# Entertainment Forum > Television Discussion > US Drama >  Criminal Minds - Living TV

## Jojo

Does anyone watch this?

Its in its second season showing on Living TV (Fridays at 9pm, the first showing airs) and I would highly recommend it to CSI/Criminal Show lovers.

The episode just aired here this week was about a group of three friends that were kidnapped and held in a basement - their kidnapper then told them they had a choice to make - which two would leave alive and which would die.  Excellent show based on the Behavioural Science Unit of the FBI (the same that Clarice Starling was involved in within Silence of the Lambs) in which they profile the person who is carrying out the crimes in order to help the local police department catch them.  It varies week to week from murder to kidnap to other crimes.

A bit of blurb from CBS:

*About the Show*
CRIMINAL MINDS revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. Special Agent Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) is the FBI's top behavioral analyst, working with the Behavioral Analysis Unit lead by Special Agent Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), a family man who is able to gain people's trust and unlock their secrets. Also on the team are Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), the daughter of high-powered diplomats who recently joined the team and must prove her worth to Gideon and Hotchner; Special Agent Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), an expert on obsessional crimes; Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), a classically misunderstood genius whose social IQ is as low as his intellectual IQ is high; Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (AJ Cook), a confident young agent who acts as the unit liaison for the team, and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), a computer wizard who helps research the cases. Each member brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.

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## Chloe O'brien

I watched the first series that was on last year when they were looking for the serial killer. missed a couple of episodes from the second series though, will catch up with it when they show it on 5

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## Siobhan

Is that the show with the guy from Dharma and Gregg in it?? I watch a bit of it..

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## Jojo

I have no idea Shiv - never seen Dharma and Gregg lol.  Looking forward to this weeks new episode though on Friday.

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## CrazyLea

I've seen one episode  :Big Grin:  Was really good! Want to watch it again, but bad timings!!  :Sad:  It's really interesting to see into the mind of the criminals. See why they do what they do.

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## Chloe O'brien

> Is that the show with the guy from Dharma and Gregg in it?? I watch a bit of it..


That's were I've seen him before.  I couldn't think what show he had been in before.  Cheers Siobhan

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## Jojo

This just in: Sources confirm that Mandy Patinkin has agreed to return to Criminal Minds for one episode this fall to wrap up his story.

The news comes just hours after Minds exec producer Ed Bernero posted this blistering message on the show's No. 1 fansite regarding Patinkin's vanishing act:

There have been several reports recently in the media about the Mandy Patinkin situation on Criminal Minds. Firstly, they are true -- Mr. Patinkin has left the show. What's troubling to us though, is that the reports tend to suggest or hint that the Producers, the Studios or CBS have something to do with what has happened. Phrases like 'maybe cooler heads will prevail...' and the like have been used. Let me make this clear: this is not about a contract renegotiation, this is not about money, this is not about something Mr. Patinkin asked for that wasn't provided -- in fact, everyone involved in the show has for two years bent over backward to give him anything he wanted.

Mr. Patinkin told the show, the studios and the network the he was returning right up to the day before we started shooting the first episode and then simply did not show up. He also has not contacted anyone within the show (producers, cast, crew) to explain why he isn't returning. Even to this moment, we have no word from him. He gave us no advance notice that anything was wrong, no oppurtunity to find a way to make the loss of this character work, no indication that we should be looking for someone else, no warning that we might have to rewrite the first seven scripts (which is how far ahead we try to work) without the central character in them. None. Zero. He was not, as some media reports have indicated, written 'lightly' in our first episode, in fact, it was quite the opposite. Because of the construct of the first episode story, he was actually in the center of that episode. He left us completely in the proverbial lurch.

As loyal fans of the show, we think you all deserve an explanation and I wish I had a better one to give you. The most amazing writing staff in television is working very hard to find a way to make this work and we will find a way to give you the organic, dramatic experience you expect from CM.

