‘CSI: NY’’s Detective Flack discusses his character’s emotional journey this season with CSI Files’ Kristine Huntley in an exclusive interview. Light spoilers inside.

Eddie Cahill’s character, Detective Don Flack, went through the wringer at the end of last season, when his girlfriend was shot and killed—and in turn, Flack killed her murderer. Cahill shares his thoughts on the storyline with CSI Files, as well as where he thinks Flack is in the grieving process.

CSI Files: This has been an exciting season for Flack so far. Were you surprised by the trajectory his grief and guilt after the death of his girlfriend Jessica Angell (Emmanuelle Vaugier) took him on?

Eddie Cahill: Maybe in retrospect, I’m surprised. I wear a certain set of blinders when I go in and look at things and it’s only after doing it, when it’s finished, that I look back and go, oh holy shit, that’s kind of different for the character and any sort of involvement that my character has ever had on the show. With some of the stuff that’s been going on this year, I’ve been slightly more included than I have been in years past, just in terms that people will mention, “Oh, something’s going to happen. This is coming up for you–we’re thinking of this or we’re thinking of that. We’re not sure how it’s going to play out but this is kind of what’s getting kicked around.” So by the time story gets to me, it just kind of feels, yeah, this is what happens next. But when I look back at it now, I’m almost surprised at the nature of this story arc. We do things so concisely–there’s very little room to put air in our show, so to get an arc across like that is a bit of an undertaking, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out.

CSI Files: Most storylines are resolved within the space of a few episodes–either in a row or spread out–but Flack’s ordeal really lasted for the first part of season six.

Cahill: Yeah, and I’m happy that they didn’t shy away from a fundamental component of it. At the end of last season, it was so obvious that this guy’s girlfriend had been killed that people kind of looked over the fact that he killed somebody! That, for my money, was really the defining moment going forward. Mourning the loss of anybody sucks, don’t get me wrong, and certainly the closer they are to you, the harder [it is]. That’s its own re-identification process in dealing with that. But killing somebody? That’s a line very few people cross. So in some respect—no disrespect to the memory of Jessica Angell, God bless her—that took a little bit of a backseat because it wasn’t a choice he made. People get defined by their choices, not in what happens to them.

CSI Files: Were you surprised when you learned that Flack was going to kill the man who murdered his girlfriend in “Pay Up”?

Cahill: No, not really. To me, Flack kept it together not because he was somehow morally superior, but because he believed that “that’s what I have to do, that’s the right thing to do”–and then suddenly all that gets thrown out the window. He’s not a psychotic person, he doesn’t wake up every morning and repeat the mantra, but he was doing what he thought was right. And he believed in it it. That was his way of doing things, and then that got shattered. And the cool thing about what happened at the end of last season was that we get a dramatic moment where everything changes in an instant. For me, I got to come and do some totally different things, entirely new kinds of stuff.

CSI Files: How did you feel about how he handled the repercussions of what was essentially a murder?

Cahill: I don’t think he’s done. I don’t know how we’ll see it. I don’t know if it will be addressed again—my feeling is that it’s put to bed for the series, but from just a human standpoint, I don’t think he’s done. I just think he’s changed. I think sometimes we tend to nip it up and close it, and we have to, I understand that, but from a personal standpoint, I think he changed and now he’s different.

CSI Files: He has a really powerful confrontation with Mac (Gary Sinise) in “Cuckoo’s Nest” after Mac approached him several other times to no avail. What do you think it was that got him to finally open up to Mac?

Cahill: I think it was Mac holding his own gun in his face. “I found this.” There again Flack had a moment where he couldn’t deny what he was doing. Before he could say, “Don’t worry about it, we’re good, I’m good.” Then that is that. I think it was that moment. If the character were to go in the other direction in that moment, then he’s really changed. Now he’s bad. Now you’re actually doing the wrong thing. For redemption, you gotta own up.

CSI Files: How do you think Flack reacted to Mac cutting him off in his office before Flack said anything about shooting Simon Cade?

Cahill: I think he knew what Mac was doing. In my mind, that’s better for both of them. Mac being who he is, he’s just letting it go: “I kind of know what happened, but if I hear any more about it, then we have to put it on paper. We have to do some things I don’t necessarily want to do.” That’s one of those moments where you really want to tell one of your friends or someone you really have respect for, but that person can’t know that information for whatever reason—then you just take the high road. “I badly want to get this off my chest but I understand how that puts both you and me in a terrible position, so I’ll just leave that one for the shrink’s office.”

CSI Files: Is there anyone you think Flack can confide in about what happened?

Cahill: I don’t know that he’s necessarily looking for a confidant. Yeah, I’m sure there is, but I don’t know why, apart from seeking professional help, he would tell anybody. Anyone that we know in his world kind of knows. There was that moment when it happened and Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) passed by. I think everybody knows.

CSI Files: What did you think about the fact that it was confidential informant Terrence Davis (Nelly) who helped Flack out when he was in danger on the train in “Cuckoo’s Nest”?

Cahill: I really like working with Nelly—he’s a lot of fun to have on set—so selfishly speaking, I thought it was great that it was Terrence. And with regards to that relationship, what a great payoff from that first storyline (in “Turbulence”). He’s truly a great guy to work with, a lot of fun to be around, and the whole crew of us just [love working with him]. He brings an energy that just makes the day a little more fun. And he’s very good in the role. That role paid off from the end of his first storyline when he said to me, “You and I are going to be friends.” I love it.

