CSI's Riley Leaves the Lab
by Carita Rizzo July 27, 2009 01:57 PM EST


When CSI returns for its 10th season, the lab will once again be short staffed. Executive producer Naren Shankar confirms to TVGuideMagazine.com that Lauren Lee Smith will not return as series regular, Riley Adams. “She’s not going to be back for Season 10,” he tells us exclusively. “It was an issue of how we were feeling the ensemble was working. When we brought in the character of Riley, it got lost in the shuffle a little bit because we had lost Warrick, we had lost Sara, and then in the middle of last season Grissom finally left. I think, as a result, the character never quite found its footing in terms of the rest of the gang.”

Riley’s absence will open up a slot for Sara Sidle, who is now ready to return to work after her severe burnout in Season 8. “She shows up because the team is understaffed,” says Shankar. “The undersheriff reaches out for a recommendation and Sara says, ‘I think that person might be me.’”

Jorja Fox returns for at least five episodes, which will address what has been going on with Sara and Grissom and why she is able to work again as a CSI. Shankar doesn’t yet know if Sara is in Vegas to stay, but adds that we’ll see plenty of her while she is there. “We’re going to spotlight her for the episodes that she’ll be in,” he promises.

Exclusive: Adam Rodriguez to Leave CSI: Miami
by Carita Rizzo August 05, 2009 12:23 PM EST


It looks like it’s finally time to kiss the Calleigh-Delko romance goodbye.

TVGuideMagazine.com has learned exclusively that when Adam Rodriguez returns to CSI: Miami this fall it will be for a limited engagement only, after which he will exit the show. According to a source close to the actor, Rodriguez may possibly return for a multiple episode arc, but in a worst-case scenario he will only shoot the season premiere.

Last time we saw Delko he had been shot by Calleigh and was lying wounded somewhere in the Miami marsh with his team desperately searching for him. As previously reported, the first episode will be set in 1997, as a comatose Delko flashes back to his past and how the team first met. It’s in the flashbacks that we will meet new series regular Eddie Cibrian for the first time, and the episode will also guest star former Miami regular Khandi Alexander. As for Rory Cochrane returning as Speedle? May not happen, says the source. “He's very close to Adam. Unless it's okay with Adam, he will not do it.”

A rep for Rodriguez and CBS issued no comment.