CSI: Vegas brought the iconic CSI franchise back to the small screen in 2021, and the cast of mostly newcomers was anchored by the familiar faces of William Petersen and Jorja Fox. Those two original series stars won’t return for Season 2, but none other than Marg Helgenberger will be back. She famously portrayed Catherine Willows for twelve seasons of CSI, and Vegas star Matt Lauria is already excited about working with her for the new season.
Although Matt Lauria played Josh Folsom in the first season of CSI: Vegas, it wasn’t his first role in the franchise, as he appeared in several episodes of the original CSI back in Season 12, which involved working with Marg Helgenberger as Catherine. Speaking with ET, Lauria explained his excitement to be able to work with her again:
We’re really lucky to have her back and personally, I’m overjoyed. I would’ve been deeply enthused, even if I didn’t have any experience with Marg personally. But I’m all the more enthused because… my experience of her is she’s just a complete class act, very generous, very genuine person.
Catherine Willows didn’t appear in Season 1 of CSI: Vegas, although she did get some mentions to set the stage for her return, which was rumored for some time before being confirmed. After the first season managed to incorporate William Petersen’s Gil Grissom and Jorja Fox’s Sara Sidle without overshadowing the cast of new characters (including Matt Lauria’s Josh Folsom), fans can be pretty confident that the show will find an ideal way to bring the character into the new team dynamic. Lauria clearly has faith that Helgenberger as an actress has what it takes to make Season 2 even better!
Matt Lauria also had some kind words specifically about working with her the first time around on CSI, when he was playing an FBI agent in three episodes from 2011-2012. He shared:
She was so kind and inclusive and just lovely. And she’s very, very talented. She sparkles. So, for me personally, I can’t wait. I’m really excited.
CSI: Vegas will continue tackling some seriously heavy subject matter in Season 2, if the serial killer tag at the end of the first season finale is any indication, so the team might need all the sparkle that it can get! Fans are likely a long way off from getting a look at Marg Helgenberger back as Catherine Willows, or even getting many details about what to expect. Matt Lauria shared that Season 2 is still early in the writing stage, although he did virtually meet with the writers.
All things considered, the Vegas revival sounds like it will pack enough into Season 2 that fans might barely notice that Sara and Gil really did ride off into the sunset and aren’t returning. Another series regular departed after the end of Season 1 as well, although Mel Rodriguez’s character of Hugo Ramirez doesn’t exactly leave the same kind of legacy as Gil and Sara. Marg Helgenberger could be just what the second season needs to hit the ground running.
At the time of writing, there is no premiere date for Season 2 of CSI: Vegas on CBS, but you can find the full first season of the revival streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, as well as the first two seasons of the original CSI. For the full run of CSI streaming, be sure to check out a Hulu subscription.
During the wait for more CSI: Vegas, there are plenty of crime procedurals to be found elsewhere on TV, including several on CBS with the three NCIS series and the three FBI series. The FBIs are even part of a nine-show shared TV universe that includes the Law & Order procedurals over on NBC.