Interview: John Dove

CSI: New York’s season premiere is in a way a tribute to the lives lost in the devastating September 11 attacks. CSI Files’ Shane Saunders talks with Supervising Producer and co-writer John Dove about tonight’s powerful episode.

CSI Files: “Indelible” deals with some pretty sensitive material. How was the atmosphere on set while shooting such an emotional episode?

John Dove: Everybody on the set felt the weight of the episode. Just like in the episode everyone deals with it in their own way. I think the same can be said for everybody who was on set. Everybody has their own indelible memories from where they were or what they were doing on that day. At the same time, I think we were also excited to do an episode that honors the courageous people who ran into the buildings on that day.

CSI Files: Mac’s (Gary Sinise) wife, Claire, dying in the 9/11 attacks, is a story arc that dates back all the way to the very first episode of the series. Does “Indelible” serve as closure to this particular chapter of Mac’s life?

Dove: Yeah, it definitely does. He has held on to it for the last ten years and the end of the episode is him letting go of that pain, as much as one possibly can. He will never forget, but I think in someway he’s moving on to another chapter in life.

CSI Files: At the end of last season we saw Mac walk away from the lab, and in the premiere he’s working at a lab which specializes in the 9/11 aftermath. How long will this particular arc be? Is this something that wraps in the premiere?

Dove: Mac’s time in the lab that identifies the remains of 9/11 victims is just a part of the premiere episode.

CSI Files: How does Jo (Sela Ward) handle being in charge of the lab while Mac’s away?

Dove: Jo is a reluctant replacement. Even in the short time she’s known him, she knows Mac well enough to know that he can’t stay away from the lab or the team. I think that some part of her never really believes he’s not coming back.

CSI Files: Robert Forster makes an appearance in the premiere. Any chance he’ll be back?

Dove: There’s always a chance, but we don’t really have any plans for his character to come back at this point. We really loved having him though.