If I have new news I will provide it, and if there are questions you have... we will do our best to answer. If you hear a rumor, please ask us. I remain touched and humbled by the support you have all shown the show.

from Ask Ausiello

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tammyy2j (17-07-2007)

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## Jojo

Apparently, a casting call has been put out for someone that looks like Mandy, so whether they will just replace him, or replace his character entirely remains to be seen.  Personally I think this is a big loss to a great show but am also very interested to see how this pans out.

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## Chloe O'brien

What is it with these prima donna's who think they are bigger than the TV show they appear in.  Maddy will regret his decision to leave a top show like criminal minds.  David Caruso did a similar thing on walking out on NYPD Blues because he wanted more money so he went and did a couple of movies but they bombed. Its only since he got a second chance with CSI Miami that he admits he made a terrible mistake on walking out on NYPD.

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## tammyy2j

Mandy Patinkin will be a big loss for the show. He did the same thing before on Chicago Hope.

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## Jojo

As first teased in Michael Ausiello's TCA press tour diary, CBS and Criminal Minds lead Mandy Patinkin have agreed to disagree and thus part ways effective immediately, meaning that fans of the hit crime drama have seen the last of Jason Gideon.

"Mandy Patinkin asked to be released from his role on Criminal Minds. We have honored this request, which was not in any way connected to contract renegotiations or salary issues," says a statement from CBS Paramount Network Television and ABC Studios (which produces Minds). "His departure... will be explained to audiences in an episode to be filmed in the near future and broadcast early next season. We thank Mandy for helping to make Criminal Minds a strong and successful series, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. A new character will be added to the series for next season."

A statement issued on behalf of Patinkin, in turn, reads: "Due to creative differences, Mandy has asked not to return to Criminal Minds this season. Mandy would like to thank the studios and network for releasing him from the series and he wishes the cast and crew continued success in all of their endeavors and looks forward to continuing to work with the Disney and CBS companies in other capacities in the future."

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## Jojo

The search for Mandy Patinkin's replacement on Criminal Minds may be over.

At CBS' press-tour soiree this evening, Minds man Shemar Moore essentially confirmed what I've been hearing all day: Geena Davis has emerged as the front-runner to succeed Patinkin.

Moore, who was in a very chatty mood, also name-dropped Michael Keaton as a possible successor, but sources tell me that Keaton has officially passed.

What else did Moore have to say? Loads.

â¢ On Patinkin's abrupt exit: "I don't like that he did this the way he did this. I don't. I don't think it's right. He left us hanging a little bit... no warning, no nothing. We all showed up to work on Day 1, and he didn't. And we've been scrambling. But we're going to be all right without him. I just feel like he needs to take responsibility for his actionsâ¦ [and] just acknowledge us, because it's an ensemble, it's a team.... We just want the courtesy and the respect that we deserve. And we felt like if he had given us that initially, this would be much easier to deal with. He essentially just slapped us in the face."

â¢ Did anyone see it coming? "We saw it coming in 1995 when he did it on Chicago Hope. Mandy's a volatile personality. He had his good days and he had his bad days. Sometimes the content of what we did would affect him more some days than others. Everybody thought he got the breath of fresh air he needed with the hiatus. I saw him in Monte Carlo about four, five weeks ago, and I said, 'I'll see you on [July] 9.' And he said, "Yep.'"

â¢ Any lessons to be learned from this? "I'm hoping Mandy learns a lesson from his actions. He did it once, OK. This one's going to sting a little bit. At least it should sting. Bottom line is, he didn't show up to work â with no warning. He didn't tell anybody."

â¢ On his recent legal troubles: "My problem is I always liked fast cars. The mistake I made was I was driving too fast. As far as any alcohol-related charges, they were all dropped. The lesson that I learned was, I've got to slow down."

