After the poor second half of the season for the show this year and the problems the show has encountered since Peterson left, the show definitely needs a shot in the a$$ if CBS wants to win the battle with Grey's next year. I posted the following on several of CSI's message boards today. Tell me what you think!

I do agree that CSI needs to do some major regrouping during the offseason as the stuff they’ve been feeding us since Peterson’s departure is just simply not cutting it. I know there has been some production difficulties with recent developments in the personal lives of Marg and George that has forced the writers to scale back the screen time for their characters, but it’s also their fault the show has turned into the Laurence Fishburne hour because there has been no character development whatsoever with the build-up to Grissom's leaving with the rest of the supporting cast to give us fans a storyline on which to focus after his departure. If I were the show’s producer, I would do the following (and, if anyone from CSI reads this, feel free to use these ideas):

1) The first storyline would involve getting rid of Reese and introducing two new characters. No offense to Lauren Lee Smith, but coming from someone who also watched her work on The L Word, she simply doesn’t have the ability to pack the emotional wallop the show needs right now. Instead, they need to go after another younger actress who has a fan following like Katee Sackhoff or Kristen Bell. Also, while Reese is leaving for family reasons or whatever, Eckley can get a new position with the DA or Mayor, and consequently, Brass is promoted to the head of all CSI’s, which will give him the opportunity to fill the father figure void in the wake of Peterson’s absence. A new younger (i.e. HOTTTTTT!) guy can take Brass’ place as the show’s detective. Then, have him get romantically involved with Catherine – but, that won’t be the end of it. You see, this guy has a past with the new girl, and she’s so obsessed with him that she’s become a psycho-stalker and followed him to Vegas. At first, they can be really cool with each other, but when she discovers the guy is seeing Catherine, she begins an effort to sabotage her by messing with evidence from Catherine’s cases. This could be a season-long sub-plot similar to the Miniature Killer storyline that would play out slowly over the year and result in a major cliffhanger in the finale when the two finally confront each other.

2) Give Nick a storyline that involves the death of his parents in a tragic accident. In a special Nick-centric episode, Nick hears the news of their death and he goes home to a small Texas town to take care family matters. While there, he discovers his parents’ deaths may not be accidentally, and he works with the local sheriff to solve the case. It is during this episode, we discover something new about Nick, whether it is family secret or the introduction of an old flame, which could give his character a continuing storyline line for the rest of the season.

3) Stop having Greg be so somber and get him back to being the fun Greg that we all love. Center an episode around him where we find out that kid’s death, the beating, Warrick’s death, and Sara’s leaving really effected him and he’s been having difficulty trying to adjust to everything? Maybe this is where they can give Wendy a little more airtime, instead of this stupid unrequited romance with Hodges, and have her be his new buddy who helps him through all of this?

4) In terms of being a CSI, put Ray on the backburner and have him learn the ropes just like any other newbie. With his shooting that guy at the end of the finale, it’s the perfect time to reign in the character in terms of both an IA evaluation as well as having Ray reevaluate his position with team. However, I still think the character can be interesting if we learn some more of his background, although I do think they need to shelve the original idea of his having “serial killer” blood in him because many people are thinking the show has gotten much too dark since Peterson’s departure. Instead, let’s introduce his ex-wife who now works with Eckley (preferably played by his old co-star, Angela Bassett), and let’s focus on the issues that have brought him to becoming a CSI. It might also be good to find out the ex-wife and he have a daughter who happens to be a coroner in Miami . . . Dr. Tara Price of CSI:Miami, which could make for some natural, interesting crossover episodes.

Now, I'm not saying to turn the show into a soap. The focus of the show should always be the cases and the science associated with solving them. However, the show needs some buzz now as well as a reason why we viewers should tune in each week and care about the people who are trying to solve the cases.

Wouldn't want to see that happen, but ragin you sure have some great ideas and what ever happen to Catherine's money, after her father was killed??

Now I'm off to go watch the CSI season finale.

That subject`has been note & Id love an explanation.

One of my sons mentioned that subject to me..I dunno, and he said they left us hanging, but there was no mention about money last season. I did watch the season Finale. I guess I was expecting worse and didn't find it that bad.

No, the episode itself wasn't that bad. I was just expecting more for a finale. Ray could at least have gotten shot, don't you think? Although, he can go from a crime scene to doing an autopsy to lecturing to students to working on patients in the hospital, so I guess bullets bounce off him too - because he's SUPER RAY!!!!!

SUPER RAY! At least it had an ending. I'm getting tired of all the cliff hangers. It's like I'm not coming back. Now, I still have CSI: Miami and NCIS.

I can't wait for NCIS and Criminal Minds!

Oh, and I don't know if you saw where I posted this in WDYT or not, but I've heard one of the storylines next season will a big two-part November sweeps stunt involving Grissom and Sara in Paris!!!



Can we say - WEDDING???!

Well, didn't see that coming...do hope it gets alot of viewers, if memory serves, some fans weren't to fond of him ending up with Sarah..but a wedding sounds like it should do well.

Hey your actuly just a giant tool with a bunch of shit ideas arnt you? You seriously should never think about writting anything ever. Hope you had a nice wank over your little CSI fantasy land of couples and emotional tragedy. ITS ABOUT THE CASES DUMB ASS! Everything you just wrote could only happen in a soap and you say you dont want to make it one? Oh and why on earth would you want a miami cross over? Did the first one (cross duristrictions) not suck enough for you? CSI miami is crap and would only taint vegas.

Oh, it so nice to be told off by someone who doesn't have the f'ing balls to post as anything other than "Anonymous".