Zuiker Reveals How 'CSI' Came To Life

TV Zone Magazine's 62nd issue features an interview with creator Anthony Zuiker, who revealed how CSI came to be.

Zuiker has no qualms about admiting his hit television series was inspired by nothing more than pure television. "I was watching a show about crime scene investigators with my wife and it seemed like a good idea for a drama series," he said.

Network executives thought so, too, and to get a feel of what a CSI's job is really like, the creator decided to experience it first hand. "I got to shadow some real Las Vegas CSIs, and one of the first jobs they took me on involved a guy who had been murdered in his motel room by a prostitute and her pimp," Zuiker told the magazine. "They’d got the pimp, but there was no sign of the prostitute. I was given the job of combing the carpet for clues. So I was down on my hands and knees crawling and as I got over by the bed I looked underneath and there was the prostitute hiding, and looking back at me. That was when I realized I was really on to something."

Zuiker is still stunned about CSI's popularity, but is mostly grateful about the positive message the series allows him to send to the audience. "When I created the show back in 2000 all I hoped was that it got on air and did well. But ultimately we're educating America and the world about the process of Crime Scene Investigators [...] We are demonstrating that they are giving peace of mind and closure to the survivors. When a CSI unit meets you on the worst day of your life, there’s somebody out there that’s on your side. I think that's an important message to send the world, especially in these trying times."

To read the full article, visit TV Zone's official website for a preview of their latest issue. The magazine, which is available for purchase online, also includes interviews with actors Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows), David Caruso (Horatio Caine), and Melina Kanakaredes (Stella Bonasera). Thanks go out to Ria for this!

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