Watching CSI

Jorja Fox sat down with TVGuideMagazine.com to talk about her return to CSI. Here’s a snippet of what she had to say:

So what prompted your return to CSI?
Right around March, I felt really rested and was itching to work—I was ready and going to meetings and auditioning. When I was in Atlanta [filming a guest shot on Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva], I got the call about CSI—it was completely out of the blue! I never thought I’d be going back to work with people that I knew, I thought I’d be starting new things. That was a surprise, so I’m going back to work and it’s with the same people who I’ve worked with for eight years in the past. [Laughs] I was thrilled! For me it was a huge compliment!

When do you begin filming?
I was there all week—they started shooting July 20. I think I’m about knee-deep back in the water. It has just been a ball and a half. I think CSI’s premiere episode is one of the best that I’ve ever read. It’s a pleasant surprise. You think, “They’re starting Season 10—how is it going to be as good as it was last year or four years ago?” And they blew me away.

Check out the rest of the interview HERE.

Woe!   The news is coming fast and furious.  Lauren Lee Smith played CSI  Riley Adams won’t be back  next season.

“She’s not going to be back for Season 10,” executive producer Naren Shankar told TV Guide. “It was an issue of how we were feeling the ensemble was working. When we brought in the character of Riley, it got lost in the shuffle a little bit because we had lost Warrick, we had lost Sara, and then in the middle of last season Grissom finally left. I think, as a result, the character never quite found its footing in terms of the rest of the gang.”

I  didn’t see this one coming.   I think she needed a little more time to gel.  We lost a lot of folks last season.   Maybe they don’t t need to pull a character from the outside.  I think Wendy would be a good CSI.  If she moved to the field that might give her and Hodges and opportunity to date.  What do you think?

Jorja will guest star in Lifetime’s new hit Drop Dead Diva as a soccer mom with a criminal past.

The show tells the story of a model who’s soul ends up in the body of smart plus-size attorney. In Second Chances (1×6), Jorja plays a soccer mom with a criminal record. Jorja’s character hires Jane, the lead character, to defend her. The show airs Sunday August 16th.

We have little more information on Jorja’s return to CSI.   According to CSI’s executive producers Naren Shankar and Carol Mendelsohn, Sara’s back to help the familial feeling’s that been lost with the changes in the team.

“The family had disintegrated a little bit,” Shankar said. “We had people off in their own bubbles, and we want to restore that family [feeling]. And Jorja’s helping with that.”

“Sara comes in and brings everyone together. And she helps Catherine understand that as the [new] leader, she needs to make the team cohesive and really fire on all cylinders again,” Mendelsohn added

Grissom and Sara are definitely still together even if everything isn’t perfect. “They’re absolutely together,” said Shankar. “We’re talking about a couple of very independent individuals who have decided to share their life together. The first few months of that for any couple are a weird adjustment.”

Article Source: Entertainment Weekly

Scan Source: Tee at YTDAW

Check it out:

LOS ANGELES, July 20 - SAG Award winner and fan favorite Jorja Fox will reprise her role as Sara Sidle on multiple episodes of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION this fall, airing Thursdays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

“We’re thrilled for Jorja’s return to CSI,” said executive producer Carol Mendelsohn. “The viewers and longtime CSI fans will be excited to discover where life has taken Sara Sidle and what brings her back to the CSI team in Las Vegas in our premiere episode.”

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, which returns for its 10th season this fall, was last season’s number one drama. Fox, who had been a series regular since the show’s first season, left during its eighth season, when her character, Sara, suffering job burnout, decided to leave the crime lab to deal with past demons. She returned briefly during season nine and then left again to do research in Costa Rica, where her former boss and romantic partner, Gil Grissom, later joined her.

All together now.  YES. Jorja will return for the season premier plus several other season 10 episodes.

“We’re thrilled for Jorja’s return to `CSI,’”  executive producer Carol Mendelsohn said, adding that viewers will “discover where life has taken Sara Sidle and what brings her back to the `CSI’ team in Las Vegas in our premiere episode.”

The last we saw of Sara she was in the Costa Rican jungle making out with Gil. Wonder what’s bringing her back to Vegas and if William Petersen will return at some point during the season. Hopefully TPTB won’t muck up what was a successful but non intrusive crime drama romance. What do you guys think of Sara returning?

Exciting isn’t it? What are your hopes for Sara’s return. I know you have some.

CSI premiers on September 24th.

