Season 10 Spoilers, Speculation, and Stabs in the Dark!

[Wilowy]

What do you expect/want/don't want to happen in ten? Here we go with our imagined or genuine prophecies and fears.

 

This should be good. 

[Wilowy]

BIG FAT news coming early next week, everyone. I have non-shareable changey wangey details but let me tell you it will impact the ENTIRE season, as well as the future of our show. 

[ForeverAlone]

Yeah, we've seen John and Harry's tweets about BIG news. 

[Wilowy]

Oh, have you? Well some have not. Trust me when I say you will not expect it, and the face of our show will not ever be the same. 

[ForeverAlone]

Hmmm...guesses then? But since it won't be something we expect, it's probably not one of these. :) :) :)

 

And since I don't think Harry and John would think these would result in season 10 being a "blast" (with the exception of Paget returns), it's probably not any of these either.

 

1. Paget returns full time.

2. Erica is getting replaced by a competent showrunner better suited to Criminal Minds' core mission.

3. Most of the writers are getting replaced by better ones (say Andrew Wilder).

4. One of the main characters is leaving (even though we've been told otherwise). 

5. The main arc of this season is profiling the impending zombie apocalypse. 

6. All the cast members have been replaced with puppets. 

7. They decided to retool the show to be a jaunty comedy musical. 

[Wilowy]

Yeah! Thought those that don't follow twitter or other media might like to know that something's a-coming. :)

[JMO]

The only news I'd be interested in would be to hear they've been renewed for an additional season, and all contracts are signed and sealed.

 

I got over the 'hype' a good six false 'hypes' ago.  They don't seem to have their finger on the pulse of my particular part of the fandom.  Whether they're blowing up the plane, or the BAU, or whatever it is, I wish they'd just keep it to themselves.  I'd rather be surprised.  (But only pleasantly!)

[Wilowy]

I just hope they don't start shifting people around like with other procedurals. Kicking out the principals when they get too expensive and trying that 'infuse with new blood' trick that seldom if ever works. 

[JMO]

I just hope they don't start shifting people around like with other procedurals. Kicking out the principals when they get too expensive and trying that 'infuse with new blood' trick that seldom if ever works. 

 

Agreed.  The well-defined characters were what drew me in, and they are what keeps me with the show (which is literally the only scripted one I've watched for more than an episode or two since the great days of ER and West Wing).  I think character development was more a talent of the previous team/teams of writers than the one we have now (holding poor Blake up as evidence), so I hope they don't try to go that route. . 

 

The procedural aspect I can take or leave.  Procedurals in general don't interest me---nor shows about dystopias, vampires, zombies, etc.  Which, these days, leaves me a lot of time for reading and writing.  :)

[Danielg342]

I just hope they don't start shifting people around like with other procedurals. Kicking out the principals when they get too expensive and trying that 'infuse with new blood' trick that seldom if ever works. 

 

From what I understand, Shemar Moore has said this season will be his last. At this stage he might be the only character I'd accept leaving because I'm already prepared for it. I hope, though, he'll stick around the entire year at least and that we'll meet whomever they'll get to replace him before the year is done.

[Wilowy]

I think I could handle anyone's departure except Matthew or Thomas. Those two are essential to the show for me. Aaron is the daddy and Spencer is the heart.

 

I do want to see Rossi promoted. It's just no longer believable to me that he's in the field in the capacity they use him. Now if they kept him in the field interviewing suspects, working with law enforcement at the precincts, and visiting the MEs, then yes, I'd totally be on board with that. But to have him running around shooting UnSubs is just unrealistic at his age. 

[missmycat]

BIG FAT news coming early next week, everyone. I have non-shareable changey wangey details but let me tell you it will impact the ENTIRE season, as well as the future of our show. 

Harry Bring has tweeted that there will be a press release pertaining to this so call news on 6/30.Which of course is tomorrow.

[jaytee1812]

New season regular for season 10:

 

http://tvline.com/2014/07/01/jennifer-love-hewitt-criminal-minds-season-10/

[Lebanna]

I have really no idea if this is a good or bad thing for the show. I don't remember the actress in anything else. Never watched the Ghost Whisperer. But the huge negative reaction amongst fans which seems to be happening has me worried.

