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The CSI franchise - Radio Times, February 2003 |
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Forensic detective drama CSI is such a huge hit that US TV executives have
cloned the idea for a new show. But, asks Benji Wilson, can you have too much of a good thing?
How it began
Spawned in a cross-over episode of last season's CSI, the new programme CSI: Miami introduced a new troop of forensic sleuths, and then transplanted them wholesale from Las Vegas to Florida, with the most notable changes being that there weren't any.
If that seems like a slightly uninspiring premise, it has not bothered the US public one bit.
Its success
On its debut last September, CSI: Miami notched up the highest opening-night ratings for
eight years - that's the best since a programme called ER first hit the small screen. And the show has just won a People's Choice Award for favourite new TV drama series.
Its detractors
In spite of, or perhaps because of, such conspicuous early success, not everyone from CSI-land is happy - the cast of the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, for one, are distinctly nonplussed. William Petersen, who both stars in and produces the original, says, "They should have waited five years for a CSI spin-off," christening the new show NYPD CSI because of the participation of former NYPD Blue stars David Caruso, Kim Delaney and Khandi Alexander.
Marg Helgenberger, Petersen's female co-star in the original CSI, is dismissive. "As far as I'm concerned, there's only one CSI," she says. "I heard that CBS was spending the most money ever promoting Miami, while CSI didn't get direct promotion. It hurt."
Not only that, but it's emerged that CBS is screening another new CSI-style crime drama called Without a Trace. Petersen is irate. "I mean, what are we, McDonald's?" he asks. The problem for Petersen and his crew is that, like it or not, McDonald's is exceedingly popular, and if people will watch endless offshoots of CSI, then the producers will keep making them.
Other successes
Law and Order, another top American crime drama, has already spawned two separate siblings, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. All three of them do comparatively well. But the original Law & Order ran for four years before reproducing.
What the future holds
The question is, can a CSI derivative relying on the same premise, a writing team brought over from the original and a similar ensemble cast still cut the mustard? Only time will tell if cloned programmes can bring cloned ratings.
**
Now take a look at our full CSI: Crime Scene Investigation guide.
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