LaurenceFishburne-related stories
Posted Oct 13th 2009 10:08PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, CSI, Ratings, Casting, Reality-Free
Generally speaking, the
CSI franchise has been a ratings juggernaut for CBS. Still, this season the original
CSI has been declining a bit. It started last season when
Laurence Fishburne took on the role of Dr. Ray Langston, becoming the main man on the show with William Petersen exiting.
Well, in an effort to perhaps pump up Fishburne's popularity, CBS is doing something unique. For the first time,
a CSI character -- Langston -- will crossover to the other two shows in the same week, all part of the same story.
Will it work? Probably. Crossover stunts are always fun and it'll give viewers who watch one of the
CSI's or two, to sample the other. That's not as weird as it sounds. I only watch
CSI, not NY or Miami.
Continue reading Laurence Fishburne to do three-part CSI crossover
Posted Aug 3rd 2009 1:12PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Industry, TCA Press Tour, Reality-Free
CBS programming chief Nina Tassler held court this morning in the CBS executive session. Her network is in an extremely strong position, so there wasn't much in the way of controversy to report, but here are some interesting tidbits from the session:
- Laurence Fishburne's character of Dr. Langston on CSI will assume a more take-charge position this year, he'll also be given a "wardrobe makeover" so he seems, as Tassler put it "more comfortable in his own clothes."
- Jorja Fox will be back for the first five episodes. And one of the main characters will get promoted. I won't spoil it for you, but you can probably figure out who it might be.
- A new Let's Make A Deal with Wayne Brady as host, will be taking the place of Guiding Light. Tassler wouldn't go so far as saying this is a trend towards the return of daytime network game shows, but she did say she wanted to get a new LMAD on the air for a while.
- No plans to bring back Flashpoint right now, though they can. More Canadian cross-production deals on the way, including The Bridge.
- On NBC's late-night / Leno strategies: "Whatever numbers they get, they'll declare victory anyway, so it doesn't matter."
- On the departure of Ben Silverman of NBC: "I'm really just a D-girl, so I wouldn't comment."
Continue reading CBS exec session: CSI changes, Let's Make A Deal... and a few shots at NBC - TCA Report
Posted Mar 26th 2009 10:05AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, CSI, Reality-Free
When
William Petersen left
CSI, he left a very, very cushy job. He was making a cool $600,000 per episode, more than
Kiefer Sutherland was getting for
24, but not quite as much as
Charlie Sheen was taking home for
Two and a Half Men ($825,000 per show).
Well,
CSI decided not to skimp when they cast Laurence Fishburne to assume the star spot on the crime drama.
Fishburne is earning more than $14 million for this season of
CSI. (So much for a recession!)
Continue reading Fishburne is the $14 million man
Posted Jan 16th 2009 11:09AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: CSI, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S09E10) "It feels like Grissom's last big game. I want to win it for him." -- Nick to Catherine
If you're a fan of closure, if you like solutions and results and answers, here was the episode for you. Grissom's exit gave the writers and producers of
CSI a chance to present a show which encompassed most of the elements that characterize what makes this show so popular.
It was sort of a greatest hits episode, if you will, topped with the one scene that kept viewers glued to the set till the end credits. If you missed it by turning away after Grissom's nostalgic stroll through the offices, I'll tell you all about what happened...after the jump.
Continue reading CSI: One to Go (part two)
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 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 Jun 5th 2008 8:23PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Celebrities, Awards, Casting, Reality-Free
CBS has secured
even more celebrities to grace the stage at Radio City Music Hall next Sunday. Gabriel Byrne (
In Treatment), Julie Chen (
Big Brother), Harry Connick, Jr. (
Will & Grace), Laurence Fishburne, Mandy Patinkin
(Criminal Minds), David Hyde Pierce, Lily Tomlin and John Waters (
Til Death Do Us Part) have been added as presenters. These actors and actresses (and, er, Julie Chen) will join an
already stellar list of presenters and host Whoopi Goldberg.
I have to admit it. I'm getting a little excited for The Tonys. I usually find them boring. The performances are fantastic but the awards in between are a bit of a snore. However, this cast of presenters is intriguing. I'll at least be flipping back and forth hoping to catch the performances and my favorite stars.
The 62nd Annual Tony Awards will be held on Sunday June 15th from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
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