C.S.I -- this just in!
 

I was just browsing one the trades I get in my inbox, when I came across this:

Holy cow. That's some replacement casting!

For those of you that are fans of the series, how do you think this will effect the program?

I am also noticing that there are more "film" actors starting to take roles in television. Usually, it's the other way around (e.g. Bruce Willis steps up from Moonlighting to Die Hard and never goes back to TV). Why do you think more film actors are making the jump to TV?

I am not sure why but it could have something to do with getting a steady paycheck and still being free to make films while the show is on summer break.

He could be very good. He has the maturity, intensity as well as the whole brooding thing going on. Could fit in well with that series. Good choice.

Big to small screen: maybe cause it's work. Movies can be fickle with casting.

He'll never replace William Peterson. If Warrick is dead, I'm just gonna quit watching the show. Never really liked Larry Fishburne.

As for why actors goto the small screen? Well, It's steady work and there's not as much travel. Most of CSI filming takes place right outside LA. DVDs are making the studios tons of money which means they can pay bigger actors they money they ask for. They also spend more money on production which leads to higher quality shows. Before DVD, these higher budget shows never would have survived.

While I can agree that DVD sales represent a significant chunk of money, I would not agree that this show would not have survived without it. This show is not just a hit, it is a monster hit airing in primetime, free-to-air television around the world.

It is not hurting for money.

That said, other shows that don't have the domestic US appeal, let alone International reach, have trouble maintaining profitability without ancillary sales such as DVD and Online.

The perception from inside the film industry that television is trash is starting to loosen up, I think. 24 was possibly the most instrumental show in this regard--a major film actor leading a big-budget high-concept show.

I'd love to see Larry on CSI, but it's a shame Peterson is leaving. I do hope CSI doesn't do an ER, and keep plodding on long after any of the originals have scarpered. I used to love ER, but the cast turnover left me cold. You can tell I'm not the only one who feels that way--the front page of the NBC site for ER has a big "where are they now" section for the major former cast members!

I cant stand Fishburne...and with peterson gone I sincerely doubt I'll be watching this one anymore. I've grown way more attached to miami and new york anyway, Vegas started going downhill for me when they started the sara/grissom crap, the only saving grace I see this season is that Lady Heather will be making an appearance :)

Morpheus solving crimes in Las Vegas? Hmm... I honestly can't decide if this is going to be awesome or lame. I suppose I'll have to watch an episode to figure it out, that is, if this pans out.

CSI as a whole jumped the shark a LONG time ago. It's no longer appointment viewing for me.

Oh my GOD I love Lady Heather. All last season I wanted Gil to dump Sara for Heather.

But then, of course, Heather would have ended up under a car. Or maybe not--one of Heather's withering glares and Miniature Girl might have turned and run...

Oh... SPOILERS, by the way...

CSI may not be running short on money, I really don't know their financial situation but TV is making a bigger profit than ever and that's due to DVD sales. They can easily pay their actors more to stay and pay bigger/better actors to come in. If DVD sales just suddenly stopped, The budget on these shows would drop and so would the quality then the viewers would leave and the budget would drop more until cancellation.

Oh.. ER.. It's been going down hill since Dr. Green died.. Parminder Nagra is still worth watching though :)

I read about this in the local paper a couple of weeks ago, I believe it was just an AP article they copied for our entertainment section, but in it they also said that John Malkovich had been asked to be the replacement and turned it down. The article then went on to say they were not sure who was going to be coming on as a replacement and that Fishburn has been one of those asked but did not comment on if he had gotten the part or not.

Also Peterson is going to stick around in some sort of production role and also stated he would be more than willing to come back and work in a few episodes if his part was ever needed, I thought that this was cool, so it shows he just wanted out and wasn't forced out by the director or writing team.

The article said that in this coming season episode 10 would be the last episode with Grissom, but they were bringing his replacement in with episode 9 so that they would have interactions between the two of them before he leaves.

I don't know if I will watch very much with Gil gone, and I just don't like Larry for some reason, he was good in Matrix, but I just don't care for him or his style for whatever reason. I am indifferent to Warrick being gone, and it should add a nice story line for them to track down whoever is inside the department that may have played a part in his murder.

CSI with no Grissom is like X-Files with no Mulder.

EDIT: Or ER with no Greene, cybermike, absolutely.

I'd love to hear Morpheus go on about how the vagina of the South American dung beetle excretes a special pheromone that was found on the glasses of the victim, and as such it WASN'T the hooker with the heart of gold, but it was rather her pimp who was responsible for the grizzly murder.

Oh, wait, no. Actually, I'd rather eat a South American dung beetle than watch that redundant Law and Order clone.

OK, maybe I'm the lone voice in the wilderness, but I think it sounds good. Nobody can ever take Peterson's place-- Grissom is just too good and too fundamental a character-- but for anyone to have any kind of chance replacing him, it would have to be someone with the range and power of Fishburne.

I'll watch it.

I don't really think for me it is an issue of him taking Grissom's place, as each person plays a different role in the whole scheme of things, I just don't like Fishburn.

His character might be fine, if someone else was playing it, for me anyway.

I totally agree, so I won't add more.

See post #2.

The Associated Press: `CSI' gets its man: Laurence Fishburne joins cast

It is now official, Fishburne is on the show

Why don't they just wind up CSI instead of flogging a dead donkey. It was a good idea, it had its time. I think its time to just move on.

If they're murdering grizzlies, you have a redneck audience built right in!

Seriously,
I'm sad to hear William's leaving since I've liked him from the 80's on up (Manhunter, Long Gone, Amazing Grace and Chuck) to the present , but I'm glad Larry's coming in.
I've enjoyed a lot of his movies, and tv appearances over the years. (M.A.S.H. being one of them.)
The movie of his I like best is "Always Outnumbered". (1998) (TV)
Great cast and story. It made me see him in a new light.

I didn't know Petersen was leaving. :(

I do like Fishburne, though. How can you not if you ever saw Searching For Bobby Fischer? Besides, I'm trusting that those CSI writers will find a way to work him in without trying to replace Grissom. Sometimes change is good.

Okay, I'm not gonna lie and say that I watch CSI all the time, but I do catch it periodically and I enjoy it when I do. So since I'm out of the loop, can someone fill me in on why Petersen is leaving the cast in the first place?

+1 for Fishburne though :)

I think Fishborne would be a perfect fit. He's good in just about any kind of genre, drama, comedy, etc. There's not very many actors that can blend in just any type of genre flawlessly.

Adrian Paul is another actor that comes to mind who is very multi-talented in film and television. Pick any genre with him and he'll roll with it. In fact, if I had a second choice, I'd choose Adrian for CSI.