Posted Dec 24th 2008 10:02AM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, CSI, Saturday Night Live, Smallville, Doctor Who, Casting, Reality-Free

William Peterson is out and Lawrence Fishburne is in. That's the plan, anyway, over at
CSI central.
Peterson's decision to say goodbye to
CSI was one of the big stories of 2008. The actor's onscreen phase-out started earlier this month with the introduction of Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Raymond Langston, but he's not really saying goodbye. Peterson will remain on the hit CBS show as an executive producer and will likely appear as a guest star in future episodes. His final ep airs January 15.
Since
CSI is one of those ever-lasting franchises, like
Law & Order, I wouldn't rule out a complete return for Peterson a few years from now. Maybe he'll spin-off another show. I'm sure fans wouldn't mind seeing
CSI: The Gil Grissom Chronicles.
Me, I don't really care. I don't watch
CSI (I guess I'm not that intrigued by forensic science). So let's talk about the 2008 TV star departures that meant something to me.
Continue reading Top TV Stories of 2008: Star departures - VIDEOS
Posted Dec 12th 2008 10:40AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S09E09) In part one of the two-part episode that will hand off the reins of power at the Las Vegas crime lab from Gil Grissom to Raymond Langston,
CSI spent as much time breaking the news about Gil's exit as it did lay the groundwork for Langston's entrance.
Speaking of entrances, Laurence Fishburne was given quite the platform, appearing in shadow until the light clicked on and he was revealed. It'll be interesting to see if Petersen's last scene will replicate Frank Sinatra vanishing into distant spotlights, singing "Excuse me while I disappear." Considering the Vegas connection, I think that would be a perfect way for him to go.
Continue reading CSI: 19 Down... (Part One)
Posted Dec 5th 2008 9:35PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free

Last night's episode of
CSI, called
"Young Man with a Horn," was not only a nostalgic story of old Las Vegas, it was also a chance to feature some wonderful stars from TV's past.
There was Ralph Waite, John-Boy's father from
The Waltons; Robert Guillaume, the double Emmy-winning star of
Benson; and even the creator of
Laugh-In, George Schlatter. And the center of the whodunit was none other than an original Hitchcock blonde, Tippi Hedren, star of
The Birds and
Marnie.
Continue reading Did you catch the star power on CSI last night?
Posted Dec 3rd 2008 11:26AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Casting, Reality-Free

Question: Is
Craig T. Nelson being cast on CSI: NY just another big star guest turn or could it be something more important? We don't know the answer yet, but I suspect that booking the Emmy-award winning TV star for three episodes could be a lot more significant than just pumping up the ratings during February sweeps with a meaty story arc.
What we do know is that the popular actor will be on
CSI: NY as an antagonist to Gary Sinise's character. Nelson will play Robert Parker, a high profile, powerful publisher who has an ax to grind with Mac Taylor.
To say they're going to butt heads is an educated guess, but I think that's the direction they're going. You can see Parker using his media outlets to attack Mac and his department, you know, those great New York tabloid headlines.
Continue reading Craig T. Nelson to guest on CSI: NY
Posted Oct 10th 2008 10:05AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S09E01) It's rare when a procedural drama, especially one like
CSI which is the blueprint for forensics-driven cop shows, has the chance for a truly emotional, cathartic episode. That's what happened with this episode and
CSI's stellar cast rose to the occasion, especially William Petersen.
Picking up right where it left off in the season finale, unlike most
CSI plots, this one wasn't a whodunit or a whydunit or even a howdunit. The audience knew what had happened in the early morning hours after the night shift finished work and shared breakfast together.
Outside the diner, down a dark alley, Warrick was sitting alone in his car and something ominous was bound to happen -- and did.
For more on the aftermath, stick with me following the jump.
Continue reading CSI: For Warrick (season premiere)
Posted Sep 23rd 2008 6:00PM by Thomas DiChiara
Filed under: Battlestar Galactica, CSI, ER, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Casting, Reality-Free

