Morpehus himself, Laurence Fishburne will be joining the cast of CSI. A bold move in the long running crime drama that enters its ninth season this fall.
Fishburne will play a former pathologist who is now working as an itinerant college lecturer, teaching a course in criminalistics. His focus is on understanding criminal behavior, how and why people commit acts of violence – tendencies he disturbingly sees within himself. In the course of a murder investigation, he comes into contact with the CSI team and ultimately joins the Las Vegas Crime Lab as a Level-1 CSI.
There is a lot of speculation that since William Petersen (the loveable hardcase Gil Grissom) will be leaving the show as of the 9th season’s 10th episode that Fishburne’s character might step up into the role. But keep in mind that Fishburne will be at the bottom of the totem pole as a Level-1 CSI, a role that took rookie DNA Expert Greg Sanders 5 seasons to achieve.
Grissom is a Level-3 CSI and I doubt that they will fast track Fishburne into that role in 10 episodes.
No news yet on who will replace Grissom, however he has said that he is open to guest star appearances, so he will be around.
