‘CSI: Cyber’ Review: Patricia Arquette Plugs In Franchise, Says Dominic Patten

Debuting Wednesday on CBS, the newest installment in the CSI franchise features Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette. Yet, despite being the fourth series in the franchise the show is, as I say in my video review above, surprisingly fresh.

And make no mistake about it, CSI: Cyber is truly the Patricia Arquette show. The first CSI to be led by a woman, this latest incarnation is very 2015 while not trying any sort of genre or franchise overreach in what has obviously been a successful endeavor for CBS over most of the past 15 years.

While the spinoff had its debut of a sorts last April as part of the original CSI, it can’t go unmentioned that the series sees Arquette returning to network TV less than two weeks after winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her 12-year role in Boyhood. Also impossible to leave unmentioned was the stirring speech Arquette gave on stage, demanding wage equality for women.

The new show isn’t about wage equality, but perhaps having Arquette as lead is a blow for acting-role equality. The show follows cases from the darkest corners of our digital world. It also stars James Van Der Beek, rapper Bow Wow and Peter MacNicol. And, yes, it has a tune by The Who as its theme song, though you won’t get fooled again by this sturdy new entry in a durable franchise.

Take a look at my review. Are you planning to log in to CSI: Cyber? Let us know.

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