CSI Files: How do you think Flack felt when he sobered up and was fully aware that Terrence had really helped him out?

Cahill: If we really want to dig into it, there’s that moment where Flack is cleaning himself up in the mirror and he starts to make digs at Terrence. I think he was embarrassed by it. He would have to be. I do believe there was a way Flack might have held himself a little bit above people. I don’t think he was very excited about it.

CSI Files: Flack has hit the bottle a few times this season on his own. Do you think Flack has a problem with alcohol?

Cahill: I think he has a complicated relationship with alcohol. I think that this was a perfect time in his life for him to seek the comfort of our fermented friend. I don’t think he’s still struggling with that. I don’t think that was part of the problem yet. It wasn’t like whatever happened to him happened and he fell off the wagon–he wasn’t a sober guy. He had that relationship with booze.

CSI Files: He drank afterwards in “Manhattanhenge” when the team went out to celebrate at the end of the episode.

Cahill: You know, I brought that up, kind of half as a joke, and then it became a little bit of an issue. But if you had the character drinking a diet soda at this moment, then he’s an alcoholic. You’ve just said he’s an alcoholic.

CSI Files: Was there ever any talk of Flack becoming an alcoholic over the course of the storyline?

Cahill: No. There was mention of using alcohol as the device, like the scruff. When the scruff was on, the drink was an escape. I think it was just a device. And it’s a good one to show retreat, to show withdrawal. We don’t have a lot of time to put a lot of air in, so sometimes you have to go big, carnival big almost. You might think, oh wow, I didn’t realize he drank at all and now suddenly he’s got a full beard and he’s drunk on the F-train. Well, we gotta do it, because it isn’t going to be around in the next episode.

CSI Files: In addition to Angell getting shot and killed, Flack’s best friend Danny was shot at the end of “Pay Up.” What was Flack’s reaction to that?

Cahill: It’s almost unfortunate that so much happened because it just drove a wedge between characters. Not intentionally, but from a story point, we had to focus on Danny’s shit or we had to focus on Flack’s shit, and the two never really came together. Because we didn’t have storylines where it ever played out, I don’t really know. I didn’t put any thought into it, just because the two experiences were so mutually exclusive. I think because the storylines were so focused on each character, with their own separate worlds, that there was no opportunity to bring it together. But if we did bring the two characters together, then we would have two characters consoling each other, and you’d lose the experience of what happened to them as a result of [the separate incidents]. If he gets shot and I lose my girlfriend, and then in the next scene we’re there having moments over it, then you start to think they’re dealing with it. As oppose to this guy spun off this way, and this guy spun off that way and look what happened. If they were leaning on each other the whole time, it takes some of the severity out of the journey. And then Mac has that half-disciplinary thing with all of us. That character can kind of step in and say, “Hey guy, watch yourself.” With Danny and Flack, there are no checks and balances in that relationship.

CSI Files: How serious were Flack and Angell at the time of her death?

Cahill: I chose to just play it as if they were a lot further along than any of us ever knew. It was somehow more effective. It helped the ending of it play. In some ways it felt like I met Emmanuelle three days before she was shot and killed on the show! There was very little interaction between the characters. Suddenly we flirted and then the next thing I knew we were talking to IAB and our relationship came up, and then she’s dead. That was pretty much the extent of the relationship in a nutshell. Sometimes you have to exaggerate on things to get the personal storylines. So I just chose that whatever happened between the characters happened off camera. And then there was that intimate moment towards the end where they were making out to bring the audience there. We kind of teased the idea, we played with it, so here’s where we are. I think they were together. They were three months away from being engaged.

CSI Files: They were a fun couple, but the audience didn’t see much of them on screen.

Cahill: No, you didn’t. It was a shame, too, because it was kind of getting fun.

CSI Files: What was your reaction when you heard the plan was to kill off Flack’s girlfriend?

Cahill: Honestly my first reaction was for Emmanuelle. I felt bad. It’s so nice to have a job, but they’re all going to end. That’s the nature of what we do; all these jobs are temporary. When you see one end prematurely for yourself or a colleague [it's sad]. So that was my first reaction, the one that really hurt and stayed with me. I think she was great, I thought she was really good on the show. But from a dramatic standpoint, it was great.

CSI Files: Where do you think Flack is in the grieving process right now?

Cahill: I think he’s in the grieving process. Something probably reminds him of her everyday, but that doesn’t necessarily ruin the day. He’s probably got a couple somber breaths throughout the course of the day. He’s not one to burden the world with his feelings.

CSI Files: Can you tease anything that’s coming up for Flack or on the show in general?

Cahill: To be honest with you, I think we’ve gotten through most of what’s big as far as I know. That was a lot for the character. I can pretty well guess based on what’s coming up, I think Danny might find himself in a precarious spot based on something. But I think the attention will turn away from Flack for a minute.

The CSI Producer discusses the big crossover, what’s coming up in the remaining sweeps episodes of CSI and the return of a memorable nemesis. Lights spoilers inside!

