Arrogance no longer holds David Caruso's face taut. When CBS' "CSI: Miami" premiered six years ago, it hinged on the swagger of Caruso, who had left "NYPD Blue" some years before in an attempt to become a film star, only to find himself back in blue.
But the years have weathered his character, Horatio Caine, to the point now where even his signature moves -- the removing and replacing of his sunglasses, the blunt puns so mercilessly mocked in any number of YouTube mash-ups -- lack their original luster.
Franchise producers were a little wiser in their unveiling of Gary Sinise's Mac Taylor, the alpha cop on CBS' "CSI: NY," which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Unlike Caine, Taylor has fewer notable tics and more of a reliable affect. He's stiff and slightly abrasive, with a soft, chewy center -- not unlike the city itself.
This week, "CSI: Miami," which airs Mondays at 10 p.m., celebrates its 150th episode, and "CSI: NY" will broadcast its 100th. Together with the original "CSI," now in its ninth season, they make for one of television's marquee franchises, on a par that includes only "Law & Order" and its myriad spinoffs.
The original "CSI" has been admirably consistent over the years. Its anchor tenants -- William Petersen as Gil Grissom, Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows -- have provided the show with focus even with sometimes ludicrous story lines. In the beginning, it didn't seem that the protagonists of either "CSI: Miami" or "CSI: NY" would have the seriousness to pull off the same task. The former felt bathed in light and was oppressively shiny -- you almost had to squint to watch it. By contrast, "CSI: NY" was hopelessly dark, the city rarely breaking out of blues and grays; it was begging for a flashlight.
By now, both shows have regressed to the mean somewhat, without sacrificing too much of their DNA. And notably, neither one opted for a flamboyant celebration of their milestone episode, instead relying on their finely honed traits.
Of the two, "CSI: NY" has the more vivid result. In the episode, people with the name Mac Taylor are being targeted by a serial killer, leading the team to corral all the people in the city with that name in one room. Guest casting is impressive -- one is played by Scott Wolf ("Everwood," "Party of Five") and another is played by singer Chris Daughtry. For a fleeting moment, the result has shades of "12 Angry Men."
