Post by Jemma on Aug 8, 2009 9:38:30 GMT -5
CSI: The Show (And Langston) is Getting A Makeover, Sort Of
I can smell a split in the middle from where I am, oddly enough.
Of course, we all know that the last season of CSI's been a ridiculously tumultuous one. Imagine losing three major cast members--well, we only lost two technically--and getting two new ones. Until now the opinion is divided about Laurence Fishburne's entry, with some liking the move, while some still remain loyal towards William Petersen. That, and many others, made the last season look a little lost, and that's what the folks behind the scenes are trying to fix, somehow.
"It wasn't just about losing [William Petersen]," Nina Tassler, president for CBS Entertainment, told reporters during the TCA press tour. "That show went through monumental changes last season ... Fans were unsure about where the show was going. They wanted to see the group back together."
Fishburne's entry, of course, as Ray Langston earned that much attention--imagine the biggest crime drama of the moment losing its biggest name. That's quite a crossfade period, if you ask me--the later episodes of the season slightly digging through the character's back story, or perhaps reconfiguring the team's dynamic. Now, Tassler admits their attempt to slowly bring Langston into the team may have backfired.
"The challenge was to introduce him in a gradual way ... so he earns a position of power," she said. "[But] fans wanted to see him in a take-charge capacity."
In a nutshell, we should all expect to see some tweaks in the way things go in CSI's next season. Inevitably, Langston gets most of those changes. "He's much more settled in his role," Tassler said. "He's more versed in the language of CSI." And then there's his wardrobe: perhaps it's farewell to his suit-and-tie-as-evidence get-up. "Our research says fans love him and respect him, but that they just want to see him more comfortable in his clothes," she says.
As for the rest of the team? Remember, we're losing another cast member, and we're getting Jorja Fox back for five episodes. And then there are the changes from those who stay. "Catherine is going to promote Nick," she said. Toss in an anticipated promotion for Liz Vassey's Wendy, and we might be all set. Might, note.
Of course, we all know that the last season of CSI's been a ridiculously tumultuous one. Imagine losing three major cast members--well, we only lost two technically--and getting two new ones. Until now the opinion is divided about Laurence Fishburne's entry, with some liking the move, while some still remain loyal towards William Petersen. That, and many others, made the last season look a little lost, and that's what the folks behind the scenes are trying to fix, somehow.
"It wasn't just about losing [William Petersen]," Nina Tassler, president for CBS Entertainment, told reporters during the TCA press tour. "That show went through monumental changes last season ... Fans were unsure about where the show was going. They wanted to see the group back together."
Fishburne's entry, of course, as Ray Langston earned that much attention--imagine the biggest crime drama of the moment losing its biggest name. That's quite a crossfade period, if you ask me--the later episodes of the season slightly digging through the character's back story, or perhaps reconfiguring the team's dynamic. Now, Tassler admits their attempt to slowly bring Langston into the team may have backfired.
"The challenge was to introduce him in a gradual way ... so he earns a position of power," she said. "[But] fans wanted to see him in a take-charge capacity."
In a nutshell, we should all expect to see some tweaks in the way things go in CSI's next season. Inevitably, Langston gets most of those changes. "He's much more settled in his role," Tassler said. "He's more versed in the language of CSI." And then there's his wardrobe: perhaps it's farewell to his suit-and-tie-as-evidence get-up. "Our research says fans love him and respect him, but that they just want to see him more comfortable in his clothes," she says.
As for the rest of the team? Remember, we're losing another cast member, and we're getting Jorja Fox back for five episodes. And then there are the changes from those who stay. "Catherine is going to promote Nick," she said. Toss in an anticipated promotion for Liz Vassey's Wendy, and we might be all set. Might, note.
