BREAKING NEWS ALERT:

A name actor will be joining the cast of “CSI” later this season, replacing William Petersen’s Gus Grissom - and he will have a dark secret.

His own personality - even his very DNA - will fit the profile of a serial killer, according to CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler.

Tassler said the character isn’t exactly replacing Grissom as the head CSI guy. He will be on the CSI team, a doctor on “a journey of self-discovery.”

He won’t be a serial killer - just a guy who wrestles with inner demons.  Wow!  This is not so weird because the British series “Blood in the Wire” is about a profiler who is able to empathize with serial killers.

Her exact words were: Strategically, we’ve been talking about this for quite some time.  It started last year.  And they have an unbelievable season planned.  We’re starting certainly with the resolution of the cliffhanger.  Jorja Fox is coming back.  We’ve got an unbelievable — I call it the   DVR-proof season of “CSI.”  We’ve added a new CSI in Lauren Lee Smith.

With Billy, I think it is — part of it was informed by the new character that they’ve created.  I don’t think you replace Billy, but you sort of look at       adding elements to the show that are really going to invigorate and contribute to the — sort of the alchemy of the show where it is today.  They’ve       created a great character.  He’s a doctor, a scientist who’s got a very interesting DNA that is going to inform the duality of the character.  So I think       there — like I said, it’s not necessarily replacing Billy, but it’s adding an element that is going to   sort of inform the dynamic of the team today.

She won’t say who the replacement is. May not have been cast yet.

Rumors are circulating that veteran actors Kurt Russell, Laurence Fishburne and John Malkovich were being considered as replacements.
I’d watch Russell. Maybe Goldie Hawn could be squeezed in, too.

Petersen told The New York Times that the Grissom character will be looking for a change in his life. The break at 10 episodes is timed so Petersen can begin rehearsals in October for a run in Chicago over the Christmas holidays in the Conor McPherson play, “Dublin Carol.” After that he will be available again to appear in “CSI.” though not as the weekly star. He will remain an executive producer, however, and said he may also direct some episodes.

A couple of critics mention cancelled, no-way-in-hell coming back series, “Moonlight” and “Jericho” : two words that drive up blog clicks.  I just mention them here to see if I get more clicks. I’m shameless.