Next month, Gil Grissom (William Petersen) and Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) will join forces to catch a killer in a much awaited crossover episode of CSI and Without a Trace.  Much hype has been generated with the announcement of the special union where each of TV’s toughest solo acts bring forth their best game in investigating a murder case inspired by real-live events.

Created by Anthony E. Zuiker, CSI is an Emmy Award-winning police procedural drama that trails the investigations of a team of Las Vegas forensic scientists as they unearth the circumstances behind mysterious crimes and deaths committed, while Without a Trace is about a FBI unit that investigates into a person’s disappearance.  Both shows are being broadcast on CBS and have earned critical acclaim and a solid following over the years.

Prior to filming the crossover episode, which is scheduled to air on November 8, Petersen’s path already crossed with LaPaglia’s.  Petersen met LaPaglia at one of actor Steve Martin’s gatherings and was immediately thrilled with the encounter.

Since then, their friendship has evolved.  LaPaglia has even asked Petersen some advice on how to navigate the waters since both are working on Jerry Bruckheimer-produced shows on CBS.

When asked by TV Guide how the crossover came about, Petersen said, “Anthony and I almost did a movie with [CSI director] Danny Cannon.  Danny thought it would be fun for us all to work together, so we’ve talked about this [crossover] on and off for four years now.  It was a question of the right time and whether there was going to be a script or not. We didn’t want to do it just because CBS wanted it.”

The crossover, which is stirred by the real-life saga of a murderer who rode the rails to haunt his victims, starts on CSI when a murder investigation by Grissom’s team unearths a link to a case that Jack and the FBI have been pursuing for years.  Their pursuit takes them from Las Vegas to New York City, and according to LaPaglia, the “the difference in our styles becomes apparent right away.”

-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TV Guide
(Image courtesy of CBS)

Kris De Leon

Staff Writer, BuddyTV