Initially, I would want Kathryn Morris to replace MH. Maybe as a new character if not as Lily Rush transplanted straight from the old-school Philly precinct in Cold Case to the Las Vegas crime lab. I don't know who came up with the notion that the female CSI lead would have to be blonde. Experienced, I can get. But, should looks really matter??
I would want Lauren Holly to replace MH. Then, I also thought of Drea De Matteo fitting in with the Las Vegas environment, yet can be tough and intelligent and fit in with the rest of the team. If not for the whole supposed blonde female lead standards, I'd go with Viola Davis. I'm not really sure about Kelly Hu or Lucy Lui, but I can also see Carla Gugino replace MH.
As for the male, I would most definitely see George Eads' Nick move up onto the male lead. I would love to see more of him being written a full-on leader, see how he would lead. And also, by all means, make Archie a regular as well. Give him more storylines beyond being in the lab or reviewing audio. But as for replacing LF, I'm not sure about Ted Danson but I concur that CSI does need a bit of light humor back. Same goes with the dimly-lit department as well. The whole dimming just shines evidence of how dim lighting can truly creep up on the CSIs' aging processes and eyebag developments. I did enjoy LF's prescence throughout his time, minus being written at times as Langston flying off the handle and not being scolded because of it. And if ever a new CSI branch would ever happen, it would be a shame if Horatio (Miami) beats him to who'll make the most crossovers ever.
If the writers could make an a-hole out of a CSI, especially a lead, I could see Julian McMahon replacing Fishburne. I'm no Nip/Tuck fan, but after seeing Julian's movies (Premonition, Fantastic Four), I like that he can pull off playing a victim and an a-hole at the same time. A shady personality like that can go well with the shadiness among some men of Vegas. But, I could see Blair Underwood be a replacement, too.
Either way, someone with a good T.V. background would do enough to keep CSI going. I sure would NOT want some big shot actor to be a lead character of CSI, solely for the purpose that this is a well-known actor playing a lead for a television show, so "we can write him however we want even beyond how a CSI does his/her job". Focus on the science as the show has been doing for years, not make it some big shot comic book character or zany type of action-packed show just because of who the lead actor is!
