Mandy Patinkin set to leave Criminal Minds

SoSueMe

http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049
Another CBS actor forgets to set his/her alarm.

Multiple sources confirm that Mandy Patinkin is being written out of the season premiere of Criminal Minds after he failed to report to work.

Reps for the show declined comment, but it's safe to assume that the actor/chanteuse is embroiled in some kind of nasty contract stand-off with the network. (The work stoppage was first reported by the sleuths over at E! Online.)

Coincidentally, Minds' just put out a casting call for a character that fits Patinkin's description. What odd timing, eh?

When are these CBS stars going to learn? I mean, Les Moonves fired Valerie Harper from a show called Valerie!

Much more to come on this fast-moving story. In the meantime, would you still watch a Patinkin-less Minds? Yes, ***m*s ***s**, we know you would, but what about the rest of ya? Sound off below!

Mr E

Why is Thomas Gibson censored?

Hard to imagine CM without Patinkin tough. Not a huge fan of Gibson (I still have Dharma and Greg burned into my mind).

Wheels

Thomas Gibson is the worst reason to ever watch a show. I've never been a huge patinkin fan but still..

BTW Valerie was on NBC until its last season on CBS so it was an NBC show when they fired her.

Jesus Wept

Patinkin is really good on the show, really good, so it will be strange without him.

I hope they don't replace the character with another actor, that would be shocking.

It can survive though.

NeoRox

Nope, would not watch. While the show is not about him directly, no one else could replace the Gideon character.

ixoy

I'd watch, with some reservation. Gideon is quite central to the show, in that he's their mentor, the one who guides them. In some ways Hodgkins takes the investigative lead but Gideon's more the soul.

For me, however, I think Reed would have been a greater loss. I empathise with him more and feel that the show is as much about his journey as anything.

EdgarAllenPoo

They couldn't get rid of him, the rest of the characters could come and go(and Reid and JJ really should) but I think he's central to the show.

heyjude

Patinkin is a central character in the show, so without him the show will be radically different. It could even spell the beginning of the end for the show, though it might be a season or two before this becomes clear.

Probably less likely to watch the show if/when he goes.

EdgarAllenPoo

This reminds me of the Wiki entry I read for Paget Brewster(Prentiss) about her being a "show killer"

"She has a reputation as a "show killer" because many shows on which she has been a regular cast member have been cancelled early in their run."

Could happen again.

Off Topic - she was asked to pose for Playboy and said no.

idlesupernova

No Gideon no show, As said the soul of the show will be gone. horrible news. Id be happy to see that muppet in the computer room gone. JJ needs more screen time;)

Mr E

Looks like its confirmed (from tvguide):

This just in: Sources confirm that Mandy Patinkin has agreed to return to Criminal Minds for one episode this fall to wrap up his story.

The news comes just hours after Minds exec producer Ed Bernero posted this blistering message on the show's No. 1 fansite regarding Patinkin's vanishing act:

There have been several reports recently in the media about the Mandy Patinkin situation on Criminal Minds. Firstly, they are true -- Mr. Patinkin has left the show. What's troubling to us though, is that the reports tend to suggest or hint that the Producers, the Studios or CBS have something to do with what has happened. Phrases like 'maybe cooler heads will prevail...' and the like have been used. Let me make this clear: this is not about a contract renegotiation, this is not about money, this is not about something Mr. Patinkin asked for that wasn't provided -- in fact, everyone involved in the show has for two years bent over backward to give him anything he wanted.

Mr. Patinkin told the show, the studios and the network the he was returning right up to the day before we started shooting the first episode and then simply did not show up. He also has not contacted anyone within the show (producers, cast, crew) to explain why he isn't returning. Even to this moment, we have no word from him. He gave us no advance notice that anything was wrong, no oppurtunity to find a way to make the loss of this character work, no indication that we should be looking for someone else, no warning that we might have to rewrite the first seven scripts (which is how far ahead we try to work) without the central character in them. None. Zero. He was not, as some media reports have indicated, written 'lightly' in our first episode, in fact, it was quite the opposite. Because of the construct of the first episode story, he was actually in the center of that episode. He left us completely in the proverbial lurch.

