William Petersen Leaving CSI
The good news is that the site is back. Thanks to all who stuck with us during the outage.
The bad news is that our dear William Petersen has decided to leave CSI. This will be Billy’s last season as the lead actor of the franchise that started it all. The show originally reported that Billy had signed a 9th season contract back in April. The thing is is the contract expires mid season. Probably when Billy’s play starts.
The other good news is that show runner Carol Mendelsohn says we having seeing the last of Billy Petersen.
“Billy is leaving. But he will remain throughout the run of the series an executive producer. And he will, whenever CBS asks, come back. I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Gil Grissom.”
For his part Billy wanted the transition to be good for everyone, “I want it to work for the writers, I want it to work for the cast, and, most importantly, I want it to work for the audience,” Billy said during at interview with ET. “I don’t want them to abandon the show.”
Billy also seems pretty pleased with where he’s landed. “For me, it’s a really good situation. I don’t want the audience to think it’s not… [It isn't] like there’s something going on, like ‘Petersen’s unhappy,’ ’cause it’s not true. It’s quite the contrary. ”
Expect the Grissom story line to be turn dark right before Billy’s departure.
The events of last season’s finale — specifically the death of Dourdan’s Warrick — will push Grissom to the breaking point. “The easiest way to describe Grissom is ‘in crisis,’” Petersen told me. “As a man. As a scientist. As a teacher. As a middle-aged person who has been very successful at what he’s done… [he] wonders, ‘What’s the point?’
Expect Jorja Fox as Sara to return to help Grissom through the difficult time.
This will be a very different CSI. It’s amazing that an ensemble castlasted 8 season. I won’t stop watching but it hasn’t been the same since Jorja left. How are you guys feeling about the changes?
