Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite

[normasm]

 JJ didn't even bother to tell him about the miscarriage. Sure it was a hugely traumatizing thing for her but one would assume you would share that with your husband so you could move on/mourn as a family. She didn't climb on top of herself and got pregnant, so it was pretty shitty to not tell him until way later.

 

Did i miss that she has even told him yet? From all I've seen, the only soul she's told has been Reid.

[JMO]

I think the 'no secrets' conversation at the end of (the awful) '200' could be construed to mean that she's told him about the miscarriage.  Or not.

[normasm]

I took that to mean she didn't, because of the look on her face, but maybe that's just me. If Will had just been told she miscarried and hid it from him for 2 years, I would think he would be very upset still, not out at a bar yucking it up with the Team, but then, that's the caliber of writing on that vaunted episode, and many of the accompanying ones.

[JMO]

I like to picture the writer/producer staff at CM performing a collective face-palm over that bar scene, accusing one another---"Who wrote that?"  "Who was editing that day?"  "Who let it stay in there?" 

 

I'm usually in favor of keeping marriages together (duh), but if her keeping the miscarriage from Will were to become a source of strife, and ended up showing his character the door, I would applaud it.  Don't know what it is about him---maybe the fact that he has no facial expressions, or vocal inflection, or pretty much anything else.  I haven't seen Josh Stewart in anything else, but I gather he's popular.  So I'm guessing it's the character, and not the actor.

[zannej]

While I thought JJ was being bitchy to Will in the aforementioned season 3 episode, I think it showed her as human and flawed. Yeah, it showed that she was a bit self-centered and not really sympathetic / empathetic with Will. I mean, the guy needed some comfort and she was pushing him away. On one hand, I thought that was incredibly cold of her. On the other, I think that deep down she was confused and vulnerable and that made her afraid. So she was trying to protect herself and ended up hurting Will in the process. She didn't want to hurt him, but she didn't know how to react or what to do and that seemed to make her panic a little and it made her come off as crabby/bitchy. In the end she decided to put aside her fears and just accept that they had a relationship and let the rest of the team know. So there was some actual character growth in that episode.

[normasm]

Good point, zannej

[ForeverAlone]

Well...since I think that hours after being tortured, JJ should have been in a hospital and not a bar, it stands to reason that Will could have been at a bar as well. What struck me is that JJ never told Will she was pregnant. That is just exceedingly bizarre that she wouldn't tell her husband first thing, because they actually wanted kids. But they had to have SOME way that JJ had this BIG.SHOCKING.SECRET and having Will know about a miscarriage three years prior takes away from that. But hey, I have already stated I can't consider any of that canon, because that is nowhere near the realm of reality.

Edited January 30, 2015 by ForeverAlone

[zannej]

Yeah, the crap in 200 just defied all logic and common sense. I don't know if JJ told Will about the miscarriage. I can't really bring myself to care either.

[normasm]

Well, looks like AJ's preggers, according to her Twitter.

[ForeverAlone]

I just saw the same post and had the same reaction. Two lead females pregnant on the same show at the same time.

[JMO]

The wording makes it sound like this has been a long awaited, and much desired, thing.  So I'm very happy for her, and her family.  Finally, Mekhai gets a sibling.  As Henry would say--Yay!

[Russet29]

The wording makes it sound like this has been a long awaited, and much desired, thing.  So I'm very happy for her, and her family.  Finally, Mekhai gets a sibling.  As Henry would say--Yay!

Couldn't have said it better myself. Her and JLH being pregnant at the same time reminds me of How I Met Your Mother when both female leads were pregnant. There were a lot of loose fitting blouses, large bags, and creative camera angles used to cover it up. That experience actually makes me grateful that this show will (in all likelihood) write it in. 

[normasm]

I wonder if this doesn't just mean it's over for CM. I'm glad for AJ, she seems like a nice person and it sounds like this is a happy thing. But if they were planning on writing in JLH's pregnancy next season, that would probably mean they'd have to gloss over AJ's, wouldn't it?

Edited March 1, 2015 by normasm

[JMO]

My best guesstimate is that each would be delivering early in the filming schedule of the next season.  So, whether or not the pregnancies are written in, both characters would have to disappear for a while.  Unless, of course, a decision on season 11 was made early enough for them to film some of it before they break for the summer.

