Preview The Fall Season

All three CSI series are revving up to air new episodes.

CSI: Miami will be the first member of the franchise to debut its season premiere. "Resurrection" will air on September 22, and it will answer the burning question: Who shot Horatio Caine (David Caruso)? "We're really excited," co-executive producer Naren Shankar told Entertainment Weekly. "We're champing at the bit to get [the season premiere] on the air. When you figure out who shot Horatio and why, I think it's going to be surprising and yet really satisfying."

Season seven will introduce fans to a new coroner, Dr Tara Price, played by Megalyn Echikunwoke. Miami will also deal with the Russian mob in the city, and Horatio's ex, Julia Winston (Elizabeth Berkley) will be back. "As the season goes on, you'll see what is the root of her complication," Nayar promised.

On September 24, CSI: New York will start out season five with "Veritas". This season, executive producer Pam Veasey said, will go against the usual trend for crime shows by showing more personal moments. "[W]e decided we would bring the audience into moments when [the characters] go home," she explained. "We're introducing relationships like brothers and sisters." Detective Don Flack Jr's (Eddie Cahill) little sister Samantha (Kathleen Munroe) is one new addition that will be shaking things up.

Veasey said she wants CSI: NY to be "very hip, very youthful, very contemporary." One way for the show to accomplish this is to sprinkle in guest appearances. Music group Maroon 5 will perform in episode two, and rapper Nelly will play a confidential informant in episode three.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation won't premiere its ninth season until October 9, but its going to be a season of change. Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle) and Gary Dourdan (Warrick Brown) called it quits on CSI last season, but both will be back for the season premiere, "For Warrick". Fox will remain in Las Vegas for several more episodes. The team will introduce Riley Adams (Lauren Lee Smith) in episode three, and Laurence Fishburne will fill the hole that William Petersen (Gil Grissom) leaves behind when he exits the show in episode ten.

"We need to have new life, new blood," Petersen said. "It will be good for the show, and good for the writers, to have new characters. And that will be good for the audience." Executive producer Shankar agreed. "It's natural for shows to go through change," he said. "The beauty of CSI is that internally, it's very strong. We'd like to think that as much as the cast has created wonderful characters, the show is the star too. People tune in to mysteries, complex characterizations, plot twists, and great crime solving. That will continue."

Lady Heather (Melinda Clarke) will be back in episode five, and it is possible that Petersen's good friend, director William Friedkin, will direct the 200th episode of the show in the spring. Several big questions remain for the season, such as what's going to happen with Grissom and Sara. Fox suggested that the fans are in for an unexpected turn. "There's definitely more to say about this," she teased. "When you see the premiere, all bets are off. By the end, everyone's going to be rethinking their idea of the characters."

Another major question that will be answered in the fall is just how Grissom will leave the show. Death is not an option--Petersen, who will remain on the show as an executive producer, may return for guest spots in the future. However, the details remain a mystery right now. "There are important changes happening in Grissom," Petersen explained. "He's solving crimes, he's trying to deal with losing Sara and Warrick. He's not someone who's used to dealing with anything personal. That goes to the heart of what we're doing right now. Where does he end up?"

The original information--and more!--can be found in the "Fall TV Preview" (September 12) double-issue of Entertainment Weekly. You can also read the full segment about CSI on the EW website here.

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