CSI: Miami

A tight team of Miami-Dade crime scene investigators tackles violent, often gruesome cases by following physical evidence wherever it leads. Led by Horatio Caine, the unit balances hands-on police work with forensic analysis, putting a premium on crime-scene procedure and meticulous lab work. Episodes pair methodical clue-gathering with interpersonal tensions among investigators, showing how the job strains personal lives while revealing how small traces can unlock complicated crimes. The tone mixes gritty subject matter with character moments, and while science drives many solutions, the team’s instincts and policing role shape how cases are handled and how justice is sought.

Created by Ann Donahue, Carol Mendelsohn, and Anthony E. Zuiker, CSI: Miami premiered in 2002 on CBS. The series starred David Caruso as Horatio Caine, alongside Emily Procter, Omar Benson Miller, Jonathan Togo, and Adam Rodriguez.

Over its run the show drew a range of industry recognition, collecting numerous television nominations and a handful of wins, mainly in technical categories like makeup and sound. Performances, particularly the lead role, attracted attention too, though the series didn’t dominate major award seasons compared with some peers.

The program left a clear pop culture imprint, especially through Horatio Caine’s sunglasses and signature one-liner moments that became internet memes. Its sun-drenched Miami aesthetic, dramatic slow-motion sequences, and emphatic crime-scene reveals helped shape how later procedurals staged forensic work and stylized investigators as television icons.

Critics and audiences often disagreed, but viewers kept tuning in, reflected in steady fan interest and a 7.709/10 vote average from 1,664 users. Recurring themes include the tension between law enforcement and scientific method, moral ambiguity in pursuing justice, team loyalty under pressure, and the personal cost of working close to violent crime.