As loyal fans of the show, we think you all deserve an explanation and I wish I had a better one to give you. The most amazing writing staff in television is working very hard to find a way to make this work and we will find a way to give you the organic, dramatic experience you expect from CM.

If I have new news I will provide it, and if there are questions you have... we will do our best to answer. If you hear a rumor, please ask us. I remain touched and humbled by the support you have all shown the show.

ixoy

Well that sounds interesting. It's not then similar to what happened on 'Rescue Me' recently but instead sounds like Patinkin is being an ass. No word whatsover? What does that say to his fans?

aequinoctium

i'm starting to get into that show

SoSueMe

Its confirmed. Mandy Patinkin is out of Criminal Minds and he will not be returning to the series, not even to wrap up his character.

Official statements released today:

ON BEHALF OF ABC STUDIOS AND CBS PARAMOUNT NETWORK TELEVISION:
Last week, Mandy Patinkin asked to be released from his role on Criminal Minds. We have honored this request, which was not in any way connected to contract renegotiations or salary issues. His departure from the series will be explained to audiences in an episode to be filmed in the near future and broadcast early next season. We thank Mandy for helping to make Criminal Minds a strong and successful series, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. A new character will be added to the series for next season.

ON BEHALF OF MANDY PATINKIN:
Due to creative differences, Mandy has asked not to return to Criminal Minds this season. Mandy would like to thank the studios and network for releasing him from the series and he wishes the cast and crew continued success in all of their endeavors and looks forward to continuing to work with the Disney and CBS companies in other capacities in the future.

SoSueMe

Its confirmed. Mandy Patinkin is out of Criminal Minds and he will not be returning to the series, not even to wrap up his character.

Official statements released today:

ON BEHALF OF ABC STUDIOS AND CBS PARAMOUNT NETWORK TELEVISION:
Last week, Mandy Patinkin asked to be released from his role on Criminal Minds. We have honored this request, which was not in any way connected to contract renegotiations or salary issues. His departure from the series will be explained to audiences in an episode to be filmed in the near future and broadcast early next season. We thank Mandy for helping to make Criminal Minds a strong and successful series, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors. A new character will be added to the series for next season.

ON BEHALF OF MANDY PATINKIN:
Due to creative differences, Mandy has asked not to return to Criminal Minds this season. Mandy would like to thank the studios and network for releasing him from the series and he wishes the cast and crew continued success in all of their endeavors and looks forward to continuing to work with the Disney and CBS companies in other capacities in the future.

Ph3n0m

from imdb.com (http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2007-07-16/#3)

Patinkin Returning for Single 'Criminal Minds' Episode
Mandy Patinkin will return for a single episode of CBS's Criminal Minds "to wrap up his story," TV Guide Online reported Sunday. It provided no details. Earlier, Ed Bernero, the show's executive producer, refuted rumors that producers had refused to grant Patinkin a raise after the show became a hit. "This is not about money," Bernero said on a fansite for the show. "This is not about something Mr. Patinkin asked for that wasn't provided." In fact, Bernero claimed, Patinkin gave no hint that he was leaving the show until he failed to show up for work on the day before the first episode was scheduled to be shot. "He also has not contacted anyone within the show (producers, cast, crew) to explain why he isn't returning. Even to this moment, we have no word from him," said Bernero. "He gave us no advance notice that anything was wrong, no opportunity to find a way to make the loss of this character work, no indication that we should be looking for someone else, no warning that we might have to rewrite the first seven scripts (which is how far ahead we try to work) without the central character in them. None. Zero."

ixoy

So still no clue as to what the hell Mandy was thinking/doing then?

SoSueMe

ixoy wrote:

So still no clue as to what the hell Mandy was thinking/doing then?

Mandy did the same thing with Chicago Hope but later returned. He is also supposed to not get on with Thomas Gibson. They didn't know they would be starring with each other until they signed contracts. Mandy also thinks he is to good for TV, he prefers theatre. Creativly he probably wanted to become a producer and as everyone knows Crimanl Minds is not that highly regarded in the US.

SoSueMe

Gina Davis is now the frontrunner for the new lead of Criminal Minds...

http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049

The search for Mandy Patinkin's replacement on Criminal Minds may be over.

