After a few seasons struggling to regain its footing in addition to the cancellation of CSI: Miami and, more recently, CSI: NY, comes word that CBS is developing a new spinoff from their long running crime drama. The untitled spinoff is being put together by the original CSI brain trust of  Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony Zuiker and Ann Donahue and will focus on the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI.

According to Variety, the series will focus on a Special Agent who and her team as they track “technology-amplified larceny by faceless criminals who commit global crimes with touch of a button,” and that the episodes will focus on “crimes that start in the mind, live online and play out in the real world.” This is very different than CSI, Miami, and NY, and I have to say it is nice to see them expand the franchise in such a way that we see more of its world along with new fresh elements. I’m surprised more shows don’t branch out like this.

The “pilot” for the spinoff will air as an episode of CSI in the Spring. Remember, not all planned spinoffs actually make it to air, but with the teaming of Mendelsohn, Zuiker and Donahue, this show has an excellent chance of moving forward. In turn, if it is good, it could help boost the mothership a bit.

The CSI franchise is going the way of the Law & Order franchise — at its height, it was three series strong, and probably could’ve sustained a fourth series, but now as time goes on three is now two and the “youngest” CSI show, CSI: NY, airs on Fridays. It is a strong Friday night series and has proven to CBS time and time again that it actually has the viewership to stay on Fridays seeing as anything scripted that isn’t CSI: NY or Blue Bloods that airs on CBS on Friday’s cannot make it past a season (Looking at you A Gifted Man & Made in Jersey). Now, does that means I actively watch this series? No. I use too watch it when I was younger and in the “prime” of its run, but not anymore. Will I tune into it if I’m having a lazy Friday night? Sometimes.

The last time I watched CSI: NY was actually pretty recently when they did this stunt episode where half the episode was silent and featured songs from Green Day’s new album. Upon watching it, I was surprised that, the quality of the series hadn’t much diminished since the last time I watched which had been several years before. At the same time, the stunt episode was not enough for me to actively want to restart watching the show. However, what that viewing did show me was that for such a standard procedural, it still has some compelling elements which explains why Gary Sinise still does not want to return to the world of films.

The show is not as strong as it use to be, but it is still better then a lot of the reality programming, or just “reruns” the other networks offer up. I salute CBS for still making Friday a priority by getting original episodes of shows out on the night. Though this show is not my cup of tea anymore, it could still be a lot worse. This is a take it or leave it show — you’ll either love it or feel meh with it. Hard to really hate this series but there’s not enough in it to distinguish it from a lot of the ballsy shows being produced nowadays. Its only advantage is that it airs on Fridays with very little scripted competition. If Friday was still in its hayday (like in the 90’s and earlier), this show wouldn’t be on the air anymore. Still though, I don’t recommend you watch this show actively — I’m not saying you shouldn’t watch the show entirely at all.

However, maybe you might want to make an exception tonight and at least DVR this week’s episode. Our EIC, The Pit, has a friend in this week’s episode- so check it out for him!

Episode Description, “Blood Out”: Lovato’s cover is inadvertently blown, which leads the CSIs to investigate a Latin street gang she infiltrated while undercover.

Catch the new episode of CSI: NY at 9:00pm on CBS.

8PM

SYFY: WWE SmackDown (wrestling)
CBS: Undercover Boss (reality)
CW: Nikita (spy drama)
ABC: Last Man Standing/Malibu Country (TGIF!)
DSC: Gold Rush (docu)
HGTV: Lightmares (docu)
ID: Facing Evil (docu)

9PM

TBS: For Better or Worse (comedy)
CW: Arrow (action drama)
PBS: The Mind of a Chef (docu)
ANIMAL: Raised Wild (docu)
DISNEY: Phineas and Ferb/Fish Hooks (animation)
HGTV: Flea Market Flip (reality)
TRU: Killer Karaoke (reality)

10PM

CBS: Blue Bloods (crime drama)
E!: Fashion Police (docu)
FX: Ultimate Fighter Fridays (fighting)
DSC: Jungle Gold (docu)
PBS: The Mind of a Chef (docu)
TLC: Brides of Beverly Hills (reality)
TRAVEL: The Dead Files (docu)

This post brought to you by TwoOfUs. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you the type of person who watches 80s romantic comedies for relationship advice? While Patrick Dempsey might be entertaining, I would not follow his lead. Instead you should head on over to TwoOfUs.org and get some real tips on keeping your relationship fresh! 

