THE LONG GOODBYE
TV Guide Magazine
October 6-12, 2008
By Craig Tomashoff
William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger drop some clues about Grissomās departure, a possible CSI movie and why Gil and Catherine never hooked up
For eight seasons CSI has seen more than its share of stabbings, shootings, stranglings and poisonings. But the real crime is whatās about to happen this year: The longtime hitās star, William Petersen, is about to exit the series. Word came this summer that his character, Gil Grissom, will be replaced by a new CSI, played by Laurence Fishburne. As the countdown begins for Petersenās last 10 episodes, we sat down with him and longtime costar Marg Helgenberger (who plays colleague Catherine Willows) to reminisce about their days together and ponder their futures apart.
What would you like to see happen in your last scene together?
William Petersen: We finally have sex? Believe me, itās been brewing all along. For me, anyway.
Marg Helgenberger: Catherine would love to have a roll in the sack with Grissom!
Petersen: They have this understanding with each other. Thereās a different kind of respect Grissom has for Catherine that would preclude a relationship on that level. The very thing that was wrong with Grissom and Sara is what he wouldnāt allow to happen with him and Catherine.
Maybe after a few eggnogs at the next CSI Christmas party?
Petersen: That could still be in the offing. Grissomās not going away forever, anyway. Maybe heāll go to Mexico, then come back and take Catherine with him. A tequila holiday!
Helgenberger [laughs]: Our lost weekend.
Marg, have you thought of a good-bye gift yet?
Petersen: No! No! No! No gifts!
Helgenberger: Iām still working on it.
Petersen: Iām having a hard time with all this. I may not show up the last day just so I donāt have to go through all that.
Helgenberger: Isnāt that what John Huston used to do? Heād have his assistant director direct the last scene because he had such a hard time saying good-bye.
Petersen: Maybe Iāll have my stand-in do my last scenes.
Helgenberger: I try not to think about that last scene. Thatās what everyone is feeling right now. Weāve had a lot of changes in the show these past years, and this is a big one. Everyone feels on unsteady ground right now.
Petersen: We donāt talk about it much. Every once in a while, I look across at somebody in a scene and think, āThis is weird. This is one of my last times working with you.ā And then you have to say, āForget about that.ā
How will you say farewell?
Petersen: The hard part is saying good-bye to the cast and crew and writers. Itās the people youāve been with for nine seasons. Itāll be very hard not going in the morning into one of those rooms and seeing them.
Helgenberger: [laughs] Youāll just kind of forget all about this within two days.
Petersen: I promise Iāll remember everyoneās names.
How will Grissom say good-bye?
Petersen: Weāve been mapping out my last 10 episodes that will take Grissom from one place to another. There will be no brain tumor for four episodes. Thatās the easy way out. Weāre trying to paint it as we have done with Jorja [Fox] and Gary [Dourdan]. Weāre trying to make it as real and close to reality as the show has been all along.
Did you guys talk about it before you decided to go?
Petersen: Margās known I wanted to go do theater.
Helgenberger: I donāt know if he said he was moving on in so many words.
Petersen: The first couple of seasons I did. [Laughing, along with Helgenberger] I had the shows marked down on my trailer. Iād X them off like a convict.
Helgenberger: There were a couple of seasons there where he was wanting to.
Petersen: The decision was coming over a while. I mean, I wasnāt sure I was going to do Season 5. I did the show longer because of everyone I work with, and Iām really proud of what everyoneās done. Iām also concerned with the audience. Theyāve been fabulous, stuck with us every year. But at the same time, I knew I needed to go do something. I donāt want to get to the point where I donāt feel creative anymore just because itās comfortable and fun to hang out with your friends.
You had a pretty decent movie career going before you met Gil Grissom. Do you want to get back to the big screen?
Petersen: If this was about going off and making films, Iād stay on CSI. Iād love to see us make a CSI film.
Helgenberger: Really?
Petersen: Thatās the other reason Grissom isnāt going to die of a brain tumor.
Helgenberger: I didnāt know that.
Petersen: It could be good if we did it right. The whole world is interested in the show.
Helgenberger: I do remember it coming up in years past, but [it] wasnāt given a whole lot of validity.
Petersen: You have to make sure itās not just an extended episode or even like the Quentin Tarantino two-parter [the Season 5 ender]. It has to beā¦
Helgenberger: Edgy!
What will you do in the meantime? Any immediate plans?
Petersen: The Chicago theater community breathlessly awaits my return. [This fall, Petersen will star in the Steppenwolf Theatre Companyās production of āDublin Carol,ā the play Petersen took time off to star in two seasons ago.]
What about coming back to CSI for an occasional visit?
Petersen: Iām going to come back and see the guys on set doing episodes Iām not in. And Iām staying on as a producer. The show is important to me, and Iām not abandoning it. Iām coming back on some level. I just donāt know what yet.
Do you have a favorite moment together?
Helgenberger: I remember a scene in the season finale of Season 3. You were going in for ear surgery.
Petersen: Iām in my little room waiting to go in for this surgeryā¦
Helgenberger: And heās got this little hospital gown on, and I come to say something, and we have this tender moment in the doorway. He starts walking down the hall. And Billy didnāt have anything on under the gown. It was a cute, fun moment.
Petersen: And we were going to have the words THE END up on screen. They shot it but didnāt use it. They got afraid.
Helgenberger: They showed my reaction but not your actualā¦
Petersen: The producers just thought that would make people think of Grissom in a different way. But as long as the characters are going to do what they would do, the audience is with you.
Laurence Fishburne is joining the cast as the new CSI. Will it be an easy transition?
Helgenberger: The writers are trying to wrap their minds around having Billy having a graceful exit, but also creating a graceful entrance for Laurence.
Petersen: I think itās going to be fine creatively for the audience and for the story and for the character. Shooting [the season premiere] was the most difficult nine days Iāve had in nine seasons on CSI. But Grissom leaving will open windows. Laurence will come in. Catherine could change her position. It will be interesting and different.
Helgenberger: I could be made supervisor, and Laurence is a CSI Level 1. I donāt foresee any tension there for the characters, but I havenāt had scenes with him yet.
As you count down your time together, what do you think youāll miss most about each other?
Petersen: The fact that weāve done this for nine seasons and still like each other, and still want to work with each other, is an amazing thing. Believe me, for leading men and ladies, thatās not always the case. But she is a very fun gal. Sheās got a great infectious laugh. She gets all my jokes. Sheās passionate about her work and the show. Many times, she kept me in control. Many times sheād say, āBilly, itās not that bad. Enjoy this. Itās the No. 1 show in the world.ā
Helgenberger: Iām incredibly touched. I know that a part of me is in denial about Billy leaving. Iām crying! I didnāt realize how much Iāve been avoiding facing the reality of CSI without him. And even though we havenāt been having as many scenes together as we used to, heās under my skin. Iāve been very blessed these past eight and a half years not only to have shared in the success of CSI, but to have worked with a man who is an actorās actor minus the pretension, an executive producer minus the superiority, and a stud minus the bulls—. I love Billyā¦heās the bomb! I know that we will work together again, and not just as Grissom and Catherine.
A scan of this interview can be found here
