Season 12 Spoiler Lab Discussion

[sharp52092]

Okay someone pinch me, didn't see this one coming

Now it is going to be loooooooooooong summer

A month ago he said he wasn't going anywhere now he's leaving

AND CBS don't bring another big star, bring back Liz Vassey or even Louise Lombard, George can take the lead and let everyone carry the show for a change, they could do it if given the chance

 

[AFIS]

I have to say I'm surprised, it was only a month ago that LF was saying in EW that he was planning on sticking around. I thought he was still totally happy being on this show. I wonder what caused LF's turn around in thinking.

I'm surprised also. I can't help but feel like it comes down to money though. LF is a movie star and movie stars expect a certain level of payment for their services when they do tv shows. With the economy and the whole Two and Half Men fiasco there probably wasn't a lot of money to go around. Or tptb probably decided that their little experiment to get more people watching failed and decided to not renew LF's contract. The fans weren't happy with the character, the writers were over-eager to make Langston work, and the producers were blissfully ignorant/optimistic about the whole situation.

that CSI is an ensemble cast and no a one man show.

Woah...wait, CSI is an ensemble cast? I totally forgot. Seriously though, I think CSI will be fine without adding new cast members. We've got this new girl, Jorja (hopefully), George (hopefully), Paulie G, Eric (hopefully), ect. The show will be fine.

 

[Robinjn]

It will be interesting to see if the ratings go significantly up, down, or stay the same. If they go up, people will be saying, "I told you so!" If they go down or stay the same, then it'll be ME saying "I told you so!" Of course, I don't wish anything bad on CSI, but I think people put way too much stock in letting the original cast sans Grissom carry the show. I think the new time slot will be a bigger factor than LF's departure and/or seeing how well what's left of the cast does. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[wamdue]

So how many episodes will Catherine be in next series, despite the views posted above, if Catherine isnt going to be a regular I do feel the show needs a lead, and I dont think Nick or Sarah (or herself can make up her mind if she is coming or going) as leads.

 

[CazzBlade]

I'm happy with this news, I think it was time for Langston to move on. I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do now!

I expect them to bring in someone new, whether that person will be a replacement of Catherine and Langston I don't know, I hope they don't try to bring in two new characters. (+ Morgan) If they do bring in someone new, it's going to be a big name, I'd prefer them to go the Rossi (CM) route, someone thats not interested in being in charge anymore but very experienced, rather than a newbie to train up.

 

[hiphugger17]

Having Sqweegel involved with Ray's exit would be a great idea. We had discussed Sqweegel vs Ray a while ago and now that it's official that LF is leaving it sets up nicely to write him out.

I disagree, Ray has had plenty of serial killers revolve around him. I got the impression he will be leaving ASAP, meaning he will be back for one episode. My guesses is that they'll tie his exit with the events of In A Dark, Dark House. I'd much rather Sqweegel be used with Marg's exit. After all, she probably has some dark secrets to be revealed which Sqweegel would be interested in.

I really, really hope that Sqweegel is NOT used for Marg's exit. I was pretty upset that they would use the fiasco of the season finale as her exit making Catherine leave in a less than stellar way after she has been such a great character and has been there since the beginning. I think that she deserves a good exit storyline without dark secrets, or bad leadership skills surfacing, or being fired, or anything like that. I think that it would be a disservice to her character and hope that she goes out on a high note and because she chose to.

 

[Smokey]

Entertainment Weekly has a nice little article about LF leaving and how the show has been faring. I like some of the suggestions they have for replacements, although I agree when they say,

But who should it be? Adding another high-profile (see: expensive) star may seem risky, especially if the actor doesn’t deliver. And George Eads, who fans love as Nick Stokes, seems primed and ready to be the lead gent on the show. But the drama still needs another household name to bring in new fans. Enough with the film stars, though! No offense to Fishburne, but a tried and true TV star is usually the best person to turn a franchise around.

In their poll of who should be the replacement, "No one! Let George Eads lead the way!" is in the lead with 31% of the vote. Pay attention, PTB!

 

[sharp52092]

Entertainment Weekly has a nice little article about LF leaving and how the show has been faring. I like some of the suggestions they have for replacements, although I agree when they say,

But who should it be? Adding another high-profile (see: expensive) star may seem risky, especially if the actor doesn’t deliver. And George Eads, who fans love as Nick Stokes, seems primed and ready to be the lead gent on the show. But the drama still needs another household name to bring in new fans. Enough with the film stars, though! No offense to Fishburne, but a tried and true TV star is usually the best person to turn a franchise around.

In their poll of who should be the replacement, "No one! Let George Eads lead the way!" is in the lead with 31% of the vote. Pay attention, PTB!

Exactly let George lead and since they'll need another CSI BRING BACK WENDY!!!!!!!

 

[blackflag]

:shifty: Hey, Smokey, I voted for George in that! :lol:

If they have to bring in someone to replace LF then I want them to bring in someone relatively young and unknown. When CSI started the only person I had heard of was Marg (from China Beach). They should put someone on the team that Nick and Catherine can lead because lets face it, Greg and Sara shouldn't need much leading. (It goes without saying that Marg, George, Eric, & Jorja all have to sign too! :lol I've had enough with the big name actors and movie stars.

I may be the only one but I really don't want Billy brought back. I really don't think he wants to be in a full season's worth of episodes and I also have problems with Grissom being gone from this job for 2 1/2 years and coming back right where he left off. In the real world too much would have changed in the US legal system. (It would also make it very hard for George to want to come back and I don't think Billy would do that.)

