Kevin Hart In Talks To Join Kevin James In ‘Valet … 
Anthony Hopkins Up For ‘Red 2′ Villain; Can … 
Cannes Conflicted Over ‘The Paperboy’ As … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ Posts … 
Ghost Of 2004 Hovers Over L.A. Screenings As Int’l … 
On The Road To Awards Season? Kerouac Book Finally Makes It … 
Michael Bay’s Name Pushed Paramount To Settle Injured … 
Several More New Series In Recasting Mode; Returning Ones … 
‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Moving To March 2013 To … 
Directors Fortnight Says It Must “Police … 
‘Chronicle’ Helmer Josh Trank Takes On … 
Big Media Chiefs Tell Cable Operators To Speed Up ‘TV … 
Will ‘Pan Am’ Take Flight With Amazon? 
EMMYS: Showtime Launches Free Weekend Promotion Targeting … 
TOLDJA! ICM Management Buyout Complete 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Dancing With The Stars’, … 
An Olympian Effort: NBCUni Plans 5,535 Hours Of Coverage … 
Netflix Exec Denies It’s Responsible For Nickelodeon … 
DESPERATE: HuffPo & Oprah Team Up Now 
Hot Trailer: ‘The Great Gatsby’ 
How Did Women Pilot Writers Fare For 2012? 
UPDATE TUESDAY 11AM: A source close to CBS stressed that the casting changes on Criminal Minds were a creative, not financial decision, and a way to “refresh a veteran drama series.” A new regular female cast member will be brought in sometime next season to fill the void that will be left by Cook’s departure.
EXCLUSIVE MONDAY 7:50PM: Heading to Season 6, CBS’ successful crime drama Criminal Minds is trimming the female portion of its cast for what I hear are financial reasons. I’m told the option of series regular A.J. Cook has not been picked up and co-star Paget Brewster is being made an offer to stay for only a reduced number of episodes next season, leaving fan favorite Kristen Vangsness as the only remaining full-time female cast member. I hear negotiations are underway with Brewster for a new deal that would keep her on the show. If she agrees, she will continue to be formally a regular but won’t appear in every episode. Talks are also ongoing with Cook to possibly appear in several episodes next season to wrap her character Jennifer Jereau’s storyline.
Among the broadcast networks, CBS has been aggressive in trying to rein in series costs, especially on its longer-running, more expensive dramas with large ensemble casts. Criminal Minds has had seven regulars as part of its core cast. Staying on are Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler and Vangsness. With the exception of Vangsness’ quirky nerd goddess Penelope Garcia, which has developed a strong following, the series has largely been perceived as a male-centered ensemble, with the boys getting most of the action.
Cook has been on the show since the first episode, joining after the pilot in 2005. Paget Brewster came on board nine episodes into Season 2, replacing original cast member Lola Glaudini. But aside from the Glaudini-Brewster switch and the forced replacement of original lead Mandy Patinkin with Mantegna following Patinkin’s abrupt exit after Season 2, the cast on Criminal Minds has been pretty stable, with Gibson, Moore and Vangness all on board since the pilot.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
Why oh why is it every time a show is successful and amazing do they have to go and mess with it!! Oh well just TV right??
financial? They don’t make enough money to make a difference
This is the only top show that has never renegotiated the actors nor given them raises for any reason.
It makes no sense to drop Paget – she is fantastic. AJ’s character is not important but she does a good job of bringing a cipher to life
Honestly, if they’re going to cut someone, get rid of Mantegna. It’s not as if he has all that much to do, anyway.
The spinoff is just horrible. They should do a low-budget reality show instead and leave CM alone!
I really hope this is just a rumor, because the ensemble is what makes the show. I probably won’t watch it if they drop AJ and Paget.
Criminal Minds is going into it’s 6th season not it’s 7th. Do you actually mean its 7th? Meaning that AJ only has one more season or did you really mean they are cutting back for the upcoming 6th season?
CM is one of the few primetime tv shows that I religiously watch. Cut the women from the show and they’ve lost a viewer.
Criminal Minds is going into it’s 6th season not it’s 7th. Do you actually mean its 7th? Meaning that AJ only has one more season or did you really mean they are cutting back for the upcoming 6th season? Thought I would try and make it clear.
