‘CSI’ alum William Petersen is joining ‘Manhattan’

Attention “CSI” fans still broken-hearted by Det. Gil Grissom’s retirement: William Petersen is coming back to TV.

Aside from his occasional return appearances on “CSI” and other assorted roles, Petersen hasn’t been a series regular on anything since 2009. But he’ll be part of the main cast of WGN America’s “Manhattan” in the drama’s second season.

Petersen will play Col. Emmett Darrow, described as an “enigmatic new ranking military officer at Los Alamos” who is also “a deeply religious and patriotic man” who sees himself as anointed by God to bring America’s nuclear power across the planet.

Sounds like exactly the wrong person to be anywhere near nuclear weapons.

Petersen has had a long career, starring in Michael Mann’s “Manhunter” and William Friedkin’s “To Live and Die in L.A.” in the 1980s, but his career really took off with the top-rated forensic investigation drama “CSI.”

Now, he’s transitioning to the well-respected but low-rated cable drama “Manhattan,” which is WGN America’s second scripted series after “Salem.”

The series, created by Sam Shaw, looks behind the scenes of the top secret Manhattan Project, which built the first atomic weapons for the United States during World War II.

The cast also includes John Benjamin Hickey, Olivia Williams, Daniel Stern, Ashley Zuckerman, Rachel Brosnahan, Katja Herbers, Alexia Fast, Christopher Denham, Harry Lloyd and Michael Chernus.

The show’s second season will begin filming in New Mexico in April.

Twitter: @patrickkevinday