Click the images to see them full-size. They are the exclusive property of CBS Broadcasting Inc. and may not be archived, leased, sold or distributed in any fashion without consent from CBS. They are released for one-time editorial use only.

"Stealing Home" -- David Hodges (Wallace Langham), Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue, center) and Nick Stokes (George Eads, left), all want answers as they piece things together on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- David Hodges (Wallace Langham), Julie Finlay, Elisabeth Shue, center) and Nick Stokes (George Eads, left), all want answers as they piece things together on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- David Hodges (Wallace Langham),and Nick Stokes (George Eads, left), all want answers as they piece things together on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox, right) and Nick Stokes (George Eads) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Nick Stokes (George Eads) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay, (Elisabeth Shue), D.B. Russell (Ted Danson), Nick Stokes (George Eads) and Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) all want answers as they piece things together on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) and D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) and Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Stealing Home" -- Julie Finlay (Elisabeth Shue) and D.B. Russell (Ted Danson) on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Feb. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Click to see the full-sized images!

Next, check out more than 20 photos of the cast and crew of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which can be found after the jump!

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer shared a picture from Marg Helgenberger’s (Catherine Willows) final scene on CSI. Director Jeffrey Hunt and director/Line Producer Frank Waldeck shared a bunch of pictures from the set, including shots of Elisabeth Harnois (Morgan Brody), Wallace Langham (David Hodges), Jon Wellner (Henry Andrews) and Ted Danson (DB Russell). Click to enlarge!

Tonight’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ended with a bang–literally–as the show prepares to see the exit of Catherine Willows in next week’s episode. Executive Story Editor Christopher Barbour talks with CSI Files’ Shane Saunders about tonight’s episode “Ms Willows Regrets,” part one of Marg Helgenberger‘s two episode departure. Spoilers after the jump!

CSI Files: We talked back in November about how “Freaks & Geeks” was your first major episode for Catherine (Marg Helgenberger), but now you’ve done three Catherine-focused episodes in the first half of the season. What was the process like getting into the rotation for her final episodes?

Christopher Barbour: Her exit episodes really were a team effort. For me I was fortunate to take point on the final two episodes, that was really not necessarily the plan because a lot went into creating the final two episodes. We had input from Marg, the writing staff, and there was a lot of discussion on how to take her out of the show in a way that would seem fitting. What I was interested in personally though was to touch some base with elements from the past because before I worked here I was a longtime fan of the show, so there were elements that I was keen to see. The show is really a team effort–the only way I can explain it is I took point with Don [McGill, Executive Producer], and Rich [Catalani, Co-Executive Producer] but it was a team effort.

CSI Files: How did you guys ‘break’ the story?

Barbour: Don and I focused on the first episode and then it was really a group effort on the second. We all sort of contributed scenes together.

CSI Files: You guys knew at the beginning of the season what her two final episodes would be, correct?

Barbour: We had an inkling of what it would be. There were some factors that we were sort of not sure would be a part of it, but the overall arc of the three episodes we had a pretty good sense of. We weren’t exactly sure how she would say goodbye in terms of her having a scene where she would say goodbye to everyone.

CSI Files: Anita Gillette was back as Catherine’s mother Lily Flynn, but there was no sign of Lindsey (Kay Panabaker). Any reason why she was not involved in the final episodes?

Barbour: It was partly to do with story and also in terms of Catherine not necessarily needing to say goodbye to her daughter. It was more about focusing on the CSI family.

CSI Files: Vartann (Alex Carter) isn’t in Episode Twelve, but he was there tonight in Episode Eleven. Are there plans for him to come back?

Barbour: He’s actually in Episode Fourteen, “Seeing Red.” He will return. He’s a terrific guy and I’m hoping there was some sense of him possibly being in jeopardy.

CSI Files: That brings up another good point. It seems whenever Catherine connects with a guy, bad things always seem to happen. Does Catherine not know how to choose the right person?

Barbour: [Laughs.] There’s some deep explanation for what she needs to do. She has been unlucky in love. I think the relationship with Vartann was a strong relationship but it was not the relationship. I can’t really explain that… it’s difficult for her because the job was very important for her. It was difficult to balance those things at times.

