I really have to say something about the contract thing, though it isn't a spoiler/spoiler related (sorry, but I can't not say it).
I agree that it isn't unreasonable for JF to want a pay raise. It's expensive to live in LA and there are fees that go along with being an actor. Although, that's something that they have to think about independently if this is a career that they really want. The CSI franchise is mega popular all over the world, they have books, games and whatever else . . . millions upon millions are being made. Yes, the show is expensive to make. But it's popularity in many different markets make up for it's cost to produce.
The other actors have settled their contracts. Whose to say that they haven't received pay raises and Jorja wants the same courtesy? Is it possible that they are asking her to accept less per episode that the others? I don't see why not. Doesn't mean she'd be happy about it. And it doesn't mean that she expects to be paid the same rate that Billy and Marg get.
But more than that, not all contract negotiations are about money. She really didn't have a lot to do this season. I'm not entirely sure why that is. I feel, personally, that this season has focused on Billy and Marg. Yea, they are the stars, but that doesn't mean that the other actors could've have received a bit more airtime (they certainly didn't need to bring on Keppler since the first time the show hit #1, Billy and Marg had little to do with the episode, and GD was the lead - that would've been four weeks of WP absense where the other characters could've been focused on). Perhaps Jorja wants either more airtime (otherwise acting talent is essentially being wasted and you're just there, not being productive/expanding acting skills), or more "outs" to be able to do movie projects, direct/write more plays, or travel -- especially if she isn't going to be getting leads in stories.
Essentially, I feel like perhaps the execs didn't really know what to do with Sara after she and Grissom got together and because of that, she was put in the background.
As for her reportedly not showing up for work? That doesn't make sense. I don't think she'd do that, but that said, I don't know her personally, and it's just my opinion. It begs the question: Why would someone who reportedly wants to check out greener pastures in other areas of the acting world do something that wouldn't make her look good in other studios eyes? It would only make it even harder for her to get work, and it's not easy to get work in Hollywood even without those sorts of stories following you around.
As far as possibly sending Marg to Vegas to re-shoot/shoot extra scenes, perhaps it's true in part. Maybe the network had assumed that the contract negotiations would be settled by now, and since they aren't, felt that it was in their best interest to shoot more scenes. Or do a variation on the already shot scenes.
Maybe there were muiltiple season finale endings shot -- perhaps to fool the people at the network who leak spoilers, so they won't know which is actually going to air (Sara is fine; Sara is injured, fate unknown; Sara is dead).
But in the whole article, what strikes me the most is that the network claims they are still in 'talks.' They most certainly wouldn't release information like "she refused to show up for her death scene." That would completely blow it out of the water as the characters fate would've already been decided. That said -- I think someone is making up some major stories to create a little controversy.
