The beginning of the headline did not sit well with me: “CSI Replaces Jorja Fox.”

Excuse me? Replace Jorja Fox? Try replacing the sun in the morning sky, or the oxygen in the air we breathe, or Dana in Alice's bed.

OK, thinking about Dana in Alice's bed made me feel better. And the CSI producers must've been thinking along those same lines when they cast the newest forensic female, because starting next season, CSI will star none other than our favorite "soup" chef, Lauren Lee Smith.

Smith joins the cast next season as Bryce Adams, described as a “smart, flirtatious and witty nonconformist who is hired as a CSI on the night-shift team led by Grissom (William Peterson).” Just in case you’re behind on CSI casting news, this is the part that almost went to BSG’s Katee Sackhoff, who still can’t believe she didn’t get it.

Smith's character, Bryce, went into law enforcement as a way to rebel against her father, a “judgmental psychiatrist” (isn’t that redundant?) According to CBS, “she has always been fascinated by the perverse underbelly of society and cannot be shocked or intimidated.” Perverse underbelly of society? I need to watch CSI more often. … continue reading

When I did a post on women who were turning 50 in 2008, I was dismayed to find few previous AfterEllen.com mentions of one of those women, Marg Helgenberger.

As it turns out, we have not been too attentive of CSI, in general. I have to confess, I don't watch any of the CSI shows regularly. I thought it was because of the goriness, but my love of all things Dexter sort of blew that theory out of the water. I have, however, always been appreciative of the CSI casting directors' taste in women. Despite the fact that they let my favorite investigator go.

Now, research has confirmed that, indeed, the women of CSI are hot. Duh. I won't go into the particulars of the survey because, frankly, it's lame. But, in one of the questions, researchers asked men which of three CSI women they'd most like to romance: Calleigh Duquesne (Emily Procter) of CSI: Miami, Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) of the original CSI or Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes) of CSI: New York. … continue reading

Ever wondered what people with really high IQs do in their spare time? Neither have I. Well, OK, I have wondered what some of them do. To the point of distraction, in fact.

But whether you wanted to know or not, Fancast reports that MENSA chairman Jim Werdell watches about 10 hours of television every day. (The average American watches four and a half hours.) And apparently, the combination of high IQ and television addiction makes Werdell qualified to list the 10 smartest TV shows of all time.

I won't argue with No. 1, simply because my daddy's favorite television show was M*A*S*H and he was smart. That's good enough for me.

I'll also concede that Frasier, All in the Family and West Wing deserve spots on the list. (Dang, how much do you miss C.J.?) … continue reading

Oh, Sara Sidle. All that squinting. All that eyebrow raising. All that gap-toothed grinning. How we will miss it. All of it. Jorja Fox leaves CSI tonight after eight seasons of forensic sleuthing. Oh, scarecrow, I think I'll miss that skeptical scowl the most.

Jorja told Entertainment Weekly last month that she was leaving for personal reasons, like maybe surfing around the world. To which I say, “Good on ya, mate.” As much as I'll be sad to see my favorite CSI go, I understand the inclination to get away. Daily TV is a grind, and peering inquisitively at imaginary evidence probably gets old, too. … continue reading

Sara Sidle has left the building. And she has left of her own free will. But don’t cry too much into your Petri dishes, forensics fans: She may be back to visit every now and then. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, veteran CSI cast member Jorja Fox said leaving the series was her decision, one that had nothing to do with money, and that she might return for guest spots later down the road.

“It’s my call — and a very, very difficult one, something I’ve been thinking about for a long, long time. It's one of the hardest decisions I've made in my life. It has nothing to do with my contract, nothing to do with money. ... It could be the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life. Only time will tell. ... There are so many things I want to do! Some are personal. Some are professional. And I really need to do some of them before I get too old.”

Fans have been atwitter about Jorja’s possible exit since last season’s cliffhanger finale saw her character kidnapped and pinned under a car by the Miniature Killer. Of course she survived, only to dash her fans' hopes by announcing she would leave the show later this season. Her final episode (episode eight of season eight ... oh, the symmetry) will air in mid-November. … continue reading

As you've probably heard by now, Jorja Fox is leaving CSI after the seventh episode this season — or just sometime in November, depending on which report you read.

Sigh. Now I have even fewer reasons to watch the show. Fewer as in one (the one named Marg Helgenberger).

