Mendelsohn Talks Helgenberger, Harnois & The Return of Sqweegel

Executive producer Carol Mendelsohn shares some details about the upcoming twelfth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. (Minor spoilers after the jump!)

As CSI Files previously reported, Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows) is currently negotiating her contract for season twelve. She is expected to appear in approximately half of the episodes, but details have not been finalized. “Negotiations will probably go on until late May so we should know at the beginning of June,” Mendelsohn told the French Télé 7 Jours magazine. “This is the time when the writers return to work. They usually have a month to write the first episodes and then we resume filming in mid-July.”

Mendelsohn revealed that fans can expect to see a familiar nemesis during the new season. “[Season 12] will be focused a lot on the comeback of that slick, elusive and all dressed-in-latex serial killer called Sqweegel,” she said, echoing statements from fellow executive producer Don McGill. Mendelsohn added, “This character was created by Anthony Zuiker, the creator of the show, for his book Level 26.” Fans first saw the forensic-proof killer in the episode named after him, “Sqweegel”.

In addition to a returning killer, fans will also get to see more of Conrad Ecklie’s (Marc Vann) daughter Morgan Brody (Elisabeth Harnois) next season. Morgan was introduced in “Cello and Goodbye”, and CSI Files reported that Harnois has been signed on as a series regular. Mendelsohn described Morgan as the CSIs’ “alter ego in California”, and she added, “We’ll see her often in season twelve.”

You can read the full interview, which was translated by Angela, on Margamania. Thanks to EricaSJ from TalkCSI for the link.