Criminal Minds: Evolution has been airing its fourth season, 19th overall, on the 2026 TV schedule, and even after all these years, I love learning about how this show gets made. So, in the midst of this new season, some of the cast have been sharing photos and videos from filming, while others have been posting behind-the-scenes details, which I love. Most recently, Paget Brewster shared some random set facts, and there were two that really stuck with me.

Brewster is a staple on Criminal Minds. She has starred in hundreds of episodes as Emily Prentiss, and she is leading the BAU in Evolution. To celebrate Season 19, which premiered on May 28, Brewster took to X to reveal some fun facts about the show so many people love. One of them even involved the upcoming 20^th season and how she gets into character:

I have always wondered how actors are able to cry on the spot, because if I were in that position, I would be doing so many takes. Knowing how Brewster prepares herself gives me an insight into that skill, while also giving me a peek into what it's really like filming Criminal Minds. It also makes me wonder what will be in store for Prentiss come Season 20, because I need to know why she’ll be crying.

Anyway, while we wait to see the tears in question, Brewster revealed another BTS fact that's worth discussing. In a different post on X, she got real about a hard truth that comes with being an actor. While this is not necessarily a surprising truth, it's still harsh. It also makes it clear that Criminal Minds is intense both on-screen and off.

Having to still work while sick definitely sucks. I’ve done it numerous times. But having to work and pretend like everything is alright for the camera is a different story. However, it makes sense that sick days aren't really possible, especially if there’s a strict filming schedule. However, hopefully, sick actors are still able to take some time to rest and relax.

I always love getting behind-the-scenes facts of my favorite shows, and I’m grateful that Paget Brewster shares so many while holding down the fort on Criminal Minds. Whether or not Brewster has more set facts under her sleeve is unknown, but with much more of the show on the way, I'm hopeful she'll share more.

While I cross my fingers for more BTS info, fans can watch new episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Thursdays with a Paramount+ subscription. All current episodes of Criminal Minds are also available on the streamer.

Even though Friends premiered over 30 years ago, we’re still chomping at the bit for all the BTS stories we can get. Now, fan-favorite guest star Paget Brewster has given us one that had to be mortifying in the moment, but she can laugh about it now. I say that because she shared a story involving Matthew Perry and a wardrobe mishap that he handled in a very “gentlemanly” way.

While Brewster was only in six episodes of Friends across Season 4, she’s remembered fondly. She played Kathy, a woman who started out dating Joey but ended up in a brief fling with Chandler, and she was featured in some of Matthew Perry’s best episodes, like “The One with Chandler in a Box.” That means she spent a lot of time with Perry, and one day, while they were between scenes, he invited her over to play basketball in a pool, as the actress told The Independent:

From there, the Huff actress noted that they were playing basketball in the pool, it was completely innocent, and she was wearing a pair of shorts and her bra. While they were in the midst of the game, her bra slipped, and I’d imagine it was a pretty uncomfortable wardrobe malfunction. However, Perry informed her of the mishap in a kind way, as she explained:

Honestly, this kind of mishap feels like a story that would be told on Friends. It’s quite funny, and the fact that they both handled it maturely and kindly makes it even better. Truly, this feels like the kind of tale that was bad in the moment but funny in hindsight, especially since Perry handled it in a kind and awkward Chandler-coded way.

Speaking about how Perry was “such a gentleman and a sweetheart” during this whole situation, Paget Brewster said:

The Criminal Minds actor was referencing her co-star’s memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which came out the year before Perry passed away. Along with this story and appreciation for his book, Brewster paid tribute to her co-star and spoke fondly of working closely with him on the beloved sitcom.

Clearly, she adored Matthew Perry and their time working together on Friends, even when it involved a potentially embarrassing wardrobe mishap. And it’s always fun as a fan to hear stories about what it was like to work on this massive hit.

Now, if you want to go back and see these two and the rest of the cast of Friends on screen and in character, you can stream the sitcom with a Max subscription.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 was arguably one of the most thrilling streaming releases of the summer, as the BAU team returned to not only deal with Zach Gilford’s Voit all over again, but a whole new crew of killers. Despite the finale releasing for Paramount+ subscribers in early August, the crime drama is currently ranking at #2 on the streamer’s list of Top 10 Shows. Seeing Criminal Minds still doing so well nearly a full month after its finale made me think back to what Paget Brewster told CinemaBlend about Clark Gregg joining the cast, and it’s enough to make me want to watch the season all over again.

For some perspective on why I’m so impressed that Criminal Minds is still on Paramount+’s Top 10, it’s worth noting that the show has already begun filming Season 3 before Season 2 even dropped out of streaming relevance. At the time of writing, it holds the #2 rank on the list, behind David Boreanaz’s SEAL Team – which is currently still releasing new episodes – at #1 and NCIS at #3. (NCIS returns for Season 22 in the fall 2024 TV schedule.) I’m not saying that Clark Gregg joining the cast is why it’s doing so well, but he was one of the changes for the new season.

And when I spoke with Paget Brewster about Prentiss getting stoned with JJ and what was in store for the high-stakes Season 2 finale, I also asked what it has been to add the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum to the ensemble this time around. Brewster didn’t disappoint, as she laughed and said:

While plenty of people still recognize Paget Brewster from Friends, the actress is better known for her drama work nowadays thanks to more than 200 episodes of Criminal Minds over nearly twenty years. Still, she flexed her comedy muscles for the sadly short-lived How I Met Your Father to make out with Clark Gregg while playing Hilary Duff’s parents on Hulu. It certainly sounds like the reunion over the Evolution Season 2 table read made for a memorable Zoom encounter! Brewster went on to praise what Gregg brought to Criminal Minds as FBI Director Ray Madison:

Paget Brewster isn’t the only member of the Criminal Minds team who would like to get Clark Gregg back in the future, as the showrunner feels the same way. Showrunner Erica Messer shared her own thoughts on what the Avengers alum brought to the show as well as her hopes for what’s possible in Season 3:

While it remains to be seen if Clark Gregg will turn up again on Criminal Minds: Evolution, Paramount+ gave an early renewal for Season 3 that has allowed filming to already begin. There’s no saying at this point when the third season will be ready to premiere, but it’s safe to say that we all will have plenty of time to rewatch Season 2 during the wait. Both seasons of Evolution as well as the first fifteen Criminal Minds seasons that aired on CBS are streaming on Paramount+ now.

Let it not be said that Criminal Minds can't do a cliffhanger on Paramount+, because the penultimate episode of Evolution Season 2 ended on some big questions and reasons for concern for Prentiss in particular. Fortunately, the wait for the Season 2 finale will end on August 1 for Paramount+ subscribers, and Paget Brewster spoke with CinemaBlend about what to expect that she thinks will make fans happy by the end in the 2024 TV schedule.

The penultimate episode of the second season ended with the BAU seemingly on the verge of a big win, with the bad guys in their crosshairs and a young girl in need of saving within reach. That went sideways in the final moments, however, with at least Prentiss and Rossi inside of the training center when Jade detonated what looked like an awful lot of explosives.

Paget Brewster of course didn't drop a mountain of spoilers to ruin the twists and turns that are sure to come in the finale, but when I spoke with the actress ahead of the episode, she hyped what to count on:

While Brewster mentioning "questions" suggests that we definitely shouldn't rule out an end-of-season cliffhanger, some answers sound pretty great! Plus, Criminal Minds: Evolution was renewed for Season 3 quickly after Season 2 premiered, so fans don't even have to panic that any leftover questions will never be answered.

Season 2 has been a rough ride for the BAU, and not just because they had to have Voit in their midst for a while. Prentiss was all but spiraling until her job was in jeopardy and she got a much-needed (albeit stoned) pep talk from JJ, while JJ herself was reeling from learning about BAUgate.

All in all, some happiness sounds pretty great! Paget Brewster elaborated on what will make fans happy as well as what she's proud of when looking back at Evolution Season 2:

Luckily, fans don't have too much longer to wait to find out if the finale will indeed make them happy. The finale of Season 2 – which is Season 17 of the larger Criminal Minds universe – will go live on Paramount+ on Thursday, August 1.

You can also find all fifteen of Criminal Minds' CBS seasons on the streamer, as well as both seasons so far of Evolution. I for one am relieved that Paramount+ wasted no time in renewing the series, so whether or not it has a future beyond the second season is one less thing to worry about.

Only one episode is left of Criminal Minds: Evolution's second season in the 2024 TV schedule, and the penultimate episode ended on quite a cliffhanger. As Prentiss and Rossi entered the training center/compound where Jade had been turned into a killer, Jade flipped a switch and seemingly blew up the building to end her own life and the lives of anybody else inside. While fans have yet to see the aftermath, Paget Brewster spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the Season 2 finale to talk about Prentiss' journey, including her revelations with JJ.

Now, it seems like a safe bet that the Season 2 premiere isn't going to open with the reveal that Rossi and Prentiss died in the explosion, but the detonation was a doozy of a way to end the penultimate episode and we definitely shouldn't assume that anybody is out of danger. For her part, while Prentiss was warned to stand down rather than go past the armed guards and enter the training center, she ultimately decided to go in.

When I spoke with Paget Brewster, I asked if Prentiss could have ever really stood down at the end of Episode 9 when she knew how much was at stake, and the actress shared:

Even if Prentiss hadn't had that edible-induced breakthrough with JJ earlier in the season, it's hard to imagine her staying outside of the compound when there was a girl who (as far as she knew) needed saving within and the BAU had a warrant. Brewster went on, explaining why Prentiss' professional dedication has caused problems in her personal life:

Whether she can keep the team together after the events of Episode 9 really may depend on what Episode 10 reveals about the aftermath of the explosion! Hopefully nobody will be permanently out of the action, but the first season of Criminal Minds: Evolution proved that all bets may be off when it comes to finales.

