Season 12 Spoiler Lab Discussion

[MaxPointy]

My top picks (even before Laurence Fishburne came in) are:

Robert Patrick - knows what it's like to join a long-running series replacing a lead character (he's about the only thing that made the X-files waning years watchable) and has an awesome range, able to play everything from low-level scumbags to FBI insiders. Why his career never advanced beyond respected character actor is a mystery to me. He exudes intelligence and intensity without coming off as either geeky or creepy. I'd pay good money to see him do his T-1000 run tracking down a suspect dumb enough to attempt to flee on foot.

Nicholas Campbell - not well known in the US, but in Canada he starred in DaVinci's Inquest - an early forefunner to CSI set in the Vancouver coroner's office in one of Canada's seediest neighbourhoods. He's worked on long-running procedurals before, knows the jargon, and would definitely be an actor more along the lines of William Petersen - a solid anchor for the show without always being front and center. He has a close-to-burnout, trumpled trenchcoat, seen-it-all, nothing-surprises-me-anymore deadpan quality.

But if this does indeed turn out to be Marg Helgenberger's last stint, she should definitely have top billing in the credits for her remaining episodes. If Laurence Fishburne does stick around to wrap up his storyline, I'm thinking he should be a "special appearance by"

 

[CSI_Kat]

Laurence Fishburne is LEAVING!

EXCLUSIVE: After two-and-a-half seasons, Laurence Fishburne is leaving CSI. The Oscar-nominated actor's deal on the show was up and he opted not to renew it. He is expected to return to features full-time. It was a major coup for CBS to land Fishburne as a successor to original star William Petersen who left the series in December 2008. But when he last renewed his contract for CSI last May, Fishburne only did it for one season. After ten-and-a-half seasons as CBS' Thursday 9 PM anchor, CSI is moving to Wednesday 10 PM this fall. I hear CBS and the veteran crime drama's producers were not surprised by Fishburne's decision. "Nobody expected him to be on the show for 7 years," one insider said. "He is Laurence Fishburne!". Fishburne will next be seen in Steven Soderbergh's thriller Contagion.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/laurence-fishburne-leaves-csi/

Best news I have heard about this show in awhile! While I think LF is a good actor...I never liked him on this show and honestly lost interest. I havent seen most of the season. Its collecting dust in my DVR. Now though I have a reason to get caught up! Hopefully the show can now become CSI again instead of the Ray show.

 

[PrincessJ88]

My only question, do they need to bring in a new male lead? Why not a new female lead? If Marg is leaving then why not find an actress instead of an actor?

I hear Lisa Edelstein is available.....

As for how Langston's exit is written...maybe we get a scene with Ray and Ecklie and Catherine where he decides to spare the team and just walk away. Maybe he goes back to teaching or goes on a walkabout in the Outback and gets stranded never to be heard from again.....too harsh?

 

[Smokey]

I don't think this is good news for the rest of the team at all. TPTB are going to try....again!...to make the show something that it isn't by bringing in another newbie to take over. They need to let the actors who have been there the whole time step up and prove that they, along with a new minor character or two, can carry the show.

But it ain't gonna happen.

 

[hiphugger17]

Wow Wasn't expecting this. Both leads leaving is really tough for the show. They should promote George Eads, call it the final season and BEG Marg to stay to wrap it all up. It'll be really interesting to know how they'll wrap up the Ray storyline. My guess is that they don't convict him (thus saving Brass) but Ray can't do the job anymore after what he did so he leaves.

 

[PalmTree]

I'm with the "didn't see that one coming" If I had to point someone out from the cast who would be back for sure, it would be Fishburne

While I hope they bring back someone familiar, like Grissom, Sofia or Wendy, I know that won't happen.

I'm still in the positive believing.....

Robert Patrick - knows what it's like to join a long-running series replacing a lead character (he's about the only thing that made the X-files waning years watchable) and has an awesome range, able to play everything from low-level scumbags to FBI insiders.

bring him on....
though I'm not in favor of bringing up again a new (forced) lead... I make an exception for this guy (and Kevin Spacey )

 

[Frosch]

I know the overall reaction to LF not coming back next season is one of elation for a lot of people but I can’t help but think that this isn’t looking good for the show’s future beyond season 12. Can the show carry on without bringing in a new, big name star and just carry on with the core group of GE, ES & JF and possibly MH? I know the individual fan groups think so but I'm not so sure.

And if they are planning on bringing in a ‘big name’, how attractive will it be to come onto an established show that is 11 years old and that just had a well respected and successful actor such as LF bail?

The next couple of months will be very interesting.

 

[Sookie]

My pick, if they feel the need to bring someone else in, would be Kurt Russell. I've always like him and think he would be a good fit.