 

JJ wasn't in the field very much when AJ was pregnant before, which made it easier to include the pregnancy.  The character could easily continue to fulfill her prior role, since most of it took place out of the action.  That's no longer true, for either Kate or JJ.  If they continue to film as members of the team, I can only think that we might see a shift to more screen time/ field time for the guys.  Well, one particular guy in general.  And that would be a good thing. 

 

Yes, I'm opportunistic.  It works.

[ForeverAlone]

JMO, I had the same opportunistic thought. Maybe with all this baby action, season 11 (assuming it happens) will be the season of the Hot Criminal Minds Men. It would be a nice counterbalance to the Season of JJ. :) :) :)

[missmycat]

I sort of get the feeling that getting pregnant isn't easy for AJ Cook. If I'm not mistaken I think she and her husband were married for several years before they had their first little boy. Anyways I may not like her character,but I don't really have anything personally against her. So I wish her a healthy pregnancy. And I hope she delivers a healthy and happy baby.

 

FA and JMO I too am hoping that both ladies being pregnant means them being out on the field less and more action for our men to see. I do wonder if CM will write both pregnancy in. It would seem to me CBS would want to do what is most cost effective at least that is the way I see it. And I'm hoping that with the remaining episodes they have left to film that it will mean no more nina JJ for the time being.

Edited March 2, 2015 by missmycat

[spinner33]

Congrats to AJ and her family, especially if this second pregnancy is something she's wanted for a long time.  When you have your heart set on something, and it finally happens, it does feel like a blessing and a miracle. 

 

On the other hand, I hope they do not write JJ's pregnancy into the show.  It would be a catastrophically-bad idea.  I would hate to watch CM descend into being about nothing but how pregnancy gives you magical, intuitive powers, and fairy-tale nonsense like that.  The show runner already uses motherhood as the reason JJ can solve any case with kids and moms.  But who am I kidding?  You know Messer is going to dive straight at this and milk it for all it's worth.  

 

Big congrats to AJ and her family!        

[ForeverAlone]

It will be interesting to see how the writers incorporate two pregnant women on the show. If they write in both pregnancies, neither Kate or JJ will be doing (or at least SHOULD NOT) be doing any tactical scenes for the rest of the season and into the start of season 11. And assuming there is a season 11, AJ will likely give birth around the start of filming and will be gone, regardless if they write in her pregnancy or not. But considering the drama they deliberately created about JJ miscarrying, I can't see them passing up the opportunity for a JJ pregnancy redemption storyline.

[spinner33]

Definitely agree there!  The show runner won't pass up the opportunity.   

[zannej]

I am a bit worried about it devolving into stuff about baby showers and JJ and Kate talking nonstop about their pregnancies and babies and having too much focus on that while Reid is made to look like an idiot who couldn't possibly understand parenthood.

[spinner33]

Yeah, I agree.  The show runner never misses an opportunity to make Reid look like a clueless idiot, or to remind us he's single and childless. 

 

If being a parent gave you omniscient powers for solving crimes involving children, we wouldn't have as many missing and endangered children as we do have. 

 

Likewise, if being childless made you incapable of relating to children, how many teachers, doctors, nurses, etc would be rendered disqualified for their jobs?  It's laughable to espouse the theory that single, childless people can't solve crimes involving children. 

[Watermelon]

Well, Spencer has been a Godfather to Henry so if the writers do still pull the "Spencer's too dumb to know things" that's more than a little shitty of them.

 

I'd hope that they write the pregnancy in for both, and write the story about how the team deals with being 2 people down.  They can bring them along only but some much to do interview things, but that would be all.

[JMO]

 

considering the drama they deliberately created about JJ miscarrying, I can't see them passing up the opportunity for a JJ pregnancy redemption storyline.

 

As much as I'd like to pretend (the awful) '200' never happened, those connected with the show seem to be operating under the premise that it did.  So I would be okay with this.  Who knows---it might even give Reid some focus, since he's the only other person we're sure knows about the miscarriage.  And that would be a good thing.  Especially if he had to deliver her.  You know, since he studied up on it when she was carrying Henry.

[Droogie]

As much as I'd like to pretend (the awful) '200' never happened, those connected with the show seem to be operating under the premise that it did.  So I would be okay with this.  Who knows---it might even give Reid some focus, since he's the only other person we're sure knows about the miscarriage.  And that would be a good thing.  Especially if he had to deliver her.  You know, since he studied up on it when she was carrying Henry.

Maybe you should do a one-shot fanfic... y'know, to help us out, since we know the writers won't give us that. ;-)

[zannej]

Heh. Reid will be carrying first aid kits and stuff for pregnant women in his bag-- and reminding both of them about their neonatal vitamins. Well, if the writers actually do it right....