All bets were off in a different way a few episodes back in Evolution Season 2, when Prentiss was seemingly on the verge of losing her job with the BAU and was mulling her fate with the help of some edibles. That was how JJ found her, and the result was a scene of Paget Brewster and A.J. Cook performing a heart-to-heart between their characters who were stoned off of pot-infused snacks. I asked Brewster how revelatory the experience of getting stoned with JJ was for Prentiss, and she shared:

Criminal Minds: Evolution could have played Prentiss and JJ getting stoned together as a joke, and there was humor in it, but the show didn't make light of what she was going through. It was also particularly meaningful that the conversation happened between these two women, after JJ learned earlier in the season that Prentiss was keeping BAUgate a secret from her and then had to endure being around Voit. Brewster went on to address how important it was for Prentiss to hear from JJ in this moment:

Fortunately, there was no melodrama between the two women about Prentiss keeping BAUgate secret despite how hard it hit JJ to learn about it. Paget Brewster's character seemed to have more of a clear head after their afternoon with edibles as well, including when she reached out to Jill Gideon despite Rossi forbidding her from doing so.

So, what else can happen for Emily Prentiss before the final credits roll on Season 2? You'll have to stream the second season finale of Criminal Minds: Evolution with a Paramount+ subscription after it releases on Thursday, August 1. The series has already been renewed for Season 3 – which will be Season 18 of the show overall if we're accounting for the fifteen seasons on CBS – so the BAU's story will continue.

The Law & Order franchise goes back all the way to 1990 when the very first show premiered on NBC, and has gone on to span six series with well over a thousand episodes between them. As such, a surprising number of actors who would become franchise icons and/or go on to become major stars actually appeared in the shows as more than one character. Read on for the biggest and most notable who weren't held back by just playing one person!

Kelli Giddish

Kelli Giddish is best known for playing Law & Order: SVU's Detective Amanda Rollins as a series regular from 2011 - 2023, and she even took the character over to Law & Order and Law & Order: Organized Crime for crossovers. Her first role in the franchise was as Kara Bawson in a Season 8 episode of SVU in early 2007, however, followed by playing Dana Stipe in a Season 7 episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in late 2007.

Peter Scanavino

While Peter Scanavino has been playing Detective-turned-ADA Carisi on Law & Order: SVU since Season 16 in 2014, he got his start in the franchise as Robert Hassel in the first season of Trial by Jury in 2005, followed by playing Johnny Feist later that year on Criminal Intent. In 2013, he made his pre-Carisi SVU debut as Johnny Dubcek.

Camryn Manheim

Camryn Manheim's series regular gig in the franchise started with the Law & Order revival in 2022, and she spent three seasons as Lieutenant Kate Dixon. The lieutenant was Manheim's fourth character in Law & Order, however, as she appeared as Leila in Season 1 in 1991, Martha Rollins in Season 3 in 1993, and Beatrice Hines in Season 4 in 1994.

Diane Neal

Diane Neal joined SVU as a series regular in Season 5 in 2003 to play ADA Casey Novak. She would go on to become one of the Law & Order cast members who appeared in the most episodes by the time of her last installment in 2012. Her first episode was in Season 3 in 2001, though, when she played Amelia Chase.

Raúl Esparza

Franchise fans undoubtedly know Raúl Esparza best as ADA Rafael Barba, who he played on SVU for more than 100 episodes from 2012-2022 and would reprise for an SVU/Organized Crime two-parter. Years before debuting as Barba, he played Kevin Mulrooney in a 2009 episode of Criminal Intent and Dennis Di Palma in a 2010 episode of Law & Order.

Mehcad Brooks

Mehcad Brooks has been playing Detective Jalen Shaw on Law & Order since late 2022, when he joined the show to replace Anthony Anderson's Kevin Bernard. His franchise origin goes back to 2011, however, when he played Prince Miller in a Season 13 episode of SVU.

Jeremy Sisto

Jeremy Sisto may be best known in the nine-show Dick Wolf TV universe nowadays for playing Jubal Valentine across CBS' three FBI shows, but he was a series regular as Detective Cyrus Lupo for Law & Order's final three seasons before its initial cancellation in 2010. His first appearance in the show happened in Season 17 in 2007, when he played Clint Glover.

S. Epatha Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson may be most often found in NBC's One Chicago over the last decade thanks to her role on Chicago Med, but she's credited with nearly 400 episodes of Law & Order as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren, from 1991-2010. Her first character in the show was in the very first season, when she played Mrs. Denise Winters.

Jerry Orbach

Jerry Orbach's Lennie Brisco is arguably one of the franchise's most iconic detectives after nearly 300 episodes of Law & Order and another handful on SVU and Criminal Intent between 1991-2004, but you can first find him on the original Law & Order in the second episode of Season 2, where he played Defense Attorney Frank Lehrman.

Kevin Kane

Kevin Kane was promoted to series regular status on SVU for Season 26 for his role as Detective Terry Bruno, which he originated in Season 24. That wasn't his first SVU role, as he played Scott Ryland in Season 9 in 2008, Officer Greg Wilcox in Season 13 in 2012, Major Bowman in Season 17 in 2016, and Gary Kent in Season 20 in 2018. As if those aren't enough, he appeared in two episodes of Law & Order, first as Matt Preminger in 2002's Season 12 and then as a uniformed cop in Season 16 in 2005.

Jeffrey Donovan

Jeffrey Donovan helped launch Law & Order's 2022 revival as Detective Frank Cosgrove, who he played for Seasons 21 and 22 as a series regular. Fans can also find him much earlier in the series in other roles, first as Eddie Nicodos in Season 6 in 1995 and then as Jacob Reese in Season 17 in 2007.

Anthony Anderson

Anthony Anderson portrayed Detective Kevin Bernard for the last three seasons of the original run of Law & Order between 2008-2010, then reprised the role in the 2022 revival for one season. Before that, he played Detective Lucius Blaine in a memorable 2006 episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 7.

Tony Goldwyn

Law & Order introduced Tony Goldwyn as the new DA Nicholas Baxter in the second half of Season 23 in 2024 as the replacement for Sam Waterston's DA Jack McCoy. That wasn't his introduction into the larger franchise, however, as he played Frank Gorden across four episodes of Criminal Intent's sixth and seventh seasons, from 2007-2008.

Rick Gonzalez

Before Rick Gonzalez spent some time in the Arrowverse, he played Alfonso Cardenas way back in the very first season of Law & Order: SVU in 2000. More than twenty years later, he returned to the franchise to play Detective Bobby Reyes on Law & Order: Organized Crime, starting in 2022.

Dean Norris

Dean Norris kicked off a key role as Randall Stabler in Law & Order: Organized Crime's fourth season as the first of Elliot Stabler's siblings to appear on screen. His first franchise appearance happened more than a decade earlier, in the finale of the short-lived Law & Order: LA as Bob Kentner.

Betty Buckley

Betty Buckley is a Broadway legend, but she made the time to play two different characters over the years of Law & Order: SVU. Between Seasons 7-10, Buckley appeared in multiple episodes as Attorney Walsh. Starting in Season 23, she began playing Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell, which she continued into Season 24.

Michael Trotter

Michael Trotter arrived on Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4 to play the youngest Stabler brother. Before he debuted on OC in 2024, Trotter played Teddy Muncy in an episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 24 the previous year. In a fun bit of trivia, he's also married to former SVU series regular Jamie Gray Hyder.

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal may be a big name in TV nowadays thanks to his lead roles in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, but he made his rounds on the Law & Order circuit earlier in his career. He played Tito Cabassa in a Season 18 episode of Law & Order in 2008, visited Law & Order: Criminal Intent to play Reggie Luckman in Season 6 and Kip Green in Season 8, and dropped by Law & Order: SVU to play Agent Greer in Season 12.

Bradley Whitford

Following the end of The West Wing, Bradley Whitford arrived in the one and only season of Law & Order: LA to play Attorney Miklin in 2011. His two roles on SVU are more memorable, as he played a criminal named Frank Maddox in Season 15 back in 2014 before returning in Season 24 in 2023 to play the ailing husband of a victim in an episode directed by Mariska Hargitay.

Sarah Hyland

Sarah Hyland appeared in three different franchise shows as four characters, all before landing her part in Modern Family. Her first role was as Lily Ramsey in the Season 3 premiere of SVU in 2001, followed by playing Kristine McLean in Law & Order Season 15 in 2004. That was followed by Brianne Colby in Trial By Jury Season 1 in 2005, and then by Jennifer Banks in Season 10 of SVU again in 2009.

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama for playing Janis Donovan in the Season 9 premiere of SVU in 2007. That was only one of her three characters in the franchise, as she played Laura Di Biasi in Law & Order's first season in 1990 and Amanda Rollins (who is not the same as the SVU character) on Criminal Intent in Season 10 in 2011.

Ellen Pompeo

Before she landed her longtime role as Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo appeared as two characters on Law & Order. She played Jenna Weber in a Season 6 episode in 1996, followed by Laura Kendrick in Season 10 in 2000.

David Harbour

Prior to joining Stranger Things, David Harbour appeared as five different characters in Dick Wolf's TV franchise. First was Mike in a 1999 episode of Law & Order, followed by Terry Jessup in a 2002 episode of SVU''s fourth season, which he then followed by playing Wesley John Kenderson in Criminal Intent Season 4 in 2008, Jay Carlin in Law & Order Season 18 in 2008, and then finally Paul Devildis in Criminal Intent Season 8 in 2009.

