When last we saw actress Jorja Fox on “CSI”, her alter ego Sara Sidle was deep in the Costa Rican jungle, happily reunited with the love of her life, Gil Grissom. Well, apparently Sara’s going to have some very good reason to leave that romantic idyll because come this fall, Jorja Fox is returning to “CSI” for five episodes.

There’s no indication that William Petersen’s Gil is joining her, although since Petersen is still connected to the show as an executive producer, he could decide to pop in for a show or two.

With the ratings slipping a bit in key demographics since Petersen’s exit in January 2009, the return of Jorja might be the kind of jolt the venerable crime drama needs to kick up the viewership. Laurence Fishburne has settled in as Dr. Raymond Langston, but the novelty of the new guy has worn off and bringing Sara back couldn’t hurt.

After all the push and pull between Fox and “CSI”, her contract dispute in 2004, her announcing that she was leaving in 2007, it’s kind of funny to read how thrilled “CSI**s executive producer Carol Mendelsohn is about Jorja’s return. She did let on that the Sidle character will be back in Las Vegas in the premiere episode. That’s Thursday, September 24. Mark it in your calender. No, seriously. I mean it. I’ve sort of drifted away from “CSI” myself. I’m curious enough about Jorja Fox’s return that I’ll tune in that night.