CSI

William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger lead an appealing cast, but the real stars are the toenail clippings, hair strands and fingerprints that complete an investigator's puzzle and turn nagging doubt into scientific certainty. [5 Oct 2000, p.E2]

The action is swift, the characters lively.

The actors, including the charismatic William Petersen and the exquisite Marg Helgenberger, lend credibility to the portrayals that might be indistinct in lesser hands. There's also a compelling, pulsating edge at the outset of CSI that commands instant attention, thanks in part to dynamic work from director Danny Cannon. [5 Oct 2000]

CSI doesn't shy from the less savory aspects of the business it covers. There are flashback cams that show the crime taking place and micro cams that look closely at the evidence...But it's kind of tasteful, if you can imagine, and contributes to a Friday night show that is not only entertaining, but might actually teach you a thing or two. [6 Oct 2000]

I like the locale a lot. Heading up the forensics team is Gil Grissom (William Petersen), who is appealing mostly because, like James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, he doesn't look like he belongs on TV. [6 Oct 2000, p.117]

A droll Petersen and dependable Marg Helgenberger head the competent cast, and the opener is offbeat enough to stimulate curiosity. But please don't overdo the camera tricks.

The camerawork is startling, but it can't hide a plot that is dreary and unbelievable. [6 Oct 2000, p.10E]

Both stars are capable, the setup a reliable one, but tonight's pilot staggers under an overload of plot. [6 Oct 2000, p.E-1]

The lines are too blunt, but with its mix of crime-solving and wit, this series could be the unexpected winner among the new crime shows. [6 Oct 2000, p.E30]

The premiere has a nice look, and its "Rashomon"-style flashbacks are very well shot. It also features a socko ending and one ingenious bit of plotting involving thieving hookers. Yet the storytelling is often muddy, and sorting out characters and determining who does what is more of a challenge than the episode is worth. [6 Oct 2000, p.F1]

Nothing revolutionary here. [6 Oct 2000, p.12D]

The setting and crimes are interesting, and Petersen in particular is terrific, but C.S.I. tries to show the thoughtful nature of its characters by underplaying them - and it relies for liveliness on stomach-turning lab work. Slick but plodding, C.S.I. could be DOA. [6 Oct 2000, p.5E]

The investigations are intriguing. The investigators are blah, their relationships a poorly defined muddle. [6 Oct 2000, p.44]

By focusing on the science used by crime-scene investigators, C.S.I. puts a creative spin on the traditional cop-show genre. [6 Oct 2000, p.1E]

But more often than not CSI isn't sure if it's trying to be intellectual or just sensational. John M. Keane's heavy-handed music, inversely proportional to the events onscreen, doesn't help. Subsequent episodes would do better to pull back on attention-grabbing stunts in favor of the mystery and drama that lies at the core of this premise. [4 Oct 2000, p.2]

At times almost downright mesmerizing. But that, even coupled with Marg Helgenberger and William Petersen, is not enough to make CBS' flashy update on "Quincy" engaging. [6 Oct 2000, p.55]

Once is quite enough to send C.S.I. back to the lab. [6 Oct 2000, p.10]

We're supposed to buy that the C.S.I. unit is the next wave of high-tech crimefighting, but their tools don't look very high-tech to me. One gizmo looks suspiciously like a canister vacuum cleaner and the only thing it "finds" is a toenail clipping that could've been spotted with the naked eye. [6 Oct 2000, p.E1]

The science and deduction on C.S.I. is mildly interesting, if grim, but the show's small forensics team, including actors William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger, is as cliched as they come. From the forced co-worker banter to the second-rate office dramas, the ensemble is as lively as a trip to the morgue. [6 Oct 2000, p.D1]

Why did executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("Remember the Titans") populate his CBS series with such revolting characters? With the exception of Marg Helgenberger's harried but compassionate investigator, this is a crew teeming with bullies and psychos. [6 Oct 2000, p.S32]