Original CSI star Jorja Fox reprised her character Sara Sidle more than six years after the show’s initial series finale. She and William Peterson, who plays her husband Gil Grissom, have returned to the franchise’s new series CSI: Vegas.
The two have been busy since they returned. Sara and Grissom tried to prove the innocence of an old friend David Hodges and help with other cases.
TV Fanatic chatted with Jorja to discover how Sara has evolved over the years, what’s next for Grissom and Sara, and the David Hodges case details.
Hi Jorja. I’ve been a massive fan of yours since the original CSI. What has it been like jumping back into the character of Sara and especially the relationship of Sara and Grissom? Was it easy picking up where you left off?
It was surprisingly easy. William and I were both fortunate. We both went away and did some stuff behind the scenes. We’ve been traveling, and we’ve been in the water. So, the lives we were living were appropriate for Sara and Grissom coming back since they had been living a Jimmy Buffett life for the last five years.
It’s astounding to me that we’ve been doing these characters for 21 years, and it’s been an absolute thrill. I could work with William Peterson for 21 more years.
I hope I hope the viewers enjoy this. We’re going to see a way more of their relationship than we ever saw in 15 years of the other series. So much of Sarah and Gil happened off-screen. And this is different, and it’s enjoyable to come in as a married couple, and we’re going to see them at home here and there.
Honestly, my hat goes off to people who are together for long-term relationships. To me, it’s a subject that’s never boring and always fun to explore.
So you mentioned we’re going to see Sara and Grissom at home. Does that mean we’re going to see some romantic scenes?
Well, they call it a procedural. We did the best we could, and I think some of the scenes are romantic. It’s never going to be a cable show, and that’s a relief. Twenty years ago, I was jealous of those shows on cable because they got to cuss and say words we never got to say.
Now that it’s 20 years later, I’m so relieved that I’m not on a cable show because I get to keep my clothes on.
Do you think Sara and Grissom are going to find a solution to Grissom’s feeling land sick?
I think it addresses that in future episodes, so I can’t spoil too much. Yes, the story will continue to evolve.
Okay, how do you think Sara has evolved from the original CSI?
Obviously, for so many reasons, Sara’s my favorite character that I’ve ever played. I will never tire of playing her. I adore her. It’s so great to be that smart and be that authentic. When the show opened, we got to see a lighter Sara, an easygoing Sara, somebody who had been living the dream for five years and traveling the world with her husband.
They’d been focusing on Marine Mammals protection and Marine Mammal habitat protection. I think this was always a dream of both of theirs to do. It didn’t last long since all heck breaks loose pretty quickly.
Sara comes in and thinks she’s there for a couple of days to see and help an old friend. There’s a lightness of being in her. It carries through the ten episodes, even as things become more strained and tenser, especially initially. It was nice to see that.
So is the David Hodges case going to last the entire season because right now, it seems like the show has two different arcs to Sarah and Grissom with the Hodges case, and then the rest of the show. It would be nice to see Sara and Grissom incorporated with the rest of the team too.
I’ll say yes, and yes. Yes, the Hodges case will continue for the rest of Season 1. I think you’ll see the CSI Vegas world and the Sara and Grissom world start to weave together a little more. It was an exciting way to tell a story, and it was a bit of a challenge sometimes.
It almost felt like there were almost like two different worlds happening within 44 minutes. And so it’s tough to delve as deep as you want to with both storylines, but it’s also fun to watch them start to converge.
That is good. And why do you think proving Hodges’s innocence is so important to Sara?
I think it’s as important to Grissom. First of all, there’s a history and a friendship with Hodges. And so, the case is very personal. Second of all, the entire series from 2000 to 2015, every case is in jeopardy. It would it could unearth all of that work and release a whole bunch of horrible people out on the streets.
I think Sara’s somewhat disappointed when she finds out in the IA investigation that her cases are not under review. You know, you think she feels safe and relieved, but I honestly think it’s the opposite. I think she was ready, guns blazing to fight, and she remembers everything in her mind of what happened.
When she finds out that her husband’s work is actually in jeopardy, and some of the cases were actually up for review, that takes it to a whole other level. She’s defending her friend, she’s defending innocent victims, and she’s supporting her husband. Her husband’s reputation is on the line, so she has a lot to fight for.
Absolutely. And can you tease what’s in store for Grissom and Sara for the rest of the season? Will they be staying in Vegas?
Well, I definitely couldn’t tell you the answer to that. Sara and Grissom are going to continue. There are going to be some incredible highs and some super lows. I think you’ll see them as low as you’ve ever seen them at a period over the next several episodes.
Oh, dear. Well, I certainly hope they make it through because you two have a lot of fans.
Oh, thank you, that has been amazing. There’s no point doing a show like this if there isn’t an audience out there that wants to see it. That was a significant risk. When the series finale aired five years ago, many people tuned in to watch, which was a great honor.
A part of me thought it ended so well that we had a happy ending and were scared to bring it back out. We thought it would be enjoyable when the idea was pitched to Billy and me as a 20th-anniversary limited series. I hope people enjoy the show, that’s why we do it, and if people do enjoy this show, I’m sure that they’ll be more to come.
So, do you think it will get another season, and if so, do you think we’ll seem even more the old cast return?
You know, I was the person who thought that the show was never going to be successful. I thought it was a show about death which Western culture doesn’t love, and it was about science, which was out of fashion at the time. It was on Friday nights, so I thought it would last two months and get canceled.
So, I’m the last person to head any bets know what will happen this time. I know that this new cast is mesmerizing and electrifying. They are amazing people. I know that Jason Tracey has many stories to tell. So it’s going to be up to the fans for them.
And on that note, who has Sara grown to closest to in the lab this time? Who have you enjoyed working with the most besides Billy?
That’s a difficult question to answer. I had the great fortune of working with Paula Newsome the most and right out the gate. I’m a fan of her work, and when I found out that she was doing the show, I was overjoyed, and she’s fantastic. She’s a powerhouse. She’s an incredible actress. She would be the person that I’ve been able to get to know the most.
That being said, I love watching Mandeep, Matt, Jay, and Mel work. I think they’re phenomenal right out the gate. And I can’t wait to get to know them better and see what they bring to this job.
Yes, it’s been a fantastic show. I know the fans want to know if you have any fun behind the scene moments working with Billy.
Billy is so fun. I can’t believe that I have gotten to spend 21 years with the man. He is incredibly creative, and he’s the exec producer for a reason. I would love to work with him for 21 more years. I would be happy if he were my scene partner forever.
You can catch Jorja Fox on CSI: Vegas Season 1, which airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c on CBS.
Laura Nowak is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.