Earlier today, we met Walden Schmidt.

Now, let's all say hello to D.B. Russell, the character to be played by Ted Danson on CSI this fall.

“He’s kind of like Phil Jackson coming in to handle a group of people who are on a slippery slope,” Danson told the press at this afternoon's Television Critics Association’s summer tour. “He’s brought in to make the team work as good as possible. He’s trying to hold a crazy group of people [together].”

Overall, look for a lighter character and a lighter season ahead on CSI. To that end, watch Danson in action in the following clip, as Russell tries to get a witness to open up: