CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - THR 'Criminal Minds' Shocker' - Interview

After 11 seasons, CBS' Criminal Minds is saying goodbye to one of its original stars. Wednesday's episode marked the final one for series star Shemar Moore, who said farewell to the veteran procedural after his Derek Morgan opted to focus on his new wife and baby-to-be....

To Read More: THR.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1118. A Beautiful Disaster - TVLine: Kirsten on Writing Derek Cliffhanger Resolution

By Matt Webb Mitovich

Life has not been easy for Criminal Minds‘ Derek Morgan. Just weeks ago, he was mysteriously abducted. And after barely enduring that ordeal, when last we tuned in someone had the BAU agent in his crosshairs, before a shot rang out.



Series regular Kirsten Vangsness, who last season had a hand in revisiting an old case of former team member Jason Gideon’s, co-wrote this Wednesday’s resolution to that cliffhanger (CBS, 9/8), which was directed by costar Matthew Gray Gubler and will answer some burning questions (as well as deliver some very personal drama).

TVLINE | So no big whoop — you simply had to write the episode which answers who is after Derek (played by Shemar Moore) and why, and possibly kills off a character.
Possibly, yeah — no big deal! It was really fun, like a trifecta for our little family here, because [Episode] 16 was all about Derek and that was directed by Thomas [Gibson], and the next one was directed by Joe [Mantegna], and this one had Matthew [Gray Gubler] directing it and Erica [Messer], who is our show runner, and I co-writing it. I wrote Acts I and IV, she wrote Acts III and II, and then we swapped and would give each other notes.

TVLINE | OK, I was wondering how that works.
We actually write really...

To Read More: TVLine.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - Showrunner Breen Frazier's Exclusive Interview by CMF.com

by Tari Jordan

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from him, and we’ve long admired his writing. Classics like The Uncanny Valley, and Pleasure Is My Business populate his portfolio, as do the polarizing Zugzwang and the universally praised fan-favorite Mr. Scratch. Now Breen Frazier is sitting on top as Executive Producer for Criminal Minds, sharing showrunner duties with Erica Messer. Join us as he discusses his episodes and gives up some background about his life before Criminal Minds, as well as what we can look forward to if (and when, we hope!) our show gets another season.

TJ: How are things? Are you stressed out or is it what you expected? How does it affect your writing?
BF: Things are good! I think. What have you heard? Being an executive producer on “Criminal Minds” is like winning the showrunning lottery. If I’m not home to give my kids a bath, I’m home by bedtime. That’s unheard of, with this position. I’m the lucky beneficiary of a job that has a very long institutional memory. We know what we do well, we know what we don’t do well, we know how to produce it so that our stages always look like the police department the team goes to every week. We’ve gotten so good at this that I can trust everyone on this show knows how to do their job, and they do it efficiently, on budget and with a level of ingenuity I can’t even begin to appreciate.
       In order for things to go wrong, I would have to steer the ship directly into the iceberg on purpose. And even then, there would be a long line of people, starting with Erica Messer, and continuing with Glenn Kershaw, Harry Bring, Sharon, Virgil and Bruce, all asking me, “The iceberg is right there, are you sure…?
       I mean, we’ve had pretty much the same writing staff for five years. We know each other about as well as we know our spouses. We know what kind of stories each writer likes, we complete each other’s sentences, sometimes we cut up each other’s food. We genuinely like each other and, because it’s case-of-the-week and not serialized, all we want to do is help each other write the best stories possible.
       That having been said, yes, it has been stressful, but it’s pockets of stress as opposed to the normal daily routine. The best example this season was when I was in post-production on Episode 11 while writing the first draft of 16 and continuing to help the rest of the staff break their stories. Messer warned me at the beginning of the season that my writing time would be the first thing to go, which is true. But I’m still expected to crank out three scripts like everybody else. I find that it’s more late nights (after my kids’ bedtime and bath, natch) or early mornings, but that’s the job. Whenever I think about complaining, I remember Messer’s doing this times two, with Beyond Borders.

TJ: What are the main differences in your role as showrunner, versus your duties as writer/producer?
BF: ...

To Read More: CriminalMindsFans.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1103. 'Til Death Do Us Part - Joe Mantegna sits in director's chair [Video]

By LAUREN MORASKI

Throughout his long and varied career, actor Joe Mantegna has starred in films ranging from "Celebrity" to "The Godfather Part III." With that, has come a chance to work alongside excellent directors, too. "God, I've worked with some of the greatest directors in the world," Mantegna said. "I've worked with Francis Coppola, Barry Levinson, Woody Allen, David Mamet -- the list goes on. I've been blessed with that." Now for the third time, Mantegna will be the one sitting in the director's chair for "Criminal Minds," the police-procedural drama he's starred in since 2007. He directed...