Paget Brewster

Criminal Minds' Paget Brewster found time for another network TV crime procedural with two characters across three installments of Law & Order: SVU. First, she played Sheila Tierney in a Season 8 episode that aired on NBC in 2007, followed by two episodes of Season 14 in 2012 as Bureau Chief Paula Foster.

Allison Janney

Before she became an Emmy winner for the first time with The West Wing in 2000, Allison Janney was a repeat actor on Law & Order in the '90s. Her first episode was as Nora in the second season in 1992, followed by Ann Madsen in the fourth season in 1994.

Jeremy Allen White

Prior to joining Shameless and more than a decade before The Bear, Jeremy Allen White appeared in two consecutive seasons of Law & Order as two separate characters, starting with playing Jeremy in 2007 and then Andy Steel in 2008. In 2010, he moved over to SVU to play Michael Parisi in Season 11.

Paul Wesley

Ahead of his debut as a Salvatore brother in The Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley landed a role as Danny Burrell in the Season 2 premiere of SVU in 2000, followed by playing Luke Miller in Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 in 2002. Then he headed back to SVU in 2005 to play Luke Breslin in an early Season 7 episode.

Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere's name may be more synonymous with Heroes and Nashville than anything else, but she can be found in two episodes of SVU earlier in her career. First, she was Ashley Austin Black in a Season 2 episode in 2001, followed by a return to play Angela Agnelli in Season 6 in 2005.

Pablo Schreiber

While it's safe to say that Pablo Schreiber's most memorable Law & Order role was as William Lewis on SVU from Season 14-15, that certainly wasn't his only part. He previously played Dan Kozlowski in an SVU Season 8 episode in 2007, as well as Sean Hauser and Kevin Boatman in Seasons 16 and 19 (respectively) of Law & Order, and TJ Hawkins and Ed Lang in Seasons 4 and 7 of Criminal Intent.

Ann Dowd

Better known now for The Handmaid's Tale, Ann Dowd may hold the record for the most characters in the Dick Wolf franchise. On Law & Order, she played Teresa Franz in Season 1, Dorothy Baxter in Season 4, Patricia Smith in Season 6, and Dr. Beth Allison in Season 14. On Criminal Intent, she played Laurie Manotti in Season 4. For Trial by Jury, she played Karen Ames in Season 1. On SVU, she played Louise Durning in Season 2, Sally Wilkens in Season 4, and Lillian Siefeld in Season 10.

Chandra Wilson

Future Grey's Anatomy star Chandra Wilson arrived in the Law & Order franchise in 1992 to play Serena Price in the original show's second season. A decade later, she came to SVU as Nurse Jenkins in Season 4 and then returned in Season 7 in 2005 as Rachel Sorannis.

Elizabeth Mitchell

Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell appeared in two memorable episodes of Law & Order: SVU. She first portrayed Andrea Brown in a Season 4 episode that aired in 2003. She returned nearly ten years later in 2011 to play June Frye in a Season 12 episode.

Everybody's got their favorite Friends character when it comes to Ross Gellar, Rachel Green, Chandler Bing, Monica Gellar, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani. But what about the dozens of other people who came in and out of their lives over the NBC Must See TV show's 10 seasons? Here are 32 side characters from one of the best sitcoms of all time that we still love today:

Janice Litman-Goralnik

Oh. My. God! Chandler's on-off girlfriend Janice Litman-Goralnik (Maggie Wheeler) was nothing short of iconic, and despite all the cute moments Chandler and Monica blessed us with in Friends' later seasons, there is still a contingency of the fandom that thinks he and Janice should have been endgame. 

Carol Willick

Things weren't always easy for Ross (David Schwimmer) and his ex-wife Carol Willick (Jane Sibbett), as the series opened with them navigating not just their divorce, but their unexpected pregnancy and her new relationship. However, they continued to be there for each other when needed — Ross walking Carol down the aisle at her wedding, for instance — and we couldn't help but love her too.

Julie

The six Friends had a lot of girlfriends come and go over the years, but poor Julie (Lauren Tom) was simply a victim of bad timing. She came back into Ross' life just as Rachel was finally reciprocating his years-long crush on her. Julie was never anything but sweet and kind, but nobody could have stood in the way of Ross and Rachel finally getting together.

Richard Burke

Tom Selleck was one of Friends' best guest stars, playing Richard Burke, Monica's fan-favorite Season 2 boyfriend. Forget the fact that he was 21 years older and her dad's best friend. He still fit in just fine with Monica's close-knit friend group, even if Joey and Chandler did see him more as a father figure. Their breakup because Richard didn't want to have more children was truly heartbreaking.

Gunther

No one will ever forget Gunther, the Central Perk barista with hair brighter than the sun. James Michael Tyler stood mostly quietly behind the counter for an impressive 162 episodes, secretly pining for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) the entire time.

Frank Jr.

Phoebe's half-brother Frank Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi) really seemed to prove which side of the family her wacky personality came from. Frank Jr. was hard to rein in, but he had so much love for his sister, and you can't help but smile at how enthusiastic he was to be having triplets with his wife Alice. Because he never had a dad around, and "now I always will, 'cause, you know, it'll be me!"  

Marcel The Monkey

It was certainly a unique choice of Friends to bring in a pet monkey for Ross. Marcel, who was actually a capuchin named Katie, was a hilarious companion to the newly divorced character in the first season. To this day can Friends fans even hear "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" without thinking of Marcel?

Ugly Naked Guy

It may be strange to love a character whose face we never saw, but Ugly Naked Guy provided quite a few comedic moments for the gang watching him from Monica's apartment.

Rhonda

Sherri Shepherd has said she loved guest starring on Friends as Rhonda, a museum employee who helped Matt LeBlanc's Joey (a new tour guide) navigate the lunchtime situation. Just as Joey was hurt that Ross chose to sit with the other scientists rather than him, we can all understand why Rhonda called out Peter, a fellow employee she'd known since grade school, for the same thing. After all, she shared her pudding with him. She gave him her Snack Pack!

Sandra Green

Marlo Thomas made a few appearances over the years as Rachel's mother Sandra Green, and she was at her best when she was marveling at the life her daughter had created. Sandra had never had to take care of herself, and she admired Rachel for being brave enough to not go through with a wedding to a man she didn't love.

Jack Gellar

Who was more lovable than Ross and Monica's dad Jack? The character, played by Elliott Gould, may have still shown a little favoritism toward Ross, but Jack clearly had a soft spot for his little Harmonica. Fans continue to love him for his musings on being buried at sea, selling ice on the Internet and the sun-dried tomato business. Don't tell me your heart didn't melt when he went to check on Monica (Courteney Cox) after her breakup with Richard.

Estelle Leonard

Estelle Leonard, played by a heavily made-up June Gable, was not the most talented of talent agents, as Joey struggled as an actor possibly more than necessary over the years. However, her exaggerated New York accent and chain-smoking proclivities made for consistent laughs in an unforgettable role.

David

It's hard to believe Hank Azaria appeared in only three episodes as David, the scientist who was forced to move to Minsk (which is not in Russia) so soon after he and Phoebe fell in love. I wouldn't have been upset if she'd ended up with him.

Mike Hannigan

It's hard to argue against Mike Hannigan though. Paul Rudd played a pretty significant role in Seasons 9 and 10, as his character eventually married Phoebe. Mike didn't always understand Phoebe's unconventional ways, but he always allowed her to be herself, even if that meant changing his name to Crap Bag to prove a point to Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock.

Mr. Heckles

Anybody who's ever had a noisy upstairs neighbor can likely relate to Mr. Heckles. Larry Hankin's character was a bizarre one, indeed, as he spent his sporadic appearances either telling Monica and co. to keep it down or insisting that he could have a cat/play the oboe/have birds, etc. According to "The One With the Flashback," we also have Mr. Heckles to thank for Joey and Chandler becoming roommates!

Susan Bunch

Susan Bunch gets a bad rap on Friends, and I honestly don't get it. We all know that Ross was kind of the worst, and nobody got the brunt of his pettiness more than the woman Carol left him for. While their interactions were often strained, Susan was as understanding as possible of Ross' perspective, but she never allowed herself to be pushed aside, especially when it came to Carol or their son Ben, and I love that. 

Eddie

Man alive! Who didn't love this dehydrating maniac? Adam Goldberg played Eddie, Chandler's roommate when Joey temporarily moved into his own place. Eddie didn't always have a strong grasp on reality, and there was really nothing creepier than finding out he liked to sneak into Chandler's room to watch him sleep, but Eddie sure was an amazing character who fans continue to love to this day.

Ursula Buffay

The character of Ursula Buffay originated on Mad About You, with Friends creating Phoebe as her identical twin to justify Lisa Kudrow's appearance on both NBC series. Ursula was the "evil twin" of sorts, just as flighty as Phoebe but with none of the warmth. She was still a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Leonard Green

It was interesting to get to meet Rachel's dad Leonard Green (Ron Leibman), the man who spoiled his three daughters so shamelessly, but the best part about this character was how ruthless he could be, particularly toward Ross. "Nice hair. What'd you do, swim here?" Classic.

Nora Bing

Like many of the Friends characters, Chandler had a loving but complicated relationship with his mom Nora Bing (Morgan Fairchild), particularly because of her line of work writing erotic novels. But how fun was it for his friends to be able to meet the woman who wrote page 79 of Mistress B... well, never mind.

Jill Green

If there's one thing we learned about Rachel's sisters on Friends, it's that they're used to getting what they want. Reese Witherspoon was a joy to watch as Jill Green, who easily manipulated everyone around her, even dating Ross for no other reason than to prove to Rachel that she could. After all, the only thing she can't have is dairy!

