The Parks And Recreation Star You Likely Forgot Appeared On CSI: Miami

It's almost too easy to forget these days, but "CSI: Miami" was on the air for a very long time. The first of the "CSI" spin-offs made its network debut back in 2002 and proceeded to air well over 200 episodes of crime-solving drama over its ensuing 10-season run. David Caruso was, of course, front and center throughout it all, portraying quippy, sunglasses-loving Lieutenant Horatio Caine. The steely-eyed actor was flanked every step of the way by a crack cast of supporting players, some of whom have gone on to bigger, better gigs since the show ended.

As "CSI: Miami" followed a pretty straightforward "crime of the week" format, that cast of regulars was naturally bolstered by a revolving door of actors who often showed up for just a single episode of the series. And yes, some of those one-off players went on to become major stars in their own right. That includes a notable cast member from NBC's beloved workplace comedy "Parks and Recreation." Here is the actor who appeared on "CSI: Miami" before they became a mainstay in Pawnee, Indiana.

That actor is Adam Scott, who joined the cast of "Parks and Recreation" in Season 2 as state auditor Ben Wyatt and stayed on until the series finale. As for Scott's "CSI: Miami" tenure, it was considerably shorter and came nearly a decade before "Parks and Recreation" helped make him a household name. 

Scott made his lone appearance on the poorly regarded Season 2 of "CSI: Miami" in an episode titled "Stalkerazzi." His role is pretty significant, too, as Scott plays the creep of the week, Danny Cato. That character is an A-list movie star who ends up killing a local woman in Miami. As the episode's title portends, the murder is fatefully captured by a photographer eager to get a lucrative shot of Cato. Things naturally don't go well for Cato once Horatio Caine and company are on the case. 

If you're a fan of Scott in general, it's a ton of fun to watch him break bad on the show. Serious fans of his work know that the "CSI: Miami" gig was just one of dozens the actor made prior to "Parks and Recreation." In fact, the actor booked an impressive and widely varied string of film and television appearances in the 1990s and 2000s. Regarding the broad range of work, Scott told NPR that he took an "anything goes" approach to the early days of his career, saying, "As far as what types of roles, it was literally anything. Any way of getting a speaking role. I really didn't care what it was ..."

Considering the actor has since received his first Emmy nomination for his acclaimed performance in "Severance," it looks like it all paid off in the end.