All together now, CSI fans: Breathe. Executive producer Carol Mendelsohn assures me that her team was anything but blindsided by the upcoming departure of William Petersen. “We do have a plan,” she says. And that plan includes not only Grissom’s sure-to-be-stellar swan song, but also the arrival of some new blood (one with funky DNA), the return of some old blood (welcome back, Jorja Fox!) and an episode that’s been nearly nine years in the making. Here, Mendelsohn and fellow EP Naren Shankar offer an exclusive preview of what will go down when this sure-to-be-controversial season starts up.
* Jorja Fox will be back for “multiple” episodes, beginning with September’s season premiere — an hour that will also feature an appearance by Gary Dourdan’s Warrick, who was seemingly shot to death in last May’s finale. “We’re not saying whether or not Warrick lives or dies,” hedges Mendelsohn, “but we will say that the premiere may be the last time our loyal fans see the entire original CSI cast together.”
* Previously-announced addition Lauren Lee Smith (The L Word) joins the cast in the third episode as new CSI Riley Adams. “She will come in to ostensibly replace Sara Sidle,” says Mendelsohn. “She has a very distinct personality… a very wry sense of humor. She doesn’t take herself too seriously.” Adds Shankar: “This is a person who, unlike the rest of our gang, has not had Grissom as a mentor. So there’s a very different relationship between Riley and Grissom.”
* Another new CSI, this time a male, will be brought in later this fall, but “he will not appear on the landscape as a CSI to begin with,” teases Mendelsohn. “He’s a professor with background in pathology. He will appear when Grissom is investigating what will be a two-part case. He will help Grissom and the team bring the perpetrator to justice, and then this character will stay around and ultimately become a CSI.” And although Mendelsohn says the new guy (who will possess a very rare genetic abnormality) will “not necessarily [replace Grissom as] supervisor,” he’ll inevitably be branded Petersen’s replacement — if for no other reason than the caliber of actor being sought for the role: Kurt Russell, Laurence Fishburne and John Malkovich are said to be at the top of CBS’ wish list. Of the three, Mendelsohn would only confirm that Malkovich was approached, adding that “scheduling conflicts” had quickly taken him out of the running.
* Current cast members Liz Vassey (lab rat Wendy) and David Berman (coroner David) have been upped to full-fledged series regulars. Wallace Langham’s Hodges, meanwhile, will become more prominent.
* Arguably the drama’s most infamous serial menace to date, the Miniature Killer, “will come back for an episode,” Mendelsohn reveals. “Grissom will cross paths with her.”
* Finally, the show will celebrate its landmark 200th episode this spring with a blockbuster installment helmed once again by Petersen’s good friend (and To Live and Die in L.A. director) William Friedkin. Is it fair to assume that this could be the episode in which Petersen debuts as a very special CSI guest star? “Billy will definitely be on the set for Mr. Friedkin’s episode — whether it’s behind the camera or in front of the camera is TBD,” Mendelsohn teases. “I don’t think you’ll be able to keep him away once he’s back in L.A.”
Wait, there’s more — but you have to pick up this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly to find out what other cool surprise CSI has in store for you this season. That’s on sale this Friday, but there’s plenty to do in the meantime. For starters, you could start filling up the comments section with your thoughts on CSI: TNG. Will these new characters fill the void left by Petersen, Fox and Dourdan? Can they? Are you sticking with CSI for the long haul? Or are you now thinking of playing the field Thursdays at 9? Discuss below!
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Damn. Malkovich, one of my favorite actors, would have kept me watching after William Petersen leaves. Oh well.
I adore the show. It’s been one of my must-watch shows for years and will continue to be even after Grissom leaves. I haven’t enjoyed Warrick’s character for awhile, so his departure doesn’t mean too much for me and while I’m going to miss WP’s Grissom a lot, I love the other characters enough that I am not going anywhere. Now, if Greg leaves, I’m outta here.
*laugh*
Kurt Russell on CSI? Well, that would be something indeed, although I’d be very surprised if he accepts the role.
With all these changes, I wouldn’t be surprised if this next season premiere is the highest rated yet.
I’m definitely watching if they can really get John Malkovich to replace William Petersen.
Wow, what a disappointment. I like Grissom. But why do these shows always have to bring in women with low-cut blouses instead of decently dressed/professionally dressed women with brains and some modesty??? Sexual inuendos may attrack many with no morals themselves, but not the majority. We women get tired of being exploited like that. When will Hollywood grow up?
Whew! Sounds like they have a plan, I hope it will be interesting and go well. As I said on the last page…keeping my fingers crossed!
The show will not be the same without Grissom. No matter what you do not it will not be CSI that I never missed. Oh, and keep dealing about the crimes and not the private lives of the other people. I will watch but I will have to see what happens before I commit to watching it.
two words – andre braugher
With Grissom leaving, wouldn’t Catherine expect to get the “Supervisor” position? How will this effect her positioning, with an “outsider” stepping in? Hopefully the transition will be an equitable transition.
