George Eads and Jorja Fox Fired from CSI (1 Viewer)

"Both actors were in the fifth year of seven-year pacts. A search has already begun for new actors to join the show. It's unclear if their parts will be recast or if creators will come up with new characters."

This stinks. I really like George Eads. Jorja Fox's character was getting on my nerves. But, I am not thrilled she was fired either. According to Variety George Eads failed to show up for the first taping because he wanted more money. I assume the same happened with Jorja Fox. Les Moonves took the hardline and fired them both.

ps-I wonder how William Peterson will react to this?

Yes, Variety's bit cites breach of contract for the firing, so not showing up for work would be breach of contract. Wow.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?lay...goryID=14&cs=1

What's funny is that Jorja's character Sarah's last scene is with Grissom picking her up after getting picked up for drunk driving (or being in some drunken state, but I think it was drunk driving). Nice easy way to write her out of the show on that one.

And to write out Nick, just say that he was disgusted with how his promotion was snatched away from him (due to Greg getting the call up to the Majors), and he got a better job offer somewhere else.

I didn't really care for Jorja either. George was good. As long as Peterson sticks around, the show will remain relatively stable. Let's see what his salary demands are in two years!

It might become "C.S.Who?"

Whoa. I'm disappointed. I thought everyone on the show had some real chemistry together. Shucks.

Well I'm glad someone finally had the cojones to stand up to these actors who sign contracts then turn around and breach them.

What's the point in even having a contract if one side doesn't honor it and the other doesn't enforce it?

Well, shit, I liked the cast the way it was.

I think this is bad news. I really liked George's character. I've never been a big fan of Jorga, but I don't want to see her go either.

I am not sure that them holding out for better salaries was a bad thing. If it was a seven year contract that they signed initially, they were getting the the shaft and the producers took advantage of them. Granted the producers took the risk, but it is just as greedy on their part to lock them into a seven year deal. Now that the show is the biggest thing on TV and is in reruns and on DVD, I do not blame the actors for wanting a bigger share and a deal that is based on the current economics of the show.

Well, CBS has essentially told the cast by way of this action that they won't put up with any future "sick outs." Now, I'm going to go to CSIFiles.com and look at the season premiere episode description and try to put blanks in all the spots referring to Sara and Nick.

Weren't there reports that he was already upset at the two other CSI shows and that none of them can compare to his crew? I also recall reports or rumors that he was going to leave the show after this new season. Talk about the snowball effect. Regardless of how I feel for any of the actors/characters, this crew had chemistry and it's sad when things like this happen (e.g., crew gets split up).

What about other higher-profile actors who reportedly staged a sick-out? Were their intentions not definitely proven? Were those actors their own boss so they could not be fired? Was this CSI case too obvious as an intent for more money?

I'm just imagining what it would be like if some of those high-profile actors from those hit shows who were reportedly staging sick-outs were fired, too. That would have been the death blow. But to get rid of "secondary" actors Fox and Eads, CSI can still go on. That's what I think.

If it was such a bad deal, the cast shouldn't have signed. The producers were taking a risk in signing them that the show would end and they'd be out on their money. Now that the gamble paid off, why shouldn't the producers reap the profits?

However, I think they could have payed the two actors more. CSI is making CBS and Paramount tons of money. I never considered Nick and Sara to be secondary characters.

I just read an article where it says that Jorja was DEFINITELY fired. But, George was not known yet. I wonder if they are trying to work it out with him?

Here is the quote from the article:

You have to remember that nobody expected anything from this show when it first came on - a (more or less) scientific crime show with two has-beens and a few unknown young actors.

I'm pretty sure that they weren't paid that much - both Petersen and Helgenberger had already renegotiated and received significant raises last year.

So it's understandable that they tried to get some more money.

Considering the amount of money CBS buries in the least funny sitcom of all time (Everybody love Raymond) they should've given Eads and Fox a raise.

I can live without Fox - but Eads played my favourite character on the show.

I'm not sure I'll start watching C.S.I. again in the fall.

With "CSI: Miami" and the upcoming "CSI: New York," the network has already proven that it's the concept that's drawing people, not necessarily the cast. Cast are expendable, especially second tier players.

William Peterson and the rest of the surviving cast should walk out.

I for one won't watch again.

(Easy for me to say, since I'm still catching up on the box sets... but truly, the cast makes this show special. Sure, the clone-versions of the show may be ok, but when the original starts getting treated like it too can be just a clone, a pale imitation... it's time for the cast to stand up and say "no more." I expect a walk out).

I disagree slightly with your statement Malcolm. They have shown that the concept works, but Miami had nowhere near the following Las Vegas did. I think that is due to Peterson and the cast. I heard a lot of people saying that they didn't like Caruso's character traits in Miami. I hope New York does well though, I am a big Sinise fan. I personally ejoyed CSI more than Miami, even though I like Emily Proctor.
Anyway, I think the original will not be as good with Fox and Eads gone, but Peterson and Helgenberger(oh yeah) make the show.

I guess they were trying to do a group holdout ala Friends to get what they wanted but it didnt work.
I say, combine all the shows and call it CSI: Arizona.
What I am seeing with all these spinoffs is that they are cookie cutters of themselves. They dont even tweak the element like Law and order but just put new cast members in and assume it will be just as powerful as others.

It's really hard to feel sorry for actors who make, something like 3 times what I do each week.

That's too bad. I guess I'm the contrarian and I liked where Sarah's character was going. Lonely and overworked/over-commited to the job. Nick was fine, but I thought he was the generic straight man of the series. The two guys in the lab have more personality than Nick did.

However, I do agree that due to the huge success of the series, all of the lead CSI guys/gals should have gotten a bump in pay and not just the two main leads.