This is utterly ridiculous. I love this show, and there is absolutely no way I will watch it without JJ and will less Prentiss each week. This is disgusting, unfair and sexist, and I don’t understand how CBS could justify this move.
The solution to this problem is to cut the inflated salaries of the penguin butts in the front office.I watched the pilot for the spin off and hated it. To top of this stupidity they are moving CSI:NY to Friday. These are the same exs who told Steven Spielburg
that M&Ms couldn’t possibly use their candies in ET. Don’t get too sure of yourself. Remember NBC use to be the top channel until they started screwing around.
I hope this is merely a rumor. It makes absolutely NO SENSE to pick up a spin-off that no one really cares about- Then cut AJ and cut back Pagets episodes -because of financial problems?!
I also don’t really believe the “financial problem” factor.. Think about it this way…
1) Criminal minds is one of the most popular shows on CBS.
2) Its been syndicated by AT LEAST 2 other channels A&E and ION Television.
3) The DVD releases do extremely well.
Each time an episode is played on tv…not only the actors…but the producers (assumtions that CBS is included) get paid.
I know that on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays there’s marathons of criminal minds playing all day.
SO, Its hard to believe that there are financial problems at all.
If it is from that spin-off, CBS will hopefully realize their stupid mistake in that the spinoff wont make as much money as the REGULAR show….
Hey ladies, I started a petition to keep Paget & AJ on the show.
Don’t let this blatant sexism go down without a fight!
http://www.petitiononline.com/cmwomen/petition.html
To sign, go here: http://www.petitiononline.com/cmwomen/petition-sign.html
stupid CBS is probably having financial problems because they decided to put forest whitaker on the spinoff… obviously hes gonna cost a lot..I bet a whole lot more than AJ and Paget combined. This is definitely gonna affect the show…the two strong held women of the show to be treated in this manner. AJ and Paget easily handled the boys on the team.. without that the team wont be the same..even if they decided to add someone who would work for less…the chemistry of this cast is hard to beat….I doubt that the humor, and balance of this team would be the same if this were true…
I agree with Aloy above. Joe Mantegna’s Rossi is a waste of character. He still doesn’t feel right on the show after all this time. CBS saw that after Mandy left that the numbers didn’t go down and adding Rossi the numbers didn’t go up. Gibson & the rest of the ensemble were enough to carry the show without Mantegna. His salary is the real waste. Cancel his contract and keep the ones we really love and connect to part of the show. Rossi is dead weight.
Don’t trash Joe Mantegna. He has been more successful then all these people. But as much as I am a Joe fan, I love every one and don’t want anyone to leave. Let’s not be negative about any of the stars or everyone will be gone.
I agree. I hated it when Gideon and El left, but I have always liked Emily and Rossi. I don’t think they should let any of the cast go. Its the ensemble that makes it so good.
Aren’t they starting season 6 this September? your article refers to season 7. So is she in for the upcoming season?
Bummer! I love the girls…I love the entire cast…it’s an ensemble show where they interact and play off each other. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle and to lose any would be some pieces are missing! They are like family and now they want to do away with some of the family? I would def nix the new show or find another way to meet the budget. The orig CM is a sure thing, has solid writing and a very strong following. Let’s band together and b—- like crazy to keep our girls! Jump on the bandwagon and write to CBS and the PTB to keep things status quo: excellent! It ain’t broke so don’t try to fix it!
I disagree with everyone who thinks David Rossi is dead weight. Rossi is now one of the top characters on the show. I can’t fathom CM without at least one female lead in the field. I can see the powers that be getting rid of JJ, but I think reducing Prentiss to a limited number of episodes is a HUGE mistake!
I agree totally.
I don’t want to see any of the actors/actresses leave my all-time favorite show. I never miss an episode. All of the characters make the show. I agree with many others who have commented…dump the spin-off. I was not impressed the night it came on so I will not be watching it. I think if you drop the ladies on CM, then you will be losing viewers. I just don’t see how it can be the same show without AJ and Paget. Please keep CM as is and save the spin-off for another time and another place. Hey, maybe never! That to me would save on the finances!