The website features sections for dating, exclusive relationships, engaged, married, and parents with experts that answer a wide range of questions from all different types of people.  The advice on Two Of Us is shared with visitors through Podcasts, videos, and articles, which really does give something for everyone.  Personally, I love hearing about other people’s experiences and thoughts on what helps/hurts the future of a relationship. With the Podcasts, you can put them on in the background as you are doing something else. The website is very visual with lots of pictures and videos.  I explored the advice section for married couples, and there was a subcategory for Marriage Skills. Located here are Podcasts for energy drainers, dealing with baggage, and how to improve your marriage without talking about it.

The website also features a 9 chapter video interview series with CSI: NY‘s Hill Harper as he discusses everything from marriage, healthy relationships, getting perspective and resources to help improve relationships. 

If you are a fan of the site, you can head on over to their Facebook page and like it. I’m sure your friends can use some relationship advice too!

Tonight I’ll be busy watching an all new episode of (the best show on TV) Chuck. But what else is going on in the idiot box?

Smallville has an end date and will go out with a bang in the form of a two hour series finale on Friday, May 13, 2011. It is still hard to believe that the young Superman series is ending, and with how awesome the 10th season has been, I keep hoping that they will announce a continuing series for Lois and Clark or in the very least a spinoff for Green Arrow or one of the many other DC Comics heroes introduced in the series.

FX’s popular comedy The League will be returning for a 13 episode 3rd season! The series is based around a group of friends that are all part of a fantasy football league. It stars Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Jonathan Lajoie, Paul Scheer, Katie Aselton, and Stephen Rannazzisi.

The latest episode of CSI featured a cameo by non other than William Petersen’s Gil Grissom. Check it out for yourself here. It was great to see him back on the show, but it couldn’t be a little longer?

The post-Superbowl episode of Glee was actually pretty good (especially when compared to most of the lack-luster second season of the hit Fox musical). You can see the “Thriller”/”Heads will Roll” meshup over on Hulu.

Tonight at 10pm on CBS is the first part of a three part crossover of all of the CSIs.  After a severed leg found in the Everglades is discovered to belong to a girl who disappeared from Las Vegas a week earlier, Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne of CSI “prime”) joins the Miami investigation. The story begins here on CSI: Miami, then will continue through CSI: NY and conclude on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

I love crossovers, so even though I have been out of touch with the CSI Universe for a while, I might just check this out.  Personally, I’d prefer if more of the Las Vegas team crossed over, instead of just Fishburne’s Langston, but its a cool concept and I wanna know how they’ll tie all three locations together.

Also on tonight…

8PM

• CBS: How I Met Your Mother/Accidentally on Purpose (Comedies)
• CW: One Tree Hill (Drama)
• FOX: House (Medical Drama)
• NBC: Heroes (Supernatural Drama)
• ABCFAM: Lincoln Heights (Drama)

9PM

• CBS: Two and a Half Men/The Big Bang Theory (Comedies)
• CW: Gossip Girl (Drama)
• FOX: Lie to Me (Drama)
• NBC: Trauma (Medical Drama)
• USA: WWE Monday Night Raw (Wrestling)

10PM

• ABC: Castle (Crime)
• NBC: Jay Leno Show (Talk/Sketch Comedy)

Wow, this weekend went by fast! Lots of news to enjoy with your morning coffee.

• Natasha Henstridge will voice the villainous Charity Vile in Stan Lee’s new animated webseries Time Jumper. The comic book styled thriller follows a college student who finds his late father’s time-travel device and is recruited by a secret crime fighting unit to help take down a criminal cartel led by Vile. The series will have ten episodes ranging in length from five to eight minutes.

• Warner Brothers and Leonardo DiCaprio have hired Rand Ravich to write a new Twilight Zone flick.  The film will be based on classic episodes of the series but is rumored to be one story and not presented in anthology format like Twilight Zone: The Movie.  I never watched Ravich’s NBC series Life, nor his film The Astronaut’s Wife, so I just sorta shrug at his name. Although I’m glad to see a new Twilight Zone film moving forward. I wonder which stories they might adapt for this.

• There aren’t nearly enough movies about woman’s roller derby (or roller derby in general). Check out this trailer for Whip It, starring Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, and Drew Barrymore (who also directed the movie).

• Dark Horse comics has a free eComic version of H.G.Wells’ War of the Worlds. The comic is a straight adaptation of the classic novel.  64 pages for free? How can you say no?  Click here to give it a read.

• Jorja Fox (sans William Petersen) will make a multiple episode return to CSI‘s next season. What brings her character back to Las Vegas? Where is Grissom? According to Entertainment Weekly, we’ll find out on September 24th.

• While on the subject of EW, they put together a pretty cool gallery of preview images for this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.  Sadly, this will be the first one I will not be able to attend in the past 4 years. Preview night is Wednesday, and panels are Thursday through Sunday. Expect a ton of movie and TV news this week!