Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite

[IndependentMind]

I remember Ed saying that about JJ's character. I just can't seem to find the article.

But I found one where he talks about the importance of her job.

http://criminalmindsfanatic.blogspot.com/2008/09/criminal-minds-season-four-spoilers.html?m=1

[ForeverAlone]

And it is so ironic how the writers inadvertently crapped on all their previous efforts to show how vital JJ was to the team as the media liaison after they had to write JJ out. Now it seems like the job doesn't require much effort to devote to it.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ForeverAlone

[IndependentMind]

Their so called growth means erasing who JJ was before because AJ didn't want JJ to be the same JJ when she came back. Maybe we will kearn that this JJ is actually her twin that we knew nothing about. haha.

[ForeverAlone]

This was in the runup to 200, but I joked that JJ's secret was that she really died in Afghanistan and was replaced by Cylon JJ. It would explain so much about her seemingly abrupt character change. :) :) :) :) :)

[Wilowy]

I love this pic of everyone listening to Reid ask for help finding Maeve. Everyone looks concerned but I especially love the look on JJ's face. 

 

And love this look too...

 

[IndependentMind]

This is AJ at the end of Season 6 when she came back

This is AJ Season 7

Season 8

And this is season 9

Look at how skinny she has gotten. And its quite alarming. And it doesn't look healthy.

Edited May 8, 2014 by IndependentMind

[zannej]

Yeah, it makes her facial bones really stick out. She still looks pretty, but it is alarming.

[IndependentMind]

I have always thought AJ was pretty pre-season 8. I noticed the dramatic drop in her weight and her working out too much.

I much prefer how Gillian Anderson during the X Files how she lost her baby fat and started working out. She still looked healthy and feminine. Up to this day even at almost 46, she still looks younger than her age abd she looks fantastic. The same way with Sasha Alexander. Feminine, fit and healthy looking.

[Wilowy]

Here we have a study in contrast.

 

Jennifer calmly "not even thinking about it" and taking out the UnSub that hurt Penelope, vs Jennifer with a "DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER, DIE" face while shooting at the UnSub post-200. Had Reid been shot yet? 

 

[ForeverAlone]

I think JJ is reacting the way she was on Angels, because they were taking a lot of gunfire and her life was immediately in danger. She was returning fire, but she probably didn't have a clear shot of the unsub. It was an incredibly heated situation. Whereas she could afford to be cool and collected (and needed to be to make a head shot through a thick glass door), in "Penelope", because her life was not in immediate danger.

[Wilowy]

I hear you. It still is a striking contrast. 

 

Do you remember offhand if Reid had gotten shot yet? I'm watching again tomorrow but I don't recall right now.

[JMO]

After.

[zannej]

I can't help it, but in the second pic she looks like she's smiling. She sort of has Joker face. I know its because it was a still from an action scene, but it looks funny to me.

[threebluestars]

I really miss JJ as the media liaison because I feel like her interactions with the family showed a better side of her with compassion and skills different from the profilers. As a profiler, she is exactly what SSAHotcher said - pushy, cold, arrogant.

[zannej]

I actually really liked that she was showing concern for Reid and saying how scared she was for him. I wish she'd gotten to go in and hold his hand briefly. I admit that when she said something like "Can you imagine Reid as a Dad" that I sort of took it as her thinking of him as a space alien again with the "it would be so odd if he procreated" reaction. Then Blake said the kid would be lucky. But I know that JJ wasn't trying to be insulting, and I've had a similar reaction when I found out that some friends from school had procreated.

 

I know this is about "Demons" but it is also about JJ and her skillset. One thing I wish they had done in the episode was NOT have the team be so obvious about realizing that the cops were dirty. This is where JJ's talents could have come in because they established very early on that she is a great liar. She had to twist the truth when talking to the media all the time and she was able to lie to the team. She was convincing in her story in Boogeyman... So they could have used JJ to lie to the police and give a cover story (while acting perfectly calm and normal) to explain why they were clustering together and speaking privately. Like, they were worried about Reid and trying to contact his family. And maybe made some stuff up to say in front of the police to make the cops feel involved and not squeezed out. Or had JJ step aside from the team and say that they weren't trying to be antisocial, but that one of their own getting hurt had made it personal. Or SOMETHING. JJ could have come up with it and it would have been a good use for her character and made sense for the story.