November sweeps has already seen the historic first three CSI show crossover, but there’s more excitement to come, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Producer Allen MacDonald promises. In addition to teasing the episode he’s at work on now–which brings back a familiar face–MacDonald discusses the return of Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), the departure of Lauren Lee Smith and Nick Stokes’ (George Eads) promotion.

CSI Files: The three-show crossover scored big in the ratings last week. How did the plans for the trilogy originate?

Allen MacDonald: It all started with [Executive Producer] Carol Mendelsohn.  It’s something she’s been wanting to do for some time now.

CSI Files: Was the crossover tricky to pull off?

MacDonald: It was just a matter of scheduling on the part of all three shows.

CSI Files: How was Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne) chosen to be the character to tie it all together?

MacDonald: Laurence and David Caruso (Horatio Caine) have worked together in features and very much wanted to work together again.  After that, it just snowballed. It was quite a kick to watch Langston interact on-screen with Horatio Caine and Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise).

CSI Files: What else can we expect from sweeps?

MacDonald: A Dustin Lee Abraham episode involving the world of professional bowling and a decapitated human head bowling ball. Intrigued?  Believe me, by the time teaser is over, you’ll be hooked.  It’s gross – but in a fun way.

CSI Files: Bringing in a new leading man after eight and a half seasons is obviously a big challenge. What do you feel was the most difficult thing about the transition from Gil Grissom (William Petersen) to Langston?

MacDonald: Just simultaneously having to do two very important things at the same time: giving Grissom the emotionally satisfying send-off he deserves while simultaneously setting up Langston, and making him a unique, compelling character in his own right, instead of trying to simply recreate Grissom.

CSI Files: Langston’s father seems to loom large in his mind. Are there plans to see him at some point?

MacDonald: Not that I know of — the character is dead and there are no plans to depict him in flashbacks.

CSI Files: Sara Sidle sure is spending a lot of time away from her new husband! Are we meant to read anything into that?

MacDonald: I think it’s always been clear Grissom and Sara would have a non-traditional approach to marriage.

CSI Files: What was behind the decision to have Sara and Grissom marry?

MacDonald: We felt it was a natural conclusion to where we left them both at the end of “One to Go” in the rainforest of Costa Rica.

CSI Files: What was behind the decision to promote Nick Stokes?

MacDonald: To recognize his huge contribution to the team and his growth as an emerging leader.  Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) needed somebody to back her up and Nick seemed like the natural choice.

CSI Files: Nick and Langston seem to be developing a friendship. Will we see more of this?

MacDonald: Absolutely.  They’re getting to know and trust each other.

CSI Files: Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda) is expressing a little job dissatisfaction this season with regards to the assignments he’s getting. What’s behind Greg’s disgruntled attitude?

MacDonald: It’s like he said to Sara in the premiere, he still feels he’s being treated like the geeky DNA lab tech when, in fact, he’s matured into a seasoned CSI capable of handling anything thrown his way.

CSI Files: We’ve seen a bit more of Catherine in the leadership role this season. Will this continue?

MacDonald: Yes.

CSI Files: Is there any official word on the reason why Lauren Lee Smith (Riley Adams) didn’t return for the tenth season?

MacDonald: From what I understand, it was felt Riley never quite gelled with the rest of the team because she was introduced at a pivotal point in CSI’s history – two episodes after Warrick’s (Gary Dourdan) death and seven episodes before Grissom’s departure.  As a result, the character got a bit lost in the shuffle, which is not a reflection on Lauren, who is a spectacular actress and was much-loved on the set.

CSI Files: Are there any plans for another Lab Rats episode this season?

MacDonald: Yes.  It’s going to be written by Liz Vassey (Wendy Simms) and Wallace Langham (David Hodges), who are working on it with [Executive Producer] Naren Shankar right now.

CSI Files: Are you at work on a new episode now? Can you hint at what it might be about?

MacDonald: I am.  And the only hint I can provide is that it would be the completion of a CSI storyline trilogy involving Sara Sidle and a very, very smart young girl.

The CSI Miami co-executive producers discuss the big CSI crossover kicking off in Miami tonight, a deadly situation for three CSIs and what brings Eric Delko back–on the opposite side of his former colleagues. Spoilers inside!

CSI: Miami’s eighth season has been one of many changes for the show, with the departure of Adam Rodriguez (Eric Delko) from regular rotation and the addition of several new characters, including Jesse Cardoza (Eddie Cibrian), a CSI who worked with Horatio years ago. Co-Executive Producers Marc Dube and Barry O’Brien share some insight about the cast changes this season, what fans can expect to see in the Miami episode of the three show crossover and the status of Calleigh (Emily Procter) and Delko’s complicated relationship.

CSI Files: The big CSI crossover is set to kick off in Miami this week. What can you tell us about the Miami installment?

Barry O’Brien: The first installment of the crossover begins in Miami, Monday at ten. It’s a compelling story with noir elements — we open on a young girl, seemingly terrified, behind the wheel of her car, fleeing the city of Miami. Her tires have worn down to the rims, sparks are flying, which give evidence to her desperation. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother makes a frantic plea to Horatio Caine (David Caruso)– find her daughter. She’s missing. Our CSIs embark on what begins as a search for a missing person. Unfortunately, when they find body parts strewn off the side of the freeway, their search turns to a murder investigation. Our CSIs find parts to a second body that connects us to a missing girl in Las Vegas. Calleigh Duquesne (Emily Procter) reaches out to the Las Vegas CSI’s. As a result, Dr. Raymond Langston, played by the legendary Laurence Fishburne, flies to Miami to join the investigation. Dr. Langston and Horatio work side by side to solve both murders. In the course of their investigation, Horatio and Dr. Langston uncover a deadly conspiracy involving the Zeta Gang and long haul truckers. That story continues as we follow a young girl, kidnapped and forced into the back of an eighteen wheeler, bound for New York.