Let's get the bad/obvious news out of the way first:
Despite what ER showrunner David Zabel told TV Guide in a recent interview, George Clooney will not -- repeat NOT -- be returning to the show for it's 15th and final season.
According to Clooney's publicist, "He is on record as saying he is not coming back. It is something he has already done. He is busy making movies." If you're an optimist, though, you can always hope for a surprise Clooney return a la the 2000
ER season finale, in which Georgie showed up at the very end of Julianna Margulies' farewell ep.
On a more positive note, there are plenty of actors who ARE joining popular existing series or are attached to promising upcoming projects. A rundown of these casting coups ensues.
Continue reading Casting scoop: George Clooney, William Fichtner and more
Posted Sep 2nd 2008 12:42PM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Industry, OpEd, CSI, NCIS, Reality-Free

A
CBS press release landed in my inbox today with this earth-shattering news: CBS's fall programming ads (20 total) will be featured exclusively in
People's Sept. 22 issue.
From the release: "In a special arrangement with the magazine, CBS will be the exclusive broadcast advertiser in the issue, on stands Sept. 12." Of course, that's right before the launch of CBS's new fall lineup.
And it sounds like this might be a first. George Schweitzer, president of CBS Marketing Group says, "CBS has long valued its relationship with
People, and we're elated that they worked with us to pull off this first-time strategy to be the sole broadcast advertiser in this well-timed issue." You know, whatever. Blah, blah, blah.
So why should we care? Honestly, I really don't. I just keep thinking,
People? What, they couldn't come up with anything snappier? Like, I dunno ... maybe
Entertainment Weekly?
Vanity Fair? I guess with 43 million readers, they'll reach a lot of people in
People.
Continue reading CBS to rule People magazine
Posted Aug 18th 2008 2:29PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Casting, Reality-Free

As
Jane wrote a couple of weeks ago, CBS was hot on the heels of landing a big name star to fill the void when William Petersen leaves
CSI later this year. The names bandied about included Kurt Russell and John Malkovich, and one other major motion picture star, Laurence Fishburne. Today, the network announced
Laurence Fishburne will indeed be the new addition to CSI. His character is a forensic scientist, like Grissom, but don't expect him to have Gil's fascination with insects. No, Fishburne's man has other bugs: he's a former pathologist and college lecturer who's focused on why people commit acts of violence. It should be interesting to see how his preoccupation with the why integrates with the other CSI gang who are all Grissom-trained and generally obsessed with how a crime is done and who done it.
Fishburne will be introduced in the ninth episode when his character meets members of the CSI team during a murder investigation and ends up joining them.
Continue reading CSI lands Laurence Fishburne
Posted Aug 6th 2008 8:03AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: OpEd, CSI, Casting, Reality-Free
CSI fans have been clutching their hearts in agony upon learning that
William Petersen would be
leaving the role of brainy crimebuster Gil Grissom. I don't watch
CSI regularly, and even
I know that he's the heart of the show.
Petersen will be returning for occasional guest appearances, but will the show ever be the same? Maybe not, but it doesn't have to die a slow, painful death either.
Laurence Fishburne is in talks to
succeed Peterson as the star of the show, and I think he has the chops to do it. His monologue in the feature film
Bobby gave me goosebumps and turned me into a diehard fan.
Continue reading Laurence Fishburne in talks for CSI
Posted Aug 5th 2008 1:20PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Programming, Boston Legal, CSI, Desperate Housewives, ER, House, Law and Order, Rescue Me, The Shield, The Simpsons, Smallville, Grey's Anatomy, Family Guy, Entourage, Prison Break, My Name Is Earl, Bones, Supernatural, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, King of the Hill, The Office, Dancing With The Stars, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Brothers and Sisters, NCIS, Damages, Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Private Practice, Life, Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who?, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Lipstick Jungle, Eli Stone, Reality-Free, Gossip Girl
It's coming. The table is set, the players are on the field, the sails are raised, and the pretty maids are all in a row. Of course, I speak of the 2008-09 television schedule. In just a few short weeks viewers will be able to dine on a number of favorite and new dishes that are being served by the networks as well as the increasing number of cable channels who are delving into original programming.
While other fall seasons have come and gone with nary a whimper, this season may be different. Due to the prolonged Writers Strike many shows ended their seasons quite early. Programs like Life, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, and Heroes haven't aired original episodes since the end of 2007. Heck, there hasn't been a new episode of The Shield since June of last year! So, the beginning of the 2008-09 season will be a second chance for some of these shows, particularly the ones that premiered last season, to show their worth to fans and the networks.
Continue reading TV Squad presents the 2008-09 fall schedule
Posted Jul 18th 2008 3:26PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Industry, CSI, How I Met Your Mother, TCA Press Tour, Moonlight, Reality-Free

