CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Jorja Fox will be in the season premiere, and it probably goes without saying that we all know what that will mean by episode's end.
What better reason to have Sara return for an episode, right?

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Not necessarily. Look, the original spin, pre-arrest, was that the decision not to renew Dourdan's contract was mutual. So they simply needed a way to write him out of the show the left the door open for future guest shots, a la Jorja Fox. A serious injury could do that.

But the rumor mill has always said that Dourdan had a drug problem and the producers basically fired him by refusing to renew his contract. My suspicion is that they told him to get some help and that if they were convinced he was clean by the start of shooting for next year, they'd work out some kind of deal to return him to the show. If not, not. (Especially if next year is going to be the last, there's really no reason for them to take a chance on him unless they're really sure.) The beauty of the shooting - from the producer's point of view - is that they can use Dourdan if he's ready to work, and if he isn't they can let Warrick die.

Now there's the complication of his arrest to consider, but I think the basic plan is still viable. This is probably his first offense and rehab is rehab whether it is court-ordered or not. I don't think Jorja's return for the first episode of next season tells us anything at all about the eventual outcome of Warrick's situation. I think it is there as a two-fer - to re-establish the character, especially for new viewers who might just be picking up the show, and to assist in the investigation into Warrick's shooting. And that would happen whether he lives or dies. (I think re-establishing the character is important in case Grissom leaves at the end of the season and the two of them ride off into the sunset together.)

Regards,

Joe

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I just read an early plot synopsis of the season premiere, titled "For Warrick" courtesy of CSIFiles.

It answers two key questions about all this:

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Airing September 25.

It's far too early to start a season 9 thread, which is why I mention it here. Perhaps August will be an appropriate time to begin a new thread.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Jorja Fox is also appearing in the second episode, where she visits the husband of a victim she helped look after years ago in the season 1 episode "Too Tough To Die". If you recall, that was the episode where a woman was beaten and raped, but survived in a vegetative state. Sara made sure to look after her in hospital until her husband arrived.

The episode will be called "The Happy Place", and Warrick might be seen in the episode as well.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I really lost interest in this show after Jorja Fox left, may give it another shot since she's apparently back, at least for a few episodes. If I'm repeating other people's posts, please excuse me as I haven't read much of this thread yet. But I'll go back to the beginning, since what I've come across has gotten me interested again, and I'll be catching the repeats this summer.

Never did care for Gary Dourdan. No particular like or dislike for him, but to borrow from Simon Cowell, he just seemed forgettable. Guess I'll have to watch for a repeat of the finale to see how his character went out. Apparently that shows how unforgettable I think he was. Knowing the spoiler and that his character was the one to go, I don't think the episode has been ruined for me and and am actually looking forward to seeing it.

Almost any other show, any other character, I'd go out of my way to avoid any kind of spoiler until I had seen the episode. I knew a character was going to die this season, but I honestly didn't know who it was until I opened this thread and started randomly reading a few posts a couple hours ago. Normally you have to be careful about a supposedly major spoiler popping up. It may be something as simple as reading Mr. X just signed a contract with Studio Z, some little blip on a gossip show while you're channel surfing, or even something as lame as glancing at the Enquirer in the checkout line. This one slipped right by me and I never saw a thing.

I always considered the Sara, Catherine and Nick characters the main stars. Followed by the Greg and Hodges characters. Oddly enough, I think this show could easily survive, probably even improve without William Petersen. I liked him in the earlier seasons, but found the whole Sara/Grissom thing kind of creepy. Although with his producer and whatever other credits he has, that looks doubtful.

Never really got into the New York show, just bad scheduling but I did like the episodes I saw.

Starting to lose interest in the Miami show. Somehow I learned to tolerate the amazingly annoying David Caruso. But feel the other cast members, especially Emily Procter and Khandi Alexander far outclass him.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Another departure in the wings.

(Obviously, some spoilers for the upcoming season in the link to the story)

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

More:

Exclusive: 'CSI' Boss Outlines Season of Change | | Ausiello Files | EW.com

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Wow. Definitely a show in transition. But, after so many seasons...it is certainly to be expected (yet still surprising!).

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Regarding the above spoilers
Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I just want to second what Travis said.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I doubt it would be spoilerish to mention that Wendy (Liz Vassey) and David (David Berman) will be full regulars next season.

For Berman especially, it's far too long overdue simply because of his time on the show.

A LOT of changes for the number one show in the world (yes, it took that honor away from CSI: Miami this year)

I heard that latest spoiler on Entertainment Tonight, which I watch solely for CSI-related behind the scenes stories and interviews.

I have this to say about it:


Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

All three CSIs started off pretty much as 'procedurals' shows - the emphasis was on the procedure of CSI, with just enough about the CSI officers' private lives to stop things getting too bogged down in technicalities (with New York arguably the most personality-heavy). However, there are only so many believable ways of killing people before the plots start to repeat themselves, and so you have two choices:

(1) go for utterly impossible ways of killing people and hope that with enough technobabble the average viewer won't notice
or
(2) concentrate more on the personalities of the main protagonists.

All three CSIs have done this to greater or lesser degrees. In this regard, Miami arguably jumped the shark in Season 1 and New York started as a more personality-centred show right from the start (and then, bizarrely, for a time tried to be pure procedural).

