CSI: Vegas Season 2 - What We Know So Far

"CSI: Vegas" adds another chapter of gristly fun to CBS' long-lived "Crime Scene Investigation" series of programs. The new drama brings Gil Grissom (William Petersen), Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), and David Hodges (Wallace Langham) — all of whom appeared on the original "CSI" starting in 2000 — back into the fold. But it also introduces us to a new crime lab team. That fresh crew includes Paula Newsome as lab head Maxine "Max" Roby, Matt Lauria as Level III CSI Joshua "Josh" Folsom, Mandeep Dhillon as Level III CSI Allie Rajan, and Mel Rodriguez as chief medical examiner Dr. Hugo Ramirez. 

Together, Grissom and the gang team up to investigate a newly-uncovered conspiracy that has placed Hodges' freedom – and the lab's reputation – in jeopardy. This information might undo years of forensic work and vacate the sentences of lots of dangerous criminals. While trying to clear Hodges' name in Season 1, Episode 5 and save the reputation of their lab, the investigators also work on a group of new, unrelated, and characteristically grim cases, like pulling a roasted body out of a luau pit and figuring out how it got there.

The show may have been developed as a limited series, but "could become an ongoing series running for multiple seasons," according to executive producer Jason Tracey (per Deadline). With the first season's 10th and final episode set to air on December 8 (via IMDb), it's fair to speculate about the show's future. What might the 2nd season of "CSI: Vegas" look like? Who would appear in it, and what sort of cases would they solve? Here's what we know thus far.

As of press time, "CSI: Vegas" has not yet been renewed for a second season. If it's picked up this month, fans can expect a bit of a delay before the show resumes filming — it's likely that "CSI: Vegas" won't resume production until the spring or summer of 2022, along with most other prime time series. That means the second season of "CSI: Vegas" would likely debut sometime in the early to mid-fall of 2022. 

Though we don't currently know the fate of "CSI: Vegas," one might be able to look towards the show's performance in the ratings to determine whether or not more episodes may be in the cards. Since bowing in October of 2021, "CSI: Vegas" has performed adequately, though not spectacularly, in its timeslot. Per TV Line, its most recently aired episode has stayed steady with its series premiere, garnering a 0.4 in the ratings. But the series has dipped as low as 0.3 in recent weeks. Nevertheless, the end result is viewership of 3.97 million people, bringing "CSI: Vegas"' timeslot up by 54% compared to what CBS drew with other programs during the 2020-2021 season (via Variety). 

But "CSI: Vegas" has had difficulty competing with the "One Chicago" juggernaut; per Variety, the series' direct competition, "Chicago P.D.," pulled in a 0.7 rating with 5.61 million viewers on the night of "Vegas"' debut. Per TVLine, While "P.D." has dipped as well, they haven't fallen quite as far, staying at around a 0.6 from week to week. CBS will likely take this all into consideration when they choose which shows to cancel and which ones to renew.

It's quite likely that the whole team — as played by William Petersen, Jorja Fox, Wallace Langham, Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria, Mandeep Dhillon, and Mel Rodriguez –  will return should "CSI: Vegas" be picked up for a new season. While the program is an ensemble show, it would be particularly hard to replace Sidle and Grissom in the show's plot. Whether audiences will be introduced to more new crew members or if even more old members from the original "CSI" team will arrive in Vegas remains to be seen.

Jorja Fox, for one, seems excited to continue her work as Sara Sidle. "Sara obviously is my favorite character that I've ever played. I would never, ever tire of being Sara," Fox told Parade Magazine before Season 1 of "CSI: Vegas" debuted. She added that she would "wait and see what evolves" from the audience's response to the show. 

"Honestly, I think a lot of that's going to be up to the fans and to the audience... If viewers respond to the show, then I know that Jason Tracey's got a million amazing stories that he can't wait to tell," she said.

It's unlikely that the 2nd season of "CSI: Vegas" would tamper with its winning formula. That means the theoretical Season 2 would likely combine a victim of the week plot with an overarching umbrella story involving the entire team.

Per the usual "CSI" formula, that means each new episode will bring a new corpse, usually killed creatively and most likely gruesomely, to the table. The team will then apply their forensics skills to the case. The crime will take them in a surprising direction, and probably bring a heretofore unknown facet of a character's personal life to light. The overarching plot will threaten the entire team and require teamwork from the entire squad to solve the issue. Naturally, relationships will develop and break apart, crimes will be solved, and fans will stay perched on the edges of their seats as each fresh moment plays out before their delighted eyes.