CSI Files: How will Horatio and Ray Langston get along?

O’Brien: The relationship between Horatio and Dr. Langston mirrors the relationship between David Caruso and Laurence Fishburne. These two legendary, iconic actors are truly friends. Theirs is a friendship based on a shared history as actors and the mutual respect afforded performers at the very top of their games. Watching them work together was a lot like watching professional athletes. There was a camaraderie and electricity between them like nothing I have ever seen.

CSI Files: The big news this season in CSI: Miami seems to be all the cast changes! How is everyone adjusting? What’s the biggest challenge going into the eighth season of the show with the departure of one regular and the addition of three more?

O’Brien: The cast has certainly gone through some changes. We all feel it. Actors, writers, crew. After eight seasons, the show functions as a true family. We saw the fabric of that family transition a bit this year. Adam Rodriguez left to pursue other career options. Eddie Cibrian, Omar Benson Miller and Christian Clemenson came in to fill the void. That shows you the power of Adam. It took three people to try and fill his slot. The happy truth is, Adam isn’t gone. He’ll be back for a ton of episodes this season and, hopefully, will rejoin the family full time. So, we have the amazing benefit of Eddie, Omar and Christian and have Adam as well!  Eddie Cibrian as Jesse Cardoza is an exciting addition to the show. He has a mysterious back story that we’ll be exploring in upcoming episodes. Omar is a great talent from the feature world who gives us both solid comedy elements as well as a sense of authenticity to his role. And, the Emmy-winning Christian Clemenson as ME Tom Loman… he’s a gem!

CSI Files: Was the introduction of Jesse Cardoza planned before Adam Rodriguez decided to leave the show?

O’Brien: Adam’s departure took us all by surprise. Thankfully, Eddie was available and immediately gave us all a sense of confidence that, yeah, we’d be okay. With Adam’s return… you won’t believe the electricity between these two actors once they’re playing opposite one another. Stay tuned!

CSI Files: Jesse mentioned a mysterious woman in “In Plane Sight” but told Calleigh “it’s not what you think.” Can you tease anything about this woman’s identity? Will we get to meet her at some point?

O’Brien: Jesse did, in fact, mention a mysterious woman from his past. The subject came up between both Walter and Natalia (Eva La Rue). The most I’m able to tease at this point is — it’s a mysterious woman from Jesse’s past. Trust me when I tell you, the mystery will unfold in a surprising and compelling way. And soon!  And, yes, the audience will definitely be meeting her!

CSI Files: Are there sparks flying between Jesse and Natalia? Is there a possible romance there?

O’Brien: Jesse and Natalia are great in scenes together, aren’t they? Sparks… well, let’s just say they push each other’s buttons. Natalia is on to the fact that Jesse may be hiding something. And, she’s determined to find out what that something may be. Natalia Boa Vista has a bit of a mysterious past herself. I think that enables her to see some of the damage behind Jesse’s stoic demeanor. Suffice to say, all is not what it seems with either Jesse or Natalia. When the truth comes out, new vulnerability will be revealed for both characters. And, that’s the stuff of great drama.

CSI Files: Fans have noticed Natalia is around less than some of her co-workers. Is there a reason for this? Can we expect to see more of her in future episodes?

Marc Dube: We certainly have a larger cast to contend with this season. Which is a great thing. More story possibilities. However, as a result, we have to shuffle around some of our players on the field. By season’s end, we really make a conscious effort to be sure every character has faced some kind of personal or professional challenge. Natalia Boa Vista’s turn is certainly coming. She will be facing a personal setback in the workplace, which forces her to conceal a harsh truth from colleagues.

CSI Files: What’s on the horizon for Ryan Wolfe (Jonathan Togo)? He and Delko had a rocky start that ultimately resulted in a friendship; will Ryan and Jesse become friends as well?

Dube: Ryan and Jesse are forging a unique relationship. They’re definitely not afraid to bust on each other. Jesse was quick to point out that he was a member of CSI long before Wolfe showed up. And Wolfe is extremely curious about Jesse’s elusive background and is not afraid to put him on the spot about it. Jesse plays it off, but how long can he keeping the probing questions at bay?

CSI Files: What exactly is the status of Eric and Calleigh’s relationship? Are they still together, or is their relationship over?

O’Brien: The frayed ends and emotional unfinished business between Calleigh and Eric Delko will remain a driving force roiling just under the surface of season eight at CSI: Miami. As my daughter, Delaney, often asks me… will Calleigh and Eric ever get together? The answer is — I can’t say. But, that very question and the emotional power behind it, will inform every time these two characters are in a scene together. I can tell you this– I’m very confident you will not expect the surprising turns this subtextual story takes.

CSI Files: Delko left the lab, but we’ve heard he’ll be back on the show. What are the circumstances surrounding his return?

