'CSI' Finale To Be Two Hours Long

See Also: 'Grave Danger' Episode Guide

CBS recently revealed in a press release the cast and crew's reaction to the CSI season finale episode that will leave one of their own in grave danger.

The Quentin Tarantino directed episode will put character Nick Stokes in a life or death situation (news), with a cliff hanger that will be resolved during the premiere of season 6. Tarantino admitted he felt right at home on the set of CSI. "I'm a big fan of the show, and so like I know like the back-story of all the characters and everything. It's great to meet them and work with them and I know their characters really, really well, and I know these sets from watching the show and stuff, so I feel strangely comfortable even though I haven't been here before," said the director, who promised the episode will play like a movie rather than a television show.

"Grave Danger" will air at 8/9c on May 19th and will be two hours long. The actors admitted the extra time was necessary. "It's a thriller that involves us [the team] in the crime that's committed against one of our own, and we have to rally against the clock to save a life," said William Petersen (Gil Grissom). "There's just too much good stuff in there to try and slam it into 44 minutes with commercials."

The CSI actors were also impressed with the director's style, which seemed to match CSI's unique approach to filmography. "I think his [Tarantino's] filmmaking style lends itself really well to CSI's in that, obviously, there's an enormous amount of close-ups, and it's a very visual show," added Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows). Executive producer Carol Mendelshon concurred. "They can expect the unexpected, they can expect great visuals. It's a thriller. Your heart will stop. Every time you think you're zigging, you're zagging in a Quentin Tarantino finale."

George Eads, whose character Nick Stokes will find himself six feet underground, expects the audience's reaction to be emotional, "I think that over the years, if any fan has felt like they've gotten to know the characters, now they're really gonna get to know them even better. We're gonna take the next step in our relationship with our audience."

Fans can expect an action-packed episode, but will also be surprised by the level of emotions displayed throughout "Grave Danger". "...I was really surprised at how emotional it [the episode] was," revealed Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle). "I mean, you read it, and it's intense, and it's action oriented and it's exciting. There were a couple of times I just had to sort of like not cry, and I didn't ever imagine that I would get like that."

Tears may be shed through the episode, but the actors revealed the audience will no doubt feel the upbeat of the Tarantino-esque music. "Quentin's put his kind of musical stamp on the episode by picking a really good, kind of poppy, old classic hit by The Turtles. That's the kind of thing you'd expect from him, a really good soundtrack, and something really catchy and that'll kind of haunt you, and this is definitely one of those songs," said Eric Szmanda (Greg Sanders).

The episode will also guest star Vegas legends such as Tony Curtis (Some Like It Hot) and Frank Gorshin (Batman). Actor Paul Guilfoyle revealed it's all in Tarantino's attempt to re-create the Las Vegas environment. "Quentin has used his filmic vocabulary to authenticate the Vegas environment and keeps the show provocative with characters that are iconoclastic Vegas personas. Grungy couriers, old west lawyers, showbiz legends. His deft balancing of tangential reality with the gravity of the main story, in real time, is the essence of his style."

"Grave Danger" promises to be an emotional roller-coaster, for the characters, the actors, and the audience as well. Added executive producer Anthony Zuiker, "One of our own is in trouble. I think the most important thing is you really get a chance to learn a little bit about all of our characters. It's the "Quentin-sential" ticking clock, if you will, and it really shows the family of our CSI team get together for one common cause."

"Grave Danger" will air at a special time on Thursday 19th at 8/9c. To learn more about the episode, visit CBS's official CSI site.

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