[spinner33]

Different strokes for different folks.   I think having Reid be solicitous and caring towards either Kate or JJ while they are pregnant just reinforces how alone he is.  It makes him look very desperate and creepy.   Would you want your single, lonely, male coworker hanging all over you, bringing you a pillow, telling you what vitamins to take, offering to rub your feet, especially when you're not romantically involved or romantically interested in the guy?  That's hellaciously creepy!  Stalker Reid!   =0 

[JMO]

Crazy world we live in, when acts of kindness are considered creepy.

We already know about Reid's insatiable thirst for knowledge. It would be completely in character for him to learn everything there was to know about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and we've pretty much been shown that in canon. So, I think it would be entirely within the realm of normal for him to look out for JJ. After all, said "single, lonely, male coworker" is also supposed to be her best friend. And, it would be out of character for Reid to do something for JJ, yet ignore Kate.

[ForeverAlone]

Well, Reid may have read up on pregnancy during JJ's first pregnancy because he was curious, but he certainly didn't do any of those other things for her. So yeah, I would consider it bizarre if he did those things this time. I have had pregnant female friends and never even considered doing anything like that, and I have never seen male coworkers, even friends, do those things either, so I would consider it a bit presumptuous on his part of he was rubbing their feet, and a bit patronizing if he was reminding them to take their vitamins or stuff in that realm. Both JJ and Kate are older than he is, and they definitely don't need a babysitter.

Edited March 4, 2015 by ForeverAlone

[spinner33]

Different strokes for different folks, JMO.   Let's agree to disagree.  

 

If it were not Reid, someone we know is harmless and well-meaning, I would find it uber-creepy for a coworker who has a crush on me to take an undue interest in my state of pregnancy.   Considering how many pregnant women have been stalked and killed so someone could steal their babies, yeah, it would send up lots of alarms for me! 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Crazy world we live in, when acts of kindness are considered creepy.

 

I wouldn't go so far as to call it creepy. However lonely the canon of the show insists on implying that Reid is, if he had it in him to be a creepster, I would like to think we'd have seen some sign of it by now. It's been ten years, and at no point has he ever been anything but helpful and supportive towards his friends, even when they don't necessarily deserve it.

 

Conversely, my cynical side worries that if he did start being solicitous of JJ (or Kate, but JJ in particular) during a written-in pregnancy, Messer wouldn't be able to pass up the chance to have her roll her eyes at his advice and generally be dismissive. I would not like to see him try to be her sounding board only for her to say some stupid thing like, "Can't you stop being you?" as she did in her PTSD episode, and I don't trust Erica to not write something exactly like that. If that's all that would happen, I would prefer for them not to write in the pregnancy at all.

 

I do wish AJ the best, though, and that she has a healthy brother or sister for Mehkai. :-)

[missmycat]

The way I see it both of them have husbands who can massage their feet or whatever. If it were a case of one of them going into premature labor and Reid being allowed to be heroic and save the day I'd be fine with that scenario.

[spinner33]

Reid means well, even if his intentions are not always interpreted that way.   I can relate.   Sometimes what I say doesn't come out right either.  =\   

 

I don't think Reid is a creepy stalker -- the furthest thing from it!  I guess because I don't ship Reid and JJ, I don't think it's appropriate for him to take an interest in her state of preggers.  Kate's state of preggers either one for that matter!   It is really none of his business, and he shouldn't butt in.   It's definitely the husband or spouse's job to be rubbing the tired pregnant wife's feet and worry if she's taking vitamins.   I too am worried the show runner will play this for laughs and mockery though. 

 

To each their own opinion.  We see these characters through the prism of our own life experiences.  I have had some uber-creepy, stalker moments myself, and would not wish unwanted attention on anyone, ever. 

[zannej]

Where did people get the idea of Reid offering to rub their feet? I never said that. LOL. I meant he would bring a first aid kits in case one of them went into labor or if they were injured. And maybe he'd bring candy or something that they might have cravings for. Or some sort of snack that he knows is healthy for them. Reid likes to share info and he was the one who told JJ about why the baby was moving around so much in her belly and didn't he warn her about the volume of the music she was playing for Henry in the womb?

I think it is absolutely in character for Reid to want to offer what he views as helpful information because he cares (and he likes sharing info). I can see him offering to get pillows and help them be comfortable-- but not rubbing feet. He might tell them they need to sit on a couch and elevate their feet or bring them a chair to prop their feet up on or something though. I don't think that would be creepy.

