10; recurring: season 8)


Recurring

*
Holt McCallany Holt McCallany (born Holt Quinn McAloney; September 3, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for portraying FBI Special Agent Bill Tench on the series '' Mindhunter'' (2017–2019) and has had leading and supporting roles in various television ...
as John Hagen; a MPD Homicide Detective who had emotional and psychological problems. He was the partner of Caine's presumed-dead brother. Hagen kills himself in front of Calleigh. (seasons 1–3) *
Boti Bliss Boti Ann Bliss (born October 23, 1975) is an American film and television actress. Notable roles include her semi-recurring role as Maxine Valera in the television crime drama '' CSI: Miami''. Her other roles include the 2002 film ''Ted Bundy'' ...
as Maxine Valera; a DNA technician who works on Caine's team. She is incredibly capable but has an unfortunate habit of taking shortcuts whilst processing evidence. (seasons 2–8) *
Johnny Whitworth Johnny Whitworth (born October 31, 1975) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as A.J. in ''Empire Records'' (1995), as Donny Ray Black in Francis Ford Coppola's ''The Rainmaker (1997 film), The Rainmaker'' (1997), as Vernon Gant in ''L ...
as Jake Berkeley; originally an MDPD Narcotics Detective, Jake transfers to Homicide following a stint in undercover. He and Calleigh were in a relationship in the academy, and later rekindle this. (seasons 5–8) *
Christian Clemenson Christian Dayton Clemenson (born March 17, 1958) is an American film and television actor. He is well known for his portrayal of Jerry "Hands" Espenson in the television series ''Boston Legal'', for which he was nominated for three Emmy Awards a ...
as Tom Loman: Miami's newest medical examiner and the third replacement for Dr. Alexx Woods. Loman is socially awkward but invaluable to the team, developing strong bonds throughout his tenure. (seasons 8–10) * Taylor Cole as Samantha Owens; an MDPD Detective who is assigned to Horatio's CSI team. Formerly a lab technician, Owens develops a flirtatious relationship with Wolfe (season 10)


Episodes


Crossover with ''CSI: NY''

On Monday November 7, 2005, and Wednesday November 9, 2005, CBS aired the first crossover within the ''CSI'' franchise, with a ''CSI: Miami'' episode titled "Felony Flight", and a ''CSI: NY'' episode titled "Manhattan Manhunt". The episodes see an escaped prisoner embark on a killing "spree that, quite naturally, brings together Lt. Horatio Caine and his team and Detective Mac Taylor (of '' CSI: NY'') and his team, a spree that eventually mounts to 13 bodies in the two episodes." Anthony Zuiker described the event as "virtually a movie", while ''CSI: Miami'' show-runner Ann Donahue stated that, despite a crossover being planned earlier, she had "held off on this because hewanted to wait until 'New York' had distinguished itself" from its predecessors. Zuiker noted that as well as being a "tremendous treat for viewers", the crossover would provide "a chance to sample other ''CSI'' shows and casts and mysteries on other nights", particularly due to the "complete visual makeover" undertaken during ''CSI: NY'' second season, "in terms of the lighting style, the colors, and the new labs." He also described the crossover as " the event that the franchise needed at this point, not only for ''CSI: NY'', but orthe viewers. And it's, I feel, some of our best work if not the best."


Crossover with ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''

In 2005, prior to the airing of "Felony Flight", Ann Donahue stated that "you never know" when a three-way crossover will be produced, with Zuiker stating that "the beauty of this franchise is it's very interchangeable in terms of how crossover combinations will work". In 2009, CBS commissioned a three-part crossover starring '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' star
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative charact ...
, an event that ''EW'' dubbed the "Great CSI Crossover Experiment That William Petersen Never Would Have Agreed To". The ''Miami'' segment of the crossover, titled "Bone Voyage", aired on November 9, 2009.