Erica The Birth Mother

Erica (played by Anna Faris) wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but she made the process of Monica and Chandler adopting her twins extremely easy for them, despite the fact that they lied to her about their identities during their first meeting.

Erika The Obsessed Fan

Brooke Shields went way over the top to play Erika, Joey's stalker who somehow didn't understand that his soap opera character Drake Ramoray didn't exist in the real world. Her hand-licking scene lives in infamy, and who didn't love watching her throw water in Joey's face after she saw him kissing another character on Days of Our Lives? 

Paul Stevens

Things could have gotten all kinds of weird when Rachel started dating Paul Stevens (Bruce Willis), the father of Ross' girlfriend Elizabeth. Oh, and they definitely did get weird, but one can't blame Paul for giving himself that mirror pep talk before he continued his romantic weekend with Rachel. Everybody needs a little reminder that they're a neat guy (and a love machine).

Parker

Alec Baldwin guest-starred as Phoebe's date Parker in Season 8, and how could you not love how excited he got about every little thing? The brake lights were "aglow with the light of a thousand fairies!" The Long Island Expressway was "a concrete miracle!" Parker, I just want to take a mental picture of you ... click!

Pete Becker

Who hasn't dreamed of being pursued by a multi-millionaire? Jon Favreau guest-starred in six episodes as Pete Becker, and I can't even be mad that he tried to woo Monica by leaving $20,000 tips and whisking her away to Rome for pizza on their first date. Too bad their relationship couldn't withstand Pete's dream of becoming the Ultimate Fighting Champion.

Amy Green

While Rachel's sister Jill was defined by her manipulative personality, Amy Green was the very definition of self-centered. Christina Applegate's character couldn't be bothered to learn anyone's name (even Rachel's daughter Emma), constantly mistook Ross for a guy who worked at the falafel stand and somehow still thought she would get custody of Emma if something happened to Ross and Rachel. Talk about a character you loved to hate!

Judy Gellar

Christina Pickles appeared 19 times in Friends' 10 seasons as Monica and Ross' mom Judy, and while the micro-aggressions she hurled at Monica were pretty brutal, it was downright hilarious to see what aspect of her daughter's life she would nit-pick next: The un-fluffed pillow? The "easy" lasagna she made for dinner? Still not having a boyfriend? It was a lot, but it was relatable to a lot of Friends viewers.

Mr. Treeger

Sure, Mr. Treeger made Rachel cry that one time, but he wasn't exactly wrong in calling her out for being spoiled. As far as building superintendents go Michael G. Hagerty's character was a pretty nice one, not evicting Monica from the apartment she was apparently living in illegally. He also had a great storyline where he learned to dance so he could impress a woman he liked at the Super Ball.

Alice Knight

If you can get past the age difference between Frank Jr. and his wife Alice Knight (Debra Jo Rupp), and the fact that he was her student (her BEST student, obviously), the love between them was so undeniable. In pretty much all of their appearances together, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, and that's one of the things that made Alice such a great side character.

Charlie Wheeler

Ross and Joey each had a lot of girlfriends over the series' 10 seasons, and they both dated Aisha Tyler's Charlie Wheeler. One can certainly see how they'd both be attracted to her, as she was brilliant, beautiful and pretty funny too. Frankly it was also nice to see a Black character with a major storyline.

Kathy

It's a little surprising that Kathy is so beloved by Friends fans, given the fact that she ultimately cheated on both Joey and Chandler. But the Joey situation was just unfortunate, because he was dating other people too, and Paget Brewster's on-screen chemistry with Matthew Perry was simply electric. I join many other Friends fans in wishing she and Chandler had lasted longer ... and ended differently.

Friends may have aired its final episode decades ago, but you know what they say: I'll be there for you, and that includes all of the beloved side characters that we met along the way. You can revisit any of your favorite episodes and guest stars, as all 10 seasons are available to stream with a Max subscription.

Criminal Minds: Evolution has premiered its second season for Paramount+ subscribers, and the mind-bending stakes are as intense as ever. Now, with the series in its overall 17th season, many fans are still hoping for the return of some of their favorite characters that aren’t part of the main cast of the revival. And while we need to accept that Shemar Moore may not be returning as Derek Morgan, Paget Brewster recently shared a very sweet and supportive text from him about the show's return.

Before Moore played Hondo on the twice-saved S.W.A.T., he played FBI Special Agent Derek Morgan for the first 11 seasons of Criminal Minds. While it was hard to get used to not hearing Morgan calling Garcia “baby girl” every episode, he has remained close to the cast. In celebration of Evolution Season 2 premiering, Brewster shared a sweet post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that proved that too, as she revealed a text she received from her former co-star and how grateful she is to have him and the fans in her life:

Moore didn’t even have to say anything, as he was just inclined to share a photo of a billboard he saw, and it's so sweet. It wouldn’t be surprising if that isn’t the first supportive text Brewster has gotten from him for Evolution. There’s a reason that Criminal Minds’ original run went so long, and that is because of the cast and their chemistry. The fans, of course, were also responsible, as Brewster mentioned in her post, but that bond between the cast is truly unbreakable.

Shemar Moore left Criminal Minds after Season 11 to star in the then-new CBS series S.W.A.T. On the show, though, Morgan wanted to leave the BAU in order to spend more time with his wife and baby. He did return to the series a few times to guest star, but as of now, he has yet to come back for Evolution. Despite leaving the Criminal Minds universe, it looks like he is still close to the cast, and it has me in my feels.

Speaking of S.W.A.T., also included in the screenshot of the text was Paget Brewster congratulating him on the series. The procedural was picked up for Season 8 in April, despite being picked up last year for a seventh and final season following a reverse cancellation. The show will be part of the 2024 TV schedule once again in the fall when the new season premieres. It’s definitely a big time for both casts and seeing all of the support is truly lovely.

The first three episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 are currently streaming on one of the best streaming services, Paramount+, with new episodes dropping on Thursdays. The support will surely continue between Brewster and Moore, but hopefully, with a third season of Evolution happening, Moore might return to the BAU, even if it’s just briefly.

The following contains spoilers for the first episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+

Considering the very serious and mature subject matter of Criminal Minds and the show's original run of over a decade and a half, you’d think there would be nothing the show had never done before. Considering how violent the show could get, even on broadcast television, it would seem that almost nothing was too much. But the new season of one of the best Paramount+ series, Criminal Minds: Evolution gives us something we’ve never seen before that was simply off-limits on CBS: FBI agents on a smoke break.

In the first episode of the new season of Criminal Minds, Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss discovers that the team has a new, dangerous, unsub to deal with. The news has her shaken, so she’s up on the roof of the BAU building grabbing a smoke while talking to Aisha Tyler's character, who is so shaken by the news that she needs a cigarette herself. While the scene is played like it’s something the duo has done 100 times before, it is something fans have never seen. Showrunner Erica Messer told TVLine she tried for years to make the scene happen, but could never get it past the network. She explained…

It's almost humorous, but not actually that surprising when you think about it; that a scene that is so simple was so complicated to create. While smoking on screen was fairly commonplace even a couple of decades ago, over the years it has become nearly taboo. Nobody wants to be seen as promoting the activity, and so it is frequently left out of stories entirely simply to avoid the appearance of an endorsement.

Since we’ve never seen these characters smoke before, the scene may be quite jarring for fans who have been watching them for almost 20 years. At the same time, on its face, the scene makes perfect sense. Smoking is one way that people deal with stress, and chasing a new serial killer every week has to be a pretty stressful job. 

Clearly, the bar for what is acceptable on streaming has been lowered a bit compared to broadcast television. This isn’t the first “taboo” that Criminal Minds has broken that has surprised Paramount+ subscribers. 

The first season of the show on streaming featured the BAU’s Agent Rossi swearing, which was obviously something else we hadn’t seen on CBS. Messer believed the language made Criminal Minds more realistic. On the tamer side, the new season is also giving us a Criminal Minds romance we never got before.

While having the cast smoke together may have been a non-starter on CBS, it apparently wasn’t even a conversation with Paramount+. Messer says she simply put the scene in the episode and then it happened. The showrunner was so excited she had to thank the episode’s director for making it happen. She continued…

The smoking isn’t the point of course. It’s an excuse to put a couple of characters in a situation where they can share a personal moment outside the office. Then once the break’s over, they have to go back to hunting psychopaths.  

Criminal Minds is preparing its 17th overall season with the second season of Evolution, and Paget Brewster is reflecting on joining the series back in the 2000s. The actress joined the CBS procedural in the role of Emily Prentiss for Season 2 and remains, arguably, one of the best elements of the series. After a fan shared pictures of her from when she first started her stint on the procedural, Brewster looked back at that time by comparing it to her guest appearance on Friends.

The actress first major TV role was that of Kathy, and she appeared on six episodes of Friends Season 4, meaning that it was an awfully special and exciting experience for her. That kind of internal hype would seemingly be hard to match However, when she replied to a fan on X (formerly known as Twitter) about what she was feeling when she landed the role of Prentiss, she said it was even better than when she was tapped for the NBC sitcom due to one specific reason:

It’s sweet to know just how much Criminal Minds means to Paget Brewster and how near and dear her Friends stint is to her heart. While she didn’t have a big role on the NBC sitcom, it was still her first real job -- and it was with one of the most popular shows on TV at the time. Even today, people still recognize Brewster, which is a testament to her talent and the staying power of the classic '90s comedy. 

It was uncertain just how long Paget Brewster would be on Criminal Minds following her casting and, now her character is the BAU’s Section Chief. Given that journey, looking back at the beginning of it now must be a crazy feeling. Especially since there were a few seasons on which she wasn't present following Prentiss’ “death.” The imminent return of Evolution may also stoke up some of those old memories for her as well.

