Elisabeth Shue Replaces Marg Helgenberger

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vegaslights

Brute
Big news, folks...

This is a pretty big get for CBS, which has been trying to lure Elisabeth Shue for years. The actress, an Oscar nominee for Leaving Las Vegas, is joining the cast of CBS’ veteran crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as the new female lead opposite Ted Danson. Shue will play the newest CSI, fresh off an anger management course, amid rumors that D.B. Russell (Danson) fired her when she worked for him in Seattle. She will succeed Marg Helgenberger, who is departing her full-time gig on CSI in January but is expected to return for occasional guest sports, reprising her role as Catherine Willows. Shue, who will make her first appearance in the Feb. 15 episode, will be a new regular on CSI, her first major series role since she co-starred on the short-lived 1984 ABC drama Call Of Duty, produced by Paramount Television, the predecessor to CSI producer CBS TV Studios. Shue’s biggest TV stint since then had been a two-episode arc on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, though she has been getting pilot offers by the networks every year, with CBS particularly agressive in its pursuit of the Hollow Man and Back To The Future actress. The casting of Shue completes a lead overhaul on CSI, now in its 12th season. The series, which started off with William Petersen and Helgenberger as the stars and had Helgenberger subsequently partner with Laurence Fishburne and Ted Danson, will now have 2 new leads in Danson, who joined the series at the beginning of the season, and Shue. As for CBS, getting Shue and Danson marks the second time this year that the network was able to get big-name actors as new leads of an aging series. It first did it in May, with Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen on comedy Two And A Half Men. After 11 seasons as CBS’ 9 PM anchor on Thursday, CSI moved to Wednesdays this fall, shoring up the 10 PM slot. It most recently averaged 2.6/7 in 18-49 and 10.5 million viewers, up a tenth in the demo from the previous week, to top the hour in 18-49 (tied with ABC’s Revenge) and total viewers. CAA-repped Shue stars in the upcoming Relativity Media film House at the End of the Street and is currently filming Fox 2000’s Of Men And Mavericks.
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I'm not sure if I have an opinion yet or not, but I'll stay open minded.:bolian:
Every time I hear her name, I think of Cocktail and Adventures in Baby Sitting :lol:
I don't think I've seen many of her other films, so I really knew more about Ted when they announced him, than I do her.

Is it known what the name of the episode is that she will first appear in, and any further details?
 
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Here we go again. Another new character who's story has to be developed. :rolleyes:

Don't get me wrong, I like Elizabeth, but this is just too much. Though she could fit in. Still don't think the show needed it, but whatever.

And I'm loving, Ted too, but it's still a 'slap in the face' to the cast that's been there since the beginning.

So when do they start pushing the other characters out? ;)
 
I think Elisabeth is a great choice, but yes, it is a slap in the face, because she will be taking screen time away from Nick, Sara and Greg. DB and Morgan already do that.
 
I'm usually a fan of tension among the characters. But as a possible way to introduce a new a character? Ugh. Looks like Nick and co. will be standing again on the side while watching the two new CSIs on a ring match. We'll see though. Just my first reaction.
 
I don't see how DB and Morgan take time away from the other characters any more or less than Grissom and Warrick did in the beginning. The team hasn't changed in size, just in who is there and who isn't.

ETA: I know that it's a bit different when introducing a new character to an existing show, but IMO DB's introduction has gone smoothly and has brought back the ensemble feel to the show. I don't think replacing Catherine has to automatically equal a step back from that.
 
WHOA!! Wasn't expecting to hear this today :eek: I mean I was hoping for some news and spoilers just again not expecting this

I guess I'll be fine with her though I won't know for sure until her first appearance and I know her from one or I guess 2 things, Back to the Future 2 and 3, but I just have concerns...

Why must they replace her right now, the last time they replaced a lead in the middle of the season characters got lost in the shuffle and that would be Greg and Riley and we all know what happened to Riley :(

Except this time it will be Greg and Morgan :(
 
She's an awesome actress, I'll give her that; but we shall see.

'Anger management' issues. LOL.
I guess with Riley gone, Morgan maybe a little too perky, and Sara more mellow, they need someone to stir the pot. :lol:
And, as long as she is not a new 'love interest' for Grissom, I guess I can deal. :shifty:

ETA: Now I guess I'll campaign for Regina King for a detective role. :)
 
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Providing that the episodes maintain a consistent quality and balance the team dynamic which they've done really well with so far this season, then I have no problem with her addition. Although admittingly it's getting a bit much. THREE main cast additions in a season is still an awful lot and with all due respect to Danson, Harnois and Shue, every new addition loses some of the show's original identity in my eyes. Even if the show somehow manages to last another 12 years by replacing cast members, I'll probably stop watching once Paul, Jorja, George and Eric decide to move on as well.

The article states she'll join in an episode on Feb 15, three weeks after Marg leaves, so I guess that'll give us two episodes in transition for us to adjust. I hope they don't bring her in the episode after Catherine leaves, I'd feel those changes would be too abrupt and it would be interesting to see the team after Catherine's departure.
 
Well, I wouldn't say D.B. and Morgan have been taking time away from everyone, there have been episodes where Sara and Nick were sort of in the background but the show so far has that ensemble feel again for the most part, and everyone is being balanced out in terms of screen time; but that could change if they add a third person, and I agree that it might get too overwhelming. After what happened with LF being on the show, I'm really hesitant about Elisabeth Shue joining, I don't know much about her, if she's a TV or big hollywood actress so I have yet to find out what her chances are of hogging the spotlight, not to mention we already have two new characters on CSI that we're still getting used to, that are still slowly being developed. Overall, the last thing I need is for the show to pull off another season 9-11 all over again :(, and have certain characters be completely sidelined or kicked off. I really don't understand why they can't just keep the remaining cast. I really really hope they prove me wrong, and it doesn't become like that again:(.
 
Wow! I really like her. Adventures in Babysitting was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid.

Maybe I'm nuts, but I can already see her and George having chemistry. I really think they will. I expect she will have the best with him. I don't know why I think that, but I do.

I'm crossing my fingers that her addition means that perhaps her brother Andrew may guest star in an episode at some point. I miss him. I don't think I've seen him in anything since Melrose (the original) ended.
 
Didn't want a replacement for Marg...so I don't really care who it is. I thought I didn't care who replaced LF tho, and I love Ted, so we'll see. But basically it's a whole new show now. Sara is hardly ever on, so it's just Nick and Greg left (yeah yeah besides lab rats, detectives, etc.) on the team.

I've never been one to say if it weren't for so and so, I'd quit watching....but I'm really getting there.
 
Geeno said:
I'm usually a fan of tension among the characters. But as a possible way to introduce a new a character? Ugh. Looks like Nick and co. will be standing again on the side while watching the two new CSIs on a ring match. We'll see though. Just my first reaction.
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My first reaction too.

And is this another "lead" who won't be a supervisor thus getting a lot of stories/screentime because they're the lead actor yet not a higher up CSI, a la Ray/LF??
 
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