CBS sticks to crime scenes

The Television Critics Assn. Press Tour, the semiannual gathering of television journalists from around the country that began July 8, continues at the Beverly Hilton. We offer these dispatches.

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The departure of William Petersen from CBS’ biggest hit, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” brings up a deeper question for the network, which reigned for six years as the “most-watched” network until Fox stole the title this season.

“CSI” enters its ninth season in the fall, and Nielsen ratings show that its audience is still loyal and large. But at CBS, which has built its empire on crime procedurals, it is one of many series that are getting on in years. Additionally, no new show has broken out in a big way since “Criminal Minds” was launched in 2005, which could leave CBS in a pinch when its established series go off the air.

On Friday, CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler rejected the notion that her network could find itself in the same rocky place as NBC after “Friends” and “Frasier” went off the air.

“That’s certainly not the case,” Tassler told reporters Friday. “I think we’ve been very smart, adding shows like ‘The Mentalist’ and ‘Eleventh Hour.’ I think we’ve been very, very calculated at building and adding shows that are within the wheelhouse but expanding our brand.”

Last season, CBS experimented with unconventional scripted fare that took the network far from its crime procedural roots, and failed. The last of those to launch, “Swingtown,” about married swingers in the ‘70s, has not performed well, and Tassler said she has not decided if it will be renewed.

But she is hoping that “Eleventh Hour” and “The Mentalist” will bring in CBS’ core audience.

“Certainly, [those] shows are more within our wheelhouse, there’s no doubt about it,” Tassler said. “But as you see the shows, there’s a marked departure. There’s an evolution in terms of tone, style, sensibility, the characters are a little bit more idiosyncratic.”

Petersen, who is also an executive producer on “CSI,” will leave in the 10th episode of the season, but will probably appear in future episodes, Tassler said.

“Billy is an extraordinary guy,” Tassler said. “He really is. Let us not forget his roots, his origins in the theater. He’s still an artist and he’s very passionate, committed to the show. He’s going off to do a play. I think it’s just an artist’s choice to perhaps change his life again.”

To deal with the loss, executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naran Shankar have created a new character who eventually will become the boss of the unit, Tassler said.

“I don’t think you replace Billy, but you look at adding elements to the show that are really going to invigorate and contribute to the alchemy of the show where it is today. They’ve created a great character,” she said.

“What I know of him, so far, is he’s an outsider coming into the CSI unit. He has an interesting genetic profile. In certain medical contexts, they’ve noticed that serial killers have that same genetic profile. This gentleman knows this about himself and he’s on a journey to discover who his true character will ultimately become.”

The role has not been cast, but Tassler confirmed that the network is interested in casting a high-profile actor and is considering John Malkovich or Laurence Fishburne for the role.

The series also has added Lauren Lee Smith as Riley Adams, who replaces the character of Sara in the crime lab. Jorja Fox, who played Sara, left the show last season but will appear in the first three episodes of this season.

Maria Elena Fernandez

maria.elena.fernandez@latimes.com