Speaking of Evolution, filming recently wrapped on the second season, which is set to premiere in June for Paramount+ subscribers. It’s been a long time coming for the new season, as production was delayed due to the dual Hollywood strikes. Brewster was as ready as ever to get back to work and, once filming finally kicked off again, it seems like time flew by. That's good for fans like myself, who've been eager to see new episodes. I'm excited to see the BAU again, and following the Gold Star mystery, I'm in need of answers.

It will be exciting to see Paget Brewster back in action as Emily Prentiss and, while she's moving forward with the show and her career as a whole, I'm glad she hasn't disregarded her appearances on Friends. As for new episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution, fans will have to tune in on June 6, which is when Season 2 debuts as part of the 2024 TV schedule.

It’s been over a year since Criminal Minds: Evolution aired its first season finale, and fans have been trying to figure out what the heck Gold Star is. Filming for Season 2 was pushed back due to the dual Hollywood strikes in 2023, and the cast was itching to get back to work once the work stoppages finally concluded. Now, just as Paget Brewster revealed that filming was about to wrap, a premiere date has been released.

Earlier this week, Paget Brewster took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share with fans that they’re shooting the final episode of the season and that the scripts are “GREAT.” At the time of the post, the premiere date had yet to be announced. Now, with filming wrapped, one would assume that fans are all the more anxious to be reunited with the BAU and see Emily Prentiss and co. once again. Check out Brewster's post, which includes a selfie:

Luckily, fans won’t have to wait too long to return to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Paramount+ announced that the second season of Evolution, the 17th overall season of Criminal Minds, will be dropping on June 6. The announcement was also made on the show’s official X account, alongside a new teaser poster of what looks to be Zach Gilford’s Elias Voit, further proving that he will once again play a big part within the series.

When the show premiered on P+ in 2022, fans had to prepare themselves for some changes. Most notably, there was the fact that Evolution was more disturbing, had more NSFW moments and dialogue and had longer episodes. Add on the as intense as ever storylines, and it’s hard to top something like that. However, David Rossi himself, Joe Mantegna, was quick to inform his X followers that they're going to need to prepare themselves for what's to come:

While not too much is known about the new season, other than the fact it will focus on the mysterious Gold Star, it's known that Felicity Huffman has been cast as former BAU chief Jason Gideon’s ex-wife. Criminal Minds fans will remember that Mandy Patinkin’s character left in the third season and was killed off-screen in an emotional Season 10 episode. Huffman will portray Dr. Jill Gideon, who is brought in to assist the FBI and the BAU on a case, but she soon discovers she could also help with figuring out just what Gold Star is. As of now, it’s unclear how many episodes she'll be in. However, if she’s helping out with the Gold Star investigation, it’s possible fans will be seeing her for more than a single episode.

With Josh Stewart’s Will LaMontagne Jr. not returning, Felicity Huffman’s inclusion will be intriguing. But, that aside, I'm just happy to know that filming is essentially done for Paget Brewster and co. and that new episodes will be with us in a little over a month. Those with a Paramount+ subscription will have to tune in to Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 on Thursday, June 6, as part of the 2024 TV schedule.

Friends fans everywhere are reeling after hearing the shocking news that Matthew Perry died in an apparent drowning at age 54. The actor was found October 28 in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, where a medical team responded to call of a possible cardiac arrest. Perry’s cohorts in Hollywood are also in shock over the loss, and celebrities including Friends guest stars Selma Blair and Paget Brewster took to social media to pay tribute. Saturday Night Live even addressed it on its broadcast, just hours after his passing was reported.

Matthew Perry — who was best known for portraying Chandler Bing on Friends — was open about his struggles with addiction over the years, even writing about near-death experiences in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing that was released in 2022. It was reported that first responders found no drugs at the scene, and no foul play was suspected. Selma Blair, who guest starred in a Season 9 episode of Friends, said she was “broken” over the news, as she posted a sweet photo of the two of them together:  

As news of Matthew Perry’s passing spread Saturday night, SNL also memorialized the actor. Perry served as guest host on NBC’s live sketch show one time, on October 4, 1997, and a tribute card was shown toward the end of the October 28 episode: 

Yvette Nicole Brown noted the loss of her former co-star, as the two appeared together on the reboot of The Odd Couple, which aired on CBS from 2015 to 2017. Alongside a photo of the cast, she wrote: 

Calling the Friends star “one of the funniest people I knew,” actor Chad Lowe also expressed how difficult it was to see Matthew Perry struggle with addiction. He commended him for how he aimed to help people by speaking out about it in what would be the last year of his life. Lowe posted on X: 

Legendary TV director James Burrows — who famously took the Friends cast to Las Vegas before their popularity skyrocketed — posted a throwback photo of him and Matthew Perry with a short caption to memorialize the comedic actor: 

Paget Brewster, whose character Kathy briefly dated Chandler (and Joey) on Season 4 of Friends, implored people to read Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing to honor Matthew Perry’s legacy and allow him to continue helping those in need. She wrote: 

Adele was also a longtime fan of his, as she paused the Saturday night show of her Las Vegas residency to address Matthew Perry’s death. Per the L.A. Times, she called Perry “incredibly, incredibly brave” for being open about his struggles with sobriety and spoke about having a friend when they were 12 years old who would do “the best” Chandler Bing impression. As she introduced her song “When We Were Young,” Adele told her Vegas audience: 

I’m sure there are many people who agree with that assessment. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the loss of the actor. For those who want to pay tribute to Matthew Perry by watching his career-defining role, all 10 seasons of Friends can be streamed with a Max subscription. 

With the return of Criminal Minds last year and the premiere of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+, many fans were happy to see their favorite characters from the BAU once again. However, we're still heartbroken that not everyone returned. Among the few who didn’t come back was Matthew Gray Gubler as Dr. Spencer Reid, but the series did reveal where Reid was, saying he was on assignment. While it's a bummer he's not on the show, he did share a sweet interaction with his former co-star Paget Brewster online, and while it was nice, it also made me miss them so much.

After Gubler shared a photo of him and his mom on Twitter, Paget Brewster replied with a very sweet comment. The actress, who plays Emily Prentiss on Criminal Minds and Criminal Minds: Evolution, previously had a sweet exchange with a fan about MGG, admitting that she missed him. Now, she is once again expressing that feeling in a reply to her costar, and it makes me want Reid and Prentiss together again more than ever:

Reid and Prentiss were like brother and sister on Criminal Minds, and it’s clear Matthew Gray Gubler and Paget Brewster’s relationship is similar in real life. It may have only been a few years since the long-running procedural ended its first run on CBS, but the cast never lost touch with each other, and it’s sweet to see how close they still are.

As of now, it doesn’t seem like Matthew Gray Gubler has any plans to return as Reid, but it’s possible that could all change. Even though it will be a while before we get Season 2 due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike, it’s never too early to think about what could happen. 

The Season 1 finale of Evolution ended with someone visiting Elias Voit and talking about Gold Star. While it isn’t revealed who visited him, it’s very possible it’s someone we know, maybe even a familiar face from the BAU that has yet to come back, like Reid. Of course, it all depends on MGG’s schedule and how he feels about coming back, but one can dream.

Paget Brewster isn’t the only one who is expressing her love for Matthew Gray Gubler. Not long after Evolution made its highly-anticipated premiere, A.J. Cook replied to one of Gubler’s Instagram posts saying that she misses him. Gubler may not be on Evolution, but he is very clearly missed, and not just on set.

Hopefully, Brewster and Gubler have a reunion soon because they are not the only ones who miss each other, as I and a lot of fans also want to see them together again. Luckily there are over 10 seasons worth of Reid and Prentiss moments that will surely fill the void that can be watched with a Paramount+ subscription.

It’s been over three years since Criminal Minds ended its initial run, and thanks to Criminal Minds: Evolution, the BAU is back and better than ever. However, with some of the stars not returning for the Paramount+ revival, it’s hard to not miss them. Original cast member Matthew Gray Gubler, along with Daniel Henney, were previously announced to not reprise their roles for Evolution. Ahead of the second season, Paget Brewster shared a sweet exchange with a fan over MGG. 

A fan on Twitter shared a couple of photos of Paget Brewster and Matthew Gray Gubler, and another fan replied, saying that they missed them together. Brewster got in on the action and also replied, making sure that everyone knew how much she misses her friend and former co-star:

It’s definitely sweet to see Paget Brewster have this exchange with a fan, even despite not working with Matthew Gray Gubler in a while. While fans aren't in on all the behind-the-scenes details from the original series, Emily Prentiss and Spencer Reid basically had a brother-sister relationship.

With Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution likely still a ways away due to the writers strike, it’s never too early to still hope that Matthew Gray Gubler would return to the series, even if it is for just an episode or two. Since schedules didn’t line up with MGG and Evolution, Gubler couldn’t appear in the first season, but the series did update fans on what’s going on with Reid, who was away on an assignment with Daniel Henney’s Matt Simmons. 

With another season in the works, depending on schedules and the storyline as well as Gubler’s interest in returning, it's possible Reid could make his way back into fans’ hearts. Paget Brewster previously hinted on Twitter that production would begin on Season 2 in April, but a more recent update from TVLine states that production was pushed back and planned for June, with the WGA writers strike now making the start date uncertain.

We can only speculate about when production can actually begin for the time being, but if Matthew Gray Gubler can’t come back for the revival of the long-running procedural, hopefully he and Paget Brewster will reunite in some other way. Fans were certainly missing the two of them together in the first season of Criminal Minds: Evolution, so if there is an off-screen reunion, I'm crossing my fingers for one of them to post a pic on social media.

