Character Screen Time Thread

[dyneemo]

Henry was only 1 minute??

[Sapphire]

reading your comments about the original cast, I can't help but agree. I'm sure the writers don't hate them, but they're clearly not as invested in them anymore.

If the writers want to take CSI in a new direction starring mainly (if not just) the new cast (and probably others in the future that they're already adding like Matt Davis) (I'm still convinced that that was the message at the end of the 300th episode), why are Eric, Jorja, George and Paul still even here?

I want to look forward to episode 14.07, "Under a Cloud", but how do I know the episode won't be mostly about Finn and "confronting her past" to help Greg, considering what they've mentioned in the spoilers? Look at what they did with Brass in "Skin  in the Game". With the exception of "Frame by Frame", is that how it's going to be most of the time, whenever they do have an episode centered on an original cast member? If they're never going to give Sara, Nick, Greg and Brass any new material in terms of development, or if they're just going to use them to add more drama for one of the new guys, then why are they still on the show?

[sarapals]

I'm making a guess:

The old guys are still there to provide some kind of continuing familiarity to viewers. Their contracts provide for so many episodes per season and their pay is based on that number. Contracts may even specify how many episodes they are the 'lead'.

For years, Paul has commuted from east coast to west coast and I think that's one reason we see less of him. Danson seems to be doing the same thing.

Jorja is off saving the world one animal at a time (or several), and seems to be happy doing less CSI.

But they still want to be associated with CSI--and the show works with them.

[CgrGrl]

Screen Time for Passed Pawns -

Doc, Sara - 1
Super, Greg, Henry, Hodges - 2
Finn - 4
Brass - 9
Not Nick - 13
DB - 16
Morgan - 23

[oldfanatic]

Loved your 'not Nick' and gather that was Yeager - could have done without him.

[Hooleo]

CgrGrl, the way episodes have been going, you definitely need a gold star to continue watching enough to time the people.  I don't think I could do it.  I do appreciate that you do it though and I love the "Not Nick" comment.  Boy, is he ever Not Nick!

[sarapals]

L O V E   I T !!!!!

Not only do you have the patience of Job (to watch), you have the brilliance of a genius to come up with "Not Nick"!! No, this new guy is definitely NOT NICK!!

[CgrGrl]

Screen Time for Under a Cloud -

Doc, Mitch - 1
Super - 2
Brass - 3
Morgan, Hodges - 4
Henry - 6
DB - 8
Greg - 11
Finn - 15
Sara - 18

[oldfanatic]

Hardly seems worth the time for Paul/Brass to fly out to Hollywood from his east coast home for just 3 minutes on screen.  They really do need to give him more of a role in all of the episodes.

[beaujolais]

OF, I completely agree about Paul/Brass needing more screen time.  However, this is one of the three episodes they filmed at the same time and he's in all three. Since they don't film scenes in order, they could have filmed all of his scenes for all three episodes within the same week or so and then he's free to jet back home.

[Hooleo]

I was wondering, beau, if that was the case.  As I commented in a different thread, I started watching the series again, starting with Season 1.  I'm so glad they changed Brass' personality as quickly as they did from the nasty guy in the first couple of episodes to the go-to guy for all of the CSIs.  It has been really great though seeing Brass in the early episodes.  He was a real part of the show - much more so than he is now.  Watched Fur and Loathing last night.  At the end of the episode, Grissom and Catherine were sitting in Brass' office, rehashing what had happened, just as I imagine it would happen in real life.

Now, we're lucky if we even get to see Brass interview a suspect.  That is just wrong.

[beaujolais]

Hooleo, you can thank Paul for changing Brass. He thought Brass as the nasty jerk cop was too cliche so he went to Zuiker and had him change the character. As I recall, it was Paul's idea to give Brass a sense of humor, a lot of which was ad libbed.

I miss the old Brass. Unfortunately, that guy left with Grissom but I'm disappointed that they haven't teamed him up more with DB like they did with Grissom. They've done it a couple of times in the past (Tressed to Kill is one I can think of) and they played very well off each other. 

[Hooleo]

Paul is an awesome actor and could play off of anyone so I'd like to see more of him and DB also.  Truthfully, I'd just really like to see more of Paul - period.

[CgrGrl]

Screen Time for Helpless -

Super, Sara - 2
Greg, Doc, Henry - 3
Not Nick - 4
Hodges - 5
Dawn - 6
Finn - 8
Brass, DB - 9
Morgan - 19

[Hooleo]

Morgan had  19 minutes??  No wonder I didn't care for this episode.