â¢ On those infamous nudie pics: "You mean of me frolicking on the beach? You know, the worst part of that whole thing for me was the frolicking, because, to me, it sounds like I was skipping or something like that. Look, I had no problems with [the photos]. What I have a problem with is their making such an issue out of me being gay. I'll say it right now: I'm not gay. Not even a little bit. I love women. Women are god's greatest creation. But I have no problems with people who are gay. My godfather was gay; he died of AIDS. I have dear friends that are gay. I'm very straight. The article said I got "caught." I didn't get caught. I willingly went to Hawaii. I willingly went to Maui, with two girlfriends of mine. I'm a single man. I had two girlfriends out there, and we wanted to go skinny-dipping."

â¢ Was he, um, happy with those pics? "Lemme just say this: Thank god the water was fairly warm. That's all I'm going to say. It wasn't my best day. But it wasn't an awful day."

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## Chloe O'brien

Season Finale of criminal minds tonight at 10pm on living.  On the rumour of Geena Davis being a possible replacement is she quiting her role as the female president in the drama series  Comander and Chief with Donald Sutherland?

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## tammyy2j

> Season Finale of criminal minds tonight at 10pm on living.  On the rumour of Geena Davis being a possible replacement is she quiting her role as the female president in the drama series  Comander and Chief with Donald Sutherland?


I think Commander in Chief got cancelled

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## Jojo

> Season Finale of criminal minds tonight at 10pm on living.  On the rumour of Geena Davis being a possible replacement is she quiting her role as the female president in the drama series  Comander and Chief with Donald Sutherland?


Yup and it looks brilliant! Gideon is at the forefront of it all and serial killer Frank is back!  Lets just say, Gideon isn't going to be a happy bunny......

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## Jojo

How brilliant was the final episode!!! Totally fantastic, although I have to say, I am definitely going to miss Mandy Patinkin.

Apparently Gina Davis has turned down joining Criminal Minds next series, so there are 2 others that they are now looking at.

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## tammyy2j

Apparently Batman star Michael Keaton is rumoured to be the replacement after Geena Davis refused the role

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## tammyy2j

Looks like the mystery surrounding who will replace Mandy Patinkin on Criminal Minds is closer to being solved. Sources tell TV Guide that the producers and the network are in serious negotiations with Harvey Keitel.

While not a done deal yet, this is the closest theyâve come to filling the role. This would mark the Oscar-nominated actor's first series-lead role.

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## Chloe O'brien

Joe Mantegna is to join the cast of CBS drama _Criminal Minds_.

Mantegna will replace Mandy Patinkin, who left last month citing "creative differences", as the lead on the two-year-old show.

In a message to fans, executive producer Ed Bernero said: "We are very excited to tell you all that Joe Mantegna is officially joining the cast of 'Criminal Minds'.

"Thanks for hanging with us, everyone."

At this stage it is unclear as to how the departure of Patinkin's character and the introduction of Mantegna will play on screen.

Mantegna played Will through 45 episodes of _Joan of Arcadia_ and most recently voiced the character of Fat Tony in _The Simpsons Movie_.

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## tammyy2j

Prior to the recording of this week's podcast, Ausiello said Joe Mantegna was Criminal Minds' new front-runner, and this time the front-runner actually crossed the finish line. Joan of Arcadia's pop has been called upon to fill the vacancy left when Mandy Patinkin... well, we're still not 100 percent sure what he did. "We are very excited to tell you all that Joe Mantegna is officially joining the cast," Bernero shares at the Criminal Minds Fanatic blog. "Thanks for hanging with us, everyone."

In the weeks since Patinkin's defection from the hit CBS series, such big names as Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel and Doris Roberts [wink-wink] were tossed around as possible subs. At this point, with Minds being several episodes into production on the new season, Mantegna is not likely to first appear until November sweeps.

