CSI: Crime Scene Investigationisone of those network shows that feels like it’s been around forever. It follows a team of crime scene investigators working for the Las Vegas Police Department, and it focuses more on science and physical evidence to solve murders than thrilling police work. In the world of police procedurals,CSIfelt like a breath of fresh air. And it showed in the ratings. During its original broadcast,CSIbecame CBS' most successful series with the highest ratings. Its tremendous popularity launched an entire franchise that has since produced various spin-offs.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Because of its success,CSIattracted many celebrity cameos over the years, including Taylor Swift, Sharon Osborne, Justin Bieber, and Kim Kardashian. ActorLiev Schreiber, who is currently enjoying the success of Netflix’s hit mystery miniseriesThe Perfect Couple,also had a notable guest appearance onCSI.He appeared in four episodes of the show’s seventh season – and he did so for a very specific reason.
Liev Schreiber: A Star on the Rise
Liev Schreiber kicked off his acting careerwith stage productions during the early ’90s, long beforeCSIever hit our TV screens.1994 marked a significant turning point in Schreiber’s career. He made his Broadway debut in the playIn the Summer House,acting alongside Frances Conroy, and made his feature film debut in the dark comedyMixed Nuts,starring Steve Martin. He made a name for himself in the indie world, appearing in low-budget films likeWalking and Talking,The Daytrippers, andBig Night.
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Schreiber rose to prominence after playing the accused murderer Cotton Weary in the originalScreamtrilogy, which opened the door to more mainstream roles. He portrayed the legendary Orson Welles in the HBO original filmRKO 281,a role that earned him his first Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Schreiber also appeared in studio films likeThe Sum of All Fears, Kate & Leopold,the 2004 remake ofThe Manchurian Candidate, the 2006 remake ofThe Omen, and many others. By the time 2006 came around, Liev Schreiber was a Hollywood star.
Gil Grossom and William Petersen Take a Sabbatical
One of the best characters inCSI’sensemble castis its main protagonist, Gil Grissom (William Petersen). Grissom is the CSI supervisor of the graveyard shift, a respected forensic entomologist who leads a team of investigators.CSI’s success turned Petersen into a television star. He appeared in nearly every episode of the show’s first eight seasons.
One of his absences came during the seventh/2006-2007 season when Petersen took a break fromCSIto explore other career opportunities. He went on to star in the stage productionDublin Carolfor a five-week period. To coincide with Petersen’s absence,CSIwrote in a story arc where Grissom was getting burnt out from work. The character went on a four-week sabbatical midway through season seven to rejuvenate himself, teaching a course at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Liev Schreiber Temporarily Replaces Petersen
With Petersen’s forthcoming hiatus,CSI’sshowrunners needed a character that could fill in for Grissom. So they created Michael Keppler, a seasoned, reputable CSI from Baltimore. To play him, they brought in none other than Liev Schreiber, who was a notable guest appearance at the time. The role was always meant to be temporary, since Petersen was planning to return toCSIafterDublin Carolconcluded its five-week run. Schreiber joined the cast halfway through season seven in the 12th episode, “Sweet Jane.”
Keppler appeared in a four-episode story arc, taking on serial killers, drug dealers, and the Black Market, causing friction in Grissom’s team over his unorthodox methods. He helps cover up a dual murder when his late girlfriend’s father, Frank, happens across the bodies. But of course, it turns out to be Frank that killed them. By the end of “Law of Gravity,” the final episode in Keppler’s arc, the CSI winds up with a bullet in his gut and tragically succumbs to his injuries.
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There’s something here for everyone on this list of police dramas, whether you’re sticking to English-language or moving farther afield.
A rejuvenated Grissom (and probably a rejuvenated Petersen as well) returns from his sabbatical at the end of the episode, shocked by the tension among his team. He spends the rest of the season getting his team back on track and solving new cases. Petersen continued to appearas a series regular untilCSI’sninth season. He departed the main cast after ten episodes, occasionally appearing in a cameo. He guest starred inCSI’s series finale, “Immortality,” and returned in 2021 for the first season ofthe sequel show,CSI: Vegas.
