TVSquad

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 JUMP

When Sara left CSI, driving out of Las Vegas on her way to who knows what, he left behind a brokenhearted Gil Grissom. The producers of CSI were wise to keep the door open for the character to return, and that's just what's happening -- at least for one show. According to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, Jorja Fox will be in the season premiere of CSI. Oh, and she won't be the only former cast mate on the show; so will Gary Dourdan as Warrick.

I know, I know -- I can hear you now, how is that possible? Didn't he die in the CSI finale? When we last saw Warrick, he'd been shot twice and left to die in his car. Could the CSI have survived a bullet through the neck? He was slumped over the steering wheel, so he looked dead. And the sheriff shot him a second time -- presumably a death shot to the head since it was an execution.

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.

If you don't like spoilers, or even possible spoilers, just stop reading now. Seriously. If I see one comment about how I ruined the season finale of CSI for you... well, the other readers will ridicule you.

Everybody on board? Good.

TV Guide's "Scoopermodel" Ausiello is doing the math and he's estimating that the series is going to kill off Jorja Fox's character, Sara Sidle. There are three reasons: 1) Fox's contract is up next month and she hasn't signed a new one, 2) "Sources" say she's bored after seven years on the series and is ready for something new, and 3) Sara Sidle disappears in the season finale (also, her relationship with Grissom becomes public and the miniature killer returns).

Personally, I'd like to see a beloved character get killed off, but this will do. Someone definitely needs to go from that show, and when Jonathan and I suggested killing off Nick Stokes last season, a lot of TV Squad readers said they'd rather bid farewell to Sidle. It'll make an interesting 8th season for Grissom if she's dead. The season finale airs May 17th.

(S07E17) Well it looks liked we're putting The Miniature Killer on hold for the time being... or are we? I have a theory but we'll get to that later. Instead, we got a regular, run-of-the-mill episode of CSI. The whole team working together on one case, just like the good ol' days. Pretty interesting story too. It actually reminded me a lot of that episode from the third or fourth season where the cheerleader got drugged, went a little crazy, and ended up eating pieces of flesh from her dead boyfriend's chest on a football field. Remember that one? This one felt very similar. Only difference was that this time around, cannibalism wasn't the operative "C" word. Crabs took the spotlight this time. Everyone had crabs.

(S07E16) I'm glad I got back into this show (I'm going to start reviewing it weekly in place of Numb3rs) because it's good again. After the great four episode story arc with Keppler, Grissom is back on track hunting down his latest arch-nemesis -- The Miniature Replica Killer.

They thought they had him with the death of Ernie Dell, but no. The CSI writers have crafted quite the story here, possibly one of the best multi-episode arcs this show has seen yet.

Grissom finally got around to opening the large cardboard box that was delivered to his office right before he left on sabbatical. We knew what was inside of it though since we got a sneak peek right before he left. It's another replica. The only problem? The murder hadn't occurred... yet.

CBS finally got around to doing something about that lingering question, "who is Keppler?" Up until a few days ago, the promotional website meant to inform viewers about the CSI cast change has been pretty bare, save for a cool picture.

The site is now fully running and even has some video clips giving viewers clues about what to expect. There are three clips posted right now and I would expect a couple more before Liev Schreiber makes his entrance in next week's first sans Grissom CSI, "Sweet Jane."

For those looking to be spoiled, read on and I'll tell you what I gathered from the three clips. Looks like Keppler might actually be worth looking forward to.

(S07E11) This was an incredibly frustrating episode. As much as I love this show, episodes like this are why I don't review it weekly like I do CSI: Miami. At least with Caruso and the Miami crew, I know what I'm getting week in and week out: a cheesy, campy, and thoroughly enjoyable over the top soap opera. With CSI, it's far too often a crap shoot. And that's lousy because I expect this show to be good. Where did CBS get off telling viewers that this would be "an hour of television we'd never forget?"

For the past week, CBS has been running a sad preview for tonight's episode of CSI, the last one for star William Petersen (for a while anwyay). Liev Schreiber joins the cast soon.

Hey, I'll admit I don't watch this show (even though it's the MOST IMPORTANT SHOW IN THE UNIVERSE). So I ask fans: is this departure as big as they're making it out to be. Yes, yes, I know he's the star of the show and he's the leader of the team and all that. But the commercials make it sound, with the "you never thought he'd leave" voiceover and the tinkling piano and the emotion, you'd think that Lucy Ricardo was just hit by a bus or maybe Petersen had died in real life and this was his last show.

Why is Petersen leaving temporarily anyway? To star in a play? Burnt out? Contract negotiations? The episode preview should get into that: "People come and go...but you never thought he'd leave...but due to other commitments and just a feeling that he had to get away for a while, our star has to leave and will be replaced by another actor...tonight, on a very special CSI."

To drum up some buzz for William Petersen's temporary departure from CSI, CBS now has a website up and running. You can check it out at that link but it's essentially just that picture that I've posted above. The only difference is that the site has some eerie music playing along. For those that haven't heard, Petersen's character Gil Grissom is taking a four week sabbatical on the show and to fill the hole, Liev Schreiber is joining the CSI team as new investigator Michael Keppler. He'd be the white silhouette up there. Very cool nod to Abbey Road with the group shot too. Take a look at their feet. Notice who's playing Paul and crossing barefoot? Wasn't Paul "supposed" to be dead though? Perhaps some foreshadowing of Grissom's future by season's end?

Well, kind of... yeah. For those that have caught the new promo for the next episode of CSI, it touts Grissom's departure from the Vegas lab. The episode, appropriately titled "Leaving Las Vegas," airs next Thursday, January 4. But we sort of knew this anyway. We even reported a few months ago that Liev Schreiber was joining the cast as a new lead investigator named Michael Keppler.

So at this point, I suppose you shouldn't be worried. The episode description even says that Grissom is only leaving for a four week sabbatical. But then I went digging.

According to this writer for the Chicago Tribune, there is a "ferocious debate" going on over the season finale of CSI where Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom were in a bedroom together. (More like ferocious vomiting!) Apparently, fans worry the show will switch its focus to the characters' personal lives.

Anywho, the article includes an interview with CBS president Nina Tassler, who says that fans have embraced the connection between Sara and Grissom and that their relationship will be explored more in the next season. I still think they should've killed off Nick Stokes.

[Via TV Tattle]