I still watch all three CSIs, simply as winding down at the end of the day fodder. They're like an old treasured sweatshirt - nothing special, but you can't bear to jettison them. They all run to a set formula and are *very* predictable. But each has its charms. For me, William Petersen's character was never really all that fascinating after the first couple of seasons. Grissom started interesting and then became a fixed template. I think Petersen realises this and sensibly wants out - I for one don't blame him. And candidly, I think the show works better now without him. His appearance as deus ex machina to resolve things after the underlings have floundered around chasing false leads got wearing several series ago. New York is worth watching for Gary Sinise alone (though in fairness, some of the other cast are excellent). Whereas you could never in reality imagine the Miami or Las Vegas labs actually being run in reality by the people in charge, Sinise's character is utterly believable. As for Miami, well that started as 'park your brain outside' fare from season one. But just two words sum up why I still watch it - Emily Procter.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Don't forget the other Entertainment tonight news, that Kurt Russell or Lawrence Fishburne are being considered as replacements.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I think William Peterson began tiring of the show when when the spin-offs started. He said one time that there would only be one CSI and indicated that he was ready to exit the show as early as three seasons ago. I'm sure the PTB gave him exec. producer status and a truck load of cash to stay but now feels like it is really time to go.
We have watched every show, every season and I am still amazed by it but I have to third what Travis said, it is sad to see shows that went on too long become a shell of their former selves.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I think it's hard enough with one show, but to do that with 3 different shows, it's amazing that all 3 are still on the air. Not to mention the other shows without "CSI" in their title.


Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburn is in talks to replace William Petersen as the star of CBS' veteran crime drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Looks like C.S.I. Las Vegas got their man:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080818/..._csi_fishburne

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Laurence Fishburne is a wonderful actor (Boyz N The Hood, Apocalypse Now) so this actually gives me a lot of hope for the series continuing on.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

There is an artilce about it on CNN.com as well:
Fishburne joining 'CSI' - CNN.com

Why in the hell does he have to have a "secret?" I really liked the Michael Keppler character that Liev Schreiber played and was hoping that he'd become a series regular until we all found out what his "secret" was.

I think Fishburne is a great choice but why can't he just be a well respected forensics scientist from [insert large city name here] who finds a better career opportunity in Las Vegas? That seems more plausible to me.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Brass: "What happened here?"

CSI Fishburne: "What happened, happened and couldn't have happened any other way."

Brass: "What the..."

Cue the song "Who are You?"

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I never know whether to think of him as Morpheus:



or as Cowboy Curtis:



Couldn't resist! Will miss Peterson...but this is a pretty good catch.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Just to nitpick either the AP or CBS, it's the ninth season of CSI... or they're already planning for episodes that won't air until November 2009.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

That does make it sound like a damn soap opera...

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Geez, folks, chill. The fact that he "has a secret" doesn't make this a soap opera and doesn't mean that he isn't a well-respected forensic scientist who came to Vegas for a better job opportunity. It just means he is a new lead character on a dramatic series who needs to have a little - wait for it - drama about him to make him interesting. Sometimes this sort of thing is called "backstory" and pretty much every character has some. And always has on this series. (Go back and rewatch the first three or four episodes - we have Warrick's gambling, Nick's insecurity, Catherine's showgirl background, her kid and her sleazy ex-husband, Grissom's lack of social skills and Sara as the new kid with the obvious crush on Grissom. And that's just the pilot and the first two regular episodes aired. Later we get Grissom's deaf mother, Sara's murderous one and her time in the foster care system, Catherine's realtionship with Sam Braun, Brass's drinking and his troubled daughter.)

CSI has always been a primarily a procedural with some personal character stuff. (I don't think there's been a pure police procedural since Dragnet. Even early Law & Order established things about the character's backgrounds and histories over the course of time, and these sometimes impacted the stories.) CSI: Miami leans more towards a character-driven show, while NY strikes more of an even balance. I don't see how one character having an interesting "hook" when he is first introduced undermines the format or suddenly turns the show into a soap opera. (There were similar predictions about the series when the Grissom/Sara relationship was moved out into the open and nothing dire happened - in part because it was the nature of the characters that they themselves would keep the relationship secret and out of the workplace.)

I think Fishburne is an interesting choice and look forward to what he and his character will bring to the table. And I'm not worried about his "secret".

Regards,

Joe

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

I'm chillin', Joe!

But all that backstory stuff on the characters does read like a soap opera--not that there's anything wrong with that. It's what gives the characters some depth.

I think Fishburne is a GREAT choice. If somebody's got to replace Peterson, it might as well be him. The man's got some serious chops.

And maybe his secret is that before entering into a career in law enforcement he played a cowboy on a strange little kids show...

I, for one, watched General Hospital for years and years. Your reaction makes it seem like you might have had a bad experience with a soap at one time in your life...

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Since Fishburne is pretty badass in a pair of shades ala Morpheus, he and Caruso can battle it out for who sports the best Sunglasses Of Justice (TM).

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Mike:

As a rule when people compare a mainstream drama to a soap opera it is not a compliment. And I still don't see how "has a secret" = "soap opera". We don't even know what the secret is. (He's the sheriff's bastard son - soap opera. He's has six toes on one foot - quirky character trait. )

Regards,

Joe

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

We do know the secret. They mentioned it in an article.

Warning!!! Major Spoiler:

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

If this is true, it is actually a pretty interesting idea. I think it would easily fit into the CSI show without it feeling like a soap opera.

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Obviously, Joe, you just haven't watched enough soap operas!

ALL the characters have "secrets!" tons of 'em! It's how they keep those convoluted storylines moving forward. They'll take a character that's been active in the soap opera world for thirty years and all the sudden reveal he's a cross-dressing bastard son of the sheriff who's married to the millionaire's aunt who claims to have been abducted by aliens. It's all in good fun and not to be taken seriously.

Some people are really snobbish about soap operas but they needn't be. They've got their place in the entertainment world...much like the National Enquirer, Jerry Springer and PBS.

But enough about the soaps...back to today's news...

Re: CSI: Las Vegas Season 8 thread

Here is a little more of the "back story" for Fishburne's character from the article on ZaptoIt.


Warning Spoiler! Click to show