Jorja Fox's tenure as Sara Sidle on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was filled with ups and downs, but why exactly did she leave in season 8 only to return in season 11? Fox first joined the show in only its second-ever episode and remained as part of the cast for all of its 15-season run. Sidle was one of the talented forensic scientists in the Las Vegas Crime Scene Investigation team, as well as the on-again-off-again love interest of the show's original lead, Gil Grissom (William Petersen).
Halfway through CSI's initial run, though, Fox briefly left the show, only to return a few seasons later. After rumors of her impending departure were followed by a cliff-hanger ending to season 7, she returned for just a few episodes of season 8 before leaving the role. Her character was reduced to a recurring guest star for the remainder of season 8 - and seasons 9 and 10 - only for Fox to return in a starring role from season 11 until the show ended in 2015.
Fox's departure - and eventual return - was just one of many shifts in CSI's cast over its 15-season run. Other cast members - including Gary Dourdan's Warrick - exited CSI for various reasons midway through the show, and CSI practically had a revolving door of stars. However, Sara's departure is unique in that she never really left, instead only reducing her role temporarily before coming back. The star had her reasons for leaving, though, which she made clear at the time.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in 2007, Fox said:
"There are so many things I want to do! Some are personal. Some are professional. And I really need to do some of them before I get too old…. It’s a really intense place to work. A lot of the stories [on the show] do end sadly and badly. That’s been one of the things I’ve struggled with — the violence... I’m sure that I’ll be back in that world someday, but it’s really good for me to take a break from it."
Fox wasn't the only star to return to CSI after leaving, but she was the only to leave that returned in such a major way. She has never spoken openly about the exact reasons for her return, but her explanation for leaving in order to pursue other opportunities might go some way towards explaining her season 11 comeback.
Fox's pre-CSI career was promising - with guest roles on major shows such as The West Wing and ER, Jorja Fox was on an upward trajectory. However, after her joining CSI in 2000, it all but stalled, even during her break from the show. With it reported that Fox was earning six figures a week during season 7 of CSI, to follow that up with a few years of only bit parts would likely have stung. Fox did try her hand at producing musicals, but, ultimately, her relationship with CSI was - much like Sara and Gil's - inescapable.
Sadly, Jorja Fox's popularity reached an all-time high during her time on CSI. While her decision to move away from the show was done with the best intentions, she struggled to find her career a foothold outside of the series, and her return was one of the many reasons that the show was able to continue to enjoy moderate success in its later years. She also expressed her gratitude for being able to come back to round out Sara and Gil's story, making it clear that CSI: Crime Scene Investigation held a special place in Fox's heart.