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'DIDN'T WORK OUT'
CSI: Vegas creator Anthony Zuiker reveals reason for ‘successful’ show’s cancellation & admits he ‘didn’t see it coming’
Plus, Anthony revealed the efforts he went through to revive the beloved series
ANTHONY Zuiker - the creator of the CSI franchise, including the recently canceled CSI: Vegas, opened up about the show getting the boot in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.
CBS announced in May that CSI: Vegas wouldn't return after three seasons on the air, weeks after hinting at its possible cancellation.
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Despite the warning, fans were taken aback by CSI: Vegas' ending, including Anthony, 55, who thought numbers would be strong enough for the series to continue.
"We were probably a season away from being profitable, but I didn't see it coming," Anthony told The U.S. Sun about the popular show's removal from CBS' summer lineup.
CSI: Vegas was the last scripted show in the franchise, following CSI: Miami, CSI: New York and CSI: Cyber, and aired from October 2021 to May 2024.
It was a revival of the original series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which centered on crime cases in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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The show debuted on CBS in October 2000 and ran for 15 seasons.
'A CASUALTY OF THE TIMES'
Due to the franchise's decades-long run, which also had ties to the hit crime dramas Without a Trace (2002-2009) and Cold Case (2003-2010), Anthony didn't foresee CSI: Vegas getting axed anytime soon, though he understands why it did.
"[The reason for the cancellation of CSI: Vegas is] a function of a couple of things. Number one, it was very, very successful. Number two, they [CBS] have much less of an opportunity to run the risk of audience exhaustion in terms of scripted [shows]."
Anthony continued, "Number three, the business is in a very peculiar place right now. The limitations of broadcasts have been challenging to the creative process in these Testaments.
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"Meaning that in the year 2000, there was much less competition in terms of stripping off no streaming competition and vertical cable competition. So, we have more creative license to do things without the scrutiny," Anthony added.
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The television writer then revealed that CSI might be "a casualty of the times" since how people watch these programs and the heightened interest in true crime is evolving beyond the cable networks.
"As time has gone on, the things you can do on the broadcast are unlimited. Creativity can be limited. Pushing the envelope is very limited, and what happens is the consumer doesn't care about your problems, nor the viewer does.
"So if they can't get the juice out of a CSI they want based on broadcasts because of limitations like the climate that we're in, they may go ahead and start sampling, or they may go ahead and buy things, which is their prerogative, their time they're paying for it.
"I think CSI might have been a casualty of the times. And I'm thankful that we can reinvigorate the franchise with something like an unscripted series of 10 episodes that kind of keeps things healthy," Anthony added, mentioning his new documentary-type series, The Real CSI: Miami, which premiered last week.
There have been five versions of the CSI franchise on CBS
As for CSI: Vegas, Anthony reflected on whether he considered reviving the show on a streaming platform; however, fans might not be thrilled about his response.
"In all transparency. We've tried to shop [CSI: Vegas to other platforms], and we haven't had takers. I think, for all intents and purposes, CSI: Vegas is over with. It's now time to kind of focus on diversion."
However, Anthony did leave hope for another series to come to fruition down the line.
"As things develop, there'll probably be other conversations but another scripted show, possibly for a streaming network, but it would have to be at the right time for people to get behind it," he assured.
"But for now, CSI: Vegas, we're very proud of that as best as we possibly could. There are some factors that just didn't leave it to go forward, and therefore, we did everything we could to revive it. And it didn't work out like that," Anthony closed.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to CBS Corporation for a comment but has not heard back.
SAYING GOODBYE
Just as fans were devastated by the show's cancellation, the cast also had difficulty with the news.
CSI: Vegas star Lex Medlin, 55, who played Thomas "Beau" Finado in Seasons 2 and 3, shared his reaction on Instagram, writing, "I am going to miss this cast and crew so very much. Most of all I’ll miss Beau. He was so fun to play."
The series finale aired on May 19 with multiple cliffhangers in an effort to wrap things up earlier than planned.
It reportedly raked in 4.8 million views - the second-largest audience the procedural has ever had.
Anthony again acknowledged the show's "unfortunate" end and praised the cast and crew for their dedication.
"Nobody likes to lose the show. Nobody likes to say goodbye to a cast, and nobody likes to break the news to people who pay their bills and have kids in college. None of that's fun.
"I'm not bitter. It's unfortunate that we can't continue. But it's not from a lack of doing everything we can to do the best we can for what we have in front of us.
"What I really asked for in terms of the disinterested is a marvelous job as a showrunner, and we hired a very good cast."
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Anthony went on, "In the end, we have to be able to do things that excite the crime enthusiast and CSI enthusiast the best way we possibly can. It's been such a high level for so long.
"Every show that goes up must come down. But it doesn't mean we're stronger with something else in the same family, and it's what we're doing right now," he ended.
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