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## Jojo

My moles at Criminal Minds have just confirmed for me exclusively that disgraced cranky-pants Mandy Patinkin will be returning to the show this fall after all — but only for one episode (airing Oct. 3), so as to provide some closure for his Gideon character. Strange as that may sound, though, that isn't the really odd part: He'll only be in one scene, and he'll essentially be the only one in it.

Why? Well, duh! My spies tell me that no one in the cast wanted to work opposite him again after he brought production to a standstill by pulling a no-show without even calling in (cough, cough) sick. What's more, Minds' producers were forced to use a special crew to shoot the pariah's scene because the show's regular staff refused to be on set with him.

Except possibly to Patinkin, who seems to live in his own world, the backlash against him isn't entirely a surprise. Last month, costar Shemar Moore raked him over the coals at press tour. "I don't like that he did this the way he did this," the former soap stud said. "I don't think it's right. He left us hanging... no warning, no nothing. We all showed up to work on Day 1, and he didn't.

"He needs to take responsibility for his actions," Moore continued, "[and] just acknowledge us, because it's an ensemble, it's a team.... We just want the courtesy and the respect that we deserve. And we felt like if he had given us that initially, this would be much easier to deal with. He essentially just slapped us in the face."

As such, what will transpire in Mandy's final scene on the show? The onetime Chicago Hope firestarter gets in a car and drives away, a new bridge burning in his rearview mirror.

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## tammyy2j

Preview: Joe Mantegna's Criminal Minds Debut 
by Jonathan Small 

Joe Mantegna, Criminal Minds
 After months of controversy, speculation and anticipation, Joe Mantegna will finally have his Criminal Minds moment. Tonight (at 9 pm/ET, CBS) he debuts as Agent David Rossi, replacing Mandy Patinkin's Jason Gideon, whose mental meltdown caused him to bag the Behavioral Analysis Unit earlier this season. 
Like Mantegna, Rossi will hit the ground running. No sooner is the showboating founding father of the BAU called out of retirement than he's tapped to solve the "Have You Seen Me?" murders: Victims find a missing-person flier on their doors with their own photo on it before they disappear. One thing's for sure: This ain't The Starter Wife. "I've learned more about torture devices than I would ever want to know," Mantegna says. 

Not that he's complaining. Mantegna calls Criminal Minds his "favorite show in the world," adding that the grim subject matter "runs completely contrary to the reality of what the atmosphere is like on set. It's the most fun-loving group." 

While cast members admit to missing Patinkin, they say the addition of Mantegna will ultimately benefit the show. "There's drama and there's unnecessary drama," says Thomas Gibson (Hotch). "It's nice to have a little bit of a change." Paget Brewster (Prentiss), who joined the hit series last season, says Mantegna fits in perfectly: "The transition feels completely organic. It doesn't feel like anyone else except Joe could have come in." Only time â and the ratings â will tell if viewers agree.

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## Jojo

So who has been watching the new series. 

I know I have and I loved the opening episode with Gideons departure - at least they closed the door properly, and didn't leave it, so thank you to Mandy Pantinkin for returning to film it instead of just totally disappearing.

Hmm, Joe Mantegna...I wasn't sure at first, but I'm starting to warm to him.  I was sat for ages, wondering where I knew the name from and where I knew the voice from, but why I didn't recognise the face - its Fat Tony from The Simpsons!!!!  Finally figured it last night.

What a shocker last night mind - why on earth did that guy shoot Garcia, although as soon as he said, I've been wanting to do something all night Garcia, rather than calling her Penelope, I knew something was going to happen.

I hope she pulls through (I do know if she does or not - I had to find out  :Lol:  ) - roll on next Friday!

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## willow

interesting finish to the series.............................

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## pookie1968uk

i watched this on thursday on living and thought it was great! but then i thought the series finale was the next day which i missed? was that it for the series or is it still on? i would like to watch more of them.

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## Jojo

That was it for the current series, although they do repeats during the week and you can see earlier episodes too although I can't remember which days.

