Gil and Sara are back in the CSI franchise, and not for a limited time only. While rumors have swirled that a limited event series would bring William Petersen’s Gil Grissom and Jorja Fox’s Sara Sidle back to CBS for a potential one-season run, the network confirmed today that the dynamic duo will indeed be reprising their iconic roles – but not in a limited series. CSI: Vegas is a wholly new drama series described as a sequel to the original flagship show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which premiered in 2000 and aired for 15 seasons.
Petersen and Fox will be joined by returning cast member Wallace Langham as David Hodges, while the ensemble for CSI: Vegas will be filled out by newcomers Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Mel Rodriguez, and Mandeep Dhillon. CSI: Vegas will “open a new chapter” in Las Vegas, the city that started the CSI franchise. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant new team of investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.
Jason Tracey (Elementary, Burn Notice) will serve as executive producer and showrunner while Uta Briesewitz (Stranger Things, Westworld) will direct the first episode and serve as an executive producer on the first episode.
“Twenty-one years ago, we launched ‘CSI’ and watched in awe as this new cinematic series launched an entire genre and became a groundbreaking juggernaut that still has global resonance today,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of forensic criminalists to the ‘CSI’ brand and unite them with the legendary characters from the past who we still love, including the extraordinary Billy Petersen and Jorja Fox. Crimefighting technology has advanced dramatically over the last several years, and combined with classic ‘CSI’ storytelling, we can’t wait to watch this new ‘CSI’ team do what they do best: follow the evidence.”
“I’m excited to be bringing back the ‘CSI’ franchise to all our fans who have been so loyal to us for all these years,” said Jerry Bruckheimer. “And to be back in Las Vegas where it all started over 20 years ago makes it even more special. We’ve enjoyed working on this project with CBS and look forward to welcoming back Billy, Jorja and Wallace as they join a new group of talented actors in CSI: VEGAS.”
The arrival of CSI: Vegas revives one of the biggest franchises in CBS history, which had a number of spinoffs over the years. CSI: Miami ran from 2002-2012; CSI: New York was on the air from 2004-2013; and CSI: Cyber lasted only a couple of seasons, airing from 2014-2016.
Will the audience return, and can CSI find a new audience all these years later? Questions remain, but having Petersen and Fox topline this series as Gil and Sara is a huge draw for longtime fans of the franchise.