Family Affair – Airing September 24, 2009 Season Premiere
The CSI team, with the unexpected but welcome return of Sara, comes together to investigate the death of a famous young actress killed in a dubious traffic collision. Jorja Fox reprises her role as Sara Sidle. (CBS)
Greg will get to gripe about his role on the team when Sara (Jorja Fox) comes to visit. And his complaining will pay off: He’ll get a new job. (TV Guide)
Nick will act as Catherine’s No. 2, working alongside her much in the same way she did with Grissom. It is a promotion for him to a supervisory position. (TV Guide)
Grissom won’t be coming back with Sara. (Michael Ausiello)
Exec producer Carol Mendelsohn says that CSI will be bringing back a few members of the infamous Millander clan in this season’s second episode. “The last time we saw [serial killer] Paul Millander was in season 2 when Grissom had dinner at [his alter ego] Judge Mason’s house, because, if you remember Paul lived a double life as a judge. And we met Mrs. Mason and their young son, Craig. Well, Paul’s dead, but Mrs. Mason and Craig live on. And we will see them in episode 2.” (Michael Ausiello)
Executive producer Naren Shankar says: “You’re going to get an explanation for that ring Langston (Laurence Fishburne) still has on his finger in [episode 2].” (Michael Ausiello)
Shankar reveals a season long arc: “We’re going to launch a new season-long serial killer arc this season. Starting at the end of our premiere, a brand new nemesis [will emerge] who has a very unique way of killing. This time, the crime scene is always the body,” Shankar teases. “We’re calling him Dr. Jekyl.” (Michael Ausiello)
‘CSI’: As Sara Re-Enters, Riley Leaves
‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ season 10 will see a lot of Sara Sidle but none of Riley Adams.
Source: Ace Showbiz
One person in, another is out. While Jorja Fox is welcomed back as Sara Sidle on ““, an actor has to be let go because the character is not working for the whole show. The unfortunate one would be Lauren Lee Smith aka Riley Adams, the crime investigator who joined the unit in season 9. Executive producer Naren Shankar confirmed the elimination through , specifying that Riley will not return for the 10th season. “It was an issue of how we were feeling the ensemble was working,” he reasoned. “When we brought in the character of Riley, it got lost in the shuffle a little bit because we had lost Warrick, we had lost Sara, and then in the middle of last season Grissom finally left. I think, as a result, the character never quite found its footing in terms of the rest of the gang.”
As compensation, Sara will be featured heavily during her 5 episodes appearance. On how she will re-enter the story, Shankar hinted, “She shows up because the team is understaffed. The undersheriff reaches out for a recommendation and Sara says, ‘I think that person might be me’.” For the first time since the news spread out, Fox talked about her return. “I never thought I’d be going back to work with people that I knew,” Fox expressed her joy. “I thought I’d be starting new things. That was a surprise, so I’m going back to work and it’s with the same people who I’ve worked with for eight years in the past. I was thrilled! For me it was a huge compliment!” Asked whether Sara’s come back means similar thing will happen to her lover Gil Grissom, Fox played it coy. “That will hopefully be a reveal in the premiere. They’ve prevented me from discussing Grissom at all,” she said with a laugh.
The 10th season of “CSI” will begin September 24 on CBS.
Source: The Ausiello Files
Now that the initial burst of excitement surrounding Jorja Fox’s CSI comeback has died down, it’s time to get down to business — the business of getting answers to some burning questions! What prompted her return? How long will she be sticking around? What impact will Sara’s reappearance have on the rest of the team? And, last but not least, is Grissom next? CSI showrunners Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar tackle all those Qs:
Jorja’s back for five episodes, right? CAROL MENDELSOHN: Yes, five non-consecutive episodes.
The show took a little bit of a ratings hit towards the end of last season. Did CBS ask you to bring her back as a way to halt the slide?
MENDELSOHN: No. It actually emanated from Naren and I. It’s a tough time for everybody in TV. We don’t feel [it’s fair] to single out CSI.
NAREN SHANKAR: We had several major characters departing over the last year and a half, and it felt like the family had disintegrated a little bit. We had people off in their own bubbles, and that suggested a theme for this season, which is really about family. We wanted to restore that balance of the family. And that initial creative impulse led to the notion of Jorja coming back and helping to assist with that.
How is she reintegrated?
SHANKAR: We’ll learn a little bit about what she’s been doing for the past couple of months. We’re going to start season 10 in real time — two-and-a-half months since the end of last season. She comes in because the team is a little understaffed and overworked. One of our characters reaches out to her and brings her back in, unbeknownst to the other guys.
MENDELSOHN: It’s an interesting dynamic because each and every individual in the team is feeling that lack of cohesion. Catherine feels it. Nick feels it. Greg feels it. And Sara comes in and brings everyone together. And she helps Catherine understand that as the [new] leader, she needs to make the team cohesive and really fire on all cylinders again.
Should we assume that her happily ever after with Grissom didn’t fare so well? They did end up together, right?
SHANKAR: They absolutely ended up together. Grissom is referenced in [Fox’s first] episode. You’ll get a sense of the good and the bad of the two of them actually being together for real. Because we’re talking about a couple of very independent individuals who have decided to share their life together. The first few months of that for any couple would be a weird kind of adjustment. In some ways, it’s easier to be in love with somebody who’s not there.
MENDELSOHN: And you have to admit that Sara and Grissom had a unique courtship. It [makes sense] that their further relationship would also be unique.
So they didn’t break up then?
SHANKAR: No.
When’s William Petersen returning?
MENDELSOHN: You never know when and if Grissom will show up on CSI. The theme of the season is family. And he certainly is part of the family — a big part of the family.
Are there any concrete plans?
MENDELSOHN: We’re certainly open to it, but no, there are no concrete plans.
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