There have been five wonderful Criminal Minds' seasons. Five seasons that have seen members of the BAU leave for one reason or another. Five seasons have also seen the arrival of new members that have gained the love and hearts of the fans. But in five seasons Criminal Minds has not seen a night like tonight. The amount of collective sadness in the fandom tonight is impressive. Tonight we cease to be Hotch, Prentiss, Rossi, Reid, Morgan or Garcia fans. Tonight all Criminal Minds fans were JJ fans. And all Criminal Minds fans had the kleenex box ready for her exit. To say that AJ Cook's unwilling departure from the show is a big loss for Criminal Minds would be an understatement. There are no words, there is not much comfort, there is just sadness. Sadness that it has come this far, that the day we've all dreaded is here. Sadness that next week JJ won't be presenting the team with a new case. Just sadness.
AJ Cook, you are gifted with a lot of talent and the Knights and Ladies of the Criminal Minds Round Table bow to your incredible grace. Somehow, to say that we will miss you and that
Criminal Minds won't be the same without you doesn't seem enough. We wish you the absolute very best and thank the fates for the privilege to have had you on our favorite show.
Erica Messer, you were, as always, brilliant. Hats off for the subtleties and the respect you have shown JJ.
I'll let you know if I ever quit crying. AJ/JJ, you will be missed.
ReplyDeleteThank you AJ Cook for those five years. Will miss you.
ReplyDeleteErica Messer, you did a great job, thank you for giving JJ the send off she deserved.
Wish I had more to say but I am too sad at the moment.
Merlin
AJ WILL BE MISSED AND ALWAYS LOVED!I'm to upset to type!:-(
ReplyDeleteAJ did a fantastic job. Erica wrote a beautiful episode and allowed the whole team to mourn the fact that JJ was transferred out from under them, that she didn't want to leave and they didn't want her to leave. I think they sent a message to CBS that they didn't like what happened.
ReplyDeleteAJ Cook you will be missed, thanks for the past five years. Thank you Erica Messer for this great episode.
ReplyDeleteShe didn´t want to leave...the family didn´t want her to leave...so the Fans.
Not going to be a popular posting but....I didn't like this episode. Weird handling of the kidnapping. Didn't seem like Erica's writing. The BAU team just stood around & wasn't really brought into JJ's leaving. I did like the scene where Hotch showed emotion while telling JJ he would miss her. I love CM & will always watch & support the team as is now & any new team member brought in (as long as they do justice to the team & show).
ReplyDeletesorry no one will be able to quite fill JJ's place. Very dumb move!
ReplyDeleteThis episode was a big middle finger to CBS, which I appreciated. And a big "JJ is too important to lose" which I loved. I also loved how much it showed that the team was broken up about her leaving. Hotch holding back tears and going to hide in his office so he wouldn't break down in front of JJ. Prentiss' dismayed "No!" and the blatant tears in her eyes. Reid unable to grasp it and just saying "They can't take you away" and his lower lip trembling. Morgan angry and wanting to do something. Rossi saying their loss is someone else's gain. I know for a fact that the team loves her and will miss her, but it was nice to see it so clearly demonstrated in the episode. And then Garcia. Oh, Garcia. Alternating between breaking down and trying to keep a brave face for JJ. Smiling to the end, until JJ walked out and then breaking down.
ReplyDeleteAnd I so very much appreciated that they never even hinted that being a mom would make JJ consider leaving. Strauss brings it up, and JJ smacks her down. No last minute retcon saying JJ was finding the job too hard or was ready to leave to be a mom. Because that was never implied for a second on the show. No, JJ likes her work and would still be doing it with no regrets if the Pentagon (CBS) hadn't taken her away.
I also thought the case was good. And, I love interrogation scenes. To see the agents go toe to toe - or mind to mind- with unsubs is always great to watch. And, JJ gets the hardest job. Being there for the grieving family, but unable to say anything to make it better until they found Kate. And yet, they needed someone who was just there, just supporting and trying to give some normalcy with the looking through of photo albums. And of course, being the one that the family could turn to helped her solve the case.
And JJ is still looking out for everyone to the end. Saying she needed time to train someone and telling Hotch not to try and go without another liaison because of how much harder it would be for him. Telling Garcia they'd still see each other.
And then the montage? Okay, show, way to kick me in the gut. I wasn't expecting that. JJ striding out, head held high, and then all the scenes of nothing but her and her family. And JJ (or really AJ Cook) giving the most gracious ending speech. Take the high road indeed.