CSI Miami--Not good news

[jaglady]

Just received word from another DLS discussion board. Here's a link.

I sent an email to the supervising producer of CSI Miami today (got it from a friend) asking why the character of Rick Stetler hasn't been in any episodes this season, and if the actor was okay. What I got was a "company line" type of response. He said that David Lee Smith is okay, but the stories just haven't had a need for his character. [Of course they don't when they have Horatio and the other characters doing his lines and scenes] He said that they love the actor, and will put him in the show when the need arises. [The need has already arisen, of course, several times].

lynnirwinstewart.yuku.com/topic/4013

Sorry, but that's it for me and S7. I'm going back to the A&E marathons.

[earthylady]

Sorry to hear that JL.I don't see how there is no need for the character.It looks as if there are plenty of stories coming up that would warrant the need of an IA officer.There is no need because TPTB doesn't want there to be.

[jaglady]

Thanks, Earthylady (shakes head). I really hope DLS moves on to bigger and better things. I know he's fully capable. Miami may not have made him an "A-lister", but I know he's gotten his name and his reputation out there.
A few of us on the other discussion board were worried that he might be sick or something, since we've lost loved ones to cancers and such in the last few years.
Call me cynical, but I'm not buying the "official statement." I think the muckety-mucks at CBS are hell-bent on strangling what was once a really good, intelligent show.
Oh well. I'll keep him alive through my writings and banners. Him, Jake, Alexx, and Yelina, Tyler, and Madison.

[mirium]

I think we'll see Stetler again, jaglady -- he's too good a character to vanish forever!

I don't think TPTB are being malevolent. I think they're preoccupied with the story arcs they've chosen to promote this season, and they're so busy moving the characters in those story arcs around the board that everyone else has fallen off their radar. We hardly see Frank or Natalia either, and they're in the opening credits! Which could also explain why others are getting lines that would make more sense coming from Stetler -- they need to use their contract players, and aren't giving them anything else to do.

(I am reminded of a soap opera I watched in my youth; one of the second tier characters went upstairs to bed one day and wasn't seen again on screen for something like six years. He wasn't in anyone's bad books (he kept his place in the cast list and his contract was renewed twice during his "absence"); he just didn't come to mind when the writers were doing their thing. Eventually someone said "hey, whatever happened to ____?" and people noticed the gap. The writers showed they had a sense of humor; when he finally reappeared, he was coming downstairs, rubbing his neck, and said something like "Man, I feel like I've been asleep for six years!" The actor was very good natured about it, he pointed out that he'd been paid a fairly hefty salary for doing absolutely nothing. But I digress.....)

Another factor might be that Stetler's gone through some serious changes, and the writers might be confused about what to do with him. (Unlike you. ) He showed up as an Evil Nemesis; he had a scene with Horatio where he explained his anger and frustration and resentment, and that transformed him into a flawed but very human character instead of a strawman symbol. Then he was a Bad Guy again, beating up Yelina -- but this time, we had some insight from the past into why he was behaving so badly. Then he was investigating charges that Calleigh was drunk when she shot someone, and he was reasonable, sympathetic, tried to get her to see that the investigation wasn't a personal insult, gave her advice on what she could do to come out of it smelling like roses -- all of which she ignored in a venomous spate of anger and frustration and resentment. (I loved that role reversal for both of them. )

So he isn't a simple cardboard character they can give any old line anymore. Anything he says is going to develop the character, so they should decide whether he's Good Stetler or Bad Stetler before they put him in a scene. Optimistically, perhaps they're saving his appearances for some significant story arc?

I'd suggest starting a(nother?) thread on the CBS board about how much you miss our MoleBoy. And get your like-minded friends to post their agreement on that thread. (I'll be there, if you let me know the thread's been started! ) Everyone should be relentlessly positive, they've got some self-appointed vigilantes who see trolls behind every post. But CBS does pay attention to the opinions expressed there; at least, when thoughtful opinions have been discussed at length there in the past, the next season has gone in the direction that was most popular or most persuasively expressed. Hey, it's worth a shot -- what have you got to lose? :trampoline

[luf100]

Optimistically, perhaps they're saving his appearances for some significant story arc?

I was thinking that before I read your post. All Stetler ever did in any episodes before was tell CSI they weren't allowed to do something, or he investigated them. Maybe this season they're waiting for (or are going to have) an episode where Stetler is actually there for a good reason. We can still be optimistic about it.

At Talk CSI, delkolover, one of the members who gets us spoilers (from Corey Miller himself, usually) asked him and I remember even he said that Stetler wasn't gone for good, there'd be something for him in the future. He said the same thing in an interview once, I think. If your email was replied to that way I think it's good to say that even though we wish he would show up sooner, he's not gone for good. I don't know why anyone who helps with the making of CSI: Miami would want to hide the fact that he's gone. Why wouldn't they come out and say David Lee Smith is no longer going to be on the show instead of replying to every email or letter or question they get about him with "he'll be there soon" or "when we need him". :S

[jaglady]

*SIGH* Thanks, Mirium and Luf100. (dries eyes) Actually, I don't belong to the CBS thread. Many of us have emailed CBS requesting to bring back our MoleBoy . Hopefully they pay attention to those. It seems as though Rick should have been on at least three epis that I can think of offhand. Love that story about the character on the soap.

Yeah, I noticed that about "Stand Your Ground." While I thought Rick could have done some things differently, I don't think Calleigh was being completely fair to him.

Luf100, you are so right. In most of the epis, it seems like he just comes in for one scene, says something to aggravate H, and then is gone again. I figured it HAD to be a contractual thing. If they're working on revamping his character, that would be great. Sorry, but I guess it's just frustration. One good character after another has disappeared. It seems like they've stripped that cast to the bone (not to mention what they've done to the plot lines and the wardrobe), and I get the impression that TPTB are hell-bent on torpedoing what was once a great show.

One thing's for sure. If our MoleBoy does come back, Ryan and Frank better give him back his ties! I think those two raided his closet!

Thanks Mom, er, uh, Mirium. ;D Hope springs eternal.

[mirium]

Feb 8, 2009 20:02:45 GMT -5 @jaglady said:

It seems like they've stripped that cast to the bone (not to mention what they've done to the plot lines and the wardrobe....

The cast, wardrobe, stripped.... I'd pay to see that.

[gregrox]

I think we all would *shifty*

[luf100]

Oh I definitely would.

[jaglady]

Feb 9, 2009 13:40:13 GMT -5 mirium said:

Feb 8, 2009 20:02:45 GMT -5 @jaglady said:

It seems like they've stripped that cast to the bone (not to mention what they've done to the plot lines and the wardrobe....

The cast, wardrobe, stripped.... I'd pay to see that.

My goodness. We have some minds in the gutter here! (Ya s'pose you-know-who is hiding another mole?? ;D)