"It takes time to understand the business, understand the whole system of how it works," said producer Jerry Bruckheimer in a recent interview with Variety.

Bruckheimer is best known for his big budget movie productions, but after conquering the big screen, the producer set his eyes on television. "The quality of the work on TV is something that I've long thought was so good," he said, "I thought we'd jump in and use the same kind of talent as we use in features, but do it on the small screen."

A phenomenon he calls 'Feature TV', this idea has conned shows such as CSI, its spin-offs, and a myriad other procedural dramas. What makes the shows so popular, Warner Bros president Peter Roth explained, is the viewers' insatiable need to see justice prevail.

"Post-9/11, audiences were clamoring for shows about heroes in control, who were able to solve crimes and solve problems," he said. "They wanted something reassuring and reaffirming. Bruckheimer's timing was perfect, and he brought a look, a tone, a style, a spirit and a feel that had not been seen on network TV."

Not only has CSI become the most watched series on television, it's also the most successful weekly syndicated show since Star Trek: The Next Generation. "He's the best in the business -- quite frankly, the best of all time," says King World topper Roger King, who has overseen the off-net and cable TV sales of all three CSI series. "I believe these franchises can run for the next 50 years."

The original articles can be found over at Daily Variety. Thanks to Al Forno for the heads up!

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