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

On Monday, April 28, CSI star Gary Dourdan was arrested in Palm Springs, California. He was asleep in his car and when a police officer approached, he found Dourdan disoriented. The actor was arrested after the cop found cocaine, heroin, Ecstacy, miscellaneous prescription drugs and paraphernalia in the car. Despite pleading guilty to drug possession today, Dourdan will not have to do any jail time. In fact, in the deal his lawyer struck with prosecutors, Gary will get treatment for his drug problems. Basically, he lucked out.

"Once Gary completes 30 hours of a diversion program, his case will be entirely dismissed," said his lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, in a statement to The Associated Press. Dourdan won't have to do any time in a drug rehab facility or behind bars, so all things considered, he's very, very fortunate. He could have faced up to three years or more in jail .

Gary has already departed CSI, and in the season finale, his character was seemingly killed in a point blank shooting. However, when Jorja Fox returns for the fall premiere, Dourdan is reportedly in the show. And not as a ghost. So, now that he won't be doing time, he'll have time to film scenes for CSI and, presumably, wrap up the unfinished business of the CSI crew exposing the corrupt under sheriff.

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.

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.

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.

It's no secret that Jorja Fox, who plays Sara Sidle on CSI, is leaving the show this season. She has a contentious history with the show and was even temporarily fired during contract negotiations in 2004. But, why is she leaving?

Fox gave a quick interview to EW.com, explaining her departure. She's leaving to broaden her horizons. The actress has been on CSI for seven years and is looking for something else to do. She says, "If I thought the show was on its last legs, I would've tried harder to stay the course. But I feel like it's going to be around for a while, so I don't want some of those dreams to pass me by."

The day finally arrived: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fans finally know if Sara Sidle, played by Jorja Fox, survived or not. Last year's finale had the CSI team not only continue their search for the "Miniature Killer" but also for Sara, who became the killer's last victim. There was a lot of speculation over the summer surrounding Sara's fate especially since the show was doing its best to keep it a secret (fans were told they would at least see Sara under the car in the premiere but didn't say more).

Back in April, we learn that CSI was planning to kill off a main character and in the following weeks, Sara's name started to pop. Jorja Fox was not a happy camper, even refusing to show up for work at one point. This summer, the show hired an actress to play a new lab tech, which had fans think that it was done for Sara and that the new character was her replacement.

So, is Sara dead or alive? The answer after the jump!

On the heels of news that Rory Cochrane is returning to one of the other CSI shows, CSI: Miami, comes this news: Jorja Fox is probably on her way out.

CSI Producer Carol Mendolsohn tells TV Guide's Michael Ausiello that they have just cast a new female lab technician that will be introduced in the third episode, and there are hints that she's not just a new cast member but a new cast member that will take over for Jorja Fox, whose Sara character might die in that car crash. Executive Producer Jonathan Littman says that the Grissom/Sara storyline will definitely be resolved, and didn't say if Fox would be in the show this season beyond the season opener.

So I guess now we can try to figure out how a dead Sara will come back to the show a year from now.

[via TV Tattle]

There's going to be a shake-up with the cast of CSI this season because a certain long-time cast member can't come to a contract agreement with CBS. That's all I'm going to say before the jump.

If you don't want the CSI season finale spoiled, stop reading now. There's no way to report this story without spoiling, so consider this your warning.

*SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMP*

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.

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]

(S06E21) I normally don't watch this show, which means I never review it. That being said, I'm glad I tuned in last night because it was fantastic. It case you couldn't pick up on it, the title (and the entire story) are an homage to the Kurosawa classic Rashômon. The episode, just like the film, gave the deatils of the crime from everyone's point of view. The "mama" in Rashomama refers to the victim, a prominent Vegas lawyer who happened to be the mother of the groom at a wedding.

It took the team almost 9 hours to process the crime scene, and then it all fell apart because Nick, Greg, and Sara decided to get a cup of coffee. While they were sitting in the diner, someone stole Nick's SUV and it had all the evidence in it. That's, um, what do you call it? Oh, right - not good.

CSI is teasing us with the diner photo you see above (a much larger version is here, complete with its own magnifying glass). During the program last night, a promo aired that said the clues to the final two episodes are in this photo. Well, I always sucked at Where's Waldo, so I'm seeking out your help.

What clues do you see?