Luckily, all seasons of Criminal Minds are streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, so while it may not be the same as new content, there is still a way to see Gubler and Brewster together. Reid and Emily’s relationship was arguably one of the best parts of the CBS procedural, and one can always hope that it will be seen again on Evolution.

There are plenty of sitcoms that people love to watch over and over again. Maybe they’re a source of comfort, or they have some of their favorite actors, or there's another reason, really. I’m talking about Friends, or maybe even The Office, when it comes to rewatching. Today, though, we’re going to be talking about the famous CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men. 

Running for twelve seasons and enduring plenty of controversy to go with it, the series starred Charlie Sheen (and later Ashton Kutcher) and Jon Cryer, with the premise being about a man and his son who go to live with his bachelor brother when he gets divorced from his wife. Throughout the course of the series, we had some awesome guest stars – but, there were also actors who appeared in the show that you might not even have recognized. 

We’re talking about people who have truly made it in the movie and TV industry, but before they hit it big. Here are seven actors that you might have forgotten were on the famous show. 

Bellamy Young

First up on this list is Bellamy Young. The actress is primarily known for her role in the famous ABC drama series, Scandal, which ran for seven seasons, as well as her time on the Fox television show, Prodigal Son. She also broke out into the world of movies with films such as The Night Stalker, A Wrinkle in Time, and more. However, there was a time before her breakout where she guest-starred on Two and a Half Men. 

The actress appeared in the episode “The Mooch at the Boo” during Season 6 as Diane. While she had been in many recurring roles prior to her guest role, it wasn’t until four years later that she got her big hit in Scandal. So fun to see her here. 

Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong was honestly one of the actors I was not expecting to see at all in Two and a Half Men, because I feel like I grew up in a time where he was just always famous. However, there was a time before his big breakout roles. 

You might know Jeong primarily from his role in the Community cast, or his part in the The Hangover film series, or maybe even his starring role in the sitcom, Dr. Ken – perhaps even from his judging role on The Masked Singer; he’s been everywhere. But he also guest-starred on Two and a Half Men during the second season.

Jeong had a role in the episode, “Woo-Hoo, a Hernia Exam!” where he played "Male Nurse," with no name for his character. Ironically, however, his parts were what I remembered the most from the episode, considering his comedic timing was on point even back then. Nothing quite like Jeong’s character telling Alan that he’s not a real doctor. 

Kristin Bauer Van Straten

While Kristin Bauer Van Straten had main roles before her small role on this long-running sitcom, her career began to take off years later, thanks to her excellent work in the field of television. These include main roles in the True Blood cast, as well as portraying Maleficent in Once Upon a Time, and several recurring and guest roles. Before all of that, though, she played Laura in two episodes of Two and a Half Men. 

Bauer Van Straten was actually the first woman we ever saw Sheen's character get with (in the pilot episode), and she came back for one more episode before we, as usual, never saw her again, as Charlie isn’t a big “commitment” person.

Paget Brewster

Paget Brewster was a surprise to me when I first saw her in Two and a Half Men, because I only saw her as Emily Prentiss in Criminal Minds, a role she began in 2006 and came back for with the Criminal Minds: Evolution reboot. She also had a part on Season 4 of Friends, where she played Kathy, where a lot of fans saw her.

However, Brewster had a role in the Season 2 episode, “A Lungful of Alan,” where she played Jamie Eckleberry, a young woman who was bullied by Charlie as a kid and wanted to get revenge on him as an adult. Honestly, she was hilarious in this role, and I low-key expected her to come back again, but I’ll be satisfied with her one appearance. 

Megan Fox 

Megan Fox is primarily known now for her roles in several films, including the Transformers series, the iconic horror film, Jennifer’s Body, and many other thrillers and action movies, but before she was making films, she started in television. 

She played the part of Prudence in the Season 1 episode, “Camel Filters and Pheromones,” as the young granddaughter of Charlie’s housekeeper, Berta, who causes problems the moment she steps through the door – problems that older men should not be involved in. It surely is a hilarious guest-role, and one that I really liked. 

Noel Fisher 

In the same episode as Megan Fox, Noel Fisher actually had a small guest role as well. Fisher is primarily known now for his role as part of the Shameless cast, where he played Mickey Milkovich for several seasons, as well as parts in shows such as Castle Rock, The Calling, The Conners, and more. 

But, before all that, he played Freddie on Two and a Half Men. It’s a very quick role but one that I spotted all the same. 

Yvette Nicole Brown

Last but not least, we have Yvette Nicole Brown, who is honestly one of my favorites. I’ve followed Brown for many years, as she was a part of one of my favorite childhood television shows, Drake and Josh, but was also a lead in Community, another favorite of mine. Besides that, she’s guest starred on so many shows that I’m sure, somewhere, you have seen her.

Before she started to take over your television, however, Brown started in smaller guest roles, one of which was when she played Mandy in “Just Like Buffalo” (Season 1, Episode 23) as one of Judith’s housewife friends. It’s a small part, but it was so fun to see her have this small role. Even then her personality shined through. 

Who do you remember seeing on Two and a Half Men that even we might have forgotten about? With twelve seasons, I’m sure there are plenty of guest-stars we could bring up. 

Criminal Minds fans are undoubtedly excited to see Paget Brewster amongst the cast members who returned for the series’ Paramount+ revival, Criminal Minds: Evolution. The actress who portrayed Emily Prentiss for most of the show’s original run on CBS showed off a “slightly older, sassier” look for the streaming series when it premiered in November. The gray-haired, bangs-less ‘do is a great look for the Section Chief, but it’s a big change from the auburn bob Brewster sported during her recurring role on Friends 25 years ago. That doesn’t keep her from getting recognized, though, as fans apparently make the connection a different way.

Years before Emily Prentiss took up the task of hunting down serial killers, Paget Brewster guest-starred on six episodes of Friends during the iconic sitcom’s fourth season. Her character, Kathy, dated both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) and, while six appearances may not be a lot in the grand scheme of things, she must have made an impression. Brewster still gets recognized, she told TV Insider, just not for her looks. The actress said: 

There is something distinctive about Paget Brewster’s voice that even 25 years later can apparently spark recognition with Friends fans (and the seemingly non-stop re-runs don’t hurt, either). Many wonderful guest stars came and went over the course of the sitcom’s 10-year run, but Kathy was memorable for a number of reasons. For one, she was one of few supporting characters to date more than one member of the main cast (another being, coincidentally, Brewster’s Criminal MInds co-star Aisha Tyler).

Kathy’s story arc — in which she cheats on Joey by kissing Chandler — is also responsible for one of Friends’ more memorable Thanksgiving scenes, in which Chandler spends the holiday in a box as punishment.

Many won't forget that Paget Brewster’s Friends character is that despite the fact that she cheated on Joey with Chandler — driving a wedge between possibly the series' most beloved friendship — and also ended up cheating on Chandler (because of course she did). But despite all of that, Kathy was so dang likable that she never felt to me like that much of a villain. That is no small feat for a then-unknown actress on an established series like the NBC sitcom.

Feel free, however, to draw your own conclusions about Paget Brewster’s days as Kathy by streaming the Season 4 episodes (and the rest of the 10-season series) with an HBO Max subscription. Anybody looking to see what Emily Prentiss is up to these days can catch the revived Criminal Minds: Evolution, plus the original first 15 seasons, with a Paramount+ subscription. Also be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what new and returning series will premiere in the new year. 

After a two and a half year absence, Criminal Minds finally made its return yesterday for a reformatted sixteenth season on Paramount Plus titled Evolution. The popular show about hunting serial killers has been attracting good reviews, lots of press and positive buzz from fans who are excited to see a ton of the most popular cast members return including Paget Brewster, Joe Mantegna, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and Adam Rodriguez. Most prominently absent, however, is Matthew Gray Gubler, who played Dr. Spencer Reid for 323 episodes. 

The actor himself hasn’t spoken out about why he decided not to return, but the show addressed where he’s at in the first two episodes that dropped, and his co-star Paget Brewster previously offered some insight into what’s going on. Before I continue, however, I should make clear that this article contains very light spoilers. As spoilers go, these aren’t exactly it was all a dream level, but if you want to go into the first episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution fresh, you may want to bail. 

How Criminal Minds Addressed Dr. Spencer Reid Being Gone

In the new season of Criminal Minds, there are issues between BAU Chief Emily Prentis, who is running the team, and Deputy Director Bailey. The show mentions Dr. Spencer Reid, as well as Matt Simmons (played by Daniel Henney, who didn’t return to shoot Wheel Of Time), are off on other assignments. Prior to the show’s premiere, showrunner Erica Messer told TV Line the two would still have desks with all their stuff on it in the office and said they’re “not forgotten.”

In fact, there are already some conspiracy theories floating around online that perhaps Bailey keeping the two away from the larger team will wind up being a key plot point in the show’s narrative arc. Some more optimistic fans even think there’s a chance we could see one or both in a dramatic moment later in the season, but at this point, there’s no evidence that’s going to happen, especially given comments from Paget Brewster that make a lot of sense.

What Paget Brewster Said About Matthew Gray Gubler’s Absence

The cast has mostly been tight-lipped about Matthew Gray Gubler not returning, but Paget Brewster did give an extensive quote during an interview with Looper back in July. The popular actress said Criminal Minds was Gubler’s first real job after graduating from film school. He apparently wanted to be a director but took an audition and landed the role, which he then played for 15 consecutive years without breaks. 

