Posted May 15th 2008 11:21AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Reality-Free

There's been a lot of flux on
CSI, CBS's top rated, long-running, extremely popular forensics-procedural-crime drama (I think that covers all the categories, right?) At the end of last season,
Jorja Fox decided not to come back to the show, and her role as Sara was written out in the first two episodes of the year. The producers left the door open for her to return -- they didn't kill her off -- but she's gone.
Tonight is the last of
Gary Dourdan as Warrick. He's having trouble off-camera, a serious felony arrest earlier this month for drugs, so his leaving may have been a necessity even if he hadn't chosen to exit. Therefore, it's a good thing to be able to tell you that
USA Today reports that
Marg Helgenberger has inked a new contract with
CSI for two more years. That, coupled with
William Petersen's signing a new deal in April, means that
CSI is in good shape for the foreseeable future. CBS should be doing the happy-dance.
Continue reading Marg Helgenberger renews CSI contract
Posted May 14th 2008 10:19AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, Programming, The Amazing Race, CSI, Survivor, Numb3rs, How I Met Your Mother, Cancellations, Pickups and Renewals, Shark, Upfronts, Cane, Moonlight

CBS announced its plans for the 2008-2009 season today. For the most part, things are staying the same, but there are two new sitcoms and four hour dramas planned. Here are the highlights:
Returning: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Rules of Engagement, The Unit, Cold Case, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, The Ghost Whisperer, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, NCIS, 60 Minutes, Without A Trace, Survivor, The Amazing RaceOut: Shark, Moonlight, Cane, Kid Nation, Power of 10, Secret Talents of the Stars, Viva Laughlin, Welcome to the CaptainNew: The Worst Week, Project Gary, The Ex List, Eleventh Hour, The Mentalist
Mid-season: Harper's Island, Rules of Engagement
Schedule and detailed descriptions of the new shows coming soon, after the jump.Continue reading The Upfronts: CBS
Posted May 12th 2008 9:39AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, CSI, Reality-Free