Not  much happening on the CSI front during the summer but we do have the franchise premiere dates.  In the meantime enjoy the reruns fans.

Sept. 21: CSI: Miami
Sept 23: CSI:NY
Sept. 24: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Source

THE CSIs INVESTIGATE A STRING OF MURDERS LINKED TO A POKER SCAM INVOLVING VALUABLE CHIPS FROM A CLOSED CASINO, ON THE NINTH SEASON FINALE OF “CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION,” THURSDAY, MAY 14

Cynthia Watros (”Lost”) and Gerald McRaney (”Jericho”) Guest Star As Two Of the Suspects Involved In The Poker Scam

“All In” - A cache of missing chips from a closed down casino turn up in Vegas and a string of murders follow, leading Langston to use deadly force for the first time in his career as a CSI, on the ninth season finale of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Thursday, May 14 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:

Dr. Raymond Langston: Laurence Fishburne
Catherine Willows: Marg Helgenberger
Nick Stokes: George Eads
Captain Jim Brass: Paul Guilfoyle
Greg Sanders: Eric Szmanda
Dr. Robbins: Robert David Hall
David Phillips: David Berman
Hodges: Wallace Langham
Wendy Simms: Liz Vassey
Riley Adams: Lauren Lee Smith

GUEST CAST:

Barbie Aubrey: Cynthia Watros
Eli Schindler: Gerald McRaney
Conrad Ecklie: Marc Vann
Mandy Webster: Sheeri Rappaport
Bruno Curtis: Mark Pellegrino
Huston Dobbs: Brian Oerly
Walter Ellis: Andrew Rothenberg
Clayton Ferris: Peter Breitmayer
Paramedic: Wayne Wilderson
Nurse Belinda: Shelli Bergh
Landscaper: Carlos Moreno Jr.
Counter Boy: Dusty Sorg
Patron #1: Larry Udy
Patron #2: Conny Van Dyke
Paula Francis: Paula Francis

TELEPLAY BY: Evan Dunsky & Richard Catalani

STORY BY: Naren Shankar, one of the series’ executive producers, & Phillip Schenkler

DIRECTED BY: Paris Barclay

RATING: To Be Announced

THE CSI TEAM INVESTIGATES A BRUTAL MOTORCYCLE GANG MURDER AT A BIKER BAR, ON “CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION,” THURSDAY, MAY 7

“Hog Heaven” - The CSIs are on the case when a member of a motorcycle gang is murdered at a local biker bar, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Thursday, May 7 (9:00-10:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:

Dr. Raymond Langston: Laurence Fishburne
Catherine Willows: Marg Helgenberger
Nick Stokes: George Eads
Captain Jim Brass: Paul Guilfoyle
Greg Sanders: Eric Szmanda
Dr. Robbins: Robert David Hall
David Phillips: David Berman
Hodges: Wallace Langham
Wendy Simms: Liz Vassey
Riley Adams: Lauren Lee Smith

GUEST CAST:

Conrad Ecklie: Marc Vann
Archie Johnson: Archie Kao
Mandy Webster: Sheeri Rappaport
Officer Mitchell: Larry Mitchell
Det. Sam Vega: Geoffrey Rivas
Badger: Andy Mackenzie
Joey Niagra/Jack Nettles: Jamie McBride
Judge Death: Lorin McCraley
Jackass: Joe Reitman
Tonya Charles: Bonnie Root
Rita Nettles: Ally Walker
Smitty: Kevin Thomas
Rudy Ronnie: Gene Blevins
Teddy Floyd: Brian Allen
Lot Attendant: Jernard Burks
Hooper: Tim Sitarz
Desk Officer: Joseph Patrick Kelly
Lead Righteous Dog: VJ Foster
Officer Lawrence: Jason Sweat

WRITTEN BY: David Rambo

DIRECTED BY: Louis Milito, one of the series’ co-executive producers

RATING: TV14-DLV

Looks like the rumors a true.  A CSI movie is definitely in development.  Here’s what William Petersen said about the proposed movie:

“It’s about finding the right story, there has got to be a real reason to do it.  I can understand people are a little trepidatious because of the franchise around the world and how well it’s doing.  Usually people leave it till a series has finished - they did that with The X-Files and Sex And The City. But it’s about finding the right story.  There has got to be a real reason to do it. You don’t just do it because you want to make money; you do it because there’s a story that can’t be told on TV and needs to be told from CSI’s perspective and the audience wants it.  And we can’t wait for CSI to end or Grissom will be about 90.”

