Grissom gone?? According to a new report, this season's 10th episode will be the last for William Peterson helming the CSI crew in Las Vegas, at least as a full-time series regular.
"Billy is leaving," confirms the show's executive producer, Carol Mendelsohn to the Ausiello Files at EW. "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."
According to EW:
"In an exclusive interview conducted on July 11, the eight-year CSI vet seemed almost reluctant to characterize his departure as, um, a departure. Citing both his ongoing role as an executive producer and his intention to return on occasion as a (very special) 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."
What will happen to the show? Even if we didn't mind Jorja Fox and Gary Dourdan's exits last year, losing Grissom - the heart and soul of the show - is the biggest impact on the show.
"My biggest problem with leaving the show at any point isn't leaving Grissom -- I'm an actor, it's time to do other things," said Petersen, whose will be doing a theater gig in his hometown of Chicago this fall. "[The hard part will be saying goodbye] to the cast and crew. [So] I'm going to stay as involved as I'm allowed to be throughout the remainder of this show. Until they turn off all the lights."
See the full story at Ausiello Files.