I paused and replayed, paused and replayed etc so many times, but I have seen a few things about the new series, which makes me happy in some respects although confused in others.

I love this programme though.

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## pookie1968uk

my husband and i have now started watching all the repeats of this programme, not even in any particular order. just recording them as we find them. we are both hooked! cant believe how brilliant the stories are, some of them are completely gripping and absorbing!

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## Trinity

Two years later - I find this show.

Was this the guy who played Gideon?  Because in some episodes I see he features and in others his isn't there?

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## kayuqtuq

Mandy Patinkin played Gideon.  He walked out of the show during the second series, I think, and was replaced by Joe Mantegna.

Carol   :Cool:

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Trinity (04-07-2009)

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## Jojo

> Two years later - I find this show.
> 
> Was this the guy who played Gideon?  Because in some episodes I see he features and in others his isn't there?


Gideon was in Criminal Minds until 2 series ago, when he walked.  One day, he just didn't turn up for filming and when found, told them he didn't want to do it anymore, so off he went.  Joe Montagna came on board and at first, I wasn't sure if I'd like him, especially as I kept hearing Fat Tony from The Simpsons  :Lol:   He's turned into a great asset though and I prefer his character to Gideon's.

This new series is absolutely fantastic - I was panicking last night, when I honestly though MY Derek Morgan was going to be shot....

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## Trinity

> Originally Posted by Trinity
> 
> 
> Two years later - I find this show.
> 
> Was this the guy who played Gideon?  Because in some episodes I see he features and in others his isn't there?
> 
> 
> Gideon was in Criminal Minds until 2 series ago, when he walked.  One day, he just didn't turn up for filming and when found, told them he didn't want to do it anymore, so off he went.  Joe Montagna came on board and at first, I wasn't sure if I'd like him, especially as I kept hearing Fat Tony from The Simpsons   He's turned into a great asset though and I prefer his character to Gideon's.
> ...


Derek is quite cute.  I expected it to be him under the blanket, too.

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## tammyy2j

Season 5 has started on Living 

Hotch is back  :Cheer:

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## tammyy2j

Sources told Entertainment Weekly that producers have decided not to renew Cook's contract because of financial reasons.


She plays Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau in 'Criminal Minds'.


Entertainment Weekly also reports that Cook's co-star Paget Brewster is in talks to continue her role as Emily Prentiss, but her number of episodes is expected to be reduced, also for financial reasons.

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lizann (16-06-2010)

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## lizann

I like JJ thats a shame

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## lizann

Sterling Beaumon has reportedly signed up for a guest role in Criminal Minds.

TV Guide reports that the 15-year-old is expected to play Jeremy, a young boy who is suspected of murdering families, in an October episode of the show.

Beaumon is best known for his role as a young Benjamin Linus in Lost and has also appeared in programmes including Heroes, ER and Bones.

Mare Winningham, who previously played Susan Grey in Grey's Anatomy, has also signed up to appear in the episode as a woman who takes in Jeremy.

The new season of Criminal Minds begins on September 22 on CBS.

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## Trinity

The new series started las t night, I don't know what season it is though.

How sad was it last night when JJ was forced to leave the BAU? At least her last case ended on a high.

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## Chloe O'brien

You know I spent almost my christmas holidays watching endless episodes of of Criminal minds on living.  I used to watch it when Gideon was in it but lost track because it clashed with out programmes, but I picked it up last year and  I watched it every night on living. Love it even if it's too graphic at times.  My favourite is Reed. I love how he just comes out with all these statistic all the time.

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## tammyy2j

Season 7 promo

Prentiss and JJ are back 




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v58HnYo9XF8

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## Chloe O'brien

I sit and watch CM every night on living.  I've seen all the episdoes around a dozen times but they're fab. Can't wait until January when the new series begins.

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## tammyy2j

Seems Shemar is leaving, Derek will be missed

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## lizann

thomas gibson who plays hotch has been fired for attacking a producer

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