Broadcast

The series was originally broadcast on CBS in the United States, airing (from September 2002 to May 2010) Mondays at 10/9C, and (from October 2010 to April 2012) Sundays at 10/9C. CBS frequently repeats ''CSI: Miami'' on weekends during the ''Crimetime Saturday'' slot, while CBS also owns syndication rights to the series, with CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler stating that she intends to air ''CSI: Miami'' "in syndication for years to come". Similarly, ''CSI: Miami'' has been syndicated on A&E Network since 2005, on late Sunday nights/Early Monday mornings at 11:00 PM. While on December 2, 2011,
AMC AMC may refer to: Film and television * AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain * AMC Networks, an American entertainment company ** AMC (TV channel) ** AMC+, streaming service ** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company *** ...
acquired syndication rights of the series, and began airing the episodes on January 2, 2012. The show airs regularly at 5/4C on weekdays. In August 2012
WE tv We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming. As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Amer ...
started airing reruns of the show. Both A&E and Spike TV share the return rights to the crossover episodes (with '' CSI: NY''), ''
Felony Flight The fourth season of ''CSI: Miami'' premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005 and ended May 22, 2006. The series stars David Caruso and Emily Procter. Description With a mole in their midst, Horatio and Calleigh head a team of elite Crime Scene ...
'' and ''Manhattan Manhunt''. In Australia Nine Network aired new episodes of ''CSI: Miami'', and repeats were shown on satellite channel TVH!TS (formerly TV1).


Reception

Reviews for ''CSI: Miami'' are generally positive, with the website
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
rating the series 63 out of 100 based on 30 reviews, which constitutes a "generally favorable" response. In 2002, Ann Hodges of ''
The Houston Chronicle ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' stated that "the clone could turn out to be better than the original", while Aaron Barnhart of ''
The Kansas City Star ''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and a ...
'' commented that ''CSI: Miami'' "just feels like the show ''CSI'' should have been all along". Tim Goodman noted that "There probably isn't a bigger slam-dunk victor on the fall schedule than ''CSI: Miami''," describing it as "on its own, a very fine show". Following the series finale, Nina Tassler credited ''CSI: Miami'' with being a "key player in CBS's rise to the top", stating that the series "leaves an amazing television legacy—a signature look and style ndglobal popularity". CBS News described ''CSI: Miami'' as "one of TV's biggest hits". Brendan Bernhard of ''
The New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New Yor ...
'' stated that, with repeat viewing,
"Mr. Caruso's mannerisms become less annoying than soothing as they melt into all those hypnotic patterns of shadow and light, and your critical faculties melt along with them. It's like a real estate show with characters and a plot, and it can hook you. The pristine settings, the stunning aerial views of harbors and yachts, the gorgeous homes and burnished floors, and then . . . a flash of anger, a gush of blood. At which point, enter Miami-Dade Head Investigator, Lieutenant Horatio Caine, world's most popular cop. And not by chance, an American".
Tim Goodman stated that "Caruso reminds everyone why he's good on the small screen, as the confident, dispassionate and slightly cynical Horatio." Nina Tassler later credited Caruso for leading a talented cast for "ten outstanding seasons". Similarly, Goodman described Delaney's portrayal of Megan Donner as "edgy enough to keep up with aruso and the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' credits Delaney with leading a "strong cast" and a "slickly produced series". ''SF Gate'' commented that she should be credited for "saving fledglingnew series". In 2006,
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
published an article stating that ''CSI: Miami'' was the world's most popular television series. The article cites a study, conducted by Informa and published by '' Radio Times'' magazine, that collected television viewing data in 20 countries, revealing that ''CSI: Miami'' was featured in more top-10 viewing charts than any other series. Adam Thomas, the media research manager responsible for the study, explained:
"The objective of our research was to find the most consistently successful programme worldwide in terms of attracting viewers. We were not therefore concerned with shows that performed extremely well in a relatively small number of markets. ''CSI: Miami'' was therefore named the most popular programme because it featured in more countries' top ten rankings for 2005 than any other".
Nearly all episodes of the series had a
cold open A cold open (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In Amer ...
which ended with Caruso putting on sunglasses and making a quip or pun related to the newfound crime, before the show cut to the scream of "Yeah!" in "Won't Be Fooled Again" for the opening credits. This imagery became a common meme on the Internet, typically in response to a similar pun made on user forums.


