CBS Orders “CSI: Vegas,” Marking Return of Fan Favorites Gil and Sara

By Scott Roeben, on April 08 2021
2 min read 4 comments
Las Vegas

The popular “CSI” TV series franchise is making a comeback, and Las Vegas will be the setting for its next incarnation.

CBS has ordered “CSI: Vegas,” a spin-off (sequel, technically) of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

The original “CSI” premiered Oct. 6, 2000, begging the question, “Where in the holy hell did those two decades go?”

CSI: Vegas
Every TV show should have a colon and the word “Vegas.” Examples include “Vega$: Vegas” and “Las Vegas: Vegas.”

“CSI: Vegas” will mark the return of fan favorites William Petersen (Gil Grissom), Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) and Wallace Langham (David Hodges).

New series regulars include Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Mel Rodriguez and Mandeep Dhillon, whoever they might be.

The original “CSI” ran for 15 seasons, which is about 170 in TV series years.

The logline for the new show tracks with what you might expect: “‘CSI: Vegas’ opens a brand new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant new team of forensic investigators must welcome back old
friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.”

While the original “CSI” was set in Las Vegas, the show rarely shot here, and Las Vegas was little more than a backdrop, often used for second unit shoots, mostly exteriors of streets and buildings.

The prime location for “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” was Santa Clarita, California, as the area has similarities to Las Vegas.

Visual similarities. Santa Clarita is a lot less fun than Las Vegas, obviously.

Las Vegas needs more large bodies of water, apparently.


We’d love to see more “CSI: Vegas” shot in Las Vegas this time around.

Come on, cast members. Where would you rather hang out, Las Vegas or Valencia? Um, hello.

It’s unknown if a renewed interest in “CSI” could resurrect the “CSI: The Experience” attraction that closed at MGM Grand due to the pandemic.

We look forward to another round of crime-solving adventures with the “CSI” crew, and we trust Sin City’s fingerprints will be all over “CSI: Vegas.”