<p>After eight and a half years as part of the <i>CSI</i> franchise, <font color=yellow>Corey Miller</font> has made the decision to leave <i>CSI: Miami</i>'s writing staff. In an exclusive interview with CSI Files, Miller shares the impetus behind his decision, what he's going to miss most about working on <i>CSI: Miami</i> and which among the episodes he's penned are his favorites--as well as sharing some scoop about the final episodes of season seven. Some spoilers ahead!<p><b>CSI Files:</b> After being with <i>CSI: Miami</i> since the show's first season, you're leaving the writing staff. What brought about your decision to leave?<p><b>Corey Miller:</b> Simply put, I am just ready to write something different. I started back on the "mother ship" <i>CSI</i> eight and a half years ago, before it premiered, when I was the assistant to Executive Producer <font color=yellow>Carol Mendelsohn</font>. And what a fun, crazy ride it's been. I was given some amazing opportunities. After being able to write three freelance episodes (two for <i>CSI</i> and one for <i>Miami</i> in its first season), [<i>CSI: Miami</i> Executive Producer] <font color=yellow>Ann Donahue</font> hired me as a full-time writer on <i>Miami</i>. And I just completed my sixth season as a writer on that show. All told, I was fortunate to have been able to write 24 episodes, and break well over a hundred stories. And that's a lot of murder! I'm just itching to tell different types of stories now. <p><b>CSI Files:</b> When did you decide to leave the show?<p><b>Miller:</b> Very recently. I had a notion that this might be my last season early on, but kept waffling. This has been the job of a lifetime--was I insane to think about leaving? A million thoughts ran through my head. But I am convinced that sometimes you have to close one door to open a new one. And I just thought this was the time to take a shot.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> What was the hardest part of your decision to leave the show?<p><b>Miller:</b> The hardest part, I guess, is the fact I'm stepping outside my comfort zone. I know the show inside and out, have a shorthand with the cast, crew, writers, and our production partners, I've grown in seniority, and have had guaranteed income for many years. It was a great place to get to, and it took a lot of work. So, to willingly give that up, I've had to do a lot of soul-searching. But again, I felt like this was the time to take a stab at it. No pun intended.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> What will you miss most about <i>CSI: Miami</i>?<p><b>Miller:</b> The writing staff. We all got along so well, it was almost unprecedented. Even in our darkest hours, the times when we had a fast-approaching deadline and seemingly no stories in the world left to tell, we were able to laugh ourselves stupid and somehow get the job done. In the entertainment business, where egos run wild, you won't find a more down-to-earth group of people. I really feel like I have made friends for life.<p>I'll also miss what we were able to accomplish on a television budget. Our production team does so much with (relatively) little money. They rarely, if ever, said "you can't do that." Which is why we've had plane crashes, tsunamis, boat hijackings, hurricanes, fires, explosions, high falls, sinkholes, crane crashes... you name it. Getting to work with so many talented people who always wanted to push themselves to do more, and never settling for the standard, was so great.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> What was your most rewarding experience on the show?<p><HR ALIGN="CENTER" SIZE="1" WIDTH="45%" COLOR="#007BB5"><p>To read the full interviews, please click <A HREF="http://www.csifiles.com/interviews/corey_miller3.shtml">here</A>.<center></center>
Thanks for sharing, Kristine - and a big thank you to Corey for doing the interview. I don't watch Miami as closely as NY, so I really don't have any comments on his answers to the questions, but I enjoyed reading the interview.
Thanks for posting.I like how he described Ryan introduction to the team(Eric resenting him and all) and how he described the natural progression of the E/C relationship. I will sure miss him.
I'm not a big Miami watcher, but I did like the episodes he wrote for the original CSI. Nice interview. Similar to actors, like Petersen and Fox leaving CSI, I'm sure writers go through the same process when they feel they are stifling their creativity a bit by writing about the same thing and for the same people all the time. It takes a certain strength to step out of their comfort zone, leave the security of a regular paycheck, and tackle something new. I wish him luck in his future projects.
Just kinda tuned into the article out of curiosity, as I've long fallen away as a regular viewer of Miami. Just wanted to say I thought it was a great interview, very insightful into how he, as an example of writers perhaps, approached the work and the characters and the viewers. Ryan was probably the character who interested me the most when I did watch the show, so to read about how he was brought along was also fun. A very interesting read! Thanks. (also thought it was classy and sweet of him to toss kudos your way as well :bolian:, and thank the fans and viewers. Best of luck to him )