CSI wn’t be the same without grissom.iwon’t be back to watch this season.
I like Andre Braugher/Forrest Whitaker/Jay Karnes for the supervisor position, also add Brian J White and Alex O’Laughlin. Please let them wear regular detective.investigator clothes and not dress like they’re in GQ magazine because that crap is annoying.
i just hope the writes give grissom a great send off and that we will c alot of him on the show after i will except him as a guest star but i wont put the label of wp’s replacement on the actor hu comes in coz that would make me automatically not lyk him and i dont want that to happen so i will watch but if nick or greg leave i’m sorry but i will b gone
As long as Nick stays, I am there.
Ooo Bob what a great actor to mention! Andre Braugher would be such a fabulous replacement for Petersen. He would keep me watching the show.
Dang, Grissom’s my hero, and the hero of wonks and zen master wannabes everywhere. Let’s hope the writing stays good.
Thursday’s at night will remain CSI time in my house. Unless, of course, somebody dumb at Fox schedules House opposite it.
Grissom is the Man
If Marg is there I am there.
i’m pretty much done with this show. i miss Sara most of all. i’ll miss Warrick. and it’s not CSI without Grissom. for such a hugely successful show, that has a formula that obviously works, why the heck are they changing it so much???? it just won’t be the same. i’ll stick with reruns on Spike.
I’ve always said when Grissom / Petersen goes, so will I. The show hasn’t been the same without Jorja Fox / Sara Sidle and the romance between Grissom and Sara, but I could live with out it as long as William Petersen was still a big part of CSI. With him gone, there will be no reason left to watch. Grissom is one of those characters writers and actors dream of creating. Billy is the only man who could have given him the life he did. I wish William Petersen the best as he moves back to the theater (and can’t wait to see him live again), but I’ll miss him on CSI. TPTB at CSI may think they won’t lose viewers without so many of the original cast, but I think they’re mistaken. It was the chemistry of this great ensemble that made CSI: LV unique and the #1 show on TV for so long. It won’t be the same without any of them – most especially William Petersen as Grissom. Season 9, Episode 10 is the last CSI I’ll watch – except for those “Special Guest” appearances by Billy.
I definitely do not miss Jorja Fox. that Sara/Grissom relationship was just plain creepy. I don’t think the show will sink if Grissom goes away – case in point – when “Gil” took his “sabbatical”, the shows were great. Sad to see Warrick go, but I was getting tired of his demons coming back to haunt him repeatedly. I look forward to more “Greg”!!
Hooray for making Liz Vassey a regular! I can’t wait to see more of Wendy and her sparing with Hodges
The remarkable chemistry with the original cast is what I watch CSI for. With half of them gone, I can’t keep watching. I have zero interest in the lab guys and no matter the new CSI charcters, they won’t be Warrick, Sara or even touch Grissom. Best thing to do is retire the show after this yr’s.
Hey, CSI producers: Find out if Andre Braugher is available. He’d be an awesome Grissom replacement, even if he couldn’t be Frank Pembelton.
How about Jonathan Frakes? Talk about somebody who could play a character that’s polar opposite of Grissom’s style.
CSI won’t be CSI without Grissom
how about James Spader
I’ll keep watching as long as Marg is on the show. She’s the only reason I’ve been watching for the last two seasons anyway. If she had left, there’s no way I would have stucke around and suffered through Grissom and Sara’s so-called ‘romance’.
As disturbing as the recent departures were, the show would have survived, maybe even excelled, as long as its’ soul remained and that is Mr. Petersen. I can’t imagine the show going on without him … I can’t imagine who could possibly replace him … unless the show changes its’ stripes drastically and becomes moronic a la CSI Miami [there are a lot more Carusos out there than Petersens!] … the ratings may hold steady by attracting a different set but I won’t be part of it. Warrick’s death was hard to take but this?
I dread losing William Petersen in addition to Gary Dourdan, but I’ll admit the producers have me intrigued by the new castings. Too bad they couldn’t get Malkovich, he is my all time favorite actor. I’d watch any show he was on.
I hope that CBS has really thought this through about letting William Petersen go. I realize sometimes it’s not the writers/producers fault but the decision of the actor. In my opinion the character of Grissom kind of was the connecting link of the entire crew. He was a good supervisor and employee but most of all he was his crew’s friends. He somehow when out of his way to help his crew outside of working ours in their lives and when they needed orientation. To me he is the heart of the entire CSI Las Vegas body. It will be really difficult to replace a character that gave such an example of how to be good supervisor as well as the experience and knowledge of being a CSI. I realize that the program’s focus should be on science of being a CSI but unfortunately the direction that the program has taken is to connect the job of a CSI and how unwillingly sometimes this type of job can affect your personal lives.
To me it was a good 8 years!