To Read More: CBSnews.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1101. The Job - TVGuide Exclusive: Introducing JJ's New Baby!

by Joyce Eng

The BAU's newest member is pretty adorable.

JJ will only make a cameo in the Season 11 premiere of Criminal Minds, as A.J. Cook is on maternity leave, but she brought along a very special guest: her new baby boy!

"You'll get to meet A.J.'s real little baby, Phoenix. Like what she did with Mekhai [playing JJ's first son Henry], she's having her actual child play JJ's child," executive producer Erica Messer tells TVGuide.com. "His name is...

To Learn His Name and See More Photos: TVGuide.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - Aisha Tyler Talks Pulling Double Duty, Explains New Look - TVLine Exclusive Video

By Matt Webb Mitovich

CBS’ Criminal Minds is about to recruit a new team member — and she is one very busy woman, as seen in this exclusive “day in the life of Aisha Tyler” featurette.

In the crime drama’s Season 11 premiere (airing Wednesday at 9/8c), Tyler debuts in the recurring role of...

To Read More and Watch Video: TVLine.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - Images of Dr. Tara Lewis 1st Look - EW Exclusive

by Natalie Abrams

The BAU will welcome a new addition when Criminal Minds returns this fall — and EW has the exclusive first look.

In the wake of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s departure, Archer actress and current The Talk co-host joins the drama as Dr. Tara Lewis, a forensic psychologist who introduces an entirely new element to the long-running show. "The people in the BAU are analyzing these unknown subjects trying to catch them, but my character analyzes them after they've...

To Read More: EW.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - Is Reid Getting a Blast from His Past? - TVGuide Mega Buzz

by Joyce Eng

The seven-year itch for Jane Lynch's return to Criminal Minds might finally be over.

Lynch hasn't appeared on the drama as Reid's (Matthew Gray Gubler) schizophrenic mom Diana since the fourth season, but we are thisclose to a mother-son reunion in Season 11. "Now with Glee finished and [Lynch's new show Angel From Hell] is on CBS...

To Read More: TVGuide.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1021. Mr. Scratch - TVfanatic's MGG teases: Oh, the Horror! [SPOILERS]

by Jim Halterman

Matthew Gray Gubler is going to scare the hell out of you.

The beloved actor, who we usually see in front of the camera as Dr. Spencer Reid, steps behind the scenes this week as director.

And when it seems like a monster is killing people in a variety of cases, we may just be diving head first into the horror genre.

Having had the chance to screen Criminal Minds Season 10 Episode 21, I can tell you this is one of the scariest episodes in series history, so I was glad to jump on the phone with Gubler and grill him about making such a fright of an hour.

Let’s see what he had to say about some of the choices made, how he assured the audience of some serious shocks and how he coaxed a truly scary performance out of fellow cast member Thomas Gibson...

TV Fanatic: I know you've directed on the show before, but this one you definitely seemed to get to do some different stuff, right?

Matthew Gray Gubler: I think every one of them I really tried to make different, unique and special. This one, of course, is a little more unrelenting in its pursuit of terrorizing the audience. I feel like that’s really my wheelhouse as director. The whole episode, Breen [Frazier, who penned the episode] and I wanted to present...

To Read More: TVfanatic.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1021. Mr. Scratch - TVLine: MGG on His Extra-Spooky Directing Style

For this Wednesday’s Criminal Minds (CBS, 9/8c), cast member Matthew Gray Gubler again stepped behind the camera, directing a script by three-time collaborator Breen Frazier, which means viewers can count on an especially "out there" installment.

Having directed the crime drama on seven previous occasions — including Season 8’s infamous "human marionettes" case — Gubler this time brought to life the mystery of several people with no apparent connection who are haunted by the titular "Mr. Scratch," a talon-wielding "shadow monster." Here, the actor/director previews his latest twisted effort and reveals what gives himself the heebie jeebies.

TVLINE | Was it just the luck of the draw, that you worked with Breen Frazier again, on “Mr. Scratch”?
MGG | No, at this point… This is our third one together [including Season 6’s “Lauren” and Season 9’s “Blood Relations”], and he and I have such a...

To Read More: TVLine.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1023. The Hunt - EW's Spoiler Room Scoop!

BY NATALIE ABRAMS

Q: Anything on the Criminal Minds finale? — Katrina  

A: The storyline about the guy who’s been kidnapping and auctioning people off online will come to a head very soon, with unfortunate consequences for...

To Read More: EW.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1023. The Hunt - Zap2It: EP promises 'creepy,' 'heavy' ending to Season 10 [SPOILER]

by Sarah Huggins

"Criminal Minds" Season 10 has been quite a wild ride, and it's not done yet. As the season nears its end, there are still lots of surprises in store for fans. Zap2it caught up with showrunner Erica Messer who teased just what people can expect before the Season 10 finale...

