The Real Reason Duquesne Is Always Behind A Desk In CSI: Miami Season 9
For 10 seasons, "CSI: Miami" cemented itself as a worthy spin-off to the main "CSI" show. Many fans remember the primetime show thanks to its iconic and often parodied opening, where Horatio Caine (David Caruso) usually delivers some witty quip before the show's intro with The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" blasted into living rooms across the nation. The opening may have placed the series into the museum of online meme history, but the show has much more going for it, such as its unique crime cases and its stellar cast alongside Caruso.
One of the series' most memorable characters on the show is Detective Calleigh Duquesne. Played by Emily Procter, Duquesne is given the nickname "Bullet Girl" on the show, as the Louisiana transplant is also the team's ballistics expert. She is also the only other character on the show to appear in every episode of "CSI: Miami" besides Caine. While Duquesne often takes an active role in helping out her team throughout the series, fans might notice that the character usually only stands behind a desk during Season 9. During this season, Procter's placement is intentional, as it is an attempt to hide a monumental change for the actress.
The show tried to hide Emily Procter's actual pregnancy
The detective did not get busted down to desk duty thanks to an in-story infraction. Instead, Duquesne is often found behind her desk for most of Season 9 because Procter was pregnant with her first child at the time of filming (via Access). Many TV series and movies have featured stars who were pregnant while filming, and as a result, had their pregnancies written into the production. For instance, Felicity Jones' real pregnancy during the filming of "The Midnight Sky" might have led to the first on-screen depiction of a pregnant astronaut. It certainly added a new dimension to an already fascinating science fiction story of a space crew left in the dark about a ravaged Earth.
So why didn't "CSI: Miami" write in an on-screen pregnancy for Detective Duquesne? Well, as Procter said in a 2010 interview for TV Guide, the image of her character fighting crime while pregnant might not have looked good to the show's viewers. "We played around with the idea of my character being pregnant, and the general consensus was, a pregnant woman shooting people might freak our audience out," she said to TV Guide.
Perhaps the image of "Bullet Girl" sporting a baby bump while shooting suspects might have been a bit too much for some viewers at the time, especially as Season 9 of CSI: Miami already features one of the worst crimes committed in the series: The episode "Stoned Cold" is about a victim who is stoned to death. Combining that with a pregnant Duquesne shooting suspects could've made for the series' wildest season.