CSI Files: Hodges’ (Wallace Langham) mom has a new boyfriend that was mentioned in the episode, and I recall there being something at the beginning of the season about the possibility of introducing her on the show. Are there plans for her to show up for an episode?

Barbour: There are plans to possibly meet Hodges’ mom. We’re trying to figure out a way to meet her.

CSI Files: Maybe she hangs out with Mrs. Robbins and the two of them find another dead body in a bed?

Barbour: [Laughs.] Right now we’re just mulling it over, but we might meet his mom.

CSI Files: You’ve worked on a lot of episode this season. Do you have any others coming up?

Barbour: As you know I worked on Episode Fourteen and I’m hoping to do one more before the end of the season. It may be one of the last episodes.

Shane Saunders is a freelance writer and reviewer. His work can be seen on EDGE Network and ShaneSSaunders.com. Twitter: @ShaneSSaunders.

First, check out this picture Archie Kao (Archie Johnson) posted, which features the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation actor alongside Jon Wellner (Henry Andrews), David Berman (David Phillips) and Wallace Langham (David Hodges). Click to see the image full-sized:

Gary Sinise (Mac Taylor) posed with two of his CSI: New York costars, AJ Buckley (Adam Ross) and Carmine Giovinazzo (Danny Messer). Sinise also shared several images of himself with crew members dressed up for the holidays. Click to see each picture in its original size:

CSI: Miami’s Omar Miller (Walter Simmons) and CSI: NY’s Hill Harper (Dr Sheldon Hawkes) participated in the 4th Annual Manifest Your Destiny Toy Drive earlier this week, and you can find a picture of them with Nate Parker below. Click to enlarge:

Finally, check out three photos posted by Eva La Rue from the CNN Heroes ceremony, featuring herself alongside Miami costars Emily Procter (Calleigh Duquesne) and Rex Linn (Frank Tripp), as well as her husband Joe Cappuccio. Click to see the full-sized image:

Sinise shared several more images on Twitter, featuring himself and New York’s leading lady Sela Ward (Jo Danville), and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer posted a picture of a computer in the lab. Click to see each image full-sized:

Archie Kao (Archie Johnson) posed alongside fellow CSI actor Wallace Langham (David Hodges), and Consulting Producer Dustin Lee Abraham shared a picture that was taken on the set during Marg Helgenberger’s (Catherine Willows) recent birthday:

Finally, check out a picture of an upcoming Miami prop, which was posted by Eva La Rue (Natalia Boa Vista):

Click the images to see them full-size. It is the exclusive property of CBS Broadcasting Inc. and may not be archived, leased, sold or distributed in any fashion without consent from CBS. It is released for one-time editorial use only.

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"-- D.B. Russell (Ted Danson, left) wants some answers and points at Mark Gabriel (Titus Welliver) as Agent Pratt watches, on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Wednesday, Dec. 7 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) 2011 on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"€-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

 

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

"Zippered"-- Coverage of CBS' CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: SONJA FLEMMING/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved.

A fan of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation since the first season, Gavin Harris is working a dream job as a Supervising Producer on the series during its twelfth season. So far this season, Harris has been tasked with writing the season premiere, developing a story that placed a CSI’s life in jeopardy, and introducing the son of the new graveshift supervisor in tonight’s “Brain Doe.”  In an exclusive interview, the brain behind tonight’s episode talks with CSI Files’ Shane Saunders about expanding DB Russell’s family, a CSI’s new job opportunity, joining the series and more. Mild spoilers after the jump!

CSI Files: DB Russell’s (Ted Danson) son, Charlie (Brandon Jones), was introduced tonight. Was the decision to bring him in this early in the season used as a way to provide some background on DB–will he be back to further develop Ted’s character?

Gavin Harris: He will be back. I think the short-term was we’ve been talking a lot about family with DB and I think we’re slowly rolling out some of his family. Hopefully some day in the future we’ll meet his wife. But the kid is a great actor and we’re really happy with him. We think he’s a really interesting character and a good insight into DB. We do want to do more with him and develop him. Yeah, he’ll be back.

CSI Files: Is introducing DB’s family a parallel to the theme this season on CSI? You have Ecklie’s daughter joining the team and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) exploring her options in life. Do the two go hand in hand?

