The sunnier, beachside version of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The CSI franchise revolutionized the crime show genre, taking a grittier, more graphic look at crimes and what it takes to solve them. The main focus of the show is crime lab science and the interpersonal lives of the men and women working every day to bring criminals to justice.
The ensemble, led by actor David Caruso, has amazing chemistry throughout every season, making it easy for fans to believe the team truly is a family. The series ranked at 6.4 on IMDb, with many of its episodes ranking over 8.0. While not every episode was mind-blowing, each season had at least one show that was truly amazing work from both actors and writers alike.
Slaughterhouse (Season 1, Episode 8) 7.6
After a bloody toddler is found wandering the street alone, her mother and brothers are found dead and her father severely injured. The team must solve the puzzle of who opened fire on the family. At first, they assume the mother, suffering from postpartum depression, attempted murder-suicide. They quickly discover the evidence suggests otherwise, pointing instead to the injured father.
This episode was an eye-opening ordeal for the less experienced of the team, teaching them that the obvious answer isn't always the right answer. The storyline is hard-hitting for parents watching. It is almost impossible to imagine going that far with their own families, the crime leaving fans unsettled.
MIA/NYC Nonstop (Season 2, Episode 23) 7.7
Horatio tracks a family's murderer to New York City, collaborating with the NYC CSI team. They discover the killer attacked the wrong family and the team must race to save the intended targets. Unfortunately, only the son survives, making him look momentarily suspicious until new clues lead them to the doorman and the man he hired to kill the family.
Not only was the episode a crossover event, but also the pilot episode of the new CSI: New York. It worked well to use the interaction between the two CSI teams as an introduction to the new cast, as well as establish a good rapport between the leads. Crossovers are always a favored treat for fans that tends to increase views and ratings.
Lost Son (Season 3, Episode 1) 7.7
The episode started with a boat crashing and the team discovering the body of a businessman filled with bullets. As they unravel the mystery of his death and his missing son, the evidence leads them to a jewelry store. A shootout leaves the team reeling from Speedle's death and determined to find his murderer.
Actors are always put to the test when a regular character dies. Their performance has to ring true or it puts fans off with shallow emotions and hard to believe acting. The intensity of the episode drew the audience in, making them feel the team's pain as they fought to find the killer.
One Of Our Own (Season 4, Episode 25) 7.7
While hunting for the gang boss responsible for the death of Horatio's wife, an officer is killed by the gang's hitman. Confiscated drug money has gone missing and after a tip from a mole, and the FBI swoops in to take over the lab. The team discovers Natalia is a mole for the FBI but isn't the one who tipped them off. SA Monica West stole the money to make the lab look bad, and then tipped off the feds. Horatio and Delko track their evidence to Marisol's murderer at an airfield, apprehending him, only to discover he is being extradited to Brazil.
The story has been building up several episodes before the season finale. The rising tension and endless unanswered questions continued to draw viewers in, making them return each week in hopes of resolution. With so many big plot points in one episode, it was definitely one of the more exciting shows of the season.
Triple Threat (Season 5, Episode 18) 7.6
A man is shot during a charity function, revealing a plot by his wife and her identical sisters to entrap and kill the man for his money. It is soon discovered that the man had a secret of his own. Having paid someone else to get plastic surgery to look just like him, the actual husband wasn't dead. The plot gets thicker when the husband's assistant turns up dead at his construction site.
Views are led on a wild ride of twists and turns in this episode, making for an exciting story. The writers discovered a truly creative angle to use. While not rating as high as other episodes, it does deserve its rank of best episode for the season.
Going Ballistic (Season 6, Season 21) 8.2
New medical examiner Sharon Higgins is shot and killed at a crime scene when she finds the victim is still alive. The team is led to an undercover officer who says he was tracking a man with connections to illegal ammunition sales. The store owner caught the victim talking to the cop and forced him to jump from a window, then the ME when she discovered the victim still alive.
Interpersonal relationships get a little intense in this episode when the case is linked to the stepfather of Horatio's son. There is also a scary moment for Calleigh when old ammo goes off in the lab, catching the room on fire. While not an especially complicated plot, it was well-acted, earning its high rating.
Smoke Gets In Your CSIs (Season 7, Episode 14) 8.1
While Calleigh and Ryan investigate a body in the attic of a foreclosed house, someone traps them in and sets the place on fire. Calleigh collapses in the middle of an interrogation, ending up in the hospital with severe smoke inhalation injuries. As the rest of the team investigates, they learn the victim was a doctor at the hospital Calleigh was itted to. Further investigation reveals that the doctor was involved in illegal organ sales and was murdered by one of his donors.
Viewers are always more invested in an episode where the life of a fan favorite is on the line. The writers have proved they have no issues killing off regular characters, so there is a period when it's up in the air if Calleigh survives. The end of the episode treats fans to a scene moving Eric and Calleigh's relationship a little further along.
All Fall Down (Season 8, Episode 24) 8.3
A serial killer is taunting the team with hints and puzzles. The longer they take to solve the crime, the higher the death toll rises. The elaborate setup for each murder leaves the team at a loss since their only suspect has an alibi. New evidence leads the team to a new suspect, only for a mysterious substance to knock out everyone at the lab.
Another cliffhanger, the episode ends with Eric attempting to revive Calleigh. The race against time to prevent the killer from striking again keeps tensions high throughout the entire episode. The killer seems to be obvious before the writers pull a bait and switch, leaving fans with more questions than answers and desperate for the next season to finish the story.
Fallen (Season 9, Episode 1) 8.0
A continuation of last season's dramatic cliffhanger, Horatio saves the team from the gas attack by shooting out the windows. A string of evidence leads the team to a janitor who idolized the professor they suspect is behind the murders. Following more clues leaves the team with a fake bomb and an escaped serial killer. They pressure the professor's grad student to reveal where he is going and catch him before they gather to mourn the officer lost in the gas attack.
After waiting months for the new season to start, fans flocked back to the show to witness the resolution of the story. The discovery that all three of the suspects were responsible for the attacks was a satisfying payoff for viewers; something to offset the disappointment of watching the team lose another colleague.
Habeas Corpse (Season 10, Episode 19) 8.0
Ryan becomes a suspect in the murder of ASA Avery when he wakes up in the room with the dead man. Taking time to exonerate their friend, the team then follows the evidence to Ryan's girlfriend Sam. She planted a bug to catch who was conspiring with Darren Vogel, the lawyer of a drug dealer that got away from them before. Sam becomes tangled in the mess, despite Ryan trying to protect her. They discover she was the one to kill the ASA, though by accident. In the end, the team gathers together, reassuring each other that they will always be family.
As the final episode of the entire series, it was important for fans to see how the writers would bid farewell to their characters. The story showcased how the team cares for their , ing each other when they are down. Overall it was a subtle way to say goodbye to the viewers that had ed the show for so long.