CSI: NY — The Danny Messer Character Explained (& Where You've Seen The Actor) (2024)

Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo) is a major character in CSI: NY and sharp-eyed viewers may recognize Giovinazzo from previous roles. CSI: NY is one of five TV shows in the CSI franchise, all following the different Crime Scene Investigation units of major US city police departments. In CSI: NY, the crime scene forensics unit and the police department of the NYPD were the focus of nine seasons, from 2004 to 2013. CSI: NY has a stronger focus on the characters than other series in the franchise and the cast is one of the more deeply constructed in the universe.

Taking place in New York City soon after 9/11, the characters in CSI: New York are a little more scarred and frustrated than the cast of similar shows. In the show, most members of the NYPD are forced to regularly deal with difficult personal dilemmas and experiences, making for a particularly gritty and thought-provoking tone. There are only a handful of characters who stayed with the show from start to finish and one, Danny Messer, is played by an actor whose name many fans may not know but will certainly recognize.

Danny Messer Is A Detective Third Grade On CSI: NY

Messer Is A Talented And Empathetic Detective

Danny Messer is a Detective Third Grade and a Crime Scene Investigator in the NYPD crime lab. He works directly under Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) and is a talented investigator, thoughhis line between lawful and lawless is often fuzzy. Messer grew up in a family that was constantly under surveillance by the police, so he has a bit of a gray understanding of the police and lawbreakers, an empathetic approach that often sees him butting heads with Mac, but also makes him an excellent detective.

Danny is first introduced in season 1, episode 1, and appears in every successive episode of the series. He's highly ambitious and hopes to take over the crime lab one day. Humorous in tough situations, kind to others, and generally keeping a calm demeanor, the job would be all but secured if Danny did not let his personal code of ethics often get in the way of his work. It's an admirable trait, but not always great for upward mobility.

Danny has had many key storylines in CSI: NY, including being blamed for an adolescent murder, being taken hostage by the Irish mob, and earning a career-changing promotion. But his most important storyline is his relationship with Detective Lindsay Monroe (Anna Belknap), who eventually becomes his wife and mother of his two children. Carmine Giovinazzo's performance is multi-faceted and makes Danny a sympathetic character even when he's doing something the audience knows is wrong.

Danny Messer Actor Carmine Giovinazzo Has Starred In Black Hawk Down & The Offer

Giovinazzo' Biggest Role Is Still CSI: NY

While CSI: NY is Giovinazzo's most significant role, he's had plenty of other noteworthy performances, including film appearances in the war movie Black Hawk Down as SGT Mike Goodale and Duke as Dare. On TV, Giovinazzo plays technical advisor Sonny Grosso in The Offer miniseries, about the making of The Godfather. The actor also played Christopher Boal in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sid Markham in Graceland.

Danny Messer on CSI: NY is really Giovinazzo's most well-rounded performance. The part allows him to tap into a humor that his other characters in more serious works can't show, or that he simply doesn't have time to present it in his smaller parts. While Giovinazzo is not always the central character in the TV shows and movies he's a part of, his confident and capable presence is a good indicator that something will be worth watching, even if he doesn't get to play a character as fleshed out as Danny Messer on CSI: NY.

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CSI: NY (2004)

TV-14

Crime

Drama

Mystery

A gritty spin-off set in New York City, this procedural drama follows Detective Mac Taylor and his team of forensic experts as they unravel complex criminal cases using scientific skills and evidence left behind at crime scenes. The series examines the personal and professional lives of the team members, set against the backdrop of the busy and often harsh realities of the New York City criminal justice system.

Cast

Gary Sinise , Melina Kanakaredes , Carmine Giovinazzo , Hill Harper , Eddie Cahill

Release Date

September 22, 2004

Seasons

9

Creator(s)

Anthony E. Zuiker , Ann Donahue , Carol Mendelsohn