 

I was watching repeats on ION. JJ and Morgan were arriving to talk to a witness and the press was all over. Morgan said he knew that all he would say was "no comment" and JJ made a statement while walking up the stairs and said that the police would release a statement later. She was strong, authoritative, and professional. She could kick people's asses verbally. 

[mstaken]

I just rewatched a repeat of Birthright (why, yes, I feel compelled to record several episodes per week despite already owning the DVDs!), and I was happily surprised by how much I liked JJ in this one. While the reasons for JJ feeling more affected by this particular case were rather vague (she's, er, within 10-15 years of their ages...and, hey, this is a small town and one of the three things we know about JJ is that she's from a small town, too!), I just love when we get hints that she does have relatably human, emotional reactions but deliberately squashes them behind her (IMO) rather robotic, icy professional veneer. I so prefer that to being left with the impression that she just doesn't have those emotions at all. You guys know that I've always felt it's JJ who very deliberately and carefully compartmentalizes even though Prentiss is the team member credited with that line. I love finding faint 'evidence' for my crackpot theory that JJ is/was deliberately written as someone who can project the proper manner to the public and even to families but who has trouble getting in touch with her OWN emotions and truly trusting the people she's 'closest' to. That would also be consistent with her having lost someone to suicide. When I think of her as deliberately depicted this way rather than just not defined at all, it makes her far more interesting and root-worthy to me...and also makes me think more highly of the writers :) 

Edited May 20, 2014 by mstaken

[idiotwaltz]

I just rewatched a repeat of Birthright (why, yes, I feel compelled to record several episodes per week despite already owning the DVDs!), and I was happily surprised by how much I liked JJ in this one. While the reasons for JJ feeling more affected by this particular case were rather vague (she's, er, within 10-15 years of their ages...and, hey, this is a small town and one of the three things we know about JJ is that she's from a small town, too!), I just love when we get hints that she does have relatably human, emotional reactions but deliberately squashes them behind her (IMO) rather robotic, icy professional veneer. I so prefer that to being left with the impression that she just doesn't have those emotions at all. You guys know that I've always felt it's JJ who very deliberately and carefully compartmentalizes even though Prentiss is the team member credited with that line. I love finding faint 'evidence' for my crackpot theory that JJ is/was deliberately written as someone who can project the proper manner to the public and even to families but who has trouble getting in touch with her OWN emotions and truly trusting the people she's 'closest' to. That would also be consistent with her having lost someone to suicide. When I think of her as deliberately depicted this way rather than just not defined at all, it makes her far more interesting and root-worthy to me...and also makes me think more highly of the writers :) 

 

I've read a fanfic where JJ is a sociopath, which accounts for all the coldness and compartmentalization. The fic was written pre-baby (circa Revelations) so given the limited canon at the time the story was written, it's pretty plausible. 

 

I liked JJ a lot better before she had Henry and suddenly every single case was about TAKING! IT! PERSONALLY! I'M A MOTHER! DON'T  YOU GET IT?!?! 

 

My own crackpot theroy re JJ, especially regarding her comment about being scared of the woods, is that she actually comes from a family of demon hunters a la Supernatural and she had an encounter with a wendigo in the woods behind her house once when she was a child. It always explains why she's such a great shot (see: Revelations and Penelope) and why gory stuff doesn't spook her at all. *proudly wears tinhat* . 

[mstaken]

I've read a fanfic where JJ is a sociopath, which accounts for all the coldness and compartmentalization

 

I love it! I've long clung to the hope that JJ and WeirdlyCreepyWill are insanely prolific tag team serial killers whom the team will one day be forced to apprehend :) 

 

My own crackpot theroy re JJ, especially regarding her comment about being scared of the woods, is that she actually comes from a family of demon hunters a la Supernatural and she had an encounter with a wendigo in the woods behind her house once when she was a child. It always explains why she's such a great shot (see: Revelations and Penelope) and why gory stuff doesn't spook her at all. *proudly wears tinhat* .

