CSI: Vegas is headed back to CBS for another season, but the two biggest names from Season 1 will not be part of the next round of episodes. William Petersen exited ahead of Season 2, followed by Jorja Fox. On the bright side, their exits give way to new opportunities for others.
The procedural promoted actor Jay Lee to series regular and welcomed Lex Medlin and Ariana Guerra ahead of the upcoming new episodes, according to Deadline. Each actor comes into CSI: Vegas Season 2 with something to offer and a little more to add to the story as the new episodes get underway.
Lex Medlin
Actor Lex Medlin enters CSI: Vegas as a series regular and will play Beau. The new character was a top scientist for Dow Chemical who found a new purpose in life, and he fulfilled it by graduating from CSI Academy and switching career paths entirely. He’s a family man and father to four children, and while he’s a rookie, he’s vastly overqualified for the duties he’ll take on. Unfortunately, that might lead to issues with him respecting authority, but Deadline’s description indicates that he’s a viable asset to any investigative team all the same.
Ariana Guerra
Actress Ariana Guerra enters CSI: Vegas as Serena, who is not afraid to share her opinion on anything. As the daughter of cops, she is perhaps used to the lifestyle required to do the job. All signs indicate that she’s very much a no-nonsense person, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing when dealing with criminals.
Jay Lee
CSI: Vegas viewers likely know actor Jay Lee, who played Chris Park in Season 1. If not, Paramount+ subscribers can revisit Season 1 and see him working as a CSI sporadically in the season in a recurring role. Park will obviously have a larger presence in Season 2, which bodes well for the show fleshing out its characters following the other departures.
Obviously, these additions and promotions shake up the CSI: Vegas original cast list, though it’s good that the series found a way forward without William Petersen and Jorja Fox. Sure, it’s a bit of a bummer that Season 2 won't feature the two actors who arguably define CSI as a franchise, but not every series can press on after losing two of its biggest stars after just one season.
CSI: Vegas feels like an exception, and with Season 2 adding new stars and promoting recurring ones, it’s making the right moves to try and keep the series rolling. Plus, other CBS procedurals like NCIS proved that a franchise can survive without one of its biggest leads, provided it puts the right replacement in their place. Perhaps without Petersen and Fox at the forefront, CSI: Vegas can continually evolve and find its own voice in the beloved franchise.
Plus, it’s not like CSI: Vegas will be completely devoid of veterans. Marg Helgenberger, who played Catherine Willows, is reprising her role in Season 2. So, at least there will be some familiarity in Season 2 for classic CSI fans and possibly more surprises to come down the way.
CSI: Vegas returns to CBS this fall on Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. ET. The new night is a shakeup to the CBS schedule, but hopefully, one that fans will adjust to when the time comes.