Keep in mind that Reid was pretty much staring at JJ when she was pregnant and it was JJ he took his hand and had him touch her belly (and he said feeling the baby move freaked him out "very much so").

I don't ship Reid and JJ (or Reid and Kate), but I don't think it would have to be "creepy" or pathetic of him to want to be helpful.

I could see Garcia being a worrywart and wanting to make them comfortable as well.

Hotch would probably be chivalrous and open doors and maybe pull out chairs but not be overly solicitous. He would be worried about them more because its natural for an alpha male to feel protective of a pregnant female. I actually liked the part where JJ went into labor and Hotch said he was getting the car. No telling Anderson to do it-- he was going to make sure she got to the hospital safely. It was one of the things I liked about Hotch because not all supervisors would do that.

 

On a side note, since it seems Shemar indicated that he's leaving the show, is it wrong that I sort of hope AJ decides to leave as well so that they will only need to replace them both with one character? They could get an ethnic minority female to check off both boxes. Then we would have fewer profilers to worry about. 

Edited March 5, 2015 by zannej

[amensisterfriend]

I watched most of S6 just once and quite a long time ago, so I had forgotten the irony that (IMO, obviously!) JJ is actually a more likable and interesting character in her final two S6 episodes than at almost anytime before---and certainly more likable and interesting than she was upon her return :) In The Longest Night, yes, JJ saves the day in part because she's a MOM, which allows her to connect with Tim Curry's dentally challenged Unsub and his myriad mommy issues.  So I was prepared to hate it, but for the majority of this episode she's actually so human! (I always found her dully robotic, so the fact that she seemed so alive in these two S6 episodes is worth noting!) We get a bit of the bitchy, impatient Mean Girl JJ, (snapping snottily about "mid-level bureaucrats" on the phone) which I always think was a more natural fit for the actress they cast in JJ's role who, for me, more naturally projects snottiness on screen more often than not. Then we get understandably insecure, appealingly vulnerable JJ, who's worried about having to be the de facto hostage negotiator. And then she's not robotically perfect at said negotiating in the least---instead, she's a little bumbling but sincere and ultimately successful.

 

In JJ, we see her genuine attachment to the team despite struggling to repress certain emotions, and  we also get tons of genuine warmth, compassion and helpful competence when dealing with the parents of the missing girl (as opposed to the 'going through the motions', unintentionally more snotty than kind JJ I usually see even when I don't want to!)  

 

She's likable and impressive and all that, but not perfect, and, best of all, there are hints at a real inner life and depth in these two S6 episodes that we rarely got before or since. It's a shame that they brought her back as even more hollow, cold and robotically hyper-competent than before! 

[normasm]

Yep, I've said it before, too, the old JJ was interesting, and usually well-portrayed. When she came back, they had thrown away everything that made her unique in an attempt to make a Prentiss clone with special Mommy Accessories. Not only did she have none of the special abilities from before, she had none of the friendship and compassion for "Spence" and further, seemed to develop contempt for his angst. JJ 2.0 seemed entitled to unquestioned loyalty and worship from all.

 

How can the writers think this was a character development? How can they plow under everything that was good about JJ and staple this mantle of ninja Barbie perfection back on top and think that's improvement?

[amensisterfriend]

See, I actually disagree with you in part---I think Original Recipe JJ was also cold and snotty more often than not, even when the writers probably didn't intend for her to come across that way. And I'm always unpleasantly surprised by just how many examples there are of Early Seasons JJ seeming dismissive and contemptuous of Reid as well, rolling her eyes and making comments that perhaps a different actress could sell as more affectionately teasing than just plain self-superior and dismissive...not to mention just kind of flat and hollow in general. The only things that make Early Seasons JJ more palatable for me are that 1) as communications liaison, she had a more unique role within the team back then rather than being just another generically perfect-in-every-way profiler and 2) she hadn't yet acquired super duper ninja skills to go with the rest of her bland perfection :)   

 

There are really just 4-5 episodes of the series where I feel like she came across as a 'real', layered, compelling human being...and two of those were the episodes leading up to her (ultimately short-lived) departure! 

 

Which other episodes of the series stand out for you guys as episodes where you really liked and/or were interested in the character? 

[Old Dog]

I quite liked her in Legacy where she had time for the detective trying to make people believe homeless people were being killed. And early on she was quite good in North Mammon. But you are right about those last two episodes before she left in S6. Such a shame she came back with all her cold, arrogant side and super perfect profiler skills and none of the other likeable traits.

