No one can argue against the fact thatNCISis not onlyone of the most influential forensic procedurals in TV history.Heck, it’s even one ofthe most important TV shows of all time. However,NCISdoesn’t hold a candle to another, similar TV series that premiered three years earlier, also on CBS.
CBS will air theNCISseason 23 premiere on Tuesday, October 14, at 8 pm ET, followed byNCIS: Originsseason 2 at 9 pm ET andNCIS: Sydneyseason 3 at 10 pm ET (perTV Insider).
The one major advantage thatNCIShas going for it is that it’s currently airing.The military police procedural TV series is heading into its twenty-third season on CBS,and it’s somehow showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.NCIShas also created a shared universefull of spinoffs, prequels, and more. Nevertheless, one other show still beatsNCIS.
CSI Premiered In 2000
AlthoughNCISis a leading force in the forensic procedural genre,CSI: Crime Scene Investigationsurpasses it.CSIdebuted in 2000and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Since it premiered three years beforeNCIS, perhapsCSIhad a slight edge, but regardless of when created, the earlier series will likely always be considered the greatest forensic procedural of all time.
NCISalso followed a blueprint thatCSIperfected,meaning it benefited from the first show’s success. IfCSIhad never existed,NCISand all its spinoffswouldn’t have accomplished as much as they have over the years. Consequently, the CBS military police procedural series has become one of the longest-running TV shows of all time and has produced six spinoffs.
CSI Was So Influential That The “CSI Effect” Is Named For It
CSI Was A Cultural Phenomenon
Yes, many would labelNCISas one of the most iconic forensic procedurals ever.It has run for 23 seasons and produced more than1,000 episodes (across theNCISfranchise), after all. However, it never caused a phenomenon so influential and widespread that it was taught in schools likeCSI: Crime Scene Investigationdid with theCSIeffect.
Aside from influencing public perception, theCSIeffect can also be applied to how the creation ofCSIpopularized crime shows.
TheCSIeffect is an encompassing term for how the series shaped public perception regarding forensic science.Since it was a fictional show, most of the forensic science portrayed on the screen was exaggerated or false. Still, many applied what they learned from watchingCSIto real life, causing jurors to have unrealistic expectations of having quick, concrete forensic evidence in court.
Aside from influencing public perception, theCSIeffect can also be applied to how the creation ofCSIpopularized crime shows. Some of the top series in the mid to late 2000s were of the police procedural genre. So, if it weren’t forCSI, we wouldn’t have shows such asCold Case,Bones,Criminal Minds,Without a Trace, orevenNCIS.