O’Brien: Delko makes a powerful return to the series in episode 811 when he becomes a forensic expert for the defense… opposing our CSIs in a pre-trial hearing in court over a shocking murder case.  Delko finds himself head to head against both Horatio and Calleigh on the witness stand as he counters forensic evidence our team presents for the prosecution. When the judge in the case refuses to take the case to trial, Delko finds himself “monitoring” his old team as they go back to the scene to find more compelling evidence. As you can imagine, the dynamic between the characters is turned on its ear and tested as its CSI versus CSI. Delko and his old team ultimately join forces to find the real killer. And, the outcome is a shocker!

CSI Files: Will there be any emotional fallout for Calleigh over his departure?

O’Brien: As I mentioned, the fallout for Calleigh and Delko will continue and deepen in complexity as the season progresses. Just as Locard says… one always leaves evidence on another. So, it goes for Eric and Calleigh. They’ve left an indelible mark on each other and this is the year they confront that.

CSI Files: Miami has something of a revolving door for lab techs. Is Walter Simmons here to stay?

Dube: We love the guy. He sells the science and he makes us laugh. His interaction with the rest of the cast feels fresh. We’ve really enjoyed his involvement in the show and are looking forward to seeing how it evolves.

CSI Files: We’ve heard that there will be a showdown between pals Jesse and Walter in which Jesse is aiming his gun at Walter. Can you tease anything about that situation?

Dube: Yes, you will see Jesse and Walter take each other on in an episode entitled, “Count Me Out.” You’ll see their friendship, but also their rivalry, and how they respond to a split-second life threatening decision. A near death experience can bring out the best and worst in people. For these two, it’s fight or flight. Which do they choose?

CSI Files: Rumor has it that two CSIs are caught in an explosion in a future episode. Can you tell us which two CSIs?

Dube: There are plenty of plot spoilers out there. We’ll let them do the heavy lifting. Two of our people do get in harm’s way — and a third has little choice but to do the same. Will they survive? Can’t say. But one thing’s for sure. Things will not be the same for one of them as a result. How’s that for a cliffhanger?

CSI Files: “Bad Seed” featured a great moment with the team all gathered together to discuss the case at hand. Can we expect to see more of that?

Dube: We’re really pushing to do more of that this season. It’s difficult to achieve from a production standpoint. More set-ups for our crew, more syncing of schedules. But it really is great to see the whole gang in a scene together. It reinforces the TEAM aspect and lends a greater sense of urgency to the stories we’re telling. It gives us a real “all hands on deck” feel.

CSI Files: Is Horatio’s son Kyle (Evan Ellingson) still working in the morgue?

Dube: Kyle could be working in the morgue… In your imagination. Maybe he’s working the graveyard shift. Either way, we’re not featuring him this season. We’ve elected to pursue other story lines for Horatio. That’s not to say the winds won’t change. We enjoyed exploring that side of Lieutenant Caine. Never say never.

CSI Files: Fan favorite Stetler (David Lee Smith) has been around quite a bit to butt heads with Horatio. Will he be showing up again anytime soon?

Dube: Stetler is the guy that stirs the pot. If our CSIs get angry on the job or at each other, it’s quite often because Stetler has stepped on somebody’s toes, made bold accusations, or questioned CSI operating procedure. He’s a valuable tool. If we want to lob another obstacle in front of our CSI’s, he’s our man. You will, most certainly, see him again.

November sweeps is here, and the big news in the CSI franchise is next week’s three show crossover, which brings Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne) to Miami and then New York. In an exclusive interview with CSI Files, CSI: New York Executive Producer Peter Lenkov talks about the New York installment of the trilogy, as well as the big serial killer storyline and Detective Don Flack’s (Eddie Cahill) continued battle with depression.

CSI Files: The big CSI crossover is next week! What can you tell us about the CSI: NY entry?

Peter Lenkov: Well, obviously we’re the bridge between the beginning in Miami and the end in Vegas. And what we wanted to do in our installment was brand it in a certain way. Give it a true identity so you knew you were watching a NY episode. For that, we shot a lot of scenes in New York. We also ramped up the stakes and gave Ray a bit of an arc. It was also important for us to add a new dimension to the story, so we just didn’t continue what happened in Miami, but added something significant to the storyline. Another piece to the puzzle. But what makes me most proud of this ep is the action component. It’s CSI: NY on steroids. Lots of hero moments. Hope the fans enjoy it as much as we did making it.

CSI Files: What can we expect when CSI: NY lead Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) teams up with Ray Langston?

Lenkov: Besides the immediate bonding, there’s lots of action from this dynamic duo.

CSI Files: Sweeps will also see the return of the Compass Killer. What can you tease about his reappearance and the team’s pursuit of him?

Lenkov: All I can say is you won’t see the twist coming. This is a story where you might think you know the villain — but you don’t.

CSI Files: Last season ended with a bang, literally, when shots were fired into the bar where the team was toasting Angell’s (Emmanuelle Vaugier) life. When and how was it decided that Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) would be the one who got shot?

Lenkov: About midway through last season, we discussed the idea of Danny getting shot, and perhaps learning to walk (again) at the same time as his daughter is taking her first steps. It just morphed from there.

CSI Files: Was there ever any talk of killing the character?