But, I don't think they need to bring in anyone else. I think with the addition of Conrad's daughter that there will be enough people on the show.

 

[hodges_alias_47]

After reading the news, I immediately hoped/thought that Grissom would come back.

 

[SpasmThatCat]

Fish is leaving?

I liked Ray, he had great presence and humour. My only niggle is that he was overused to the detriment of the other characters, but from a production standpoint if you get a big movie star to appear in your series you're going to want to push him.

So maybe next season Szmanda will finally get some good episodes. The poor bloke hadn't had a Greg-centred story since season 7, and then they gave him that weak-assed, rushed effort with Von Teese. He's owed better than that.

TPTB, you still have a cast of great characters that we've loved since the beginning. Write up a storm for them in season 12 and send CSI out with a bang. We know you can do it.

 

[Top41]

Wow! Did not expect him to leave at all. But I guess the show has kind of paved the way for him to leave after the finale--it'll make sense that Ray either quit or wasn't cleared to return to work by IAB.

I wonder if they'll replace him with a big name star or not. It would be great if they could get Petersen back... maybe if they billed it as a final season?

 

[byline]

Wow Wasn't expecting this. Both leads leaving is really tough for the show. They should promote George Eads, call it the final season and BEG Marg to stay to wrap it all up.

There's a part of me that's relieved (not because of Laurence Fishburne, himself, but because I didn't like the way the character of Ray was being written lately), but also a part of me that's concerned about what this means for the future of "CSI" (especially when combined with the move to Wednesday nights).

I know it's on a lot of folks' minds -- including mine -- but I seriously doubt that William Petersen will come back, except maybe for the series finale. Everything I've read indicates that he's done with the show; he'd given it his all as an actor, and felt there was nowhere new to go with Grissom, so it was time for him to move on.

It'll be really interesting to know how they'll wrap up the Ray storyline. My guess is that they don't convict him (thus saving Brass) but Ray can't do the job anymore after what he did so he leaves.

Ever since the Sqweegel character was introduced, I've been wondering if he will return. Now I wonder if he will have something to do with Ray's exit story. We know that Sqweegel's M.O. is all about avenging past wrongs by killing those who fall through the cracks of the criminal justice system, so I have to wonder if an encounter with Sqweegel is in Ray's future.

 

[hiphugger17]

Wow Wasn't expecting this. Both leads leaving is really tough for the show. They should promote George Eads, call it the final season and BEG Marg to stay to wrap it all up.

There's a part of me that's relieved (not because of Laurence Fishburne, himself, but because I didn't like the way the character of Ray was being written lately), but also a part of me that's concerned about what this means for the future of "CSI" (especially when combined with the move to Wednesday nights).

I know it's on a lot of folks' minds -- including mine -- but I seriously doubt that William Petersen will come back, except maybe for the series finale. Everything I've read indicates that he's done with the show; he'd given it his all as an actor, and felt there was nowhere new to go with Grissom, so it was time for him to move on.

It'll be really interesting to know how they'll wrap up the Ray storyline. My guess is that they don't convict him (thus saving Brass) but Ray can't do the job anymore after what he did so he leaves.

Ever since the Sqweegel character was introduced, I've been wondering if he will return. Now I wonder if he will have something to do with Ray's exit story. We know that Sqweegel's M.O. is all about avenging past wrongs by killing those who fall through the cracks of the criminal justice system, so I have to wonder if an encounter with Sqweegel is in Ray's future.

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.

 

[Ladybronco]

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 thought I saw where some posters on other sites are joyously intimating that CBS fired LF, but as far as we know it's being released as LF choosing not to renew? I wonder what caused LF's turn around in thinking.

I mostly liked his character, and all my negative issues were with the writers, and not LF himself or his performances. I just hope this doesn't affect everyone else with their contracts. I'll be forever nervous until I hear that George has renewed his contract.

If CBS is expecting to hire a replacement, I certainly hope they don't handle it like they did with Ray's character development, and at the expense of Nick, Catherine, Greg, et al.

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.

 

[Crumbs]

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.

My main worry is that LF's exit could mean that this will be CSI's last season, whilst all shows have to end someday, I reckon CSI could still kick out another three seasons worth and I still think that the flagship will get cancelled AFTER its spin-offs do.

Moving to the Wednesday 10pm slot could be beneficial though, I don't see it as the end, as far as I know it's not a "deathslot" and it follows on nicely from Criminal Minds. (I'm not one to know though, not being from the US and all. )

I really hope that TPTB have learnt from their mistakes, that CSI is an ensemble cast and no a one man show. I also hope that Elizabeth Harnois doesn't end up being another Lauren Lee Smith but I guess we'll find out in the future.