The
CSI/Two and a Half Men writers switch was a very clever promotion for CBS. Fortunately, the writers saw the opportunity to change places as more than just a publicity stunt. They really took the scripting seriously and came up with inventive episodes for each program. If this were a competition to see which team would deliver the better show, who would take on the task of writing winning TV in a genre not their own and succeed beyond expectations, the comedy scribes take the gold. Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn's
CSI was pure genius, and if it were up to me,
CSI should submit it for an Emmy.
But first there was
Two and a Half Men. In an episode called "Fish in a Drawer" (and if somebody could explain what that title means, I'd be most appreciative), the story picked up after Evelyn married Teddy. In the teleplay by
CSI regular writers Evan Dunsky and Sarah Goldfinger, Charlie and Courtney check out of the reception for a little romp in his room upstairs only to find Teddy's dead bod on the bed. Talk about spoiling the mood. Teddy wasn't only a corpse, he was a corpse with his pants pulled down around his ankles and lipstick stains on his hoo-ha. The cops were called in, a detective who was a dead ringer for Marg Helgenberger -- played by redhead Jamie Rose -- had the vaguely Bondian name of Jagov, Sloane Jagov. Naturally, Charlie had to make a move on her. He couldn't keep his eyes off her cleavage.
Continue reading The CSI/Two and a Half Men writer switcheroo -- loved it!
Posted May 5th 2008 3:39PM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Programming, American Idol, Battlestar Galactica, Boston Legal, CSI, Desperate Housewives, ER, House, Law and Order, Lost, Scrubs, The Simpsons, Smallville, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, Family Guy, My Name Is Earl, Bones, Supernatural, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, King of the Hill, The Office, America's Next Top Model, Dancing With The Stars, Shark, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Brothers and Sisters, NCIS, TV Squad Lists, Reaper, Moonlight, Samantha Who?, Reality-Free, Gossip Girl
Holy frik! We've only just started to embrace the return of our shows after a shortened strike season. Now, they are almost over. In the next few weeks all of our network favorites will say good-bye for the summer to be replaced with reality shows, reality game shows, reality soap operas, and Regis on primetime (again).
Needless to say, I'm a bit depressed. As I am sure you are as well. But, we will do our duty and press on. Thusly, we here at the sprawling lakefront offices of TV Squad (you choose the lakefront) have compiled list of when your favorite, and not so favorite, shows will be saying good-bye for their summer vacation. As usual, taking the fickleness of the networks, these times and days can change at a moment's notices. We will try to update you of those changes as quickly as our little fingers can type it out.
So, with a leaden heart, here are your season and series finales.
Continue reading It's finale time again! No, really.
Posted May 5th 2008 2:23PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, CSI, Reality-Free
We told you recently about the writing teams of CSI and Two and Half Men switching places for one episode of each show. The first episode airs tonight at 9 on CBS.
The Two and a Half Men episode was written by the CSI staff and is titled "Fish in a Drawer," and I have no idea what that title means. Thursdays CSI episode was written by the Two and a Half Men staff and has a title that's a lot easier to understand: "Two and a Half Deaths." It's about the murder of a despised sitcom star (Chuck Lorre used to work for both Cybill Shepherd and Roseanne Barr - I'm just sayin').
Continue reading Don't forget! Tonight the CSI writers tackle Two and a Half Men
Posted May 2nd 2008 2:19PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, CSI, Video, Celebrities, Reality-Free
We told you a long time ago about the writers of CSI switching places with the writers of Two and a Half Men for one episode, way back when people thought it was a joke and that it would never actually happen. Well, it's happening, and after the jump is the video to prove it.
The idea came from Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre, who approached CSI executive producer Carol Mendelsohn about switching teams for one episode of each series. The plot involves the murder of a famous Hollywood comedienne/sitcom diva who is difficult on the set of her show, and Lorre is quick to point out that it's NOT based on Cybill Shepherd, who he worked with on her show (*cough cough wink wink*). The video shows the behind the scenes goings on as the shows meet in the writers room and plan her Las Vegas demise.
Continue reading CSI meets Two and a Half Men - VIDEO
Posted May 1st 2008 4:41PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: CSI, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Two surprises hit me when I read this article about CSI at The Chicago Sun-Times: one, Gary Dourdan might return to the show next season, and two, next season could be the last for the series.
As you've already heard, Dourdan was arrested the other morning for possession of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription drugs. Seems that the cast and crew have been worried about Dourdan for quite some time and now want to help him even more. I guess sometimes someone has to hit rock bottom before someone intervenes.
Continue reading Dourdan could return to CSI next season
Posted Apr 29th 2008 4:22PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: CSI, Celebrities, Reality-Free
CSI star Gary Dourdan was arrested at 5:21 AM and charged with suspected possession of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and maybe other drugs as well.
He was arrested in Palm Springs, CA when police saw him sleeping in his car early in the morning. When they got to the car and investigated further, Dourdan was arrested for the above offense. He's out on bail.
This arrest will trigger approximately 327 different jokes about the CSI gang helping him and tests being done on the car, etc. Now we just have to figure out whether he's leaving CSI (official word is that Dourdan and the studio came to an understanding on his departure) because of his drug use or (as Keith wonders) he's doing the drugs because he's leaving the show.
Chicken, egg.
Posted Apr 23rd 2008 12:41PM by Jonathan Toomey
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, CSI, Reality-Free
I can't believe this is actually happening. I've told you before how much I hate cross-overs on TV; it's tolerable if it's at least the same genre of show. This is like in-breeding. If CSI and Two And a Half Men were brother and sister, then their deformed, incestual love-child is what's going to air on Monday, May 5th.
We actually reported on this almost a year ago, that the writers of CSI and Two And a Half Men were going to flip-flop and pen an episode of the other show. Well it never happened. Now, according to this press release, it's a go. I would imagine that the Writer's Strike played a role in resuscitating this awkward match-up.
Continue reading Writers of CSI and Two and a Half Men switch shows, create crossover from hell
Posted Apr 14th 2008 9:00PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: CSI, Celebrities, Reality-Free

Last fall,
CSI's
Jorja Fox left the show. Two weeks ago, it was confirmed that
William Petersen signed a one-year contract to stick around for the show's ninth season. This week, we learn that series regular Gary Dourdan decided to quit the show at the end of the current season.
Dourdan, who plays CSI Level 3 Warrick Brown, and CBS/Paramount came to a mutual decision not renew the actor's contract with the show.
Continue reading Dourdan leaving CSI
Posted Apr 1st 2008 12:28PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Casting

