'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

Criminal Minds promo Video for episode 8.21 'Nanny Dearest'

Criminal Minds Comments Thread for episode 8.20 'Alchemy'

Here, you can post comments and talk about tonight's new Criminal Minds episode titled 'Alchemy', and written by Sharon Lee Watson, and directed by Matthew Gray Gubler.

Enjoy tonight's episode, and remember that we'll have a new episode every week from now on until the finale!

Criminal Minds Press Release for 8.23 'Brothers Hotchner' and 8.24 'The Replicator'

THE REPLICATOR RETURNS TO TARGET A MEMBER OF THE BAU, AND HOTCH’S BROTHER IS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TEAM’S LATEST INVESTIGATION, ON THE TWO-HOUR EIGHTH SEASON FINALE OF “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

Mark Hamill Guest Stars

Bellamy Young Returns as Hotch’s Girlfriend, Beth Clemmons and Eric Johnson Reprises His Role as Hotch’s Brother, Sean

“Brothers Hotchner” and “The Replicator” – The Replicator zeroes in on the BAU when the killer targets one of the team as the next victim. Also, the BAU is called in to investigate a string of deaths in Manhattan tied to apparent ecstasy overdoses, and Hotch discovers that his estranged brother, Sean, is caught in the middle, on the two-hour eighth season finale of CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, May 22 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Mark Hamill guest stars. Bellamy Young returns as Hotch’s girlfriend, Beth Clemmons, and Eric Johnson reprises his role as Hotch’s brother, Sean.

CHEAT TWEET: #TheReplicator faces off w/the BAU – who will win? Find out on the 2-hr. season finale of #CriminalMinds 5/22, 9pm http://bit.ly/15XTdvC

SERIES REGULARS:
Joe Mantegna (David Rossi)
Thomas Gibson (Aaron Hotchner)
Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan)
Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid)
A.J. Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau)
Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia)
Jeanne Tripplehorn (Alex Blake)

GUEST CAST (“Brothers Hotchner”):
Jayne Atkinson (FBI Section Chief Director Erin Strauss)
Bellamy Young (Beth Clemmons)
Eric Johnson (Sean Hotchner)
Cade Owens (Jack Hotchner)
Kara Luiz (Liz Leonte)
Annabelle Borke (Anna Johnson)
Sean Maguire (Thane Parks)
Steve Wastell (Jim Peters)
Matthew Grathwol (Greg Matulic)
Brie Eley (Kimberly Sullivan)
Paul Shaw (Bernard Hatchitt)
Meghan Strange (Catherine Hatchitt)
Avery Kristen Pohl (Kiegan Hatchitt)
Tony Mirrcandani (Walter Beaird)
Richard Augustine (Larry Feretich)

GUEST CAST (“The Replicator”):
Jayne Atkinson (FBI Section Chief Director Erin Strauss)
Mark Hamill (John Curtis)
Nicholas Brendon (Kevin Lynch)
Teresa Huang (Dr. Weiss)
Kara Luiz (Liz Leonte)
Brian Appel (Agent Anderson)
Mark Moses (Senator Cramer)
Breanne Hill (Strauss Child #1)
Emma Marcus (Strauss Child #2)
Jordan Ledford (Strauss Child #3)

WRITTEN BY: Rick Dunkle (hour one); Erica Messer, one of the series’ executive producers (hour two)

DIRECTED BY: Rob Bailey (hour one); Glenn Kershaw (hour two)

Criminal Minds. Episode 8.20: "Alchemy" 2nd Sneak Peek

'Criminal Minds' Exclusive Sneak Peek: Matthew Gray Gubler Directs Another "Peculiar" Episode

by Joyce Eng

Matthew Gray Gubler is at it again. The Criminal Minds star directed Wednesday's episode — his second of the season and fifth overall — and if you've seen his past ones, you know what to expect.

"It's another very peculiar case in a weird little town where someone is killing people in a very bizarre way," Gubler, who plays Reid, told TVGuide.com earlier this season. "Those are...

To Read More: TVGuide.com