No word on a release date.  What do you think about a CSI movie?

Lauren Lee Smith managed to slip one by the press. She and beau photographer Erik Steingroever married on April 4. Only family and close friends attended the small ceremony and reception was in Cultus Lake, Canada which is about 70 miles outside of Vancouver. (Smith is Canadian.)

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HODGES AND WENDY BECOME INVOLVED IN A MURDER INVESTIGATION AT A SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION, ON “CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION,” THURSDAY, APRIL 16

Kate Vernon (”Battlestar Galactica”) Guest Stars As Dr. Penelope Russell

“A Space Oddity” - When Hodges and Wendy run into each other at a science fiction convention for one of their favorite classic television shows, they end up investigating the murder of one of their beloved actors, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Thursday, April 16 (9:00-10:01 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Kate Vernon (”Battlestar Galactica”) guest stars as Dr. Penelope Russell.

SERIES REGULARS:

Dr. Raymond Langston: Laurence Fishburne
Catherine Willows: Marg Helgenberger
Nick Stokes: George Eads
Captain Jim Brass: Paul Guilfoyle
Greg Sanders: Eric Szmanda
Dr. Robbins: Robert David Hall
David Phillips: David Berman
Hodges: Wallace Langham
Wendy Simms: Liz Vassey
Riley Adams: Lauren Lee Smith

RECURRING CAST:

Archie Johnson: Archie Kao
Henry Andrews: Jon Wellner
Mandy Webster: Sheeri Rappaport

GUEST CAST:

Dr. Penelope Russell: Kate Vernon
Melinda Carver: Jaime Ray Newman
Risa Varness: Liza Weil
Steuben Lorenz: Michael Welch
Lionel Rose: Patrick Bristow
Jonathan Danson: Reg Rogers
Commander Artemis Bishop: Josh Coxx
Mrs. Rose: Judy Jean Berns
Ronald D. Moore: Ronald D. Moore
Yeoman Malloy: Michelle Belegrin
William: Karl Herlinger
Ensign Garth: Bradford Tatum
Collectibles Dealer: Randy Lowell
Yeoman Sally Malloy (1960): Christine Scott Bennett
Gorth (1960): Matthew Willig

TELEPLAY BY: David Weddle & Bradley Thompson, formerly staff writers on “Battlestar Galactica”

STORY BY: Naren Shankar, one of the series’ executive producers

DIRECTED BY: Michael Nankin

RATING: To Be Announced

According to Forbes, CSI is on one TV’s most lucrative shows. Based on research by TNS Media Intelligence, CSI makes $2.1 million per 30 minute segment by charging $201,000 for a 30 second ad. After all the super secret number crunching, the show averages $4.2 million per airing.

“It’s not necessarily just eyeballs that advertisers are buying here,” Ed Gentner, senior vice president of video investment activation at MediaVest said. “It’s the right eyeballs.”

I do find it strange that CSI Miami didn’t make the list. It’s one of the most popular shows in the world. Maybe salaries and location shoots hurt it’s ranking?

For a complete list of the top 15 money makers click below.

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As part of an extensive interview with TV Guide, director William Friedkin said he thinks that Jorja Fox will return to the show. Friedkin, who directed CSI’s 200th episode, is a longtime friend of William Petersen and previously directed the December 2007 CSI episodes Cockroaches. Check out the excerpt where he talks about Jorja:

I think he’ll do a few [more episodes] as he said he would. I think if they can craft some special stories for him… I think Jorja [Fox] will as well. But it was really a pleasure to work with the other guys. I love working with Marg [Helgenberger] and Paul [Guilfoyle] and George [Eads], Eric [Szmanda]. Liz Vassey I think is underused on that show. I think she’s wonderful. I’ll tell you, I’ve been on feature films where the actors aren’t as prepared as they are on that show.

I’d heard a few internet rumors that William Petersen was in Cannes but I couldn’t pinpoint why. Turns out he’s appearing at the MIPTV conference in the French city. It’s a venue for selling, buying, financing and distributing media internationally. Billy was there promoting CSI and to present at the International Digital Emmy Awards (IDEA). I think Billy looks good with the all white hair. They never let it go completely white on the show because it was too hard to shoot.  He’s even lost a few pounds.  Jorja looks great as well. After working those long hours for years, it looks like leaving the show has been good for them.  I know we miss them but I’m glad they’re enjoying their lives.

Enjoy the photos. We’ve got tons.