I worry about bringing Sofia back because of what it might mean for Brass. After Langston the one in the most danger of loosing their job would be Brass. Yes Sofia's Deputy Chief now but they could bring her back, take Brass out and do rotating detectives under her command all too easily.

Wendy would be the only one I could take coming back if LV still wants to. She would probably still be a level 1 and still learning. And she's a character that people know and like.

Susan

 

[PraetorCorvinus]

While I'm very very much for making Eads the lead, I'm not entirely opposed to bringing in somebody new (since my own gut feeling is telling me that is what tptb will do). Not a big name like Fishburne. Perhaps a well known character actor. Possibly using the example of Liev Shreiber. Keppler was more cerebral and I never got the idea that he was trying to be the big man on campus the way the writers tried to make Ray. Yes, he had the focus of his guest appearances, but I like to believe that had he been a regular he would have melded in nicely with the rest without pulling focus. A good character actor can do that. And character actors are best in ensemble casts. They pull everyone around them forward.

 

[Raynn]

Now that he's leaving, there's plenty of interesting ways they can go with the finale's story line. The deadline story said the producers/writers were not surprised, so I'm assuming the Haskell finale was expressly written with a possible LF exit in mind.

The finale is why I'm not really surprised by this news. I've been trying for weeks to figure out how they could possibly expect us to keep watching knowing that the lead is a murderer (even if he never admited it, we'd still know).

As a lot of others have said, I have nothing against LF himself - it's the character of Ray, how he was written, and especially how he got at the end. LF is a fine actor, and did a great job portraying him, but I just don't like Ray.

In their poll of who should be the replacement, "No one! Let George Eads lead the way!" is in the lead with 31% of the vote. Pay attention, PTB!

I saw that too (and voted George of course!). Hope they listen!

I worry about bringing Sofia back because of what it might mean for Brass. After Langston the one in the most danger of loosing their job would be Brass. Yes Sofia's Deputy Chief now but they could bring her back, take Brass out and do rotating detectives under her command all too easily.

Wendy would be the only one I could take coming back if LV still wants to. She would probably still be a level 1 and still learning. And she's a character that people know and like.

I agree about what it would mean to bring Sofia back (would it be a demotion for her character though?). I really hope Ray's departure doesn't have too many repercussions for the rest of the team, or for Brass's character in the long term - call it a momentary lapse of judgement, and move on please.

I'd love to see Wendy back though! If they need to fill another CSI spot, she would be perfect - she's a familiar face, so we wouldn't have two new people (Brody would be the other, and we've only seen her once so she's still "new"). Also Wendy would be trained, but still inexperienced enough to need to work with someone (giving lots of opportunity for the dialogue that lets the audience know what's going on, without some character saying "I know that, why are you explaining it?" :lol.

 

[Dizzney]

I can see them bringing in someone, but they would have to be the supervisor again and not lower than the other CSI's. I can see them pulling someone from another city who was head there and then coming here to Las Vegas.

What about Jimmy Smits? I've always liked him and he is not uber big star but still a household type name.

 

[PrincessJ88]

PraetorCorvinus, I like your thinking. If they hadn't killed Keppler I would have loved to see him back because like you said I never got the sense that Keppler was taking over the show. Granted, it was only temporary to begin with so maybe that had something to do with it.

I saw that poll on EW.com and absolutely voted for George.

What about someone like Blair Underwood? He's done tv before but his series was just cancelled so he may not want to jump back into a tv show.

 

[vegaslights]

Wow, I am a bit shocked actually but maybe that is why the wrote the finale as they did, to give him an out.

I would love for William Peterson to come back for this season and make it the finale season.

Bringing in yet another new big name actor...that to me is just stupid at this point.

Some posts on Twitter:

vegasoul Dustin Lee Abraham
RIP Ray Langston. #CSI

Huntvision Jeffrey Hunt
Ray Langston will be no more #CSI

Rambopolitan David Rambo
Working with Laurence Fishburne made me want to be a better writer. SO glad I got to dance at that party. Love the man. #CSI

So it is for sure.

Here's some more comments from Twitter:

@LizVassey Liz Vassey
So, Fish is leaving CSI? He's a very nice man; I wish him all the best in his post-fake-forensic life. #morpheusisgoingbacktomovies

@deathspa2 Allen MacDonald
2008-2011. We hardly knew you. RT @vegasoul RIP Ray Langston. #CSI

I can see them bringing in someone, but they would have to be the supervisor again and not lower than the other CSI's. I can see them pulling someone from another city who was head there and then coming here to Las Vegas.

What about Jimmy Smits? I've always liked him and he is not uber big star but still a household type name.

How about John Malkovich? Back when Billy left Laurence Fishburne, Kurt Russell, and John Malkovich were all considered for the role of Langston. I'm not sure if John would be available, but he's a terrific actor and would gel with the show nicely.

 

[DJRideout]

:lol: Someone in that article that Smokey posted suggested CSI: Bean (Rowan Atkinson), and now I can't stop giggling. Too funny! :lol:

In all seriousness though...

While LF is a fine actor, the character Ray did nothing for me. Though LF did his best with what tptb and the writers gave him to work with. I wish him all the best.

Personally, I can see George Eads totally stepping into the lead role. And I personally don't think that the show truely needs another new face/big name. The characters on the show at this point are all well established and between all of them, I am sure they could carry the show.

And of course I am on board with bringing Liz back, and having Wendy a now trained and somewhat experienced CSI to fill the void on left on the team. Someone familiar. Someone who won't blur the lines between who is the lead and supervisor and who is not. A character that is already established....so the writers don't have to waste extra time creating a back story for the character.

But if they feel the need to big in a big name.....Jimmy Smits I could handle...