CSI: Las Vegas Season 7 thread (1 Viewer)

[Joseph DeMartino]

Today's New York Post has a story on the Jorja Fox situation that suggests the Fat Lady may not have sung yet. But she may be warming up. :frowning:

Regards,

Joe

 

[TravisR]

I doubt anyone that's reading this thread isn't aware of the behind the scenes stuff but I'll spoilerize it just in case:First off, I want to say that I'm not privy to the ins and outs of Jorja Fox's contract situation but I'll give my take on it anyway. I can appreciate that she may not want to leave a big show or may not agree with killing off her character from an artistic stand point but that's life. It's ridiculous to not show up to work and then also demand a raise. I don't want to see the Sara character off the show but I couldn't blame CBS for not being very interested in keeping her on and giving her a raise after she caused a major financial problem for production and forced a rewrite of what the producers wanted to do.

 

[Nick Martin]

That is the article I was referring to when I said that it spoils everything, especially when you see the image posted on the previous page of the thread showing Grissom and the miniature. (post #200 of this thread)

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Travis, I think you have it exactly backwards.


She asked for a raise first. CBS declined and decided not only not to renew her contract, but to kill off her character, thereby closing off even the possibility of a return guest shot. She wanted to continue negotiating and didn't want Sara killed, so she didn't show up to film her death scene - although her people claim she did arrive on the set, just a bit late. Either way, she got at least part of what she wanted - a new ending was written that leaves Sara's fate open and maybe she gets another chance to stay on the show. Given that it was the last show of the season and the end of her contract, that was about the only leverage she had and I'd say she used it well because I suspect both sides are indeed still talking.

If the network/studio/producers had just decided they didn't want Fox back, they could have killed Sara off-camera in the season finale instead of leaving her fate a "mystery". (Which probably isn't going to remain a mystery since news of the contract dispute's resolution will inevitably become public before next season.) One way would have been to have, say, Warrick and Catherine find the wreck and find that Sara has no pulse, then look at each other and ask, "Who's going to tell Grissom?" Fade to title card: "To be continued..." You still have your "cliff-hanger" and still put the emotional second half of the story into next season, and you show Jorja Fox that she can't save her character just by not showing up.

Because, let's face it, if they don't sign a new contract with Fox, that's pretty much what they're going to have to do in the first episode of next season anyway. Unless they can sign her for a guest shot in the opener, Sara is still going to have to die off-screen. So I see the fact that they didn't just do that now as an indication that they're still interested in seeing where this ends up, now that everybody's already used their most extreme negotiating ploy and theres' still time to make a deal before she needs to move on and CSI needs to decide how to replace her.


Regards,

Joe

 

[Nelson Au]

I guess spoilers are still appropriate here:

I don't know anything about how actors/agents do their negotiating but it seems that a large population of the CSI audience/fans want to see Grissom and Sara together, so Fox and her agent knew that. She does have some leverage there. Her contract is up, and as in normal job reviews, if your work performance is good and you are contributing, seems fair to ask for a bit of a raise in pay. In her case, she's in a hot story line that needs her, assuming they all agree that for the sake of ratings and the fans desire to see her back, she could get something for this. If she was asking for an outrageous amount, then maybe CBS was in their rights to say no. But given this show is so hot still, couldn't they throw her a bone? Did she reject a counter offer? I wonder about Eads, if he's happy with his pay. Perhaps they thought it wouldn't be fair to the other actors. Perhaps they have the Shatner/Nimoy thing where if he gets something, the other does too.

 

[Nick Martin]

William Friedkin will direct an episode of CSI next season, re-teaming with William Petersen since their film "To Live and Die In L.A." 22 years ago.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryId=29&cs=1

 

[todd s]

Any word on the contract negotiations for Jorja Fox.

 

[TravisR]

^ In a related question, what's William Petersen's contract situation? I assume he must be signed for at least next season but is he signed for yearS or is he going to do half the episodes so he can go do some more stage work, etc.?