Lenkov: Danny? Never.

CSI Files: Danny went from a wheelchair to walking in four episodes, after being given a ten percent chance of walking again. Why did his recovery take place in such a short amount of time?

Lenkov: Four episodes don’t necessarily translate into four weeks, in the same way four episodes of 24 don’t translate into four weeks, but four hours. I think we did enough research on the injury and recovery to justify our storytelling.

CSI Files: Will there be any other ramifications of the shooting for Danny?

Lenkov: Absolutely. It’s something we’re addressing.

CSI Files: Lindsay (Anna Belknap) was back in action in “Dead Reckoning” in a way we haven’t seen her since season two. Can we expect more of that?

Lenkov: We love it when Lindsay gets to mix it up in the field… so yes, it’s something we want to continue with.

CSI Files: One of the most compelling stories this season has been Flack’s struggle with Angell’s death and his execution of her killer. It’s very clear he’s not okay–will his struggle continue to play out?

Lenkov: Absolutely. Eddie’s got a great arc this season with regard to his grief. You’ll see this come to a head in 608, a really powerful episode written by Zach Reiter and newcomer Aaron Thomas.

CSI Files: Up until this season, Flack has arguably been the show’s most grounded character. What factored into the decision to send him over the edge?

Lenkov: Exactly that… he was the most grounded and dealing with the situation this way felt very real. We all knew that seeing Flack in this condition would be a shock, but all that stems from the fact that Eddie has given so much to that character.

CSI Files: What was the reasoning behind the introduction of crime scene cleaner turned lab tech Haylen Becall (Sarah Carter)?

Lenkov: We have always looked to start new seasons with something fresh. That could be a new lab, new arc, or new recurring character.

CSI Files: We’ve heard Hawkes (Hill Harper) has a big storyline coming up–can you tease that a bit?

Lenkov: This is also the year of Hill Harper. He’s got multiple big stories ahead. I’d rather let the press department unveil those as they see fit… but we are very proud of his character development this season.

Viewers of CSI: New York are familiar with writer Bill Haynes‘ episodes, but what they might not know is that he also servers as a technical advisor on the show. Bill started his career not in Hollywood but in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office, working as a criminalist, first in the narcotics division and then in the forensic biology division. Haynes’ experience as a criminalist has influenced several storylines in CSI: NY and his scientific savvy informs many of the show’s twists and turns. Haynes took the time to speak with CSI Files’ Kristine Huntley about his career, the episodes he’s written for the show and his upcoming season six entry.

CSI Files: How is the new season going so far?

Haynes: It’s good! We’ve got a lot of great stuff. We’ve got a serial killer arc that we’re working on, and my episode which [is shooting now] takes place in the world of hip hop dance battles. So I’m really excited about that–it’s going to be a really high energy, visual show. We’ve got some great stuff. We left off last season with a shootout into the bar and everybody’s in jeopardy. [You'll see] the ramifications–physically, emotionally, our people are injured physically and emotionally by that. There’s a lot of good stuff to play there, so we’re having fun with that.

CSI Files: How will the resolution affect the team?

Haynes: Let’s just say there are a lot of surprises that come. I don’t want to give anything away, because that defeats the purpose! But there’s a lot of good stuff that’s coming down the pipe.

CSI Files: When you first joined the show, you were a technical advisor. How did you make the transition from tech advisor to writer?

Haynes: As a technical advisor, you’re naturally working with the writers anyways, honing the technical dialogue, they’re coming to me for science ideas–what’s the newest thing out there, what’s the latest thing out there? How can we make this more visual? We have this piece of evidence, but we don’t want the results to come in until act three, how do we do that? Things like that. So you’re already having to mold your mind to think like a writer in terms of the story and trying to think visually. As far as the first year, I was on the set a lot, just because I had to get our actors up to speed on handling evidence and how to work pipettes and that kind of stuff. Once you get them up to speed and comfortable with it, then you can gradually turn away from the set, and I was spending all of my time in the writers’ room. Like I said, I owe a lot of it to [Executive Producer] Pam [Veasey] for first giving me the opportunity to first do some co-writing and then to branch out on a solo script and again, I have another solo script coming up. I’m just trying to do my best to make the transition. Before I came into the television industry, I never would have known how much thought and work goes into one hour of TV. I knew it must be hard, but I never realized how hard it is until I actually did it. There’s so much to think about.

CSI Files: What made you decide to leave the real-life lab for the CSI: NY writers’ office?

Haynes: My supervisor at the time, Liz Devine, got hooked up with CSI from the very early days of the show’s inception. As that show was growing, she was needed on set, the writers also needed her, and soon after that, they were putting CSI: Miami together, so there were more writers who had questions, and more sets that needed attention. So she tapped me as one of the people to help her out. I was filling in on the set for both her and Rich Catalani. And then I was also taking phone calls from writers on both shows and helping them out with questions. That’s how I met Anthony [Zuiker] and Ann Donahue. So then when they decided to launch CSI: New York, they looked to me to be their full time person. It was left to me to decide if I wanted to leave the safety of working for a government agency and jump into the fickle world of entertainment. And I thought that these opportunities don’t come along all that often. I feel like I got a good opportunity to test the waters by filling in for other people on a part time basis. I knew it was something I was enjoying, so I decided to take the leap.

