Criminal Minds has already been renewed for a 13th season, but will the whole cast return? Deadline reports stars Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook may be leaving the CBS TV series.
The long-running crime procedural follows a unique team of profilers for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) at Quantico, Virginia. The cast includes Vangsness, Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster, Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, Damon Gupton, and Aisha Tyler
According to Deadline, both Vangsness and Cook have asked for equal pay with their male co-stars, and so far contract negotiations have reached a dead end. In 2013, the duo successfully negotiated a raise after being paid “less than half of what their male counterparts including Gubler and Shemar Moore were making.”
However, now it’s unclear if the result will be the same. Both Vangsness and Cook have reportedly said they will leave Criminal Minds if their request for equal pay is denied. Neither ABC Studios nor CBS have made a public comment on the negotiations.
What do you think? Do you watch Criminal Minds? Would you watch without Vangsness and Cook?
This is an ensemble show. After other actors left, fans said they wouldn’t watch, but many did anyway. This show has gone around the same circle year after year. In the early years, viewers figured out the story along with the cast. Now, we get to know the vile and disgusting serial killers early on in each episode. The killer of the week gets more airtime than these two women. With the new cast introduced, nothing would change. The show itself is weak. Because so much time is about the killer, they don’t have enough air time to explain how… Read more »
Perhaps
I would not watch it if those two leave
By the way folks, the ratings DROPPED THIS SEASON!
I think you ought to try to find out how much everyone is getting paid before you go nuts. Some people are only worth so much. CBS had no problem getting rid of Thomas Gibson and who knows what they offered Shemar Moore. Nobody is getting what Joe Mantegna gets. CBS let Melina Kankaredes go without hesitation, and supposedly wanted her to take a pay CUT. and she was the best part of CSI:NY(IMO). if anything, these women should ask for what Tea Leoni gets, because she is the most overpaid woman on a CBS show, and see if they… Read more »
No I wouldn’t watch the show if they left the show
I love Criminal Minds but without Penelope and J.J. it definitely would not be the same, I mean come on, we already lost Thomas and Shemar!! Besides, they do the same job as the men, they should get paid equally!##
After a lot of the original stars having left. I will be following these two stars out the door.
Pay them!
No. That is losing too many original cast members. When CSI did that , I quit watching. I need to have nvested in the characters. If they leave, I am done.
No! I watch the show for JJ and Garcia! Get with the program and pay them the same! I started watching Criminal Minds because of Garcia! I am DONE with the show if we lose either one!
Criminal Minds cannot afford to lose any more integral actors. They are 2 main characters, especially Kristen. Equal pay for equal work. So many key actors have left. Mandy Patinkin, Shemar Moore, Thomas Gibson. If either of these two women leave, the series will suffer & lose the majotity of their viewers.
Yes I would still watch bc I love the show.. But with that said they deserves equal pay they do as much as the guys and is as talented as the guys too…. CBS will be crazy if they don’t give these wonderful, smart, and very talented woman equal pay… Kristen Vangsness, and A.J. Cook helps makes this show great… I believe that if CBS does let this woman go that season 13 will be the last season of criminal minds and that will be a shame…
When Shemar Moore and Thomas Gibson left the show, I had a very hard time getting back into it. Especially missed Hotchner. And I’ve always said if Matthew Gray Gubler leaves, I’m gone for sure. But it never occurred to me that Garcia and/or JJ would leave. I still miss JJ’s husband Will! As much as I love Reid, if these two women leave because they aren’t getting equal pay to the men I’m afraid that would be my cue to leave. This is 2017. Time for CBS to get with the times.
I would still watch it but would also like to see Garcia and JJ back in season 13 it wouldn’t be the same without them
No I will not watch. They deserve the same pay. They make the show
I love AJ Cook, she is the reason why I watch that show, she is the reason why criminal minds is also my favourite show, but for sure both Garcia and AJ should be given equal pay!