Harris: I think it does in a sense. I think in a sense we’ve always felt that CSI is our family and that this is the new guy; he’s sort of that father role. Yeah, there are a lot of parallels going on between DB’s family and the CSI family that viewers have known for years.

CSI Files: Another significant moment tonight was Catherine getting a visit from Sheriff Liston (Barbara Eve Harris). I’m assuming that’s going to play a part in her exit.

Harris: It may or may not, sir! I cannot confirm or deny that. But I do think it’s going to inform Catherine’s thinking for when she does finally make a decision about her future. So whether it’s that or not… I think the point in that episode is someone pointed out that there’s options outside of CSI and her worldview of where she could work.

CSI Files: Catherine and Vartann (Alex Carter) shared their first scene of the season tonight. How did you write that scene in terms of whether the two are in a exclusive relationship, or the possibility that they’re not?

Harris: Right. I think in a good way I don’t think they know what they are, and perhaps they’ve hooked up occasionally. I don’t think they’re a full-time couple. But, obviously, more on Vartann’s side, he wishes there was more going on. But I think the read is they’re not a couple but possibly they’re hooking up occasionaly. I think Vartann wants more.

CSI Files: Do you have a character that you particularly graviate towards?

Harris: Nah. Sometimes when we think of an idea or I’m working on an idea, suddenly one character will pop. Certainly Hodges (Wallace Langham) is always fun to write; he’s funny and you never know what’s going to come out of that guy’s mouth. I think each one brings their own thing and some stories naturally gravitate towards them.

CSI Files: When I was on set for “Brain Doe” and we were talking, you mentioned “write what you know.”

Harris: [Laughs.] Which is the octopus sex [from "73 Seconds"]! Which is what I know. I try to work that into every episode of television that I write. [Laughs.]

CSI Files: Well, for the premiere you went to Las Vegas and rode one of the rails and explored that. And for “CSI Down,” Tom Mularz mentioned that you live by a hospital, so you pitched the idea for a case involving a medevac.

Harris: That is correct.

CSI Files: What was your personal take for this episode?

Harris: The other two were much more specific to me. This was actually based–I grew up in Chicago, and I’m a big Chicago Bears fan. One of the Chicago Bears had the disease that we talked about in the episode and sadly did kill himself. So, for one, I thought it was a great tragic story. Secondly, I thought it would be an interesting CSI mystery where all we have to go on is a brain. Sort of went from there.

CSI Files: You wrote for another crime show, Cold Case. How do you keep the case ideas flowing without recycling something?

Harris: I think crime goes hand in hand with a great emotional story. I don’t think you just want to depend on the crime and the twists, but you want to tell a great human story. Then, I think it’s just fun going in that world and finding different twists and turns. When I look at true crime books or websites, the shit that really happens and continues to happen is unbelievable. The things that happen and the stories that are out there are endless.

CSI Files: How did you get the job on CSI?

Harris: [Laughs.] How did I get it? This is my third [Jerry] Bruckheimer show so they’re familiar with my work. Thankfully, Don [McGill, Executive Producer] and Carol [Mendelsohn, Executive Producer] had read some of my work. So they read my work, I met with them, I love the show; I was eager to do it. We quickly decided it was a good move and here we are.

CSI Files: There was a nice Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) story going on tonight. Are you guys thinking about bringing Ellie back this season?

Harris: It’s… been discussed. I don’t know if we are. We honestly haven’t talked that much about it. It’s an option and we’re always intrigued with Brass. I think Paul is just a fantastic actor and he was so good with this kid. Anytime we spend time with Paul and Brass it’s great. We might bring her in.

CSI Files: Final question for you tonight. You mentioned earlier that you’re writing Episode Sixteen. Can you tease a little bit about that episode?

Harris: I don’t know if I can. [Laughs.] I’ll say this and tease it: it’s a bit of a departure episode. It’s whatever that means; it’s different.

CSI Files: CSI meets Glee?

Harris: It’s a musical. You got me.

CSI Files: You’re serious?

Harris: I’m kidding. It’s not a musical. [Laughs.] But it is a bit of a departure episode and I think it will be an exciting way to look at our characters a little differently. We’ll leave it at that.

Shane Saunders is a freelance writer and reviewer. His work can be seen on EDGE Network and ShaneSSaunders.com. Twitter: @ShaneSSaunders.