Megalyn Echikunwoke is joining CSI: Miami as a recurring character. On CBS’ veteran forensic drama, she will play a medical examiner who makes a good first impression with Lt. Horatio Caine and his team of CSIs. Echikunwoke is expected to at least partially fill the void left by the departure of Khandi Alexander, who played Miami-Dade medical examiner Dr. Alexx Woods since the launch of the show in 2002. Alexander still may return for guest appearances.
Michael Ausiello is reporting that William Petersen is leaving CSI by midseason. This season’s 10th episode will be his last as a full-time series regular. “Billy is leaving,” confirms executive producer, Carol Mendelsohn. “But he will remain throughout the run of the series an executive producer. And he will, whenever CBS asks, come back. I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Gil Grissom.”
Petersen seems almost reluctant to characterize his departure as a departure. Citing both his ongoing role as an executive producer and his intention to return on occasion as a guest star, he said, “I’m in a great place in terms of knowing that I’ll be more free to make choices. And I’m responsible enough to not do it in a way that would hurt [the show]. “I want it to work for the writers, I want it to work for the cast, and, most importantly, I want it to work for the audience,” he added. “I don’t want them to abandon the show.”
Continue reading William Petersen Leaving CSI This Season
CBS announced its fall launch dates, including an early premiere for the 17th edition of Survivor and late debut for CSI and other crime dramas. The bulk of CBS’ schedule will debut during the traditional September premiere week, or just after. But Survivor: Gabon will debut Thursday, September 18. The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled for Friday, September 26, with a second debate featuring the vice presidential candidates slated for Thursday, October 2.
Continue reading CBS Announces Fall 2008 Premiere Dates
Michael Ausiello is reporting that Jorja Fox has inked a deal to return for the show’s ninth-season premiere next fall. There are no details on what Fox will be doing during her comeback, but Ausiello’s source says she “won’t be appearing in a flashback.” The most likely scenarios are for Sara to return to Las Vegas to mourn Warrick who was shot and in this season’s finale. That’s assuming Warrick is actually dead, the episode ended without confirmation of his death. And in the current issue of TV Guide, CSI showrunner Carol Mendelsohn says Gary Dourdan will be back in the fall — and “not just in flashbacks.” Dourdan could also only be back to portray Warrick’s “final scene”. The other scenario would be to have Sara come back and address her romance with Grissom.
CBS announced today its 2008-2009 Fall Primetime Lineup, featuring five new series - two comedies and three dramas - and the launch of a new comedy block on Wednesdays. The network canceled Moonlight, but mentioned the possibility of the show finding new life on The CW.
Continue reading CBS Announces 2008-2009 Fall Lineup
CBS’ vampire drama Moonlight will not rise again. The Hollywood Reporter says the fan favorite will not be renewed by the network for a second season. CBS declined to pickup the series because it was failing to hold its Ghost Whisperer lead-in and declined in the ratings post-strike.
Last year CBS picked up cult favorite Jericho despite mediocre ratings, only to see the series plummet when it returned this year. With Moonligh having a serialized storyline, the chances of the show rebounding next season seems unlikely. The cancellation means The Big Bang Theory is the only member of CBS’ freshman crop to return next year.
The good news is that it looks like CBS is renewing The Unit, Rules of Engagement, How I Met Your Mother and the New Adventures of Old Christine.
Michael Ausiello is reporting that How I Met Your Mother will most likely return for a fourth season. CBS executives are still on teh fence about bringing back the New Adventures of Old Christine. The network is expected to bring back The Unit and it might take over Moonlight’s Friday at 9pm timeslot. CBS seems to have cooled on Moonlight, so we will have to wait to find out its fate.
Jay Mohr, Paula Marshall and Jaime King have been cast to star in CBS’ untitled Ed Yeager comedy pilot says The Hollywood Reporter. Also cast in the pilot are Ryan Malgarini and Laura Marano. The show centers on an easygoing, recently divorced dad who tries to navigate new waters with his ex-wife , to whom he was married for 15 years, his kids and his new girlfriend.
Mohr is a regular on CBS’ drama Ghost Whisperer. The Yeager project is in first position. But if the pilot goes to series, there is potential for him also to still appear on Ghost Whisperer, which has been renewed for next season.
Cole Hauser has been tapped for the lead role in The Tower, the CBS drama pilot from Cold Case executive producer Meredith Stiehm, reports Variety. Davis Guggenheim is directing the project, which will have Hauser starring as Sean Castleman, a crime reporter at a paper where journos investigate and solve crimes. CBS Paramount Network TV is producing. Hauser most recently co-starred in the Fox drama K-Ville.
With Anthony Anderson up for a recurring role on Law and Order and now Hauser landing this pilot with CBS, it looks as if K-Ville won’t be coming back to Fox. K-Ville was a great show, and I don’t think many people gave it a fair chance. While Cole Hauser can be rather cardboard, the supporting cast was great. I was really hoping K-Ville would be back for another season.
The New York Times reported that CBS Paramount Network Television has held talks with Comcast, the cable provider, about finding new life for Jericho, citing two people briefed on the talks who requested anonymity. It’s unclear what form a revived Jericho would take or where it would air. The low-rated post-apocalyptic series ended its short second season in CBS last month without being picked up for a third season. But executive producer Carol Barbee told SCI FI Wire last month that producers were holding talks with a number of unspecified parties, including cable-television networks, about picking the show up.