Lauren Lee Smith is leaving Las Vegas

It was something to expect. Of course what the ex-producer says is BS, as always in this cases. I pretty much follow every single tv show ratings - even if I only watch 2-3 shows a year and I can tell you how things really went. It has nothing to do with the actress or the "sense of family" they want to create. They don't give a damn about this kind of things. The fact is, CSI - that, for the record I find extremely boring and because of it I don't watch - is losing viewers. To be honest, every single show on broadcast tv lost audience this past year, but TPTB don't take this into much account.

Anyway, they lost viewers mostly because they are in their 9 or 10? year - and therefore it's normal to lose viewership after so long- and also because they lost 3 original cast members in a year, including the lead. They replace him with that famous and prestigious L. Fishbourne, thinking that a big Hollywood name would have been enough to fill the void. Too bad, it didn't work out.

So, they are trying to make come back the old cast in hope that the old viewers will tune again. Can you imagine how much the actors are being paid to come back? They have to make room for them in the show and they can't have something like 10-11 regulars in a show like CSI which is a procedural.( also they have to try to cut costs since CSI being an "old" show is very expensive to make).

We know that what didn't work out  was more L.Fishbourne rather than her, but, as always happens in these cases, the first one to pay for it is the weaker one. It's much much easier to fire  someone like LLS than LF. He has more contactual power, is famous etc etc. The truth is, people didn't embrace LF character, but that's another story. It's Hollywood, people, the producers will never tell you the truth, it's not that they didn't feel the ensemble wasn't working - or better, maybe they see it, but it was due more to LF's character rather than hers( Just look at the screentime,as I said, I don't watch it, but I can predict that LF had 10 times her screentime) - but the truth is that they only took a look a the Nielsen ratings the Friday morning.  

I've never been a J Fox fan so her coming back to CSI is well (yawn) no big deal. I like L Smith and hope to see her in other roles. CSI has sorta out lived its appeal (all of them Miami, NY, LV, CSI The Moon on and on - ugh whatever). How many times can they show a tech squirting something into a glass beaker for the centerfuge, or those tiny little flash lights when there is a light switch right there; geeze.

Its like law and order; come on do they ever get when enough is enough.  Law and Order this Law and Order that - can you spell over exposed!!

Aww, I liked seeing Smith on CSI...  

Very occasionally, if you pay attention, life doesn't suck.
-Joss Whedon

They never gave Lauren's character, Riley, any development on this show. She had a few good episodes when she first started, then they introduced Laurence Fishburne's character, Ray Langston, and suddenly the show was all about him and they totally forgot to develop anything for Riley.

I like Jorja Fox. I liked her character, Sara, back in seasons 1-5, but didn't care for the character after that when it became all about the Sara/Grissom romance crap.  Right now, the only thing keeping me watching is Marg Helgenberger and Liz Vassey. 

I liked LLS as Riley but I did not enjoy CSI this season.

I agree with GreenBean2.  I loved Sara Sidle, and I totally want Sofia to come back too. I'm a bit of a Sara Sofia shipper :-D

"Change your ways while you're young"

Hmm...I smell a pregnancy...

~Without risk, there can be no innovation.  Without innovation, there can be no advancement. ~

How could you not remember her in the L Word?! One of the most adorable, funny characters there was. Plus, she's super sexy ;) 

Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com

How could they axe Lauren Lee Smith just like that? Why?!!!! She's a terrific actress and deserves a second chance with a story of her own. I stopped watching when Jorja Fox left she show but came back coz LLS was gonna be in it. Coz u know.. soup chef!!!! Heheh. Of course my bestfriend and I are thrilled that Jorja's coming back. However, it would have been interesting to see Sidle and Riley work together. So sad that we won't see Lauren again on tv, sigh. They should atleast say why Riley left in the first ep of the new season.

I stopped watching CSI because Lauren Lee Smith had joined the cast, and because Grissom had left. I'm SO glad she's leaving, I hated her so much.

Hopefully Grissom will come back too :]]]

I'm going to start watching CSI again in 5 episodes ^-^; -cant wait-

Liz Vassey=H.O.T!!