[normasm]

I've always found her to be mysteriously ultra squicked-out in Birthright. I liked her in The Instincts. And in Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, where the hangings reminded her of her sister.

 

I liked the few early episodes where she was there with Garcia and they were both searching out info for the field team (can't remember which ones).

[zannej]

I also liked her in The Boogeyman when she told a campfire story to Morgan and Reid and then admitted it was just a joke. But man, she had them going. I also liked her in an episode (can't remember which one) where a reporter was trying to get info and she leaned in, put her hand on his tie, and told him to consider a different tie. There were some more, but I can't remember right now. Been stressed dealing with real life drama. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

That was What Fresh Hell, zaneej, and later she would give the same reporter a mini bitch-out for revealing at a press conference that a body had been found that was suspected to be the missing girl, in the presence of her parents.

[missmycat]

I got to say I really loved that time JJ threatened that one reporter with the Patriot act when he was refusing to reveal his sources. Granted JJ was never a favorite of mines,but I did very much like her as the team's media liaison, as another profiler not so much.

[JMO]

I liked JJ quite a bit in the early episodes.  All of the ones mentioned by others, but also:

• Risky Business (teen suicides),where she told the story of her sister to Hotch.  That's the JJ I write about, in combination with:
• A Real Rain---the team's first visit to NYC, where JJ was the only one kind to Reid about being a New York neophyte, and helping with those pesky chopsticks
• Plain Sight---the birthday cake, of course
• Moseley Lane---loved her relationship with Charlie's mother
• Revelations--loved her vulnerability
• Jones---the only time I liked her with Will
• Secrets and Lies (CIA), working with Garcia, spying on the royal family
• Penelope---not her shooting of the unsub, but her concern for her friend
• Catching Out--'have you ever actually felt a baby kick?'
• Memoriam----guess which part
• Doubt--she worked well with the coeds
• Cradle to Grave---working with those grandparents, reuniting them with their grandson

 

I agree with those who find it harder to like the more recent JJ, but I do believe she's had her moments.  They're just fewer and farther between.

 

[normasm]

I know this may actually go under Unpopular Opinions, but I liked JJ in Nanny Dearest (until she shot the unsub in the head). She and Morgan with the victim, who was the most effective victim they have had on CM, IMO, were effective and compassionate. 

 

Really, that victim was realistic and so sad and painful in her struggle.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I know this may actually go under Unpopular Opinions, but I liked JJ in Nanny Dearest (until she shot the unsub in the head). She and Morgan with the victim, who was the most effective victim they have had on CM, IMO, were effective and compassionate. 

 

Really, that victim was realistic and so sad and painful in her struggle.

 

Was that the one where the woman who had escaped kept snapping herself with the rubber band around her wrist? Yeah, I kinda liked JJ in that one, too.

[normasm]

Yes, CoStar, it's one of the ones that makes me love Morgan, and JJ wasn't bad at all. 

[zannej]

Which was the one where JJ asked for the files and the cop said that they'd already reviewed stuff so she didn't need to see them and she pulled him aside and lamented how it was a boy's club and they weren't going to really let her do anything so looking at the files would be busywork for her. She was convincing and the guy handed over the files.

She was also very freaked out in the episode where the taxidermist was stealing people's eyes and he made a comment about her eyes.

 

Also liked her in Revelations when she was at first too stunned to worry about Reid and then freaking out and feeling guilty.

[ForeverAlone]

The one where she charmed the LEO into letting her look at the files was The Big Game.

[zannej]

Was it just me, or was her hair darker in the most recent episode? 

I actually didn't find her as intolerable as I'd expected and I liked some of her scenes in the last one-- although I did not like how they had her shouting at the little girl. That didn't make sense. It sounded like she was angry at the girl and being mean to her. It would have been better if she'd had an authoritative yet soothing/gentle tone (which I've heard AJ do so I know she's capable of it) and tell the girl to focus on her voice and listen to her and it was going to be ok. Just shouting "LOOK AT ME!" was bound to make the girl even more frightened. But that was just some bad writing there.

[normasm]

She may be taking a break from dying/bleaching her hair because she's pregnant. Yeah, i didn't get that shouting bit JJ was doing when it was happening. ??

[secnarf]

Her shouting seemed really jarring...I mentally justified it as her yelling over the sound of the helicopter, but something did seem off about it.