 

[Nick Martin]

I don't know about Petersen, but I know I don't want to know about Fox. Any word of her situation is a spoiler in and of itself.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Apparently Fox and the studio are still talking. She was at the opening of the CSI: The Experience exhibit at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago on May 31, and said she hoped that Sara would be back for season 8. Carol Mendelsohn said only that season 7 had finished with Sara under a car and that season 8 would begin the same way - but nobody knew yet what would happen next.

And I agree, if there is some sort of announcement I think it should be spoilerized in this thread, for those who work hard to avoid such things. (As should the titles of the first couple of episodes of season 8 - which have mysteriously turned up on the IMDB. But I would say that they are sufficiently ambiguous that they could work with either possible outcome. )

Regards,

Joe

 

[Patrick Sun]

Lady Heather could come back as a profiler.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I do think they may be keeping their options open in that regard. Melinda Clarke's other series ended this year, and while she's shooting a pilot (for Anthony Zuiker) for the 2007/08 season, that probably wouldn't prevent her joining the CSI cast if the offer were made. I'm not sure about her being a profiler per se, but I do seem to recall her mentioning a master's degree, and she was an excellent practical psychologist in her previous occupation. I suspect they could find some plausible way to work her in as a regular if they put their minds to it.

But I'm still rooting for Fox to return, in which case Lady Heather would still be a great guest star and possible threat to Sara.

Regards,

Joe

 

[AlexSchwarz]

TVGuide and others are reporting that Fox will be back on the show.

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Co...o/default.aspx

I do like her character but I would've really liked her dead, too....would have been a bold change for the show.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I don't know about "others", but TV Guide is actually reporting that they don't know what is happening with Jorja Fox, and have only heard that she was "close to re-signing". If it were a done deal, they would have said so. (Plus Fox's reps and the studio and/or network would probably have issued a press release.) The fact that this is in a gossip column should tell you something about how solid this "information" is.

And since the outcome of Fox's contract negotiations will automatically answer the question of Sara's fate, I agree with those who think that any real news about this should get a "spoiler" tag. This isn't just Hollywood gossip, its a plot point and I think those who prefer to remain unspoiled (at least in this thread) deserve to have their preference honored.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Nick Martin]

Exactly!

 

[Nick Martin]

In addition to William Friedkin directing an episode, "CSI:" and "Without A Trace" will crossover, with Trace star Anthony LaPaglia appearing on CSI, and William Petersen appearing on Trace.

This will be happening on a single night - a two hour event.

Some weird wild stuff will be happening on Miami next season but that's not meant for this thread...

 

[Nelson Au]

Perhaps it's time to start a thread for Sseason 8.

No spoilers from me, but the new issue of TV Guide on newstands has a short blurb on the new season and the CSI situation. No details (Unless you missed the Season 7 finale, don't read on) other then Sara is still under the car and they went about filming it.

Possible spoiler follows: There is a mention of a new cast member.

 

[Nick Martin]

Yeah, I've read all the details and seen the trailer for season 8 (very good trailer by the way).

Regarding your spoiler:
She is NOT a replacement for Sara, and has an unusual name: Veronica Lake. The name of an actress from the 1940's.
She is played by Jessica Lucas, from the show "Life As We Know It".

This new character is not another Lab Rat, but an actual CSI.

 

[Nelson Au]

The only trailer I think I saw was a short CBS promo.

Regarding your spoiler, I have not read too much to avoid spoilers, so what you said was somewhat new to me. Not a big deal, I figured as much based on other reports.

 

[Nick Martin]

I thought the new promo was online but isn't yet. I saw it Thursday when watching the CSI rerun, and it showed many intense scenes from the premiere. Given how deceptive these TV trailers usually are, I'd say the outcome of the episode is obvious.

I like it when new seasons pick up immediately after the previous one, with no passage of time. Ramps up the level of intensity and excitement.