The show uses a blend of codes and conventions for crime drama, as well as a modernised feel. The level of gratuitous violence is more coarse than many other crime dramas, especially on a main television network in the USA. The score and soundtrack to the show has more range than a usual crime drama. Where many stick to a specific score to avoid copyright difficulties, CSI openly uses songs by a variety of artists, and has been known to feature some musicians on-screen to perform their songs for a sequence. CSI uses this to attract a more mainstream audience, with younger people possibly being targeted as well as the usual adult audience for the timeslot and genre.
The Who have contributed to the opening theme tune of all three CSI series', 'Who Are You' being the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation theme; 'Baba O Riley' being the CSI: New York theme; and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' being the CSI: Miami theme. Besides the heavy use of culturally relevant mainstream music, and the intense fast cut sequences for flashbacks and reconstructions - the show's camera work is fairly typical of the crime drama genre. Many of the shots are close-ups to register reactions of those involved, there is uses of panning, tracking and single shot movement in more pacy scenes. The camera work adheres to the mood of the scene, with more dramatic, conversational and emotional based moments having little camera movement and often focussing on one specific person in any one shot. The faster moments, including the pre-credit crime sequences, or the multiple cast sequences in the CSI headquarters can have heavy use of what makes the show more unique than many others within this genre, with much of it feeling rather futuristic in some places. The show is also known for its unique panning shots of the cities it features in, with jump cuts occasionally being used to emphasise the notable fast pace of the show.
Much like the camera work, the lighting often echoes mood. It also can depend on the setting. In CSI: Miami, there is a notable amount of bright colour to represent the exotic weather. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, set in Las Vegas, often is set at night due to the famous bright lights of the Vegas strip, and its casino-based night-life. CSI: New York is often a mix between the two. Due to the genre, the mood can darken, and the cinematography can reflect that.
As a crime drama, CSI often attempts to subvert some of the conventions of the genre, whilst still retaining some of the almost unavoidable key techniques. It's modernised style and emphasis on fast paced editing make it a bigger target for a younger audience than a typically adult (middle-aged to even elderly) aimed crime drama.
