CBS Renews Mel Rodriguez’s “CSI: Vegas” for Second Season

There are more investigations in Mel Rodriguez’s future…

CBS has renewed its freshman drama CSI: Vegas, starring the 48-year-old Latino actor, for a second season to premiere during the 2022-2023 broadcast season.

Mel Rodriguez, CSI: VegasA sequel to the groundbreaking 2000 series, season 1 of CSI: Vegas was led by the original series’ stars William Petersen and Jorja Fox.

Petersen had only signed on to reprise his role as Gil Grissom in the initial 10-episode installment. He’ll not continue as an actor but will remain an executive producer for Season 2. According to sources, Fox’s contract allows her to continue as Sara Sidle if she chooses to, and the series’ producers are hopeful that she may come back.

“The incredibly talented CSI: Vegas creative team and cast did a superb job this first season, brilliantly updating and portraying the CSI universe with fresh stories and a new crime lab, proving that after 20 years, the CSI fan base is still hungry for more and ready to embrace a new chapter in this illustrious franchise,” said Amy Reisenbach, EVP Current Programs at CBS.

CSI: Vegas improved its Wednesday night 10:00 pm time slot by +60% in viewers, according to Nielsen data. While it got off to an inauspicious start in linear ratings, the series proved a strong delayed viewing/streaming draw. Through the first nine episodes (as of Dec. 1), CSI: Vegas added +3.10m viewers (6.81m from 3.71m, +84%) with 7-day playback. This is the highest playback of any new drama on any network, per CBS. The first season of CSI: Vegas is streaming on Paramount+. No streaming data is being released, but, according to sources, the revival has been performing very well on the platform.

Additionally, CSI: Vegas‘ ratings followed an unusual trajectory. Possibly helped by the serialized, season-long arc, the numbers started consistently picking up after the traditional post-premiere dip.

Season 1 opened a new chapter in Las Vegas – the city where it all began, introducing a serialized storytelling to the classic crime procedural drama. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the entire Crime Lab and release thousands of convicted killers back onto the neon-lit streets of Vegas, a brilliant new team of investigators led by Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) enlisted the help of old friends, Gil Grissom (Petersen) and Sara Sidle (Fox), to investigate a case centered around former colleague David Hodges (Wallace Langham). This combined force deployed the latest forensic techniques to follow the evidence – to preserve and serve justice in Sin City. The first season also starred Matt Lauria, Mandeep Dhillon and Rodriguez.

CSI: Vegas
 is produced by CBS Studios in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and distributed internationally by ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group.

CBS Releases First Official Trailer for Mel Rodriguez’s “CSI: Vegas”

Mel Rodriguez is officially on the case…

CBS has released the first official trailer for CSI: Vegas, starring the 48-year-old Latino actor, ahead of its October 6 premiere.

Mel Rodriguez, CSI: Vegas

The sequel to the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigationfeatures returning stars William Petersen, Jorja Fox, and Wallace Langham, and newly added series regulars Rodriguez, Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria and Mandeep Dhillon. Paul Guilfoyle will reprise the role of Jim Brass as a guest star in two episodes.

CSI: Vegas opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

“Twenty-one years ago, we launched CSI and watched in awe as this new cinematic series launched an entire genre and became a groundbreaking juggernaut that still has global resonance today,” Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment said previously. “We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of forensic criminalists to the CSI brand and unite them with the legendary characters from the past who we still love, including the extraordinary Billy Petersen and Jorja Fox. Crimefighting technology has advanced dramatically over the last several years and combined with classic CSI storytelling, we can’t wait to watch this new CSI team do what they do best: follow the evidence.”

CSI: Vegas hails from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

CBS Releases First Look at Mel Rodriguez’s “CSI” Sequel, “CSI: Vegas”

Mel Rodriguez is seeking the truth…

CBS had released the first-look teaser for CSI: Vegas, the sequel to the the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, starring the 48-year-old Latino actor.

Mel Rodriguez

The sequel features returning CSI stars William Petersen, Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham, who are joined by new series regulars Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Rodriguez and Mandeep Dhillon.

CSI: Vegas opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

CSI: Vegas hails from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

https://twitter.com/CBSTVStudios/status/1418024052732547074

The sequel premieres on Wednesday, October 6 at 10/9c on CBS.

CBS Gives Straight-to-Series Order to “CSI: Vegas,” Starring Mel Rodriguez

Mel Rodriguez is officially hitting the (crime) scene

CBS has given a straight-to-series order to CSI: Vegas, a sequel – starring the 47-year-old Latino actor – to the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, for the 2021-21 season.

Mel Rodriguez

Headlined by returning CSI stars William Petersen and Jorja Fox, joined by new series regulars Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Rodriguez and Mandeep Dhillon, CSI: Vegas hails from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

Also coming back is another fan favorite CSI cast member, Wallace Langham, reprising his role as David Hodges.

With CSI: Vegas, the most watched drama series of the 21st century, CSI, opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

Rodriguez is reportedly playing Hugo who took over as Head Medical Examiner three years ago.

“Twenty-one years ago, we launched CSI and watched in awe as this new cinematic series launched an entire genre and became a groundbreaking juggernaut that still has global resonance today,” said Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment. “We are thrilled to welcome the next generation of forensic criminalists to the CSI brand and unite them with the legendary characters from the past who we still love, including the extraordinary Billy Petersen and Jorja Fox. Crimefighting technology has advanced dramatically over the last several years, and combined with classic CSI storytelling, we can’t wait to watch this new CSI team do what they do best: follow the evidence.”

Mel Rodriguez to Star in CBS’ Upcoming Series “CSI: Vegas”

Mel Rodriguez is joining the force…

The 47-year-old Latino actor has been cast as one of the leads in CSI: Vegas, which Deadline.com reports is nearing a formal straight-to-series order at CBS.

Mel Rodriguez

Rodriguez will star opposite Paula Newsome and Matt Lauria in CSI: Vegas, which serves as a sequel to the mothership CSI series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

William Petersen and Jorja Fox are reportedly finalizing their deals to star in CSI: Vegas, reprising their roles as Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle, respectively.

While billed as an event series, CSI: Vegas, from writer Jason Tracey, CBS Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Television, could become an ongoing series running for multiple seasons.

With CSI: Vegas, the most watched drama series of the 21st century, CSI, opens a new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began. Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.

Rodriguez is said to be playing Hugo, who took over as Head Medical Examiner three years ago. He has an endless fascination with the bodies that find their way onto his slab, and the morgue is his happy place. Rodrigues previously guest starred in an episode of CSI: NY (character name: Al McGrath).

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation bowed out in 2015 after 15 seasons, having launched a $1 billion franchise for CBS that spanned four series; CSI and spinoffs CSI: Miami, CSI: New York and CSI: Cyber.

Rodriguez was most recently a series regular on the Showtime series On Becoming a God In Central Florida opposite Kirsten Dunst. He was also seen opposite Anne Hathaway in Dee Rees’ The Last Thing He Wanted for Netflix. Additionally, Rodriguez recently voiced Officer Colt Bronco in the DisneyPixar animated feature Onward.