Anthony Zuiker

Anthony Zuiker didn't just create one of television's most successful series when he wrote the pilot for "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS 2000-15), he created a multi-million dollar franchise. The forensic police procedural show was such a phenomenal success that it spawned two spin-offs -- "CSI: Miami" (CBS 2002-12) and "CSI: NY" (CBS 2004-13) -- as well as a slew of tie-in novels, comic books, video games and even a interactive science exhibition. Zuiker often professed himself to be amazed that his initial script for the show's science-heavy pilot was filmed virtually unchanged as he didn't know the rules of television storytelling. His continuing disregard of conventional wisdom led him to create a new form of storytelling -- what he termed the "digi-novel" -- with his successful "Level 26" series of serial killer thrillers, and to explore new forms of digital distribution with his webseries "Cybergeddon."