In an interview with TVGuide.com, Jorja said it's been a good run:

Were you ever bored by the constraints of acting in a procedural?
Fox: I never was. I've been one of the luckiest people in the history of TV, getting to play the character of Sara. Almost since Episode 10 in Season 1, I've had a lot to do. My character has had a very full personal life.

Well, sorta full. Not quite as full as we wanted it to be. Jorja also noted that "the story of Sara and Grissom is a little like a fable." I agree, if she means a completely fantastical story that would never, ever happen in real life.

If Jorja's departure is terrible news to you, there's a "Keep Jorja Fox on CSI" campaign (thanks, DJSmurf!) you can join. Hey, if letters kept Cagney & Lacey on the air, maybe they can keep Sara from sidling away.

Here's a little Sara/Catherine fan video to soothe the pain (or feed the fanfic): … continue reading

After last night's premiere bonanza, tonight is all about the returning shows.

On CSI (CBS), we may find out whether Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) escaped from the miniature killer's clutches. We still won't know what she ever saw in Grissom.

On The Office (CBS), Michael thinks the office is cursed. The first four episodes this season are hour-long Pam-apaloozas. (No, they don't really focus on Pam, but I will.) … continue reading

Alicia Silverstone is showing skin instead of eating it. The long-time vegetarian is appearing au naturel in a new PETA campaign promoting vegetarianism. I have to say, if this is what happens when you eat your veggies, someone pass the broccoli.

The former Clueless star takes it all off in a new TV ad that began airing today in Houston and Dallas (picked because they rank among the least healthy cities in the United States; sorry, Texans) and will expand cross-country later. The spot features a naked Silverstone emerging from a pool and slinking around while extolling the benefits of meat-free living. “There is nothing in the world that has changed me as much as this. I feel so much better and have so much more energy,” she says. “It’s so amazing.”

… continue reading

To warn or not to warn, that is the question. Casting news, while potentially spoiler worthy, isn't necessarily considered warn worthy. However, for avid CSI fans, the appearance of a new female CSI might give off hints of an unhappy end for a current female CSI. While at least one person over at tvguide.com claims to have the answers, I don't.

So, I will warn you that what follows is only spoiler-worthy if you have not seen the past two season enders for CSI. If you have, nothing I'm about to tell you about plot points will come as a surprise.

If you watch CSI at all, then you are likely aware of Jorja Fox's reported contract difficulties. At the end of this past season, viewers were left with an image of her character, Sara Sidle, trapped under a wrecked sports car in the middle of nowhere. Signs of life were, shall we say, limited. For CSI fans, the debate has been raging since before the finale ever aired about whether or not Sara would survive the crash. Will the CSI cast photo look like this next season?

Well, I can't tell you if any of these faces will disappear, but for at least four episodes, an additional face will appear. That face belongs to Canadian actress Jessica Lucas.

For those of you out there, like me, who don't recognize Lucas, allow me to fill you in. Her history includes Canadian teen drama Edgemont and the films The Covenant and She's the Man, which you'll recall from She Made Me Watch This is a remake of Just One of the Guys.

Lucas also showed up as a bit player in the very beginning of The L Word episode "Losing It" (where she made out with another woman). … continue reading

There's an interesting list over on DoubleVixen.com showcasing positive female TV characters. The list includes Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Liz Lemon from 30 Rock, George Lass from Dead Like Me, Zoe Washburne from Firefly and Rose Tyler from Dr. Who.

Looking at this compilation suggests several things. First, it suggests that the number of positive female characters on the telly is even lower than I thought. I know that the number of strong, intelligent women I see staring back at me from the TV screen is woefully inadequate. However, I didn't think it was so bad that we could only find five such examples, especially since three of them come from shows we can only see on DVD or in rerun land. Second, it suggests that Joss Whedon knows how to write wonderful women. Both Buffy and Firefly provided more than one example of a positive female character. Clearly this guy needs to write more TV shows. … continue reading

TV Guide's Michael Ausiello thinks Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) might be killed off CSI, thanks to Fox's failing contract negotiations. Sidle's relationship with Grissom (eww) is supposed to "come out into the open" in the season finale, and Sara will also go missing when the Miniature Killer returns.

I used to watch CSI, but the whole Sidle/Grissom thing is ridiculous. It really should have been Sara/Sofia (Louise Lombard). … continue reading