Thread: William Petersen's `CSI' life of crime to end

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/...TL1rT_bYus0NUE

LOS ANGELES - William Petersen is leaving "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," a move that might have fans of his brainy crimebuster Gil Grissom screaming bloody murder

Petersen has agreed to return for occasional guest appearances and will remain a "CSI" executive producer but his run as an original cast member will end this coming season, executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar said Tuesday.

The air date for his final episode, the season's 10th, has yet to be determined but probably will be at the beginning of 2009, the producers said. The series debuted in fall 2000.

A number of familiar characters will return in the episodes building up to Grissom's departure, among them his former colleague and flame Sara Sidle, played by Jorja Fox; the Miniature Killer and sexy Lady Heather.

"Who better to turn to when you're a scientist in crisis," Mendelsohn said jokingly of Heather (Melinda Clarke).

The decision to leave was Petersen's, the producers said, declining further comment. A call to Petersen's publicist was not returned Tuesday.

The actor had taken a break during the 2006-07 season to perform in a play, with Liev Schreiber stepping in as a visiting investigator.

The long-running show remains key for CBS: "CSI" finished last season as the network's top-rated series, ranking No. 9 among all shows with an average weekly audience of 17 million. Spinoffs "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: New York" ranked 16th and 28th, respectively.

"CSI" is ready to deal with Petersen's loss, its producers said.

"Shows lucky enough to go this long inevitably have to deal with this kind of change," Shankar told The Associated Press.

A new male investigator will join "CSI," a role that has yet to be cast.

The producers were mum about specific plot points but said that Grissom will be reappraising his life after years of high-tech forensics investigations with the Las Vegas Police Department and after facing personal turmoil.

"We're talking about a man who has suffered a great deal of loss recently... A man thinking about the next phase of his life," Shankar said.

It's wrong to characterize it as a mid-life crisis, which summons the image of someone who buys a Porsche as a solution, Shankar and Mendelsohn said; Grissom is confronting far deeper issues.

"It's Grissom in transition and Grissom asking `Who am I?'" Mendelsohn said.

Besides, Shankar said, Petersen wouldn't buy a sports car.

"Billy would only buy a Prius," the producer said.

Shankar and Mendelsohn vowed that cast changes won't change "CSI."

"What makes shows go off the rails is they forget who they are. We're a crime-mystery-forensics drama" with a focus on exceptional cases, Shankar said.

"Whoever comes in and joins the team after Grissom is going to be a different guy. But the nature of the show and what fans get out of it, that's not going to change," he said.

Petersen, in his role as executive producer, viewed "CSI" as a show about the "quiet heroics" of working people, Shankar said. That will remain true, with no new soap-opera twists or "jumping into bed."

CAN WE SAY THIS MIGHT BE THE END OF CSI!

can We Say This Might Be The End Of Csi!

Amen!

He is the only reason I still watch, I love his character!

Yup its the end for sure!

Yeah... he is the reason I watch, too. This blows.

I just like the show period. Itll be different without him since hes kinda the main character but I love the show so Ill keep watching hopefully it wont be the end

WAAAAAAHHHHH!!! I LOVE SCI! this is a sad day

I think it will depend on who joins the show to replace him

he has been talking about leaving for years.. so I guess I'll believe it when I see it

I was saddened by this, but NOT shocked. AS i to have heard rumors for the past couple of years he has wanted to pursue other avenues. I to will still watch as it is one of my fav. shows!! But i just HATE that they are slowly (or suddenly) getting rid of all the org. charaters!

"CSI" gets new scientist, or serial killer?
Fri Jul 18, 7:21 PM ET
Paul Thomasch

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor William Petersen's exit from the CBS hit "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" opens the door for a new character to join the show's crime-busting team -- only this one just could be a crazed killer.

CBS's programming chief, Nina Tassler, on Friday confirmed Petersen's plans to leave the show at the mid-point of the upcoming TV season, after the first 10 episodes.

Unlike Petersen's character, Gil Grissom, a brainy investigator who heads a Las Vegas crime unit, the show's new addition will be a scientist with a dark secret -- his genetic makeup is similar to that of known killers.

"He comes in not immediately as the boss, but he has an interesting genetic profile that in certain sort of medical contexts, they've noticed that many times serial killers have that same genetic profile," Tassler told a gathering of TV critics in Beverly Hills.

"This gentleman knows this about himself and is sort of in this journey and -- and to discover who his true character will ultimately become," she said.

The role has yet to be cast.

Petersen, who also is an executive producer of the show, will return for future guest star appearances but is interested in other creative pursuits, Tassler said. Petersen is due to appear in the play "Dublin Carol" in Chicago later this year.

"CSI," the top-rated CBS series last season, premiered in 2000 and spawned popular spin-offs "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: NY."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080718/...cZ1k6i.yZvzwcF