 

*bows to your genius* 

[ForeverAlone]

I've seen way too many people who want Reid to develop schizophrenia or become a serial killer, but it would be far more interesting to discover JJ and Will are the country's most prolific serial killers. THAT would be the way to end the series. :) :) :) :) :)

[zannej]

I just watched In Heat and it had some good stuff for JJ. It was interesting how she came off as cold to Will's face but at the same time she didn't want to hurt him and she was confused. I think AJ played it well on that.

If one ignores the human factor and emotions, JJ was coming off as rather bitchy- especially when Will was clearly grieving and needed some comfort and she was giving him the cold shoulder-- but you could see on her face that she felt conflicted and she just wasn't sure what to do. 

The thing about always running so she didn't get hurt struck me. I wonder if there were past relationships where she got hurt or something happened. It made me sort of wish they would do a story to explain that further. Like, maybe she had a relationship with a reporter and got into trouble or he used her and she was left hurt and looking like a fool. Or maybe the guy she was dating got killed for being associated with her or *something*. I don't think it would just be her sister. The admitting that the relationship was real part was something that got my attention as well. She wanted to hide the relationship from people, so it made me think that maybe there was a relationship she had that was public. Maybe she'd been engaged before and things ended badly. Perhaps something about it could come up in a new case.

[Wilowy]

Will's too boring to be a serial killer.

 

AJ being a dork

 

 

 

Supporting her friend Matthew

 

 

And wow, love this brunette look! 

 

[zannej]

She looks good as a brunette. I think she said her natural hair color is a shade of brown.

[idiotwaltz]

Will's too boring to be a serial killer.

 

Took the words right outta my mouth. 

 

This just came to me: the first role I ever saw A.J. in was a guest spot on Dead Like Me, starring Jason Gideon Mandy Patinkin. 6 degrees of Criminal Minds. 

[Wilowy]

She's been doing so many photo shoots the past couple of years that I'm getting a little burnt out on seeing her posing everywhere, buuuuuuut... this is a KILLER pic!

 

[ForeverAlone]

You see AJ more, because she is now being touted as a super fit, super hot babe. I mean, she even made Maxim's Hot 100, so she is definitely enjoying her time in the sun as a sex symbol. 

[zannej]

I don't like how those huge sunglasses cover so much of her face. I like to see her eyes. LOL.

 

I like this picture of her in Reid's apartment from Magnum Opus

I forgot to say why: 

1. She was helping Reid out and I really liked her in this one.

2. I like her outfit-- not too tight, but it shows that she has a good figure

3. Her face looks good in the soft light

4. I like her hair

Edited May 28, 2014 by zannej

[Wilowy]

I like that picture too. 

[zannej]

So, something I started rambling about in the Bullpen thread made me wonder about what we've been shown JJ likes, dislikes, what foods she eats, etc. I think we've seen her eating/drinking before.

 

I believe she was shown with a salad in an episode. Coffee is probably a big "yes" on the list. But for people who pay close attention to detail, what foods has she been shown eating?

 

What was the chinese takeout food she found stomach-turning when she was pregnant? (I can't remember what it was).

 

Does she seem to have a favorite color to wear?

[mstaken]

JJ is, for me, by far the most poorly defined character, so I'm thinking a lot of her likes and dislikes are up for us to fanwank :) We do, however, know that she likes Cheetos! 

[Wilowy]

She likes wearing neutrals a lot. White, gray, black, tan... JJ's not big on the flash. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zannej]

Ooh, I forgot about that hairstyle in the first picture. I really like that one.

 

I also like her look in the gray striped blouse and the picture just above (white blouse).

 

I can't believe that I forgot about cheetos. I remember that she is very good at playing darts because her hometown was too small for a bowling alley.