Every time he thinks he's out, they pull him back in again! No, just kidding. It's not like that. This isn't Michael in
Godfather 3. Nobody's forcing anyone.
However, it is true that
William Petersen is returning to CBS's CSI for the ninth season. This is great news for fans of the show -- and the star -- because for years now he's been yelping about leaving the hit series to do other things. Last year, for example, he was written off the show for a brief hiatus in which
Liev Schreiber was cast as a temporary replacement for Gil Grissom in the Las Vegas crime lab.
Continue reading William Petersen agrees to stay with CSI
Posted Mar 31st 2008 11:01AM by Paul Goebel
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, CSI, TV Squad Lists
Television has a long standing tradition of making its stars feel more popular than they really are. As somebody who used to be on TV, five nights a a week, I know what that feeling is like. Generally when that person leaves television, they go on to do movies or change professions and they often become even more popular. However, there is always that TV celebrity who overestimates how much people want to see them and when they leave their hit TV show, it ends up being the biggest mistake of their career.
David Caruso
Before Caruso became the star of the weakest part of the CSI franchise, he was the star of NYPD Blue. After playing numerous bit parts on TV and in film, he finally hit the big time. The critics and the public both agreed that he was a breath of fresh air in what had become a stale world of TV dramas. He was sexy and tough, just like his show and he fit in perfectly with his supporting characters. Then suddenly, Caruso decided he was too talented for the small screen and bailed on the show. His much talked-about departure allowed him to make unwatchable films like Jade and the remake of Kiss of Death that nobody asked for. Luckily, the ginger-haired tough guy was able to revive his career, but one can't help but wonder how different things would have been had he continued to be Detective John Kelly.
Continue reading Five stars who made a terrible mistake
Posted Mar 26th 2008 10:04AM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Industry, Programming, Battlestar Galactica, Boston Legal, CSI, Desperate Housewives, ER, House, Law and Order, Lost, Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, Supernatural, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, Doctor Who, The Office, Last Comic Standing, Shark, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Brothers and Sisters, NCIS, Moonlight, Samantha Who?
Hear that sound -- a nearly inaudible rumbling coming over the horizon? Everyday it is getting louder and louder. Soon, the stampede that is the return of scripted series back from the depths of the WGA strike will overrun our televisions and computer screens, bringing overwhelming joy to our lives.
Okay, that statement may be a little flowery, but the sentiment is still there. After a very long dry period a good many of our favorite comedies and dramas are returning to the television landscape. We've had a taste of it these last few weeks with the return of shows like The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Dirt, The Riches and Smallville. That was just a preview of what is to come. Over the next few weeks we will see the return of The Office, Scrubs, Ugly Betty, all of the CSIs, Battlestar Galactica, and Lost, among others.
Continue reading TV Squad presents the rest of the 2007-08 season
Posted Mar 24th 2008 2:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, CSI, House, Law and Order, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, NCIS, TV Squad Lists, Lipstick Jungle, Eli Stone

The world of primetime TV are primarily set in the real world. The real world based on the fiction they create. So,
Law and Order -- in all its incarnations -- is set in New York City, but it's not the real five boroughs. The newspapers they read are not
The New York Times, the
Post or the
Daily News. For contemporary TV fiction, reality is on the margins of the storytelling because you can't really set those characters in a real world. However, when the two worlds intersect, the results can be magic. Here's 8 big-time, primetime examples:
1) Cowboy Up TimeRemember the episode of
Lost when Ben wanted to convince Jack that he was in communication with the world outside the island? To prove that he was telling the truth, he showed Jack a video of the Boston Red Sox winning the world series in 2004. You can't get more real than that, right? And yet it was used in one of the most out of this world shows on the air. In fact, using
Lost's own terminology, the Red Sox video is a constant truth in a universe that's a complete fiction.
Continue reading Eight real world moments in reel TV
Posted Feb 27th 2008 1:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, 24, CSI, NCIS

It doesn't take a rocket scientist, let alone a forensic specialist, to detect that the
CSI franchise is hot. CBS currently boasts three shows with
CSI in the title --
CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York -- four if you include the non-Jerry Bruckheimer produced military procedural
NCIS. So, then, it shouldn't come as a surprise that
CSI is expanding. No, there's not a new
CSI TV show happening, but there is an amusement park variation on
CSI coming to life at Magic Mountain, the Valencia, California tourist attraction. (By the way, isn't it nice that Valencia didn't get nuked for real like it did on
24 last season?)
Continue reading CSI: Magic Mountain - it's true
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