To Read More: Zap2It.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1020. A Place at the Table - Toluca Times: How CM Got Ed Asner

by Denise Ames

Multi-Emmy Award Winner to Appear on ‘CRIMINAL MINDS’ The Tolucan Times Helps Pair Up ED ASNER with CBS’ #1 Hit Show ~ Episode airs April 15th!

Next Wednesday at 9pm PST is Must-See TV and not only because the #1 show on CBS ‘Criminal Minds’ airs in that coveted time slot… Entertainment legend Ed Asner will guest star on the hit series the evening of April 15th; the award-winning actor will portray “Aaron Hotchner”’s Father-In-Law.  (Series regular Thomas Gibson plays “Hotch”)

Asner's role on the massively popular series came about after Toluca Lake resident Joe Mantegna (who has played lead character “David Rossi” on the show since 2007) came across an interview Asner gave for The Tolucan Times.  “I was thrilled to find out Ed was a fan of our show,” he says regarding Asner's “One on One” celebrity interview in the July 2nd, 2014 issue of the paper.  In the piece “What do you do in your spare time?” was asked; Asner replied “I watch ‘Criminal Minds’, everybody is...

To Read More: TolucaTimes.info

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - Kirsten Vangsness Interview: "Criminal Minds," Apocalyptic Film Role and New Man in Her Life

by Melissa Parker

Kirsten Vangsness is best known as the lovable, quirky brainiac tech analyst, Penelope Garcia, in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit on CBS’s hit series Criminal Minds. Other television credits include Phil of the Future, LAX, Pretty the Series and Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (short-lived spin-off).

Vangsness began performing in plays and improvisation in Los Angeles after college. She has been a member of numerous theater companies in Hollywood and is currently an active member of Theatre of NOTE where she has served as president of the Art Board and earned the coveted Golden Betty Award.

“The thing most people have seen me do is Garcia on Criminal Minds. Very few people get the privilege to play the same character for ten seasons, but this last year, I was playing a dumb blonde named Fawn in this film who’s a total ditz, and then I was doing this whole other part, a character named Ada in this play. I did a three-page monologue just very angry and totally opposite from Garcia.”

In 2007, the versatile actress starred in the West Coast premiere of Neil LaBute's Fat Pig at the Geffen Playhouse for which she received a Best Actress Garland Award. She has also written various pieces that have been seen in the LA area.

The California native's current project is Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse, an indie feature comedy set during the collapse of civilization written by and starring Gabriel Diani and Etta Devine. In addition to Vangsness, the film features Barry Bostwick, Robert Pine, Harry Groener, Arye Gross and Janet Varney. It is available for preorder now at the film's official website.

Criminal Minds wraps up its tenth season May 6, 2015.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Kirsten, let’s first talk about your involvement in Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse.

Kirsten Vangsness: Gabe (Diani) and Etta (Devine), who created the movie, are members of a theater company called Antaeus in Los Angeles. There are all these little 99-seat theaters all over LA. I’m a member of one called Theatre of NOTE, and I did a movie with some people I know from there called Kill Me, Deadly that we just...

To Read More: SmashingInterviewsMagazine.com (beware, contains SPOILERS)

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1019. Beyond Borders - Boss Talks of 'Many' Lessons Learned + The Ep That Will Drive You 'Crazy'

By Matt Webb Mitovich

Things aren't exactly B.A.U. at the BAU this Wednesday on Criminal Minds (CBS, 9/8c), when the team is enlisted to assist in solving a brutal crime committed against Americans outside the States.

In the planted spinoff episode, titled “Beyond Borders,” International Unit Chief Jack Garrett (played by CSI: NY vet Gary Sinise) reaches out to Hotch & Co. when the abduction of a family in Barbados dovetails with a case the Stateside BAU once worked. Rounding out Garrett's team are Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn (as international law expert Lily Lambert), Daniel Henney (Hawaii Five-0) as Special Ops Agent Matt Simmons and Tyler James Williams (The Walking Dead) as tech guru Russ “Monty” Montgomery.

TVLine invited Criminal Minds showrunner Erica Messer — who penned the potential spinoff — to talk of past lessons learned and why Sinise elected to play CBS crimesolver again. (Messer also teases another upcoming episode, directed by cast member Matthew Gray Gubler.)

TVLINE | Most simply put, what lessons were learned from the previous attempt at a Criminal Minds spinoff that were applied this time around?

In a word, many. The most noticeable one — and it's probably a struggle that every spinoff has – is: How are you the same but different? And what happened last go-around [with Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior starring Forest Whitaker] was, “Oh, they're different because they're rogue.” They don't work at the FBI, they work out of a dojo. And they've got this whole sort of “rogue” mentality about them. But [for Beyond Borders] I thought, maybe how they’re the same but...