Accolades


Awards


Nominations


Adaptations and spin-offs

Sunil Nayar, an executive producer of ''CSI: Miami'' has stated that "navigating a show like ''CSI: Miami'' is not unlike commanding a ship in a fleet. Its obligation to the bigger ''CSI'' franchise is almost like the obligation one feels towards one's siblings". Like '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', ''CSI: Miami'' has spawned a series of
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
s, novels, and
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s based on the show. '' CSI'' has also been released as a series of mobile games. In 2007, CBS teamed up with game developer
Gameloft Gameloft SE is a French video game publisher based in Paris, founded in December 1999 by Ubisoft co-founder Michel Guillemot. The company operates 18 development studios worldwide, and publishes games with a special focus on the mobile games ma ...
to bring ''CSI'' to mobile phones. The first of the series to be published was ''CSI: Miami''. The game features actual cast members such as Caine, Woods and Duquesne who are trying to solve a murder in South Beach with the player's assistance. The game is also available for download on various iPod devices.


''CSI: NY''

In December 2003, ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' reported that "there are rumblings that co-creator Anthony Zuiker and company are planning a third franchise, to be set in New York City". In 2004, CBS commissioned the New York-set ''CSI'' series, starring Gary Sinise as a detective named Mac Taylor. Mac, a veteran officer "who lost his wife during the terror attacks on September 11", was expected to "make a guest appearance on ''CSI: Miami'' in May 2004. On March 23, 2004,
Melina Kanakaredes Melina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides ( el, Μελίνα Ελένη Κανακαρίδη Κωνσταντινίδη; born April 23, 1967) is an American actress. She is widely known for her roles in U.S. primetime television dramas as Dr. Sydn ...
was cast as Stella, "a crime scene unit detective". Kanakaredes was cast following her signing a talent deal with CBS in August 2003. The Futon Critic noted that Kanakaredes "was initially set up as the lead of the drama project ''I.C.E.'', about the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a wing of the Dept. of Homeland Security. With ''I.C.E.''s development stalled, Kanakaredes was free to join ''NY''.
Vanessa Ferlito Vanessa Ferlito is an American actress. She is known for playing Detective Aiden Burn in the first season of the CBS crime drama ''CSI: NY'', as well as for her recurring portrayal of Claudia Hernandez in FOX drama '' 24'', and for her starri ...
and Carmine Giovinazzo were also cast in lead roles. The pilot episode for ''CSI: NY'', titled " MIA/NYC NonStop" aired on May 17, 2004, and also featured Hill Harper. On the aesthetic difference between ''CSI: Miami'' and ''CSI: NY'', senior writer Andrew Lipsitz stated that "all cities are fantasies, made up of the dreams of individual inhabitants. New York is its own fantasy—it's the great fantasy of anyone who came here from another country. It may or may not be more real, it may or may not be baked in the sun, but it's an amalgam of everyone's dreams." Anthony Zuiker also stated that, while "''Miami'' feature self-contained episodes that favor solving crimes over exploring characters' lives... ''NY''
ill ILL may refer to: * '' I Love Lucy'', a landmark American television sitcom * Illorsuit Heliport (location identifier: ILL), a heliport in Illorsuit, Greenland * Institut Laue–Langevin, an internationally financed scientific facility * Interlibra ...
be more character-driven". ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' later observed that "structurally, the ''CSI''s bear striking similarities. Each unit, which uses advanced forensic techniques to solve crimes, is headed by a veteran male, joined by a leading female", yet "climate offers variation. ''NY'' offers the prospect of frozen corpses."


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Csi: Miami 2000s American crime drama television series 2002 American television series debuts 2010s American crime drama television series 2012 American television series endings 2000s American mystery television series 2010s American mystery television series 2000s American police procedural television series 2010s American police procedural television series CBS original programming Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming English-language television shows Fictional portrayals of the Miami-Dade Police Department Television series by Alliance Atlantis Television series by CBS Studios Television shows filmed in Florida Television shows set in Miami American television spin-offs Television series created by Anthony E. Zuiker Television series created by Carol Mendelsohn Television series created by Ann Donahue Television shows adapted into comics