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?
I love A.J. Cook and Kirsten adds a little comedy to the show. If they don’t come back there is no point watching the show
No I wouldn’t watch it with those 2 gone as well. JJ, Garcia, Spence & Morgan were the core of this show. JJ has always been my favorite female actor in this show, I nearly stopped watching it the 1st time it looked like she was gone. It’s bad enough that Moran & Hotch are both gone, losing anymore original cast members? You may as well just make a new FBI show, we all have too much emotional investment in these long term characters. It will end up like CSI, dying off to a pathetic ending.
Ive heard this situation several times! I think its sad! R u trying 2 cancel the show & blame on others! 1st excuse, We lost viewers b/c of Thomas &2nd they want more $ & we cant pay WHAT WILL B NEXT? JUST GET IT OVER W/ cancel the show B/c if u keep pulling this crap Viewers will hate u for what ur doing 2 the cast! & Already twice B4 U LET THE GIRLS GO B/C OF $ Never a guy, until Thomas They r as much a part of the show as the guys! & BTW Im… Read more »
If CBS wants to have shows with top ratings, then they need to be a top rated corporation who promotes equal pay for equal work. And yes these women do provide equal work !!! They provide central characters to the success of the show. Get-r-done CBS !!
They should get equal pay. They are part of the team
If they are gone, so am I… They are the glue, especially Garcia. It’s crazy that the men would be paid more.
GArcia is the life of the team she certainly shouldn’t go nor JJ so give the the rais they deserve, I believe in equal opportunities wake up we’re approaching 2018
Long overdue Vangsness went she was a complete waste of space with her stupid utterences.
They need to give them equal pay to their male counterparts. They tried before to send “JJ” away and they received a storm of complaints and they brought her back. The show won’t go without “Garcia”-it’s impossible. She is really the one that makes the team go! Let the last one to arrive go and use his salary to help pay them. The way I see it, you have no choice. Pay them or you really have no show.
I wouldn’t be able to support to watch a show that yes, I love, but unequal pay? What country are the people from CBS from? Both of the ladies are just as important actors in the series as the men are. I think this is prejudice.
CBS should pay them equal pay .
They deserve equal pay. What are the men doing to deserve more pay than these two key players in the show? If these two ladies leave, the show will suffer. They’ve lost so many good people already. If they quit because they weren’t treated fairly, I will quit watching the show. It’s one of my favorite shows right now but I can always find another favorite. Still mad they got rid of Hotch.
I would probably watch but it wouldn’t be same especially if Kirsten left. We need our “baby girl”. She keeps the show interesting!
I will watch maybe a couple episodes if I don’t like it I’m done. I wasn’t happy when Morgan left, then we lost, now possibily Penelope and JJ. Might as well cancel it. Pay them the wages.
Still want Thomas Gibson back! Don’t care about any of the new cast: Alex, Ayisha, Damon can all go. As far as equal pay, if they were equal draw to MGG they wouldn’t have had to overuse Reid to keep the ratings from cratering after losing Thomas. I’m sorry but it’s Thomas who brought the ratings, then MGG and Shemar. They add ratings & money to CM’s bottom line. The ladies, however, are much more valuable than all the new characters together. Bring back the originals, especially Thomas Gibson. Hotch is desperately needed.