Most of the cast members took time off or left for periods of time including her, but he stayed, at the sacrifice of a lot of other things he wanted to do. As such, he apparently wanted to keep pursuing other opportunities, while others had time to do their own thing and were more excited about returning. Here’s a portion of her quote…

It’s uncertain what the future of Criminal Minds might be. Repeats of the show have proven to be incredibly popular on streaming, and there is certainly hope the show will continue beyond its current sixteenth season. That’ll ultimately be up to Paramount Plus, however, which I’m sure has an idea of how many viewers or subscribers or some other metric it wants in order to justify the cost. If the show does wind up returning, there is certainly hope both Gubler and Henney will make returns at some point. We’ll just have to see.

Criminal Minds: Evolution dropped its first two episodes yesterday and is available to watch with a Paramount Plus subscription. From this point forward, it will drop one episode a week until the season concludes in early February.

With Criminal Minds having swapped streaming homes earlier this year, fans of the long-running CBS crime drama who boast a Paramount+ subscription have been able to binge-watch the sometimes disturbing drama to their hearts’ content while awaiting the revival’s debut on the streaming service. With its rather speedy return getting the official confirmation in July, the newest chapter in the Criminal Minds characters’ lives will arrive at some point in 2023. And when it does, it won’t just come with new and dangerous UnSubs, but also with a new look for Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss. Just probably don’t expect her to have turned into a big softie in the intervening years. 

For many years on Criminal Minds, both before and after her multi-season absence, Paget Brewster was basically synonymous with bangs, which is no small feat on a show that also featured Kirsten Vangsness’ color-changing bangs for quite a few seasons. But it looks like Prentiss is going back to her roots (literally and figuratively) with her hair game in Criminal Minds’ new episodes, and the look appears to be much more reflective of Brewster’s everyday style. Check out the first of her latest Twitter posts below! 

Paget Brewster, whose A+ voice work in HBO Max’s adult animated comedy Birdgirl obviously didn’t require any hairstyle shifts, is all about bringing the natural beauty to Prentiss for Criminal Minds’ streaming future. And some sassiness. Don’t forget the sassiness! Rossi better watch himself. And Mendoza, too, assuming he’s still in the picture after the original series finale, which had the couple looking at houses in Denver ahead of a potential move. Regardless of how things are going in the relationship department, Prentiss’ new ‘do makes it seem like she’ll be in good spirits.

Okay, so even if they aren’t quite indicative of her fictional character’s disposition, Paget Brewster’s glowing smile and all-around jubilance are impossible to ignore. And she wants Criminal Minds fans to know that the cast and crew are just as pumped to return as we are to watch it happen. 

Brewster followed that post up with a pic of her smiling even bigger, which isn’t necessarily indicative of what Prentiss will be doing when facing the latest UnSub threat. When Criminal Minds returns, the actress will be rejoined by stars Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Adam Rodriguez, with further casting presumably coming as production gets underway. The new storyline focuses on a deadly criminal who spent his time during the pandemic amassing a cadre of serial killers that cause widespread panic after the world opens back up again, with the BAU needing to identify and track them all down. 

She was still rocking darker locks when Paget Brewster popped up on How I Met Your Father earlier this year as the mother of Hilary Duff’s Sophie, but did go for more of a graying approach in this year’s horror feature Hypochondriac. By all means, however the actress wants to bring Emily Prentiss back to the small screen, we’re here for it. And if she’s totally into Prentiss following Garcia in taking on all colors of the rainbow, that works wonders, too.

Criminal Minds will debut on Paramount+ in 2023, but head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will be popping up before the year’s end. 

Have you ever been watching your favorite TV show when a certain actor popped into frame and you could not help but wonder where else you might have seen them? There is a good chance that it could have been another episode of the same program, as many television series have a history of casting the same actor for entirely different roles. In fact we have a hefty amount examples below of actors who have played multiple TV characters in one series.

Giovanni Ribisi On Friends (Condom Guy, Frank Buffay Jr.)

Before he joined the Friends cast in the recurring role of Frank Buffay Jr. - the younger half-brother of Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) - Emmy nominee Giovanni Ribisi made an uncredited Season 2 appearance as a guy who asks if he can retrieve the condom he dropped in Phoebe’s guitar case moments earlier. Considering Phoebe never found out about this sibling until later that season, fans have speculated that Frank and “Condom Guy” are the same person, but this has never been confirmed.

Queen Latifah On The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (Marissa Redman, Dee Dee)

Before she was in the Living Single cast, future Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah shared the screen with fellow rapper-turned-actor Will Smith on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1991. She played a vain, domineering actress who hires Hilary (Karyn Parsons) as an assistant for her first appearance, and returned to play a woman whose friendship with Will is tested when he does not defend her from ridicule about her weight.

Jerry Orbach On Law & Order (Defense Attorney Frank Lehrman, Detective Lennie Briscoe)

The late, great Jerry Orbach of Dirty Dancing fame is even better known for his 12 seasons in the Law & Order cast as Detective Lennie Briscoe, for which he received his third Emmy nomination. However, his first appearance on creator Dick Wolf’s long-running crime procedural (which was revived in 2022) was in Season 2 (a year before he official joined the cast) as Frank Lehrman - a lawyer defending a woman who shot her estranged husband and his mistress. 

Justin Theroux On Sex And The City (Jared, Vaughn Wysel)

On the premiere season of Sex and the City, Justin Theroux appeared as Jared - Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) post-Mr. Big rebound - before showing up again the following season as Vaughn Wysel -  Carrie’s writer boyfriend whose stories are short, just like his bedroom stamina. The star of HBO’s The Leftovers explained on an episode of People Magazine’s Couch Surfing how he prepared for his second role on the iconic romantic-comedy series by shaving his head.

Dean-Charles Chapman On Game Of Thrones (Martyn Lannister, Tommen Baratheon)

It is not so unusual for a Game of Thrones cast member to die and come back later (i.e. Kit Harrington’s Jon Snow), but Dean-Charles Chapman is a special case. The 1917 star appeared in two episodes of the third season as a Lannister House squire named Martyn before being brought back the next year (and with a sweet promotion) as the polarizing King of the Andals, Tommen Baratheon.

Peter Capaldi On Doctor Who (Caecilius, The Doctor)

Because of Time Lords’ regenerative process, the titular hero of the phenomenal British sci-fi series, Doctor Who, has been played by 13 different actors so far - including Oscar-winner Peter Capaldi (who looked to David Bowie for inspiration for the role) from 2013 to 2017. However, die-hard Whovians may recall when the Scotsman and The Suicide Squad cast member appeared opposite the Tenth Doctor, David Tenant, in 2008 as a man The Doctor saves from Vesuvius’ eruption named Caecilius.

Karen Gillan On Doctor Who (Soothsayer, Amy Pond)

In the same 2008 episode of Doctor Who in which Peter Capaldi made his first appearance in a different role, future Marvel movie star Karen Gillan also made her debut on the cult favorite series as a soothsayer who gained psychic powers from breathing in dust from the volcano, Vesuvius. Two years later, the Scottish actress was cast as Amy Pond, who would accompany Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor on adventures until 2012.

Ted McGinley On Married… With Children (Norman Jablonsky, Jefferson D'Arcy)

On Married… with Children (which some believe is due for a revival), the Bundy Family’s next-door neighbor, Marcy (Amanda Bearse), was married twice - the second time to Jefferson D’Arcy, who was played by Ted McGinley after he joined the cast in Season 5. The previous season, he appeared in a holiday episode inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life in which Al (Ed O’Neill) is shown an alternate reality where Peg (Katey Segal) is, instead, married to a more successful, better looking man named Norman Jablonsky (McGinley).  

Terry O’Quinn On The X-Files (Lt. Brian Tillman, Shadow Man)

Emmy winner Terry O’Quinn, best known from the Lost cast, has starred in a number of series created by Chris Carter - including one of the best ’90 shows, The X-Files, as both a police lieutenant in Season 2  and a super-soldier who tries to kill Scully (Gillian Anderson) in Season 9. He was also a regular on another supernatural series by Carter called Millennium, which once crossed over with The X-Files - meaning O’Quinn has really played three characters within this same universe.

Garret Dillahunt On Deadwood (Jack McCall, Francis Wolcott)

Garett Dillahunt is one of the few names on our list who, instead of just two guest appearances, can claim to have two different, multi-episode recurring roles in the Deadwood cast. He played the crooked-nosed murderer Jack McCall in the HBO series’ first season, before returning in Season 2 as geologist Francis Wolcott. He even made an uncredited cameo in the series’ feature-length continuation from 2019 as random drunk.

S. Epatha Merkerson On Law & Order (Mrs. Denise Winters, Lieutenant Anita Van Buren)

Emmy winner S. Epatha Merkerson, who went on to be a staple of the One Chicago franchise, is best known for playing Lt. Anita Van Buren on Law & Order from 1993 to 2010. Yet, her first role on the iconic crime drama was as the mother of two young shooting victims in the the series’ premiere season.

Paget Brewster On Community (Debra Chambers, Frankie Dart)

During Paget Brewster’s temporary absence from the Criminal Minds cast, she had a starring role on Community as Frankie Dart - a consultant hired to help improve things on the Greendale campus. There is a clever joke from Season 6 of creator Dan Harmon’s cult favorite comedy when Frankie claims to have some bizarre trouble when trying to reach out to Greendale’s I.T. department head, Debra Chambers - whom Brewster also played in the previous season.

James Cromwell On Barney Miller (Sgt. Wilkinson, Neil Spencer, Jason Parrish, Dr. Edmund Danworth)

The producers of Barney Miller (one of funniest and best classic mystery shows) cast several actors in multiple guest appearances over its eight seasons, including Oscar nominee James Cromwell. He first appeared as a police sergeant in 1977, a representative of the department of energy two years later, and both a corporate representative and stress researcher in 1981.

