8 CSI Franchise Characters That Deserve Spinoffs

Summary

• The CSI franchise is not dead despite CSI: Vegas’ cancelation, with CBS teasing a new spinoff in development.
• Characters like Catherine Willows, Maxine Roby, and Dr. Langston could potentially lead future CSI spinoffs.
• Fan-favorite characters like Nick Stokes, Mac Taylor, and Eric Delko, among others, also deserve their own spinoffs.

Although CBS has sadly canceled CSI: Vegas after only three seasons, that doesn’t mean the CSI franchise is dead, seeing as the universe contains several characters who could (and should) receive spinoffs, even if some of them haven’t appeared in any show for more than a decade. There are plenty of CSI shows that many would like to see after CSI: Vegas‘ cancelation, ranging from series revolving around the return of beloved characters to ones featuring a new cast in a new city. Whatever the case, the latest CSI revival won’t likely be the final installment in the police procedural franchise.

Following CSI: Vegas‘ ending, reports of a new CSI show in active development started popping up, with CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach even teasing the upcoming series. Unfortunately, not much is known about the sixth installment in the CSI franchise other than the fact that it exists. As a result, many are predicting what it will be about, which characters will be featured (whether old or new), and where it will take place. Given the expanse of this fictional police procedural universe, the possibilities for the next CSI spinoff are endless.

8 Catherine Willows

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation & CSI: Vegas

Catherine Willows, portrayed by Marg Helgenberger, is one of the CSI franchise’s veterans, and if anyone is worthy of getting their own spinoff, it’s Willows. Helgenberger’s character was introduced as a part of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation‘s main cast during its pilot episode on October 6, 2000. Afterward, Willows appeared in more than 250 episodes of the parent series and 31 episodes of CSI: Cyber. The actress sadly exited CSI: Crime Scene Investigation during its twelfth season but reprised her role as Willows in CSI: Cyber seasons 2 and 3, meaning that Helgenberger could continue playing Willows in another spinoff.

Willows began CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as the night shift CSI assistant supervisor, working directly under Gil Grissom. However, over the course of the series, Willows grew and took on roles such as the Las Vegas crime lab’s night shift supervisor and an FBI agent. Willows’ character development was one of the more interesting ones to watch, and she seemingly has a lot more stories left in her, even after appearing in almost 300 episodes of the CBS franchise. Hopefully, Willows will be a part of the upcoming spinoff show after CSI: Cyber‘s cancelation.

7 Maxine Roby

CSI: Vegas

Three CSI: Vegas seasons of Paula Newsome’s Maxine Roby were three seasons too short, to be frank, and Newsome deserves to continue her character’s story in a spinoff. Roby was the night shift supervisor at the Las Vegas crime lab in the fifth show in the CSI franchise, meaning that she followed in the footsteps of iconic characters such as Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, and D.B. Russell. Even though she had big shoes to fill, Roby held her own and then some.

[Maxine] Roby is more than capable of leading a team, whether it’s the Las Vegas crime lab or a forensics division at the FBI.

Roby was undoubtedly one of the strongest characters in CSI: Vegas and was an admirable and knowledgeable leader who took good care of her team. Consequently, if Paramount or CBS plan to develop more television shows in this popular police procedural universe, producers should keep Newsome on their list of actors who should return. Roby is more than capable of leading a team, whether it’s the Las Vegas crime lab or a forensics division at the FBI (which would be an interesting spinoff angle that would introduce something new to the CSI franchise).

6 Stella Bonasera

CSI: NY

CSI: NY is undoubtedly one of the most underrated CSI shows, and Melina Kanakaredes’ Stella Bonasera is one of the most overlooked characters in the CSI franchise. Stella was a detective with the New York Police Department and the assistant CSI supervisor of Mac Taylor’s team. She was essentially Catherine Willows’ counterpart in the second CSI spinoff. Kanakaredes, unfortunately, left the series after its sixth season. However, Stella’s absence from the CSI: NY cast after season 6 was significantly noticeable, and the show just wasn’t the same without her complexity, bluntness, impulsiveness, and determination.

Following Melina Kanakaredes’ exit from
CSI: NY
, Sela Ward stepped in as her replacement, and Ward began starring as Jo Danville in season 7.

Stella left the New York crime lab following the CSI: NY season 6 finale to run the crime lab in New Orleans, which could be the perfect location for the next CSI spinoff. Kanakaredes reportedly left the series because her contract was up, and she was ready to move on. But perhaps 14 years away from the police procedural franchise is all the time the actress needed, and she can reprise her role as Stella in another show.

