While initial indications were that the decision to end AJ Cook’s run as a series regular on “Criminal Minds” was motivated in finances, reports are now identifying the call as a creative one.
According to Deadline, which first speculated on the financial aspect of the move, the decision was a creative call made to “refresh a veteran drama series.” A new female character is expected to join the show as a replacement during the upcoming sixth season.
News broke Monday that CBS’ veteran hit “Criminal Minds” was trimming the female portion of its cast, dropping AJ Cook from the show and, though not removing her series regular billing, scaling back Paget Brewster’s role.
I realise different shows have different budgets but surely CBS is the one to allocate which show gets what budget. If they can afford to give Charlie Sheen millions & spend a lot of money on a spin-off with a star I assume is also extremely expensive in these difficult financial times, why hasn’t CBS been able to allocate sufficient funds to maintain a stellar cast integral to the success of a consistently top show?
It seems to me this decision speaks volumes of the beliefs and attitudes of CBS rather than being an understandable business decision based on the current financial climate.
CBS seems to believe that they can save money by firing AJ Cook and reducing the number of episodes Paget Brewster appears in and still have a top show. They believe established strong female characters played by talented actresses are expendable. After all there are four male characters on the show that have not been fired or offered only part time employment.
When faced with the initial backlash from viewers/fans of Criminal Minds they rushed out a correction that this decision was not financial but was for “creative reasons” in order to “refresh a veteran drama”. I believe CBS were also trying to refute the other bone of contention that their decision was sexist by announcing they would be adding a new regular female cast member to Criminal Minds.
I do not believe CBS has successfully refuted either claim.
Replacing AJ Cook with another regular female cast member for “creative reasons”could be seen as reasonable in terms of CBS’ statement, regardless of whether you personally agree with the decision. However not when you also take into account what basically amounts to the demotion of Paget Brewster. How does having Paget Brewster in only some of the episodes “refresh” the show? How is that not a financial decision considering the only benefit (that I can see) is it would save them money? A new regular and a part time Paget Brewster still amounts to less money being spent and the impression that CBS believes female characters are less important than their male counter parts. That CBS sees the female characters are either expendable, interchangeable or only required some of the time. At least that is the impression I get.
I would also like to say what are the odds that this new regular female cast member will be younger and cheaper than AJ Cook? I hope I am wrong but if I’m not how exactly does CBS believe this statement refutes the claims that this decision is not financial and sexist?
Assuming Criminal Minds is profitable given the ratings success & DVD sales why should the cast and crew have to take pay cuts for their successful hard work if the execs haven’t? Why should the cast of a successful show have to work for less when millions is being thrown at Charlie Sheen? Why isn’t working hard & being successful not enough to justify their salaries and continued employment? Is it really necessary to make cuts on a show as successful as Criminal Minds? Or is it as simple as CBS believing they can make these cuts and the only consequence will be bigger profits for them on an already successful show
There are a few things I would love to know the facts and figures of. How does Criminal Minds compare to other CBS shows for ratings and revenue? Is Criminal Minds currently profitable? Is any of this affected by the amount of ad revenue each show can generate? Have the CBS execs taken a pay cut during these difficult financial times?
how to ruin a great .program,a better way to save money top management take a pay cut after all they would not notice it. so to sum it up stop ruining great programs think of the viewers and not your own pay packets
Why brake up the team A J Cook has gotten better as the series went on .Why bring in someone new ? This show is rated high because of the characters playing great together Great writing and great directing different locations are also very good. Please keep AJ Cook with this team for the duration of the series trust me and millions of other LOYAL FANS it will work We don’t need some new actor not for this show
I thoroughly enjoy Criminal Minds and am thinking that the execs at CBS should take pay cuts they force on cast members of shows. I am very sad about the firing of A J Cook and the fleecing of Paget Brewster. They gave the show some human element because of the fact that they are females. I also love the quirky Kirsten Vangness’ character Penelope Garcia. I hope they don’t ruin the show too much or they will have people stop watching it. We will just have to wait and see.
If the showing is working, why change it. I have stopped watching many shows once they change it up. Please stop the insanity. Now that Law and Order is gone, I was counting on this show to fill the hole. Please leave it alone.
