Summary

Part of what makesCSIsuch a successful crime procedural is the dedication to writing strong fictitious character , especially the leaders of the crime lab . The lieutenant of the lab toy an important role in giving the investigators directionand creating a team dynamic that creates coherence to catch malefactor the most efficiently . Both empathy and a sharp scientific mind are vital to success as a leader of aCSIteam . However , being either too emotionally invested or not emotionally available enough can harm the squad active .

CSI : Crime Scene Investigationpremiered in 2000 and ran for 16 season , and incurred the twist - offsCSI : Miami , CSI : NY , CSI : Cyber , andCSI : Vegas . With such a large universe , there are plenty of characters who come and go , but the leaders of the criminal offense labs tend to stupefy around longer because they ’re often frame as the protagonists of the series . Though each series sticks to the murder - of - the - calendar week formula unwashed with criminal offense procedurals , there are often longer - terminal figure arcs and recurring killers that appear throughout a time of year . It ’s in these more episodic plots that the actors get to shine and do exciting grapheme work .

The CSI population as a whole has been largely successful since its debut back in 2000 , but some entries in the franchise are good than others .

Horatio Caine in CSI Miami, Mac Taylor in CSI NY, and Avery Ryan in CSI Cyber

7Liev Schreiber - Michael Keppler

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Michael Keppler is a very abbreviated addition to the team , come on after Gil Grissom took a sabbatical in season 7.Liev Screiber ’s graphic symbol only lasted four episodes , and no one was no-account to see him go . Due to Grissom ’s departure and his strange investigating tactics , he was not well - liked among the team members . His character was never written to last longer than a few episode and be an interesting entr’acte while Grissom was pretermit , but his unpopularity portend how hardCSIhad to work to keep the series ' momentum going in later seasons once Grissom was truly gone .

6Ted Danson - DB Russell

CSI: Crime Scene Investiagtion, CSI: Cyber

DB Russell appear as a supervisory program on bothCSI : Crime Scene InvestigationandCSI : Cyber . However , it was onCyberthat he reached his full potential difference as the drawing card of an elect squad . Cyberwas not the most successfulCSIspin - off , running for only one season , but Russell was one of the best parts of the serial , and here he acquire to work alongside the FBI on major cases .

InCSI , he was introduced in the latter half of the serial and had latent hostility with Catherine Willows as he seize her office as supervisor . However , the team speedily grew to jazz him due to his sense of humor and good - natured attitude . Though he was a self-coloured loss leader , he is not quite as iconic as his predecessors .

5Marg Helgenberger - Catherine Willows

After Gil Grissom left the originalCSI , it leave a kettle of fish in the marrow of the show and the squad . Assistant Supervisor Catherine Willows stepped up to take his place after his exit in season 9 . Despite having her ups and Down , she ’s always a consistent and competent investigator . Though she is later bump and DB come in to take her place , the circumstances of her failures were n’t entirely her fault . Part of her squad goes rogue , and it ’s clean she was n’t impart the tools needed to manage the transition of Grissom ’s goodbye . As a character , Catherine is one of the best , but she does make mistakes as a leader .

4David Caruso - Horatio Caine

CSI: Miami

Horatio Caine is a stickler for inside information , and that shows in the efficiency with which he launch the Miami offense research lab . The cyberspace recognise him best for his iconic sunglasses , but his team get it on him as a fierce defender who will stop at nothing to make certain no firearm of evidence fall through the crack . Though he plays his emotions close to the chest , he evolves as a leader over the course of the show and is secure to keep an eye on his bowel . As a leader , he developed a fatherlike bond with many of his team phallus , but it would have been compelling to see more deepness in his personality .

3Paula Newsome - Maxine “Max” Roby

CSI: Vegas

CSI : Vegasis less a spin - off and more of a revival of the originalCSI . It originally was only run low to run for one time of year as a wrap - up for the first series , but it became pop in its own rightfield . Part of this popularity is due toMax Roby , the night teddy supervisor in the Vegas offence research lab . Though Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows both seem inVegas , Max is the drawing card who will bring the serial into its next phase as a remain firm - alone show .

She ’s a young type of leader for a whole new curing of fibre , and the actress , Paula Newsome , does fantastic work bringing fresh life to the drawing card archetype . alternatively of the Lucy Stone - moth-eaten , no - nonsense patriarchal frame thatCSIhas utilized in the past , Max can feel her emotions and practice them to fire her study and make a incontrovertible surround for her squad . She snuff it through some major psychic trauma at the oddment of time of year 2 , so she deserves plenty of recognition for her work building the new multiplication ofCSI .

CSI : Vegas time of year 3 should continue to have sure-enough and young cast appendage , and this is everything we fuck about the upcoming CSI time of year .

A composite image of characters from CSI Vegas

2Gary Sinise - Mac Taylor

CSI: NY

While the otherCSIshows focus on city less represented on tv set , CSI : NYopts to determine itself in one of the most iconic police department in the U.S. To head such a stressful and intense division takes a tough graphic symbol , and Mac Taylor embodies this through his past in the armed services . He does n’t tolerate for cutting nook or lapses in judgment when it comes to cases .

A central part of his character arc isovercoming his grief at the dying of his wife in the 9/11 attacks . Through his conflict , he forms close bond certificate with his assistant supervisors , Stella Bonasera ( Melina Kanakaredes ) and Jo Danville ( Sela Ward ) . His power to work well with others while being in deep emotional pain show the kind of supervisory program he is .

1William Petersen - Gil Grissom

Gil Grissom was the first supervisor for the Vegas crime research laboratory on the originalCSI , and was get back in the revival meeting , CSI : Vegas . After he left the offence lab in season 9 of the original serial , the show never fully recovered , and it ’s because Grissom was not only the squad ’s drawing card , but also the lynchpin . If his first erotic love is skill and probe , his second is his team .

The chemistry between him and his adjunct supervisor , Catherine Willows , was an extremely successful dynamic for much ofCSI : Crime Scene Investigation . His human relationship with Sara Sidle ( Jorja Fox ) is also one of the driving forces behind his action , and he becomes a better man , so they can be together . Outside these interpersonal relationship , Grissom treats all the members of his team with respect , and as a lively part of solve every investigation .

Richard Kind Poker Face Season 2 Interview header

Max Roby, Horatio Caine, and Gil Grissom from CSI

liev schreiber as csi michael keppler

Ted Danson and Patricia Arquette looking at a piece of technology together in CSI: Cyber

Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows looking at evidence in CSI.

Horatio Caine wears his sunglasses and a slick suit while observing a crime scene near a marina in CSI: Miami

Maxine smiles and listens to her date inside a cozy bar in CSI: Vegas

Closeup of Mac Taylor looking serious in CSI: NY

CSI