 

I'm trying to figure out if she now uses the Glock 19 or if she still uses the Glock 26 (aka Baby Glock).

 

I don't know why, but I don't like the bangs that cover her eyebrows. I feel like they are hiding too much of her face.

Edited June 1, 2014 by zannej

[SSAHotchner]

I was watching Jones on A&E last night and I was struck by the realization of how much I really liked JJ in the old days. With all the hubbub this past season I actually forgot about how much I liked her and why I liked her. I know a lot of folks don't like Jones but I have always enjoyed it because it showed the personal side of JJ. I liked JJ so much in her role as media liaison. She was actively involved in the cases, but she was just so much more...human. I get a coldness and an arrogance from her now. It makes me sad. I want to like her, but I find it hard to do now, and that just makes me mad. I'm sure AJ feels better about her role now, but I just think neither she nor CBS recognized the value of the media liaison role. No one is really filling that role now. Garcia may be presenting the cases and emoting all over the place, but I miss that quiet presence that would listen to the grief of the families of victims and empathize with them.   

[zannej]

Maybe they will make Anderson the media liaison. He does have a pretty face. :P

 

But yeah, when I watch older episodes I really like JJ. I still remember in the episode with the CIA when she patted Garcia on the hand and called her "you crazy person" but it was done with affection and you could tell the actresses liked each other.

[SSAHotchner]

It would be nice to see Anderson get a little more to do. Was watching old episodes on A&E over the weekend. I'd like to see a strong woman like Katie Cole. She could be strong without having to perform martial arts moves. And she had that caring core. That is what is missing from JJ these days. She's just too hard, and even when they give her a sympathetic line, it's no longer believable. I'm willing to concede that some of that is my own perception based on my current feelings toward the character. But some of it is AJ's fault, too Her facial expression and tone no longer convey that inside compassion.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Brought this over here from Alex's thread because I didn't know if discussing JJ there is verboten. I don't really know how these forums work yet, so I might make mistakes at first.

 

JJ isn't the reason Alex was written as poorly as she was. Hell, JJ was featured and still written poorly.

 

I agree with you that JJ is pretty poorly written, but it's that she's poorly written and featured that's fueling my ambivalence towards/dislike of her. If she was less (IMO) ever-present, there might have been more room for a newer character to be developed, whether it was Blake or someone else.

[Wilowy]

I hear you Cobalt Stargazer.

 

Let me posit that it was disclosed by multiple sources including Erica and AJ herself prior to the year even starting that this would be the 'season of JJ'. This was not a surprise to us. Do I approve? Nope. Featuring her less seems to improve her likability with fans, and speaking as a JJ fan, that is always preferable. And featuring her so much seemed to cut out a lot of what Hotch would normally do. Not a fan of that.

 

It's over though. And people have, and continue to be, vocal in their disapproval of that choice. I'd like to see the attention more spread out between the team members in ten, but I'd also like it to be heavy on Hotch (and of course Reid, always Reid), but Hotch has gotten short shrift in both the last two seasons and I miss him. 

 

SSAHotchner, with you on Katie Cole. 

[missmycat]

I remember the interview AJ Cook did declaring it the season of JJ. I also remember the backlash that ensued.It must have been pretty significant bc not too long afterwards the actress did another interview where she declared it to be the season of all the characters and that JJ was only going to get a little extra focus. JJ got way more than a little extra focus. 

 

Now I am not saying AJ deliberately lied to us. I'm quite sure it was probably something she was told to say and she may very well have believed it herself at the time.But what really grates on me is that despite the visceral reaction from many in the fandom EM and these writers still thought it was a good idea to focus on this character excessively.

