CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’s eighth season had 17 episodes because of the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike.
The season began on CBS on September 27, 2007, and concluded on May 15, 2008. It was originally associated with the show’s usual larger episode order, but the strike interrupted scripted television production during the 2007–08 broadcast season.
CSI had completed and aired 11 episodes before the work stoppage. After the strike, production resumed for six more episodes, bringing the season total to 17. That was notably shorter than seasons six and seven, which each had 24 episodes.
The shortened season is sometimes confused with later CSI seasons that also had unusual episode counts. Season 9 returned to 24 episodes, while season 10 had 23. Season 8 also marked significant cast changes: Jorja Fox’s Sara Sidle departed after the seventh episode, and Wallace Langham became part of the main cast as David Hodges.