 

Still, there was a lot of generalized negativity about Blake and I loved her to bits, and at least she's not some starlet playing a baby cop with no experience. Both of these things make me a little hopeful.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Lebanna

[ForeverAlone]

I can't say I am happy with this news, and considering her character is being developed by Erica and crew, I don't have tremendous faith in this. Please tell me we won't have MORE stupid undercover stories, even as backstories. But hey....we'll see what happens in season 10. *sighs*

[normasm]

Well, they were determined to ruin the show somehow. Looks like they've found the perfect formula.

[Wilowy]

I think she could be great. Let's see how her character develops! I was hoping for Sarah Michelle Gellar, but JLH isn't a bad choice!

[JMO]

The original writing team did a great job of creating characters, and the actors a great job of bringing them to life.  JLH has some proven acting chops.  Now we'll have to hope the current team of writers can find a way to create her character well, and give her adequate, sensible back story.  Then it will be up to her to bring it to life.  It's inherently an intimate partnership between the writers and the actors, and we were fortunate to have it go so well at the beginning.  Hoping the writers will feel more in tune ('seasoned undercover' sounds right up their alley) with JLH's character than they were with JT's.

Edited July 1, 2014 by JustMyOpinion

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Oh, Lord. Jennifer Love Hewitt? Really? I actually don't have anything against her, and The Ghost Whisperer was a good show. But considering the fate of the last brunette who walked through the door, I do not have high hopes. And as Lebanna says, the negativity about Blake/Tripplehorn was really annoying. It's bad enough that the show IMO completely disrespected her. I wonder if Messer is any happier about Hewitt's hiring than she was about JT's.

[mstaken]

I'm in that small minority who actually likes Jennifer Love Hewitt (I know...I know. I don't get it, either!) I'm not claiming she's Emmy-worthy, but for me she has a natural warmth, exuberance and infectious likability. That said, if I had to list the currently airing shows on which I think she'd be a good fit, CM might have been near the bottom. And the show doesn't have a great history of writing well-defined female characters IMO, so I'm kind of wary. Overall, I'm in 'wait and see' mode. She might add a new energy to a team dynamic that can (again, IMO!) feel kind of staid. Worst case scenario, she gives us all a lot to gleefully snark about :)  

[Wilowy]

@Cobalt Stargazer, Harry said that nope, Erica DID NOT WANT to fill the role, but CBS made her. 

 

She's a good actress, but SO much of a bombshell, and I do hope she's a toughie. We surely don't need a 'delicate flower' on the team. I hope her skillset is unique to her, and I've a feeling she'll integrate well if given the chance. 

[IndependentMind]

I don't quite know what to say. Except really, JLH? She is a horrible actress in my opinion,

They should have gotten the actress who played Beverly Kants on "Hannibal".

I was hoping for some diversity. I guess that really is too much to hope for.

I am officially done with the show.

[Wilowy]

Aww... looks like we'll get to see Emily. If she wants to make it happen, I'll bet they'll book her. 

 

[missmycat]

I am a bit leery about this.Nothing against the actress personally.If anything I am somewhat neutral about her.My apprehension comes from the fact that I don't necessarily trust EM and these writers to develop her character adequately enough.  

Edited July 1, 2014 by missmycat

[IndependentMind]

Well, if Emily is there I will watch the episode(s).

[Cobalt Stargazer]

@Willowy, that was pretty much what I figured. Now my hopes are even lower.

[Bavct]

They keep trying to fit a brunette into the cast and it just doesn't work. 

 

I am not a fan of JLH.

 

There is no way I am going to buy her as whatever kind of agent they try and bring her in as - brilliant mind or kick ass rouge (those are the only two options right?)

 

I might be slightly amused if she is a mommy character and has a few kids and a happy marriage so that JJ can't corner the market on that one anymore. 

 

But if not a mommy, please, please, please....do not even go there with her and Reid.  Or her and anyone. 

[Wilowy]

Well, both her and Matthew are big dorks in r/l... might be fun? :P

What they are looking to do is extend the longevity of the show. If any of our people play hardball with contracts next year, they may very well pass on them, and add different roles.

 

The only two that are irreplaceable to me are Reid and Hotch. If they were to let either Matthew or Thomas go I'd be extremely angry. I highly doubt the show would recover. 

