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Exclusive: Inside CSI's Battle for Katee Sackhoff
Katee Sackhoff by Justin Stephens/Sci Fi Channel Photo, Jorja Fox by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage.com
This is seriously frakked up.
Sources confirm to me exclusively that Battlestar Galactica's ass-kicking Katee Sackhoff was thisclose to becoming Jorja Fox's pseudo-replacement next season on CSI. In fact, she was considered to be such a lock for the new series-regular role of Bryce Adams that exec producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar, both huge fans of the actress, were practically rolling a red carpet all the way to her trailer.
But...
Oh, come on, you knew there was a "but" coming. After seeing Sackhoff read for the part of the sexy new CSI on the graveyard shift, executives at both CBS (who declined to comment for this story) and Jerry Bruckheimer Television remained unconvinced that they had found their Bryce. And, unfortunately, their opinion won out.
Told you it was a frakked-up story.
Now, the role is once again up for grabs, I'm once again bummed, and so once again I'm turning to you for opinions. Who do you think was right — the creative folks or the suits? Weigh in below. And then watch my super-fun interview with Ms. Sackhoff from last night's TV Guide's 2008 Sexiest Stars soiree — a portion of which I'm saving for next week's vodcast because, well, it's just that good.
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May 2, 2008 3:00 PM
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Dude the suits are SO frakked up. So completely frakked. Having Katee on their show would be like the best thing ever to happen to CSI. And while I would've been stoked to see Katee on my TV every week, maybe this is a blessing in disguise. In my opinion having to see Katee do the same thing and not really get to shake her acting tail wouldn't have been as fun, since CSI isn't really known for great acting parts. So while I think that they were C.R.A.Z.Y. to not sign her, I hope that she can find something that allows her to show more of her acting chops because I feel like we've only seen the beginning with Starbuck, she has so much more she has yet to show us, and I can't wait. Here's to hoping she lands a much better project. (And that Lee and Kara end up together in the end on BSG, yes I realize that has nothing to do with this).
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May 2, 2008 3:07 PM
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Stupid executives. I would have loved to see her on CSI. Now she is going to be picked up by some other show.
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May 2, 2008 3:09 PM
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I have to agree about the blessing in disguise. As much as I would love for Katee to get some mainstream attention and a larger fanbase, I think she would be terribly wasted on CSI.
I think she would be fantastic on a show like Heroes, although I suppose that could be considered typecasting after her role on Bionic Woman.
As for CSI, I think they should look for someone a little less. . intense.
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May 2, 2008 3:20 PM
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I agree - she would be wasted in the limited character development of CSI. I think Katee Sackhoff rocks, but she needs something that gives her more range. A comedy, an action show, a drama - anything that gives her a chance to let her big on-screen personality go wild.
Which is not in any way a slam at anybody already on the CSI shows, of course. I watch NY and Vegas, myself.
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May 2, 2008 3:23 PM
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You are knocking the actors on CSI. You are saying they don't act.
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May 2, 2008 3:26 PM
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With any luck at all, CSI only has a couple of seasons left in it. You never want to be the girl who arrives late to the party just as things start going way downhill.
Katee should hold out for something quality that's just right for her (read: NOT anything similar to Bionic Trainwreck) and become the star(buck) she's totally meant to be.
Yeah, we'll be watching that one for a long time to come ...
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May 2, 2008 3:38 PM
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I am a fan of the CSI shows but I agree that the chances for actors on those shows to get meaty storylines are slim to nil unless they are the main star with producing credits. And even then Billy still took a hiatus so he could satisfy himself creatively.
No one is knocking the actors on the show, what people are knocking is the character development that comes from the writing room. When you compare the shoddy character development on CSI (Warrick asks Nick to join him for some gambling and Nick politely declines without mentioning the gambling problem Warrick dealt with all through season 1!) to the character development on a show like LOST, you see how poor the CSI writers are at it.
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May 2, 2008 3:42 PM
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I've seen Katee do wonderful work, and I've seen her do terrible work. Depends on what sort of material the writers give her to work with. She definitely has the ability to be a gutsy lead. What the frak do network suits know anyway???
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May 2, 2008 3:42 PM
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CSI is not a soap opera like Lost. You will not get big romantic stories or life or death stories for the main characters. Soap opera is not automatically character development. It is ridiculous to say that there is no character development. It is just not melodramtic character developement from BIG! DRAMATIC! EVENTS!
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May 2, 2008 4:04 PM
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I think Katee could definitely do better than CSI. Granted, it's still a popular program, but it's definitely not where it used to be creatively. But, seeing as the refusal came from CBS and Bruckheimer, it's their loss. She certainly would have infused some new life into the show.
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May 2, 2008 4:13 PM
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She should be thankful. She is so much better than that p.o.s. show.
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May 2, 2008 4:17 PM
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CSI's loss, Katee's gain, as I agree that her talents would be wasted on a show (franchise) that doesn't do very much character development at all.
After all, Horatio still removes his sunglasses in exactly the same way as he did in the beginning, so where's the development in that? Sorry, facetious remark, we all know David Caruso can't walk and breathe at the same time.
There should be something in the way of character development on the original CSI than forgetting Warwick's Season One gambling problem and a behind the scenes romance between Gil and Sara. And somewhere, Catherine's daughter has been forgotten too.
I'm hoping for the dark haired lab rat who said she was in training to be a CSI as the "replacement" for Jorja Fox. Her "newness" could be a big help and the source of ongoing problems as she learns the ropes. Plus I like her as an actor. She brings freshness to the role without being annoying.
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Edited by tworussos at 05/02/2008 1:25 PM
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May 2, 2008 4:25 PM
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Thank god for that, thought I was going to have to start watching CSI when I read the title.
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May 2, 2008 4:28 PM
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Thank God for that, I thought I was going to have to stop watching CSI when I read the title.
CSI is great. Sackhoff is not.
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May 2, 2008 4:39 PM
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