 

But as you say Willowy, It is indeed water under the bridge. I can only hope that there will be less JJ next season. And I agree that Hotch needs more focus come next season.And I definitely want more Reid.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Willowy

[mstaken]

For me, it's not so much an issue of how much screentime or focus JJ (or any other team member) gets, but more just my frustration with how that increased screentime and focus did literally NOTHING to develop or illuminate her character in any way. I still know nothing about her personality (except to sadly conclude she doesn't have one), her human foibles (she apparently doesn't have those, either!), her interests, her secret hopes and fears, or even a deeper sense of her relationships with the other team members. I know many think she radiated warmth and empathy in earlier seasons, and I'll readily concede that was what the writers intended, though the flat, detached, eyeroll-prone actress never managed to sell me on that. So, for me, JJ is still the flat, cold, lifeless, snotty bore she was in earlier seasons---only maybe flatter, colder, more lifeless and snottier now that they're intent on making her even more improbably 'perfect' and tough in an even more unrelatable, comic book-y way. I was hoping the writers would at least touch on the very interesting contradiction I see between how congenial JJ can be with the public at large versus how guarded and dismissive she often seems towards those allegedly closest to her, but I guess that's what fanfic is for :) I honestly wouldn't have minded an increased focus on JJ if it had served to make her a more likable, layered and even remotely interesting character for me---but, alas, it didn't! It just made me even more dubious of AJ Cook's talents, as for me other actresses can make similarly underwritten, ill-defined roles much more likable and interesting. 

Edited June 2, 2014 by mstaken

[Wilowy]

After Emily left, JJ wore her earrings. 

 

[Wilowy]

Never once did she admit this to anyone about herself when she was taken and went through the torture. Only about Spence.

 

Her face.

 

[Wilowy]

Interview with AJ, discussing her family and the show, how to piss off a cop, and how she likes to spend her off-time. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b90kRnKFhWU

[IndependentMind]

AJ posted a new picture and in my opinion, she looks way too skinny..

 

Edited June 10, 2014 by IndependentMind

[mstaken]

Ugh! I usually think AJ is pretty, but she looks ghastly there IMO. That outfit, the hairstyle, the excessive clown-like makeup...she looks a 16-year-old who raided her mother's makeup drawer and her 12-year-old sister's closest! 

[IndependentMind]

Also, imagine how much skinnier she really is since pictures usually add about 3 pounds. 

 

It is not very attractive at all looking that skinny.

[mstaken]

I totally agree that she looks too thin, but IMO that doesn't necessarily mean she has an eating disorder. I know from experience that certain medical issues can result in being underweight...even for those of us who consume a zillion calories per day ;) For all we know, she might not have much control over her weight. She does, however, have control over what to wear and how much makeup to slather on, which is why that pictures makes me cringe. I can't imagine anyone I know who's over the age of about 22 choosing to wear that, but, then again, I'm not an actress!  

[Old Dog]

I'm not a fan of that outfit - especially considering she is in one of the most chic corners of the world!

[mstaken]

I haven't liked much of what they've done with JJ's character, but I now find myself with a renewed appreciation for the fact that they dress her far more nicely and age appropriately on the show as compared to some of what she chooses to wear off camera! 

[Wilowy]

I'm uncomfortable with the 'anorexic' label, though if you think she looks far too thin, or garish or what have you, or even don't like the look on her face, that's up to you.

[IndependentMind]

If AJ had always been naturally skinny from the start I would not call her anorexic but the way she had dropped weight and supposedly she is "fit and healthy" look that she is on now, I just don't agree that is healthy. She is way too skinny. A lot of young girls look up to her and this whole girl power thing that she got going with the new JJ, it doesn't set a good example. 

I'm not saying she has an eating disorder issue. But when i look at this picture, she looks soooo skinny. Look at the size of her thighs? Look at how her bones are sticking out? 

 

And I don't think it is a coincidence that back when she was a normal size, AJ never wore outfit that showed a lot of skin. But ever since she started to get skinny and vigorously working out, she has been wearing skimpier clothes and have done sexy photo shoots. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Wow, that picture is really.....unfortunate. Not all women who are that thin are anorexic. Keira Knightley, for instance. But the teeny little shorts combined with the belly shirt just makes AJ look a little ridiculous to me. She isn't ugly at all, but she's apparently trying to be a sexpot, and it doesn't work on her IMO.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Cobalt Stargazer