Pictured (L-R) A.J. Cook , Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness and Paget Brewster, stars of Criminal Minds. Photo: Francis Specker/CBS ©2011 Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved
The producers of Criminal Minds (Wednesdays, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, CBS) must have gotten piles of hate mail after A.J. Cook, who plays Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, and Paget Brewster, who stars as Emily Prentiss, were cut from the show, because they’re both back on the series beginning with the season premiere.
Was it a way to stir up some controversy for a show that really didn’t need it? Who knows and no one’s talking.
Morgan (Shemar Moore) and JJ (A.J. Cook) zero in on a suspect, on the seventh season premiere of CRIMINAL MINDS. Photo: MATT KENNEDY/CBS ©2011 CBS BROADCASTING INC. All Rights Reserved. #CriminalMinds
Still A.J. Cook isn’t dwelling on being dumped. She’s just happy to be back on Minds again.
“It feels rewarding,” Cook begins, “and satisfying that everything’s back to normal. The girls are back and the team is back and the family is back and it just feels right. Everything makes sense again.”
Considering the character of Emily Prentiss was dead (as far as the BAU team was concerned) and they added characters to supposedly soften the blow of JJ’s exit, the producers have got serious resolutions to handle. Cook tells EntertainmentHeartbeat all the drama will be dealt with in a logical way.
“We actually just did a screening of the premiere and it’s exciting,” she assures fans. “It’s really well done and I think they did a really great job of explaining everything. We have a lot of changes, we had a lot to deal with and we’re going to explain it all. We’re just trying to make the show that the fans want and they fought so hard to get back together.”
Prentiss (Paget Brewster) and Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) are questioned by a Senate Committee for their actions surrounding Prentiss' assumed death and disappearance, on the seventh season premiere of CRIMINAL MINDS. Photo: Michael Yarish/CBS ©2011 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. #CriminalMinds
In fact, Cook insists, this year is specifically dedicated to the fans.
“We’re going to see a lot more into the personal lives and there is going to be a little turmoil within the team with this whole Emily deal, but we’re going to learn something new about all these characters,” she says.
Why?
“After seven seasons we have to…we have to get into the characters,” Cook points out. “Why they are the way they are and what they do when they leave the BAU. It’s exciting. It’s really exciting for us as actors.”
How personal will it get? Though Cook doesn’t give detailed specifics, she does hint that JJ will bring a bit of her work home.
“We’re shooting an episode right now that brings us back to JJ’s family and how she coping with being back at the BAU, being out in the field and having a family… juggling that. There are going to be some really great moments within the team and the relationships within the team. So, it’s exciting.”