This show is amazing, I don’t really understand why they need to change it. Without AJ Cook and Paget Brewster the team wont be the same, and in turn I will have no reason to watch the show anymore. It’s like the CSI incident all over again! CSI Las Vagas was my number one show till they started to replace the cast members. I have stopped watching it ever since then, and as far as I know everyone in my family has also stopped watching it. I’m pretty sure the rating of the overall show has gone down dramatically. I don’t want that to happen to Criminal Minds! Without JJ and Emily there is no team, if theres no team then there is no show. Ciminal Minds needs JJ and Emily, period!!
I am so upset about A.J. Cook being cut from Criminal Minds. I looked forward to watching my favorite show every Wednesday, now CBS has gone and messed up another show. Why do they keep doing this to good shows. It is so sad that all we have left on tv is Junk Reality shows. I will not watch anymore of CBS tv if they keep doing this to all my favorite shows.
I can not believe that AJ Cook is gone. She was one of my favorite characters on the show. Between her and Garcia, they were my main reasons to watch. I’m sure that with her talent (and looks) AJ will prosper and move on to other things. However, the show will suffer. The only reason I will continue to watch (probably) is for Garcia now. CBS, stop messing with great shows! No one believes that you cut “JJ” for any reason other than money. Yet a teenager on Two and a half men gets millions of dollars per year?? Makes perfect sense to me. Bring AJ back, if she will now, and keep Criminal Minds being a great show. Otherwise, risk losing and alienating your audience. Then you’ll have to find another show to take that slot.
Please bring A.J. back to the show and do not cut back on Paget’s role. You had a successful show, The cast members were a team, by cutting these two you have ruined a very successful show, do you think you can keep audiences by showing cheap reality shows and paying Charlie Sheen millions. Look after the great shows you have and count your blessings you have one.
I totally agree with rob(oct. 10)plus they have all these stupid shows on T.V. they ruin the great ones by changing the cast. I to will stop watching
hi aj cook i love criminal minds
im a big fan.
i always wanted to meet you
your a good actress.
your fan maria
Go on, CBS, and ruin another great show! Soon you will have none left! Criminal Minds was the best thing you had. You already ruined CSI:Las Vegas. I don’t even watch that anymore. I’ll still watch NCIS, and CSI:Miami, until you mess with them. I wouldn’t watch charlie sheen if you sent ME money every week!
I agree with all the comments that have previously been posted. Don’t mess with a good show, all CBS is doing is ruining a good thing. Don’t mess with it, bring AJ Cook back, and don’t mess with Paget Brewster’s character. Like everyone else, execs take a cut in pay. Don’t pay actors that think they are above everyone else (Charlie Sheen) the high dollars. All they do is expect more and more and you give in and then cut the shows that people are watching. I had stopped watching two and half men because of Charlie Sheen and all the STUPID!!!! and wrong things you were showing on the show. To me the show was starting to depict the “REAL” life of Charlie Sheen. YUCK!! Put the money in the shows that we are watching.
Okay I’m like the 10000th person to say this but AJ Cook should not have been fired. Her character was still being developed. We just found out important things that could lead to great story lines. Why cut a great idea? – I loved her character in the show and as seen in the comments above, its apparent that so does everyone else, SO WHY CUT HER? if anything this is going to make people stop watching. If this is for money then you just made one of the worst mistakes. Speaking as an audience when an original cast member leaves the show it just doesnt feel the same. If you want more views then change the storyline, change the set, dont change the characters.
Also, taking AJ out and replacing her with someone else is going to cost more. AJ was part of the story so she had a normal amount of episode shifts, but with someone new, they need to be paid more so they can have more screen time to develop her background.
Also why would you cut down Pagets work, she is the one of the main characters, so why do it?
Please answer me this one question, truthfully please, WHY?
No big suprise, but my family and I agree with about everyone else, why would you let A.J. Cook go?,and then cut Paget Brewster’s time in half. Next thing you are going to tell me is that Garcia and Reed are cut too.
That is all you could have done to make it worse.
Hope you know what you have done, you may have lost double what you were paying A.J.