CSI’s Gary Dourdan avoids jail time
On Monday, April 28, CSI star Gary Dourdan was arrested in Palm Springs, California. He was asleep in his car and when a police officer approached, he found Dourdan disoriented. The actor was arrested after the cop found cocaine, heroin, Ecstacy, miscellaneous prescription drugs and paraphernalia in the car. Despite pleading guilty to drug possession today, Dourdan will not have to do any jail time. In fact, in the deal his lawyer struck with prosecutors, Gary will get treatment for his drug problems. Basically, he lucked out.
“Once Gary completes 30 hours of a diversion program, his case will be entirely dismissed,” said his lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, in a statement to The Associated Press. Dourdan won’t have to do any time in a drug rehab facility or behind bars, so all things considered, he’s very, very fortunate. He could have faced up to three years or more in jail .
Gary has already departed CSI, and in the season finale, his character was seemingly killed in a point blank shooting. However, when Jorja Fox returns for the fall premiere, Dourdan is reportedly in the show. And not as a ghost. So, now that he won’t be doing time, he’ll have time to film scenes for CSI and, presumably, wrap up the unfinished business of the CSI crew exposing the corrupt under sheriff.
CSI bringing Jorja Fox back for fall premiere
When Sara left CSI, driving out of Las Vegas on her way to who knows what, he left behind a brokenhearted Gil Grissom. The producers of CSI were wise to keep the door open for the character to return, and that’s just what’s happening — at least for one show. According to TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello, Jorja Fox will be in the season premiere of CSI. Oh, and she won’t be the only former cast mate on the show; so will Gary Dourdan as Warrick.
I know, I know — I can hear you now, how is that possible? Didn’t he die in the CSI finale? When we last saw Warrick, he’d been shot twice and left to die in his car. Could the CSI have survived a bullet through the neck? He was slumped over the steering wheel, so he looked dead. And the sheriff shot him a second time — presumably a death shot to the head since it was an execution.
Ausiello’s sources claim that Warrick’s return will not be a flashback. He thinks we’re in for a “gut wrenching death scene.” He could be right, they could go in that direction. However, CSI could think outside the reality box, too. They could go the apparition or ghost route. It wouldn’t be the first time; there was the episode a few seasons back where the corpses talked, telling the story of how they died. That was definitely not real, but this is a fictional show and they can take a leap if they feel like it.
Maybe Warrick will appear to viewers, aware that he’s dead, but unable to cross over or something like that. Maybe he goes to his funeral or helps solve his murder? Any ideas? Tell us about them in the comments.
As for Jorja, there’s no doubt she’ll be back to see Gil. Even after leaving Las Vegas, she was in touch with Grissom. She called him on one episode which put a smile on his face, so we can assume the two are still romantically connected.
Marg Helgenberger renews CSI contract
There’s been a lot of flux on CSI, CBS’s top rated, long-running, extremely popular forensics-procedural-crime drama (I think that covers all the categories, right?) At the end of last season, Jorja Fox decided not to come back to the show, and her role as Sara was written out in the first two episodes of the year. The producers left the door open for her to return — they didn’t kill her off — but she’s gone.
Tonight is the last of Gary Dourdan as Warrick. He’s having trouble off-camera, a serious felony arrest earlier this month for drugs, so his leaving may have been a necessity even if he hadn’t chosen to exit. Therefore, it’s a good thing to be able to tell you that USA Today reports that Marg Helgenberger has inked a new contract with CSI for two more years. That, coupled with William Petersen’s signing a new deal in April, means that CSI is in good shape for the foreseeable future. CBS should be doing the happy-dance.
Helgenberger is a wonderful actress — an Emmy-winner for China Beach (and an Emmy nominee for CSI) — and she brings a lot to the plot-driven show. Her character, Catherine Willows, has a good back story and when given the opportunity, amid the bizarre murders and strange cases, Willows’ personal issues make for good drama. She also has a connection with Grissom (Petersen) and is one of the few characters who can really question him or talk back. Put it this way: if Willows were to leave the show, there’d be a huge hole to fill.
Off camera, Marg is married to actor and SAG president Alan Rosenberg. He’s currently in the midst of heated negotiations to avoid a SAG strike. By association, Marg’s involved, so re-signing with CSI was probably a relief — you know, one less thing to worry about. She was the last original cast member to re-up, by the way.
Why Jorja Fox is leaving CSI
It’s no secret that Jorja Fox, who plays Sara Sidle on CSI, is leaving the show this season. She has a contentious history with the show and was even temporarily fired during contract negotiations in 2004. But, why is she leaving?
Fox gave a quick interview to EW.com, explaining her departure. She’s leaving to broaden her horizons. The actress has been on CSI for seven years and is looking for something else to do. She says, “If I thought the show was on its last legs, I would’ve tried harder to stay the course. But I feel like it’s going to be around for a while, so I don’t want some of those dreams to pass me by.”
In past posts I’ve written about CSI, a lot of commenters have bagged on the Sara Sidle character and wished she would go. The sexual relationship between her and Grissom makes a lot of people’s skin crawl (mine included). Personally, I would’ve liked to have seen a more beloved character leave, but this is good too. CSI definitely needs a shake-up since it has had the same cast for all eight seasons.
Jorja Fox has five more episodes this season, with her final episode in mid-November during ratings. Producer Carol Mendelsohn says that those episodes will focus on Sara and build up to her departure. The build-up begins tonight, with a marriage proposal from Grissom.