The deal has been signed according to TV Guide, and Laurence Fishburne will officially be joining the cast of “CSI” as the replacement for William Peterson.

Fishburne will debut in the ninth episode of the season. The episode will most likely air in December, and Gill will be departing around the same time. Fishburne will be playing a former pathologist who is now a college professor teaching criminalistics. Ultimately he will cross paths with the CSI team and join the crime lab as a Level-1 CSI.

The character is so fresh that he still doesn’t have a name in the writer’s room. That will all change very soon, but expect some interesting changes to CSI with this new cast change.

Starting on the first day of September, all the way through to the 30th of October we have new shows debuting on all the major networks. Below you’ll find a complete list of all the new and returning shows and their premiere dates!

Be sure and check back here at TV Jab for reviews of these new programs as they premiere…we’ll be covering almost all of them this year!

September 1, 2008 – Monday

Prison Break (FOX)
Terminator: Sarah Conner Chronicles (FOX)

September 2, 2008 – Tuesday

90210 (CW)
The Shield (FX)

September 3, 2008 – Wednesday

Bones (FOX)

September 7, 2008 – Sunday

True Blood (HBO)

September 9, 2008 – Tuesday

Fringe (FOX)
Privileged (CW)

September 10, 2008 – Wednesday

Do Not Disturb (FOX)

September 12, 2008 – Friday

America’s Toughest Jobs (NBC)

September 16, 2008 – Tuesday

House (FOX)

September 18, 2008 – Thursday

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
Smallville (CW)
Supernatural (CW)
Survivor (CW)

September 19, 2008 – Friday

Gossip Girl (CW)
The Unit (CW)
20/20 (ABC)

September 22, 2008 – Monday

CSI: Miami (CBS)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Heroes (NBC)
How I Met Your Mother (NBC)

September 23, 2008 – Tuesday

The Mentalist (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Opportunity Knocks (ABC)
Dancing with the Stars (special performance show)

September 24, 2008 – Wednesday

CSI: NY (CBS)
Knight Rider (CBS)
Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
Dancing with the Stars Results Show (special day and time)

September 25, 2008 – Thursday

Life on Mars (ABC)
My Name is Earl (NBC)
The Office (NBC)
ER (NBC)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)

September 28, 2008 – Sunday

The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Dad (Fox)
Dexter (Showtime)
Family Guy (FOX)
The Simpsons (FOX)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)

September 29, 2008 – Monday

Boston Legal (ABC)
Chuck (NBC)
My Own Worst Enemy (NBC)

Other shows starting in September

Californication (Showtime)
L.A. Ink (TLC)

October 1, 2008 – Wednesday

Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)
Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Private Practice (ABC)

October 3, 2008 – Friday

Ghost Whisperer (CBS)
Smackdown (MyNetworkTV)
Wife Swap (ABC)
Supernanny (ABC)

October 5, 2008 – Sunday

America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)

October 6, 2008 – Monday

Samantha Who? (ABC)

October 9, 2008 – Thursday

CSI (CBS)
Kath & Kim (NBC)

October 14, 2008 – Tuesday

Eli Stone (ABC)

October 17, 2008 – Friday

Crusoe (NBC)

October 20, 2008 – Monday

Eleventh Hour (CBS)

October 30, 2008 – Thursday

30 Rock (NBC)

CSI fans have had a tough couple of season. Original cast members have been dropping off the show like flies, with William Peterson being the next to go. Still, CBS is intent on keeping the show healthy and they’re trying to find a “big gun” replacement for Peterson to keep the show going.

There are rumors suggesting that John Malkovich and Kurt Russell have both been considered for the new lead, but the strongest rumor is that Laurance Fishburne is in talks to take over the role.

If everything works out, Fishburne would be playing a new character described as a doctor/scientist outsider to CSI. The character has the same genetic profile as a serial killer, but hasn’t previously acted on any homicidal impulses…at least not yet.

Personally, I think Fishburne is an ideal choice to replace Peterson, and there is a lot they could do with a character like the one described above.