[ForeverAlone]

My initial backlash to this announcement is because I associate Jennifer with light, happy fun characters. However I know she is capable of more, so it is not so much the actress herself, though I personally never would have thought of her as a good fit for this show. But I am very apprehensive about the undercover background, because this current band of writers and producers seems to love that stupidity way too much. So I wish they had given her a background in something more obviously relevant, like sex crimes or forensic psychology. I hope they don't use this as an excuse to veer even more from the path of serial criminals. But I don't exactly trust Erica. *sighs*

Though I will say I hope Jennifer plays a character very different from JJ and we can stop having the focus on JJ in season 10.

And I guess CBS's underlying message to the rest of the cast is not to play hardball with their contracts, because CBS will likely have no heartache about replacing them. Should be fun. :) :) :)

Edited July 1, 2014 by ForeverAlone

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I was curious, so I looked it up, and JLH is only thirty five. JT is fifty one. If Blake and the new character are roughly the same ages as their portrayers, how "seasoned" can the new person be?

[Lebanna]

Honestly, thirty-five would be about right for someone who has been recently working undercover. I guess she could have been doing that for five if not ten years.

 

It's the characters in their fifties and sixties who are still running about in the field that are completely unrealistic (this is a show where they have a private jet to rush them where they can take over other jurisdictions' cases - realism isn't an issue I care about much here). I believe that forty-five is often the limit for dangerous active undercover assignments.

 

Now, if the character is meant to be in any way younger than the actress, as is sometimes the case, that will be annoying.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Lebanna

[IndependentMind]

I have been acreaming for diversity but all they do is hire another Caucasian actres.

Why not Kelly Hu? She is over 40 and beautiful and believable as a cop.

If they wanted a brunette why not Annie Parisse?

But JLH? She has done a series on CBS before. Plus I think they want to sexy up the show and JLH's last show, she played a prostitute. So there you go.

[Wilowy]

She's trending. Heh.

 

Apparently, JLH's "TVQ" is off the hook. They didn't want to take any chances with this one.

 

CBS viewers love Love. 

[Lebanna]

Annie Parisse would have been outstanding. Loved her in The Following and Person of Interest. And Sarah Michelle Geller would have been awesome too. And yes, some diversity in casting would have been great. Oh well. 

 

Hey, maybe they'll add a tiny bit of diversity by having the new character be gay. Probably all her relationships would be mostly off screen, but at least it would be something.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Lebanna

[IndependentMind]

Lol. A gay character ona CBS show? That will be the day. They are one of the worst if not the worst network voted by the LGBT with gay characters.

It more likely that Root and Shaw would be gay on "Person of Interest" than one of the characters on CM be gay.

I wish they had killed off the wife on "The Following" and not kill of Annie Parisse.

Diversity on CM? That would be the day.

[Wilowy]

I wanted Blake to be gay, was disappointed when they didn't go there. Erica has said that the reasoning in NOT going there is because then that is all that character becomes, ie... "the gay one" instead of focus being on the other character traits they possess. 

 

I disagree with that. If the writers just bring it up as a simple fact instead of a huge deal, it won't be. At least not in the long-term. I'd love it if they made her gay.

[missmycat]

@ Willowy Very good point about the network wanting to keep the cast in line. I'm betting in has a lot to do with what when on the last time AJ,KV and SM were up for contract negotiations.

Although I really can't see AJ Cook doing the same thing again,especially since the actress is quite aware of the fact that there was a ton of backlash against her this past season.

[Wilowy]

Right MMC, although it makes me kind of sick that the network views my team that way. Something to be "kept in line" for when the contracts come around again at the end of this year, instead of the valuable individuals they are. Fuck that.

[Lebanna]

There are so few gay characters in crime procedurals generally. As far as I remember the Law and Order franchise only has one regular gay ADA (who came out literally ten seconds before she exited the show, in famously ridiculous style) and one regular gay psychiatrist. In more than twenty years. CSI have none, far as I recall. NCIS tampoco.

 

I'm serious. It would be great if she were gay. And you're right, there's almost no chance.

 

As for ' the gay one' - like what, 'the geeky one'? (He loves Doctor Who!) 'The eccentric one'? (She wears flowers in her hair!) 'The Italian one'? (He cooks pasta!) ' The Mom'? (You couldn't understand because you're not a parent!) ' The gorgeous one'? (We can all debate who that is).