At CBS' press tour soiree this evening, Minds man Shemar Moore essentially confirmed what I've been hearing all day: Geena Davis has emerged as the front-runner to succeed Patinkin.

Moore, who was in a very chatty mood, also name-dropped Michael Keaton as a possible successor, but sources tell me that he has officially passed.

What else did Moore have to say? Loads.

* On Patinkin's abrupt exit: "I don't like that he did this the way he did this. I don't. I don't think it's right. He left us hanging a little bit... No warning, no nothing. We all showed up to work Day One, and he didn't. And we've been scrambling. But we're going to be alright without him. I just feel like he needs to take responsibility for his actions… [and] just acknowledge us, because it's an ensemble, it's a team... We just want the courtesy and the respect that we deserve. And we felt like if he had given us that initially, this would be much easier to deal with. He essentially just slapped us in the face."

* Did anyone see it coming? "We saw it coming in 1995 when he did it on Chicago Hope. Mandy's a volatile personality. He had his good days and he had his bad days. Sometimes the content of what we did would affect him more some days than others. Everybody thought he got the breath of fresh air he needed with the hiatus. I saw him in Monte Carlo about four, five weeks ago, and I said, 'I'll see you on [July] 9.' And he said, "Yep.'"

* Any lessons to be learned from this? "I'm hoping Mandy learns a lesson from his actions. He did it once, OK. This one's going to sting a little bit. At least it SHOULD sting. Bottom line is, he didn't show up to work – with no warning. He didn't tell ANYBODY."

* On his recent legal troubles: "My problem is I always liked fast cars. The mistake I made was I was driving too fast. As far as any alcohol-related charges, they were all dropped. The lesson that I learned was, I've got to slow down."

* On those infamous nudie pics: "You mean of me FROLICKING on the beach? You know, the worst part of that whole thing for me was the FROLICKING, because, to me, it sounds like I was skipping or something like that. Look, I had no problems with [the photos]. What I have a problem with is they're making such an issue out of me being GAY. I'll say it right now: I'm not gay. Not even a little bit. I LOVE women. Women are God's greatest creation. But I have no problems with people who are gay. My God father was gay; he died of AIDS. I have dear friends that are gay. I'm very straight. The article said I got "caught." I didn't get caught. I willingly went to Hawaii. I willingly went to Maui, with two girlfriends of mine. I'm a single man. I had two girlfriends out there, and we wanted to go skinny dipping."

* Was he, um, happy with those pics? "Lemme just say this: Thank God the water was fairly warm. That's all I'm going to say. It wasn't my best day. But it wasn't an awful day."

Told ya he was chatty!

Mr E

I think GD is a great fit. She was excellent in Commander in Chief.
(Lets just hope she is single and has no kids in Criminal Minds!)

Mr E

Looks like they're chasing Harvey Keitel to replace Patinkin now. Interesting choice....

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=23164

CivilServant

Wait a minute, his name is Mandy? Thats a whole episode right there

Cork

Wait a minute, his name is Mandy? Thats a whole episode right there

Is there not a guy on Home & Away called Kim?

Dangerous Minds turned too grusome.

Boden

Mantegna Joins 'Criminal Minds'
The CBS show finds its replacement for Mandy Patinkin, after negotiations with Harvey Keitel fall apart
By Dawnie Walton

Joe Mantegna has signed on as the new star of CBS' procedural Criminal Minds, EW has confirmed.

The 59-year-old actor will replace Mandy Patinkin, who suddenly announced in July that he would be leaving the show over ''creative differences.'' There are no details yet as to the character Mantegna will play, or exactly when he will start. (Patinkin is expected to shoot one more episode.)

Executive producer Ed Bernero made the casting announcement on Friday on the Criminal Minds Fanatic Blog, where he also downplayed rumors that Harvey Keitel was going to sign on. In fact, EW has learned, Keitel was a near-lock, but negotiations ultimately fell apart over the actor's demands for creative control and perks.

Mantegna's previous TV credits include the series Joan of Arcadia (also on CBS) and, most recently, the USA miniseries The Starter Wife.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20051296,00.html