CSI Files: Was it a tough decision?

Haynes: It was in the sense that I had just recently gotten married two years prior to that, we’d just bought a house and we were expecting our first child. So it was in the sense of that, just because there’s a lot to be said for having real job security. Whereas with TV or entertainment in general, you never know what it will be or whether the audience will decide, “I’ve seen enough of these scientists on TV.” It is a lot less stable. So it was a little tough in that sense.

It’s great–I love it. One of the things I really love about it is that in real world forensics, you basically specialize. For two years, all I was doing was narcotics analysis and going to meth labs. And then when I was in DNA and forensic biology, pretty much all I was doing was DNA and going to homicide scenes. [But] being out in the field doesn’t happen everyday. You only go out in the field once a month or so. You also specialize–it’s like medicine, you find a niche and you specialize in that.

Working on the show, I have to be much more of a generalist. On CSI: NY, everyone looks to me to have the answer to everything from hair analysis to fibers to DNA to question documents to you name it. So I like that. I feel like I have to be an expert in all areas of forensics.

CSI Files: How many stories from your career as a criminalist have influenced stories in CSI: NY?

Haynes: Just the knowledge of the science and how police work goes and how crime scene investigation goes and evidence analysis–that is there in every single episode. As far as actual cases that I’ve worked, it’s like bits and pieces here and there, but for the most part, real life cases don’t have enough red herrings and twists and turns to take one real case and make a full episode out of it. Bits and pieces. Like [this one case I worked where a] guy [took] a circular saw to drywall–I could definitely see where we could go to a crime scene and see that, and that would be like one weird thing could be there. But that would be one piece of an episode, but the overall story might not be the same thing that was in the real case, [which was] a burglary gone bad.

I wrote [an episode] last season with [Executive Producer] Peter Lenkov called “The Box”. That body was decomposed quite a bit. The case [I worked where a liquefied body was found in a duffel bag] inspired that episode, to some degree. It was a similar situation–the body in “The Box” had been in that demolished car for quite a while.

CSI Files: “The Box” shook up the format a bit–what was it like to do that, and how did it come about?

Haynes: Peter Lenkov and I wrote that script over the hiatus, between season four and five. We wrote it in a conventional format, and it was great–we were really happy with it. But we came back after the break and Pam read it. And she was really happy with it, but she at some point, she got this idea of telling it in this very unconventional way, and she pitched it to Peter and I and we loved it. We rewrote it based on her idea, and it really took it to the next level, and we owe that to Pam.

CSI Files: Your first story credit was for “The Fall” in the show’s first season. How did that come about?

Haynes: That was really early on. Anne McGrail was a guest writer on the show. She came in with some ideas, and then she and I worked closely together on it. So it wasn’t really an idea that I brought in–it was more so that she had these ideas and I helped develop them.

“Playing with Matches” was my first solo. That was inspired by a real case where a guy in prison had [tried to clear himself of rape] with a ketchup packet. He was in jail on rape charges, and he had sent his semen to his girlfriend in a ketchup packet that he had gotten from the commissary in jail. Then she inserted it inside herself, went to the police station and claimed that she had been raped. She went to the hospital and they collected a rape kit from her, sent it to the crime lab and they ran it through CODIS and it hit on this guy who was already in prison. They went to him to say, “What’s going on?” and he said, “This is what I’ve said all along–you’ve got the wrong guy.” So that was the inspiration for the story in that episode.

CSI Files: How did the police find out what he had done?

Haynes: What ended up happening was that a link was discovered between him and the girl that claimed rape. That was basically his girlfriend, so they eventually discovered who she was, and then all the cards started to crumble.

CSI Files: Your first script on the show was “Wasted”, co-written with Pam Veasey. How did you get that first script?

Haynes: Pam basically was generous enough to give me the opportunity to pitch a story idea and co-write with someone, and I was fortunate enough to do that with her. I owe her a great deal of thanks. Just to get the opportunity to do something like that [was incredible]. So in the meantime, I had been trying to come up with some interesting story ideas, and again on that one, I pulled from my narcotics background. There are various ways you can smuggle drugs, and pair different types of liquids with drugs and re-extract the drugs back out. I got the idea of having someone smuggle a drug in paint. So I pitched the idea thinking it could be a painter painting a canvas. Of course, me being a novice writer at the time, the room got a hold of that and turned it into, why not make it body paint on these supermodels at Fashion Week? It was like, okay, let’s do that! The drugs were in body paint and one of the models got painted with this paint and succumbed to the fumes by inhaling the drugs.

CSI Files: You co-wrote a big episode for Stella back in season three, “Heart of Glass”, in which she cut herself with glass with HIV-infected blood. Is there a personal story or inspiration behind that?

Haynes: Yeah, actually–it’s based on an experience that happened to me. I was processing a car that had been involved in a hit and run where somebody had gotten killed. There were two guys in the suspect vehicle, so basically what I had to do was go out and collect bloodstain evidence to try to prove which one of them was driving. So I went out there, and the whole windshield on his car was spider-webbed and caved in and there was shattered glass everywhere. I was doing my thing, collecting bloodstains from off the dashboard, I was cutting out the airbags. When I looked down, [I saw] a big red blotch underneath one of my latex gloves. I was like, what is that? I took my glove off and I realized it was blood. I checked my glove and I could see that there was a tear in the glove. I realized I had cut myself on some of the glass, and a lot of it was bloody. The blood was dry, which definitely decreased the risk for something like HIV, but hepatitis is definitely a much more robust virus, so that was definitely a concern. I didn’t know which piece of glass had cut me, because I didn’t even feel it happen.

