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The new season will have other changes; Lauren Lee Smith has left the show, and Mendelsohn said there is no casting going on at present to replace her character (though it sounded as that could change down the road). Because the lab is understaffed, Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) will be back to work with her former colleagues for the first five episodes of the season.

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Both Langston and Nick Stokes (George Eads) will receive promotions from lab chief Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) in the first episode of the season. “The interesting thing is, Catherine’s decision to promote Nick, even though it’s well deserved, is facilitated by the arrival of Sara Sidle. [Catherine then] sees the world according to Sara Sidle and realizes something about leadership and about the team.”

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