CSI: Vegas

CSI was worth watching then and you know what? It’s worth watching now. The CSI: Vegas pilot pulls you right back in with its familiar video funnel effect, moody sets and stylized killings.

The show stakes its claim on audience attention early, with a violent attack on a returning character and, throughout, attempts to balance a classic dynamic with a new energy. That balance largely works. The Gil-Sara relationship, reintroduced in the pilot, remains crisp.

A clever reboot that introduces strong new players and an intriguing storyline. [27 Sep - 10 Oct 2021, p.7]

The presence of the old guard will keep fans interested in CSI: Vegas. But the new crew hasn’t distinguished themselves for the most part just yet, and they’ll need to do that soon before the presence of Petersen, Fox and company overwhelms the show.

So while it might take a couple of episodes to sort out the "Who are you?" part of The Who's credit song, the "why" behind "CSI's" revival is pretty obvious.

This CSI is indistinguishable from all the rest: The same spectacular camera zoom and splashy skyline photography. The same disturbing obsession with corpse porn.

The setup for this season-long plot is so nonsensical and confusing that even the characters are doing logical gymnastics to justify their actions. It is both the hook that the revival relies on to justify its existence and the weakest part of the show. Beyond the far-fetched plot, "Vegas" projects an overwhelming air of blandness and dullness.