Last Wednesday, CBS announced the end of an era.
According to the network, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" is being cancelled after 15 years on air. Its future had been unclear ever since season 15 got cut down to 16 episodes from the standard 22. Ratings for the procedural series had been waning for a couple of seasons.
Its last episode featured George Eads, who stayed with the series since the beginning as Nick Stokes, leaving the Las Vegas CSI Department to take on a job as the department chief in another state. He was the final original cast member to exit the show before the cancellation became official.
Original cast members William Peteren, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, and Paul Guilfoyle left the show at different seasons. Jorja Fox left the show for some time but eventually came back to stick around until the 15th season.
The show, which started the "CSI Effect", experienced several changes in its cast lineup over the years. It also birthed three spinoffs - "CSI: Miami", "CSI: New York" and the recently premiered "CSI: Cyber".
Senior Executive Vice President Kelly Kahl said that it became one of the network's most important shows since it debuted in 2000. According to New York Daily News, it set the procedural or weekly case approach that looked at evidence to solve crimes.
With "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" cancelled, the new spinoff "CSI: Cyber" which stars Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette, will have to keep the "CSI Effect" burning. The freshman series was renewed for one more season.
The franchise won't be leaving without a send-off however. According to the Daily Mail, CBS announced a two-hour special for the series starring original cast members William Petersen (Gil Grissom) and Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows).
The alumni reunion is scheduled to air on Sept. 27.
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" may be cancelled but Ted Danson, who played D.B. Russell in the last couple of seasons, will be moving on to the next best thing. He will be joining "CSI: Cyber" instead. It will also move to 10 PM on Sundays this fall.