CBS Doesnt understand the sex appeal and female point of view these ladies bring to the show. Insane. You got a show for geeks with sex appeal and they screw it up. Will kill the show.
This is completely lame. I can’t imagine this show being entertaining without Cook and Brewster. They’re just as integral to the team dynamic as Gibson or Moore. Even when Cook left the show for maternity leave, I felt something was lost. Not to mention the fact that their characters’ “skills” play a major role in most of the storylines, whether it’s JJ choosing certain cases and keeping the team grounded, or Prentiss’ language skills/political connections/general perspective. Just the idea of taking them off–I don’t think I’d even bother watching anymore. And I agree with every other poster: lose the stupid spin-off that no one wants to watch anyway, before you screw up a tried-and-true program with a cast that has been successful year after year.
Ok just saying. emily’s character is a filler slot really. i mean name one thing she does in any episode that couldnt been done by another member? all other team members bring a full cast and weather intentional or not her character is kind of jsut there, now as far as jj her character isnt being suddenly removed, hello people! any one that is a fan should notcie the life changes that have occured to her. its not hard to belive the character will be leaving the bau to spend time with her family as to not end up like Hotch. so please before you comment on a ‘deadline holywood’ opinion, realize that they have no affiliation with the show and there opinions arnt based on any facts.
by deadline Hollywood opinion do you mean the spin-off?
If you do…they actually are affiliated.
its a spin-off…and its part of CBS.
Because CBS picked this show up…
they’re taking money out of the other shows.
CBS should have seen if they had enough money and could afford building a whole new show…instead of cutting characters.
Even with your argument.. wouldn’t you say without these prominent women characters….the show becomes extremely male dominant?
Which definitely doesnt work well with many people as seen in these comments….
Emily is my favorite. They cut Paget, they lose a fan
I have serious doubts about the veracity of this-they have a winning team, fooling with it in such a drastic way is foolish (not that that ever stopped them before). But the cast is tight-knit and I don’t think any of them would take the targeting of another well. It’s not like when two minor CSI characters were holding out in Season 2- every member of the team has been well established for a few seasons here. The truest thing said was that CBS is notorious for trying to short-change their employees. I don’t know if I’d say CBS is bluffing, but I think they’re trying to leverage through intimidation.
GOD, I HOPE YOU’RE RIGHT. MAYBE IT’LL BACKFIRE WHEN THE REALIZE HOW OUTRAGED THE FANS ARE!IT WOULD SERVE THEM RIGHT IF THEY HAVE TO EAT CROW AND GIVE HER A RAISE TO KEEP HER. WISHFUL THINKING I SUPPOSE.
THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD MAKE THIS STING LESS WOULD BE FOR AJ COOK TO BE SNAPPED UP AND COME OUT THE OTHER END A MEGA STAR.
Paget & AJ leave… I’m no longer watching. This show works well because of the cast together. They’re a family. You start taking away people, then it’s all going to fall apart!
I’m not sure why people think that the budget of the spin off has anything to do with the original series. It does not. They don’t “share” production – the two are entirely unrelated. That said, if this is true then it is a very sexist move and it sounds like CBS is fully acknowledging that.
CM writer Cris Mundy is the showrunner for teh spin-off and as i;ve heard some of the writers for CM will write for the new show as well. How are the production costs completely unrelated?
This is stupid. Yes, AJ and Emily don’t really do much on the show, but that’s a problem a problem with the WRITING not with the actors. CRIMINAL MINDS is a show that appeals to women — cutting the women who are supposed to be the audience surrogates is stupid. What they need to do is find ways to make them more engaged.
What they should cut is either David or Derek. You don’t need both. They both are doing the same thing — showing a mentor/mentee relationship. If you want Hotchner to have a mentor figure keep David, If you want him to become the mentor keep Derek. Even then really you could cut Derek and have him mentor someone else.
I guess on a procedural it’s better to be male eye candy than female eye candy.
I think the outrage that us CM fans are obviously showing SHOULD be listened to by CBS. When the fans of CSI: Miami reacted the same way to Adam Rodriguez leaving…CBS listened and put him back on the show. Hopefully this happens with Criminal Minds as well!!!
Adam Rodriquez left to be on another show on another network. It has nothing to do with this situation.