Murder, and its tale-telling aftermath, is the compelling subject of
i CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
i0 . Since it premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000,
i CSI
i0 was a ratings triumph, spawning a spinoff (
i CSI: Miami
i0 ) and positioning itself for long-term success. As the first season demonstrates, creator Anthony Zuiker's foolproof formula was established early on, bolstered by a fine ensemble cast and requiring minimal tweaking as the season progressed; its Las Vegas-based "criminalists" eventually became "CSI" steeped in the scientific minutiae of forensic investigation, but the series arrived essentially intact, with an irresistible (and seemingly inexhaustible) supply of corpses and the mysteries that surround them. Influenced by the graphic precedent of movies like
i Seven
i0 and
i Kiss the Girls
i0 ,
i CSI
i0 matches morbidity with dispassionate methodology; viewers are so fascinated by the investigative process that they're unfazed by intimate autopsies and internal (i.e., digitally animated) views of traumatized flesh, bone, and sinew.
While keeping abreast of cutting-edge technologies,
i CSI
i0 combines the ingenuity (and fallibility) of villains with the appealing humanity of its heroes. CSI director and entomologist Gil Grissom (played by series coproducer William Petersen) is introverted but ethically intense; he's both mentor and moral compass for his night-shift team, including a former stripper-turned-CSI (Marg Helgenberger); a recovering gambler (Gary Dourdan); an eager ace (George Eads) with room for improvement; a workaholic (Jorja Fox) who can't always remain emotionally detached from her cases; and a chief detective (Paul Guilfoyle) who's a necessary link to police procedure. Like
i The X-Files
i0 ,
i CSI
i0 supports its characters with feature-film production values, employing a
i Rashomon
i0 structure that turns murder into a progressively accurate study of cause and effect. Script quality is consistently high ("Blood Drops" and "Unfriendly Skies" are exceptional), direction is slick and sophisticated, and the mysteries are complex enough to invite multiple viewings. Despite a regrettable shortage of DVD features,
i CSI
i0 's inaugural season remains addictively worthy of its lofty reputation.
i --Jeff Shannon
i0