 

I don't believe this show has a problem with stereotypes on the whole.

[IndependentMind]

Willowy - That reason given by EM not making a character gay is, excuse my French, is stupid. It is up to her and the writers not to make that the focus. They can be gay but not make that character be all about.

That is a total cop out.

I think they should have made Morgan gay but I doubt SM would approve. Plus what will happen to his "Baby Girls"? lol

[Wilowy]

Right, @IndependentMind, and she also said that it brings along with it a whole host of issues that they'd rather not take on. 

 

Um. Closed-minded, much? Also not true. It's only as big an issue as you MAKE it. 

Like Cosima, the gay scientist clone in Orphan Black says; "My sexuality is the least interesting thing about me."

[IndependentMind]

You are so correct there, Willowy. An issue they don't want to tackle? More like they want to deal with because they don't have the creative capacity to do so.

Plus this is reality. There are gay agents in the FBI. As there are also Asian, Middle Eastern and Hispanic agents in the FBI. They are not all white.

Also how comw they can write a gay unsub but can't do so with a regular FBI agent?

On "White Collar" FBI agent Diana is gay but that never became the focus of her character.

[missmycat]

Right MMC, although it makes me kind of sick that the network views my team that way. Something to be "kept in line" for when the contracts come around again at the end of this year, instead of the valuable individuals they are. Fuck that.

Indeed.However, we all know that CBS has always treated this show as its ugly stepchild. I've always felt the network was too stupid to recognize the treasure they had in this show. Just as I feel at times EM and her writers are too stupid to recognize the treasure they have in the character of Dr. Spencer Reid.

Edited July 2, 2014 by missmycat

[ForeverAlone]

CBS has a history of playing hardball when it comes to its actors' contract negotiations and thinking they need to keep them on line. Criminal Minds is not unique in that regard. CBS seems to view MOST of their onscreen talent to be disposable and replaceable.

[missmycat]

CBS has a history of playing hardball when it comes to its actors' contract negotiations and thinking they need to keep them on line. Criminal Minds is not unique in that regard. CBS seems to view MOST of their onscreen talent to be disposable and replaceable.

Yes that is true,However, I don't remember CBS pulling the same crap when they did the spin offs for CSI and NCIS as they did when it came to CM's spin off.

[Wilowy]

Also, heh, I don't give a shit about those other shows. I love my CM team and want them to BE the best. ;)

[IndependentMind]

I agree with you MMC. They would move mountains and give whatever money Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly ask for to make sure they stay on NCIS.

[ForeverAlone]

Eh... The same year CBS fired AJ and Paget, they also fired series regular Liz Vassey off CSI Vegas and they tried to get Melina Kanakarades to take a paycut on CSI: NY and she chose to quit instead and was replaced by Sela Ward. There were reports that contract negotiations with Jorja Fox on CSI were so rancorous that CBS wanted to kill her off, though ironically they ended up begging her to come back later due to declining ratings. CBS also fired Adam Rodriguez from CSI Miami and then were forced to rehire him the next year because of fan outrage. Though reports were mixed, the word last year was that Cote de Pablo was unhappy with whatever CBS offered her in renegotiation, she chose to leave a couple weeks before production started. There are a few people CBS would back a Brinks truck up to their doorstep to prevent them from leaving, but they are rare, particularly on their procedurals. Mark Harmon is one of the executive producers on NCIS so CBS would definitely pay to keep the head of their cash cow on the air. Michael Weatherly definitely makes good money, but I think it is the same or near the same as Pauley Perrette, and nowhere near Mark Harmon money.

[idiotwaltz]

About 10 years ago, CBS cancelled Joan of Arcadia and replaced it with The Ghost Whisperer in its slot. Can't say I've ever forgiven CBS for it. I loathed JLH until I stopped caring, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by her acting in an episode of SVU a couple of years ago. She was really good in it.

I don't see how this 'changes the direction of the show' as they tried to sell it. Good thing I didn't get all that worked up about it, or I'll be sorely disappointed!

[IndependentMind]

For some unknown reason, L & O: SVU somehow are able to get actors who are otherwise not known for their acting skills to give good performances like Mischa Barton, JLH, Jesse McCartney, Brittany Snow and Ludacris.

Edited July 2, 2014 by IndependentMind