5 Dr. Raymond Langston

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Following William Peterson’s exit from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in season 9, Laurence Fishburne stepped in as the actor’s replacement, and although his time on the show was short-lived (compared to other performers), Fishburne’s Dr. Raymond Langston is worthy of returning in a spinoff. First of all, Fishburne is an esteemed actor who has the ability to headline any television series successfully. However, Ray is also one of the franchise’s more intriguing characters, and it would be interesting to see him return in a spinoff after he resigned from the Las Vegas crime lab in season 11.

Ray was nothing like the former night shift supervisor of the Las Vegas crime lab, and his moral compass was rather complex.

No one could replace Peterson’s Gil Grissom or have the same impact on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as he had, but Ray was a worthy substitution because he wasn’t a carbon copy of Grissom. Ray was nothing like the former night shift supervisor of the Las Vegas crime lab, and his moral compass was rather complex. Given that he’s the farthest thing from a perfect character, Ray’s return would make for a different kind of CSI spinoff.

4 Eric Delko

CSI: Miami

If anyone from CSI: Miami gets a spinoff, it should be Eric Delko. Adam Rodriguez played Delko from the pilot episode of the CBS police procedural series until its finale, making him one of the few actors who appeared in all ten seasons of CSI: Miami (aside from Rodriguez’s temporary leave of absence in season 8). Delko’s backstory makes him one of the more unique characters in the franchise, as he was previously a tow truck driver before Horatio Caine encouraged him to pursue a career in the Miami-Dade Police Department, and the rest is history.

CSI: Miami ended without much closure for Delko, especially regarding his on-and-off relationship with Calleigh Duquesne. A spinoff centered around Rodriguez’s character could finally give him the ending he deserves, and Emily Procter could also reprise her role as Calleigh, which would undoubtedly make some fans quite happy. A CSI spinoff with Delko and Calleigh at the center of the story would be a surprise, given it has been more than a decade since the show’s series finale, but it would be welcome.

3 D.B. Russell

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation & CSI: Cyber

Ted Danson is undeniably one of the most successful leading men in television history, following his portrayal of Sam Malone in Cheers, Dr. John Becker in Becker, Michael in The Good Place, and D.B. Russell in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Cyber. So, it wouldn’t be too surprising if CBS tried to get Danson back as Russell, the former night shift CSI Supervisor and director of the Las Vegas crime lab, in a potential CSI spinoff.

Ted Danson is set to star as Charles in Michael Schur’s upcoming Netflix comedy series
A Classic Spy
, based on the 2021 Chilean documentary
The Mole Agent.

Of course, Russell’s story seemingly ended in CSI: Cyber when he (spoiler alert) decided to retire from the FBI after getting shot and was last seen in Paris. However, Danson’s character didn’t die, so anything is possible concerning his future. Aside from Danson’s popularity, Russell was also a fan-favorite character, making him a suitable candidate for headlining his own show in the CSI franchise (again).

2 Nick Stokes

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

If one ranked the most beloved characters in the CSI franchise, Nick Stokes would, without question, be near the top. It would probably make a lot of people happy if George Eads were to secure his own spinoff as Stokes and reprise his fan-favorite role almost ten years after his final appearance. Given the way Stokes’ story ended in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a sequel series is a very likely possibility.

George Eads was the only
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
main cast member to appear in all 15 seasons. In total, the actor appeared in 334 of the CBS show’s 337 episodes.

Stokes was last seen in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation season 15, episode 18, before he left the Las Vegas crime lab and moved to San Diego, where Stokes accepted the position as the director of the San Diego Police Department’s crime lab. So, similar to Stella in CSI: NY, a potential spinoff centering around Stokes could take the franchise to a different city and return CSI to its original case of the week (instead of serialized) format.

1 Mac Taylor

CSI: NY

The lead characters in the procedural crime drama CSI franchise are seemingly the best ones as Gary Sinise’s Mac Taylor also deserves his own spinoff following the CSI: NY series finale in 2013. One could make a case for Mac being the police procedural franchise’s best boss, even though it’s hard to compete with Gil Grissom in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as Sinise is arguably one of the most talented actors in CSI. Nevertheless, Mac would be the perfect candidate to lead another series, 11 years after his original show’s finale.

It would be quite shocking if [Gary] Sinise were to reprise his role as Mac [Taylor] in the upcoming
CSI
spinoff, but one could still dream of the possibility of Mac and the New York crime lab returning.

Mac was (or still is) the director of the NYPD’s crime lab, a position he held from the CSI: NY pilot to its finale. Sinise’s character was stern and straight-faced and had a strong moral compass. However, that was a part of Mac’s charm and what made it so exciting when he let loose (just a little bit). It would be quite shocking if Sinise were to reprise his role as Mac in the upcoming CSI spinoff, but one could still dream of the possibility of Mac and the New York crime lab returning.