Marg Helgenberger is back as Catherine Willows in official images from CSI: Vegas season 2. The revived version of the long-running CBS procedural is entering its second year with a few big cast changes. Back in December, it was announced that William Petersen would not be reprising the role of Gil Grissom. Petersen's exit was followed shortly thereafter by another big departure, as Jorga Fox confirmed that she would not be coming back as Sara Sidle. In part, Fox noted that Petersen's absence influenced her decision - since Sara and Gil are vital to the history of CSI, and shouldn't be separated in her view.
But though their absences will certainly be felt, CSI: Vegas will see the return of Helgenberger as Catherine. As the character she first portrayed in the original show's pilot, and which has earned several nominations over the years, Helgenberger became a fan favorite. Viewers have been particularly keen to see how Catherine would interact with CSI newcomer Matt Lauria.
Related: CSI: Vegas Season 2 Needs To Give Sara & Gil Their Happy Ending
Official photos, and a premiere synopsis, give a preview of Helgenberger's long-awaited return to the CSI franchise. CBS shared photos and a summary of "She's Gone," the debut of CSI: Vegas season 2, which premieres on September 29. In the episode, Catherine persuades Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) to let her rejoin the team as they investigate "the murder of a dominatrix found near her secret sex dungeon." Check out the new images, via TV Fanatic, below.
CSI: Vegas season 2, which will see a number of other series regulars return, is taking the approach of mixing its established veterans with newer arrivals. It's an approach that has worked for the franchise throughout its long history, helping the show to bounce back from high-profile and surprising exits in the past, and it's particularly important as the series has lost two of the stars most closely linked to the CSI brand. But from the photos, as it has several times before, the procedural looks to be moving forward by training its focus on the next case to be solved.
It's one of the reasons some viewers have argued that CSI: Vegas season 2 will be more like the original, due to the fact that the season's longer episode count will likely allow for more of the case-of-the-week structure that the franchise perfected in its heyday. If it succeeds, and if it manages to hook the audience through a combination of its main cast and mysteries, there's a chance that the revival could have a lengthy run of its own.
Source: CBS