'Criminal Minds' Boss on Renewal Hold-Up: 'If We're Not on the Fall Schedule, I Will Be in Shock'

by Matt Webb Mitovich

Erica Messer has signed a new deal with ABC Studios to continue on as executive producer and showrunner of CBS’ Criminal Minds, our sister site Deadline reports — assuming the crime drama is renewed for Season 9.

The hold-up: Longtime castmembers A.J. Cook, Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore and Kirsten Vangsness all have yet to negotiate their own Season 9 returns, though that process is expected to be expedited now that Messer’s officially on board.

During a TVLine interview about the show's season finale (airing May 22), Messer said that if CBS' May 15 Upfront presentation “rolls around and we're...

To Read More: TVLine.com

‘Criminal Minds’ Showrunner Erica Messer Signs New Deal; Is The Cast Next?

By NELLIE ANDREEVA

EXCLUSIVE: Criminal Minds executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer has closed a new two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. Under the pact, she is set to continue as showrunner on the studio’s veteran crime drama. Locking in Messer has been considered key to Criminal Minds‘ renewal. CBS did not pick up the show for another season along with its other series because of too many uncertainties as Messer and key cast members Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Kristen Vangsness and A.J. Cook all had no deals beyond this season. ABC Studios and CBS are yet to lock in the actors, but Messer’s deal is expected to help the process. I hear besides money, a major holdup in the actors’ negotiations had been the fact that it was unclear who would run the show next season. Messer is very well liked among the cast and crew of Criminal Minds, so her coming back would likely...

To Read More: Deadline.com