How did ‘CSI: Vegas’ season 3 end, and what would have happened in season 4?

When CSI: Vegas premiered in 2021, it wasn’t a huge surprise that the popular CSI series would get another spinoff. Over the past three seasons, it was a joy watching Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) be in charge of the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

While we couldn’t wait to see what Max would get up to in the season 3 finale, “Tunnel Vision,” CSI: Vegas turned out to be one of the TV shows canceled by CBS in 2024. Here’s what the main storyline of the series finale was and what fans might have seen in season 4.

What happened in the CSI: Vegas season 3 finale?

The CSI: Vegas season 3 finale was a particularly wild episode, which makes it even worse that there won’t be any more episodes. Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger), Chris Park (Jay Lee), and Max investigate a lab only to find themselves trying to escape from poisonous gas. While they’re searching for Truman Thomas (Owain Yeoman), they find themselves close to death instead. Gray Suit (Faran Tahir) then aims a gun at Max, putting her in a horrifying situation.

Thankfully, Serena Chavez (Ariana Guerra) and Josh Folsom (Matt Lauria) make sure Max lives, although of course Max uses her intelligence to solve the predicament she’s in, as usual.

The CSI: Vegas season 3 finale allows the show to dive deep into the tension between technology and humans. In her quest to stop Truman, who runs a lab that focuses on hacking DNA and AI, Max gets caught up in Gray Suit, the leader of Saudis who work their way inside the lab.

What stands out the most about this episode, though, is that it was meant to simply be a season finale. Instead, CSI: Vegas didn’t get a season 4 renewal, and that was that for Max and the other clever characters.

What could viewers expect from CSI: Vegas season 4?

The creator and showrunner of CSI: Vegas haven’t officially shared what season 4 of the spinoff would have looked like. While this episode was a scary ride, it’s amazing to imagine what could have been included.

According to several publications, a screener of the CSI: Vegas finale included a killer who likely would have been featured in season 4. It’s possible this storyline might have been added later on. Even if it was removed for good, though, Max and her colleagues would have still likely found themselves fighting some evil characters in season 4.

One potential CSI: Vegas season 4 storyline seems to be Max’s love interest, Dean. Paula Newsome told TV Line, “She’s always there for other people, she’s there for her job, and now you find out there’s somebody that’s there for her, and that’s beautiful.” It would have been great to see more of Max’s personal life in season 4. While of course it was fun to watch her brilliant career as a DNA analyst in the well-crafted season 3 of CSI: Vegas, we would have enjoyed seeing Max fall in love.

Paula Newsome spoke about the cancelation of CSI: Vegas in an interview with TV Insider and said she was “grateful” to portray Max. She called the character “strong” and “smart” and praised Max’s “warmth.” Newsome added, “I also love that she travels in a skin that we weren’t used to seeing at the head of a lab on network television shows.”

Although it’s sadly time to say goodbye to Max, we’ll always have three great seasons of CSI: Vegas to look back on.