Blu-Ray Review: ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ Special Widescreen Edition

CHICAGO – The first season of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” one of the most successful and beloved shows of the ’00s, is finally available in widescreen HD from CBS/Paramount. With five discs and over 17 hours of murder mystery mayhem, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is a perfect gift for the TV fan in your circle of friends and family.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

It’s somewhat remarkable that “CSI” is not yet even a decade old, premiering in the ‘00-‘01 season. I would argue that there hasn’t been a bigger program this millennium. How many other shows have spawned not just two mega-hit spin-offs - “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: NY” - but comic books, novels, and even video games? “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” may not get the critical buzz of shows like “Lost” or “24” but it has transcended just being another mystery and become a brand name.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

One of the most impressive things about “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” has been the complete consistency in the show’s popularity. The first season premiered in the top ten and the show has never left that lofty group, landing as the #1 or #2 show of the entire year in 4 out of 9 seasons on the air.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009. Photo credit: Paramount

The first season was just the warm-up, which means a lot of people may not have caught up with season one (by season three, the show was averaging 10 million more viewers and putting up stratospheric numbers compared to season one). If you’re one of those people who caught on late (and still haven’t caught up with the always-airing repeats), this Blu-Ray release is a great way to go back to the beginning of this TV phenomenon.

All 23 season one episodes plus the director’s cut of the pilot are presented in 16:9 widescreen for the first time in brilliant high definition with spectacular sounding 7.1 audio tracks. From a video & audio perspective, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is one of the best titles yet released on the next-gen format.

Special features on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” include the director’s cut of the pilot with commentary, “CSI People Lie,,,But the Evidence never Does,” “CSI Season One: Rediscovering the Evidence,” deleted scenes/outtakes, CBS Television Network Launch, Series & Episodic Promos, and a gag reel.

TV has been slow to embrace with Blu-Ray but the trickle of catalog programs coming to the HD format is starting to turn into more of a steady flow. With excellent video & audio and a wealth of special features, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is a great push in the right direction.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com