To Read More: TVLine.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1019. Beyond Borders - TVGuide: Will the 2nd Time (& Gary Sinise) Be the Charm for Another Spin-Off?

by Joyce Eng

Criminal Minds is expanding its world again -- by going around the world.

Five years after launching the short-lived Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, the CBS procedural will air the backdoor pilot to Beyond Borders Wednesday (9/8c, CBS) -- or as executive producer Erica Messer describes in a nutshell, Criminal Minds International.

"In its simplest form, that's what it is," Messer tells TVGuide.com. "[Executive producer] Mark Gordon had been wanting to do another spin-off and I felt like we just needed to wait until we found the right idea. Certainly going the international route felt like it was the right thing to do, the right time to do it. We are 10 seasons in. It answers that spin-off dilemma, which is: How is this show the same but different from the mothership? And I think we were able to solve that nicely by saying that [the two shows are] the same in that they're profilers solving crimes via behavior, but it's different because they're doing it outside of our country when Americans are in trouble."

That was the main lesson producers learned from Suspect Behavior, which saw Forest Whitaker lead a team of rogue agents around the U.S. -- basically what Hotch (Thomas Gibson) & Co. already do. "I felt like it was too similar because they could be in Cleveland the same week we're in Cleveland solving a similar crime. The element of being rogue didn't stand out for me as being different enough. I think that was the misstep," Messer says. "You always...

To Read More: TVGuide.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1019. Beyond Borders - TVLine Exclusive Video Interviews! [SPOILERS]

CBS’ Criminal Minds this Wednesday will introduce you to a whole new, globe-trotting BAU — and TVLine has an exclusive video previewing the planted spinoff.

In the episode “Beyond Borders” (which likely would be the offshoot’s suffix), International Unit Chief Jack Garrett (played by CSI: NY vet Gary Sinise) seeks an assist from Hotch's team when the abduction of a family in Barbados dovetails with a case the Stateside BAU once worked. Rounding out Garrett’s team are Breaking Bad‘s Anna Gunn (as International Law Expert Lily Lambert), Daniel Henney (Hawaii Five-0) as Special Ops Agent Matthew Simmons and Tyler James Williams (The Walking Dead) as tech guru Russ “Monty” Montgomery.

To learn more about the potential spinoff from Sinise, Gunn, Henney and Williams, Criminal Minds showrunner Erica Messer (who penned this week’s episode), and Gibson and Mantegna from the original series GO TO: TVLine.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1019. Beyond Borders - TVGuide: Get the Details! [SPOILERS!]

by Joyce Eng

What brings Gary Sinise to the BAU?

Criminal Minds will air the backdoor pilot for its spin-off on April 8, starring the former CSI: NY star as Jack Garrett, the head of an international BAU unit. After a family of four is abducted on a shuttle on the Caribbean island, his squad, which includes Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn, teams up with Hotch & Co.

"We find out that this unsub eluded Jack's team two years ago. He killed a family in Aruba and it [haunts] Jack that they weren't able to catch him," executive producer Erica Messer tells TVGuide.com. "Last year, he got away from the BAU when...
To Read More: TVGuide

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1016. Lockdown - The Examiner Talks with Thomas Gibson

by Brittany Frederick

Tonight's episode of Criminal Minds is helmed by series star Thomas Gibson, who's made a second career for himself as a director. He sat down with us last week to take us inside his process in directing "Lockdown", which takes the BAU inside prison in search of their latest killer, and tell us if he's ever thought about where he wants to leave his character Aaron Hotchner whenever the long-running procedural ends.

"Lockdown" is the fourth Criminal Minds that Gibson has overseen, and we asked him how he feels he has evolved as a director since he made his debut in 2013. "Certainly I think that my skills have sharpened a little bit, insofar as just getting on top of the workload," he told us...

To Read More: Examiner.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1016. Lockdown - TVGuide's Talks with Thomas Gibson

by Joyce Eng

The BAU is the new black.

On Wednesday's Criminal Minds, the BAU heads to a Texas prison after two guards are killed. Naturally, the primary suspects will be the incarcerated men, but how to narrow down the pool of hundreds? Leave it to Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), of course. As seen in the sneak peek above [sneak peeks post in this blog], he takes approximately 126 minutes to go through prisoner files and finds one unaccounted for.

The episode was directed by Thomas Gibson, his fourth stint behind the camera and second this season. But this one is unlike the rest in that the majority of the hour is confined to one location, the prison.

"There's one option to get a prison in Los Angeles, which is an old women's facility that the county sheriffs own, and they use it partially for storage and training and shooting," Gibson tells TVGuide.com. "We've shot there...

To Read More: TVGuide.com