The first day of the combined CBS / CW / Showtime part of the tour kicked off with the executive session from CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler. Before she got on stage, the network showed a montage of their shows. It was then I realized, "Boy, I really
don't watch anything on this network, do I?" I mean, outside of the Monday comedies and
The Price is Right, there isn't one show on the Eye net that I tune in on a regular basis.
Anyway, she addressed the departure of William Peterson from
CSI, just about right off the bat, giving the gathered writers a clue as to the nature of the character who will be coming in to fill his void. Oh, and Tassler is studying to become a cantor. For some reason, a reporter asked her about that.
Continue reading CBS executive session: Peterson's CSI departure, Moonlight fans, and a different sensibility - TCA Report
Posted Jul 16th 2008 3:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: CSI, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
We told you yesterday about William Petersen leaving his role as Gil Grissom on CBS' CSI. Now comes word that a bunch of actors have either been asked to take his place or have at least been talked about taking his place.
First on the list is John Malkovich, who was actually asked to take over the role but said 'no' (that would have made him a strong contender for this award next year). Other names that have been brought up include Kurt Russell and Laurence Fishburne.
Wow, those are two exciting names, actually. Two strong movie actors with TV ties. I can picture both of them in the role and really giving the show a little jolt. Personally, I think they should hire Tim Daly, have the team go private, and change the show's title to Eyes.
After the jump, some more names that might be added to the list...
Continue reading Who should replace William Petersen on CSI?
Posted Jul 15th 2008 11:41AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Industry, CSI, Casting, Reality-Free

Just because William Petersen signed a contract in May that said he was going to stay on
CSI, doesn't mean that he's going to, you know,
stay on
CSI. As it turns out, Petersen, who does double-duty as Gil Grissom and executive producer of the long-running procedural, had a clause in his contract that is allowing him to leave the show after this season's tenth episode. Both Petersen and CBS are quick to point out, however, that
we will not be seeing the last of Gil Grissom.Petersen plans to remain actively involved in
CSI and is maintaining his role as executive producer. Although he will no longer be a series regular, he's definitely not planning on leaving for good, saying, "I'm in a great place in terms of knowing that I'll be more free to make choices. And I'm responsible enough to not do it in a way that would hurt [the show]."
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMPContinue reading William Petersen is leaving Las Vegas ... and CSI
Posted Jun 27th 2008 11:02AM by Brett Love
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Programming, The Amazing Race, CSI, Survivor, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, Reality-Free
Are you anxiously awaiting news of who was in that SUV that exploded? Still fraught with worry over how Gibbs is going to get his team back together? Or maybe you are just excited that Survivor is finally going to be beamed into your living room in glorious HD. Well, you can start making plans for your fall scheduling now. The eye network has released the schedule of premieres for their new and returning shows.
I'm a little concerned about two things on the schedule. First, The New Adventures Of Old Christine and Project Gary lead into Criminal Minds on Wednesday nights. That's an odd pairing, and I don't think bodes well for either of the comedies. And second, The Unit gets shuffled off to Sunday at 10? NCIS and The Unit have done remarkably well paired up on Tuesdays. Good for The Mentalist, not so much for The Unit. The whole thing kicks off with Survivor on September 18th. The rest of the schedule is after the jump.
Continue reading The CBS fall premiere schedule
Posted May 30th 2008 8:22AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, CSI, The Shield, Grey's Anatomy, Entourage, Jericho, Casting, Private Practice, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free

Shortly after the release of 2005's
Crash in theaters, I remember reading that a TV series based on the film was in the works. I even pitched the story to a TV trade magazine, but the editor didn't go for it. She must have guessed the show would be years in the works, and she was right.
Three years later, a TV series is finally starting to gain some steam.
The Hollywood Reporter just posted a story that
five actors have joined the cast of the series produced by Don Cheadle,
Paul Haggis (pictured), Mark R. Harris, Robert Moresco, Tom Nunan, and Bob Yari, all of whom were involved with the movie. Produced by Lionsgate, the series is anticipated to
premiere on Starz in 2009.
Here's a rundown on the actors who've just signed. It's interesting that most of these folks are not big-name actors, which I find refreshing in an era where many mega-movie stars are crossing over into TV:
Continue reading Crash gears up with cast
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