So I ended up going to see a doctor, and they took a baseline sample to see if there were any viruses to begin with, and then I had to go back and they had to check me again. For a few months, I had to go back and get checked from time to time. In my situation, the risk was extremely low, but still, you never know until you know! So I ended up being in the clear, but it was a scary situation. There had been a lot of other crime scenes where you get there right after the fact. There are a lot of scenes where it’s forced entry and there’s a lot of broken glass with liquid blood on it and you’re handling that stuff. You’re digging through people’s dirty laundry–because at a lot of these crime scenes, there are piles of clothes on the floor–and you’re looking for a knife. Or you can get stuck with somebody’s hypodermic needle–a heroin user or something. It’s very dangerous work in terms of stuff like that.

CSI Files: Have you ever known of anyone who’s gotten stuck with a needle or infected with a disease from a crime scene?

Haynes: I did know of a narc who was doing surveillance on a house. He picked up a deer tick and he ended up getting Lyme disease. And that ended up causing him permanent damage. So that was pretty tragic.

So I had brought the [glass storyline] to Pam. It was kind of ironic–CBS would do these things to encourage their shows to do storylines to raise consciousness regarding certain health issues or things like that. So she had just been to one on HIV. The timing was perfect. She and I teamed up on script.

CSI Files: What kind of chance was there that Stella would end up testing positive, or did you know from the beginning that she was going to be negative?

Haynes: Oh, there was definitely a debate there! A lot of us wanted to have her come up positive. I don’t remember exactly why we went the other route. I think we just wanted to keep it kind of bright. So that’s the way we went with it. But yeah, there was a distinct possibility that she was going to be HIV positive.

CSI Files: “Point of No Return” brought back Marty Pino–how was the decision made to bring the character back?

Haynes: Peter Lenkov is very good about maintaining the continuity of the characters and bringing things back that have kind of fallen off to the wayside. This episode came into being during the writers’ strike. My background is in narcotics and clandestine laboratories–for whatever reason I went off during the writers’ strike, it all of the sudden hit me: I would go out to these meth labs and from time to time, you’d see these buckets filled with urine. These meth cooks are basically peeing in these buckets and saving it. What we found out was that because they made a lot of processed methamphetamine in these labs, they were re-extracting unmetabolized meth out of their urine. So over the writers’ strike, it just hit me that we could take that to the next level in true CSI fashion, and have a killer out there who’s cutting organs out of junkies, killing them and cutting their organs out in order get unmetabolized drug out of their organs.

When we came back [from the strike], I told Peter my idea and he loved it. So we decided to use that for our episode. The idea of somebody actually killing enough people to get enough product to use–to get a cube of cocaine or heroin, say–you’d have to kill a lot of people. So when we talked about it, that’s when we came up with the idea, “Well, who has access to a lot of bodies? Someone who works at the medical examiner’s office.” Especially a lot of overdose cases–those body’s end up going to the ME’s office. Then we talked about it further, and Peter came up with the idea, “Let’s bring back Pino! Where’s he been? Let’s create a story about where he’s been the whole time, why you haven’t seen him.” And so that’s how it came to be.

CSI Files: Pino definitely made a big impression on viewers!

Haynes: It’s cool–he falls off the map and then all the sudden he’s back in this dark, kind of crazy story.

CSI Files: It was great to see so many of the main characters affected by Pino’s plight.

Haynes: Yeah, obviously there’s a personal connection now for them in that story.

CSI Files: Is there any character that you particularly enjoy writing for?

Haynes: Mac’s always fun to write for because he’s always so authoritative, so you get to be in that role–spearhead the investigation. So that’s always fun. Adam’s fun because he’s just so lighthearted, so you can kind of be a little silly. So that’s always fun to do. They all bring their own thing. Also, I enjoy writing for Hawkes, just because his background is a doctor, having come from the ME’s office, so I always feel very much right at home with all the science and the medical stuff. I always feel like I can write his character very well also.

CSI Files: Of the episodes you’ve written or co-written, is there one you’re most proud of?

Haynes: The one that’s coming up. Even though we haven’t shot it yet, I really have high expectations for it. I think it’s going to be a really fun, cool world and even though it takes place in the world of dance battles and it’s real flashy, there’s a very emotional story at the center of all of that. I’m really proud of the script and the story, and I got blessed with a great director, Jeff Thomas, so I really have high hopes for this one. It’s called “Battle Scars.” When you’re watching the episode, you’ll know what it was called that–there’s definitely a dual meaning there.

CSI Files: Is there a personal story for any of the characters in it?

Haynes: There’s nothing that has ties to any of the back stories or anything like that, but it’s definitely a big Stella episode. She’s the driving force in this one. We’re still continuing to have discussions about adding some small character moments in the script for some of our characters, including Stella. She plays a big part in this script.

Want to read more from Bill Haynes? Check out the five part interview about his career as a criminalist at Level26.com. Parts One and Two can be found here and here respectively.