Denise Dowse On Beverly Hills, 90210 (Professor Harriet Welkman, Mrs. Teasley)

Years before appearing on the hit HBO comedy Insecure or FX’s acclaimed crime drama Snowfall, Denise Dowse appeared on a total of 24 episodes as part of the Beverly Hills, 90210 cast from 1990 to 2000. In 23 of those episodes, she played West Beverly Hills High School vice principal Yvonne Teasley, and also played a college professor in an episode of Season 1, which was also her first.

Diane Neal On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Amelia Chase, A.D.A. Casey Novak)

Diane Neal has starred on the crime procedural spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (initially as a regular and later in recurring and guest appearances) as Casey Novak - an assistant district attorney who also appeared in an episode of the short-lived Law & Order: Trial By Jury. The actress has actually played two characters in this universe - the first being a stockbroker convicted of the rape and murder of a male stripper who staged the murder of her accomplice as a suicide, on SVU’s third season.

Freema Agyeman On Doctor Who (Adeloa Oshodi, Martha Jones)

Before joining the New Amsterdam cast and starring in The Matrix Revolutions, Freema Agyeman first appeared with the Doctor Who cast as Torchwood technician Adeloa Oshodi in 2006. The following year, she was cast as Martha Jones - a companion to David Tenant’s Tenth Doctor - who was later revealed to be Adeloa’s cousin to explain the resemblance between the two.

Christa Miller On Seinfeld (Ellen De Granmont, Paula)

If her starring roles on The Drew Carey Show, with the Scrubs cast, and on Cougar Town do not earn Christa Miller the right to be called sitcom royalty, how about her two disparate guest roles on one of the most celebrated sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld? Miller contributes to two memorable George Costanza moments - the first being when she cost Jason Alexander’s iconic character a bra salesman position after a disastrous attempt at hitting on her in Season 5. In Season 6, she played a woman already dating George, but her unflattering doodle of him suddenly makes him unsure if her affection is genuine.

Nelson Franklin on The Office (Graphic Design Guy, Nick)

Comedian and Being the Ricardos star Nelson Franklin is known for having notable recurring roles on a number of sitcoms, including with The Office cast as Dunder Mifflin-Sabre’s begrudgingly overlooked IT guy, Nick, in Season 6. Two seasons earlier, he appeared in the episode “Job Fair” as a graphic design expert whom Pam (Jenna Fischer) approaches with interest in the field.

Sean Gunn On Angel (Mars, Lucas)

Before his older brother, James Gunn, cast him in multiple roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (namely Kraglin and Rocket Raccoon, for whom he performed the mo-cap), Sean Gunn play two different characters in the first season of the David Boreanaz-led Buffy spin-off, Angel. The future Gilmore Girls cast member first played a spa manager helping an inter-dimensional demon princess hide other women of her kind from the males who enslave them, before returning a few episodes later as a demon himself - specifically the kind that Angel’s ally, Allen Doyle (Glenn Quinn), is a descendent of on his father’s side.

Hayden Panettiere On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Ashley Austin Black, Angela Agnelli)

Back when she was still best known for Disney movies like A Bug’s Life and Remember the Titans, Hayden Panettiere guest-starred on Season 2 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as the surviving young daughter of two singers accused of neglecting their recently deceased son. Right before joining the Heroes cast made her a household name, the actress and singer appeared on the spin-off’s sixth season as a Catholic high school student whose participation in a sex tape also featuring her classmate and an adult doctor, drove her to murder.

James Jordan On Veronica Mars (Lucky, Tim Foyle)

Years before joining the Yellowstone cast as Steve Hendon, one of James Jordan’s first major TV characters was Tim Foyle - a rival of Kristen Bell’s titular hero from the Veronica Mars cast who appeared in seven episodes, including the 2019 revival season. However, Jordan actually starred in a total of 10 episodes of the hit mystery drama and, for his first three, played a Neptune High janitor ironically named Lucky, who was shot and killed by a school security guard after showing up with an unloaded gun after he was fired.

Michael Cudlitz On CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Officer William Spencer, Josh Barston)

Earlier in his career, former The Walking Dead cast member Michael Cudlitz made a guest appearance on each of the first three editions of the CSI franchise (and each time as a different character, too), but the original is the only one on which he appeared twice. His first played a cop driven to crime by greed in Season 2, and later played a contractor driven to murder by love in Season 9.

BONUS: Kali Rocha On Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Cecily Addams, Halfrek - Confirmed To Be The Same Character)

For years, it was debated among fans of Buffy of the Vampire Slayer whether or not Kali Rocha's roles of Cecily Addams - a 19th Century socialite whose rejection of Spike (James Marsters) resulted in his vampirism - and the vengeance demon Halfrek were the same person. Writer Drew Goddard would confirm in a DVD commentary track (via ScreenRant) that the theory is, indeed, true, which we have chosen to mention as a bonus item on this list just in case there were any fans who may have needed clarification.

Let this list be a lesson to any aspiring actor to never take a TV guest appearance or small recurring role for granted. It could be the first of many appearances on that show alone or could get you promoted to a regular position.

The Criminal Minds revival stalled for long enough that even one franchise favorite lost hope that the BAU team would come together again on TV, but the project is now moving forward again at Paramount+ and is reportedly locking down its returning cast. Not only does the casting news deliver some clues about what the revival could actually look like, but also delivers a surprise concerning one person in particular: Kirsten Vangsness. 

Although Kirsten Vangsness was a popular part of Criminal Minds going all the way back to the first of the 15 seasons, her character left the gruesome work at the BAU behind in the original series finale. Penelope Garcia’s life was going in a new direction, but based on the report from Deadline, she is one of six cast members expected to return for the different Paramount+ revival. 

In addition to Vangsness, Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez), A.J. Cook (Jennifer Jareau), and Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis) have reportedly agreed to reprise their roles, although no deals have been closed just yet. The five characters other than Garcia aren’t nearly as surprising, considering how Season 15 ended for them at the FBI. 

All six stars are reportedly on the same page and willing to finish the talks to sign on for the revival, but there is a delay due to production company ABC Signature focusing on closing a deal with Erica Messer, who served as executive producer and showrunner during the original run of Criminal Minds. A deal is expected to be struck, but has not just yet. 

ABC Signature and CBS Studios have also reportedly come to a license agreement to bring new episodes of Criminal Minds to Paramount+ after the original spent a decade and a half of CBS. The deal between these parties, the return of Messer, and the original cast members are evidently required for the project to continue moving forward. News of the cast members coming closer to deals is certainly encouraging, particularly in light of the reveal of Paget Brewster landing a role for another streaming service. 

Conspicuously absent from the list of six returning stars is Matthew Gray Gubler, whose Dr. Spencer Reid was one of the few major characters to appear in every single season of Criminal Minds. Also missing from the list is Daniel Henney, who became a series regular as Agent Matt Simmons relatively late in the game and has gone on to star in Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time. 

In the case of other revivals, character absences have been easy to explain due to the passage of time, as has happened with CSI: Vegas on CBS. In the case of Criminal Minds, however, the original run of the series only ended in 2020, so not much time has passed. Explaining the absence of Reid in particular might be tricky, since his unique abilities and intelligence mean that he would be difficult to replace, and the BAU might have a hard time closing cases as per usual without somebody on par with his skills on hand. 

At this point, there is no confirmation that the show will return with no sign of Matthew Gray Gubler’s Reid or Daniel Henney’s Simmons, nor an explanation for how Kristin Vangsness will be back as Garcia after a pretty short amount of time away from the BAU. Still, all signs point toward the revival taking some big strides forward, which is very good news for any fans who weren’t ready to say goodbye at the end of Season 15. 

For now, you can always rewatch the existing seasons of Criminal Minds, with the full run available with a Paramount+ subscription, the first twelve seasons on Netflix, and the final three on Hulu. 

Despite only wrapping up its 15-season run on CBS in 2020, the highly popular crime drama Criminal Minds was almost instantly in conversations to return in a somewhat different capacity as a content anchor for Paramount+, with Paget Brewster set to continue Emily Prentiss’ story. In the roughly two years since then, however, there have been far more silent patches than promising updates. Following the latest news, which basically just confirmed that the project is still generally happening, the next big role in Brewster’s non-Criminal Minds career was revealed: she’s playing Hilary Duff’s mom!

To clarify, Paget Brewster is set to appear on Hulu’s universe-expanding comedy How I Met Your Father, where she will portray the mother of Hilary Duff’s character Sophie. (And technically also the mother of Kim Katrall’s future-timeline Sophie.) And what’s more, fans don’t have long to wait to see her in action, as she will appear in Episode 105, appropriately titled “The Good Mom,” which debuts on February 8.

Check out the first look at Brewster’s Lori in the pic below!

As far as what to expect from Lori when Paget Brewster pops into the How I Met Your Father lore, the character is noted as being a single mother and former model, with Sophie’s birth having happened when Lori was still quite young. Her arrival apparently won’t be a long-planned event for Sophie & Co., as the episode synopsis notes:

•  An unexpected visit from Sophie’s mom heightens Val’s concern for her friend. 

Sounds like Paget Brewster’s latest role will see her causing some drama, despite it being set within a comedic narrative. From what we’ve heard about Sophie’s childhood thus far, Lori was referred to early on as a “party girl,” and hasn’t been painted in particularly positive shades ever since. So while I have no doubt that Brewster is capable of joining the fun in hilarious and quirky ways, it may serve Sophie’s story best if Lori isn’t quite likeable.

It doesn’t appear as if Brewster’s Lori will make any other appearances in Season 1 of How I Met Your Father, but one can assume the door will be open for future guest spots if Hulu renews the spinoff comedy for Season 2. And probably also if the actress’ schedule isn’t busy with filming the Criminal Minds revival season, should it ever get an official series order. 

Brewster herself wasn’t so optimistic about that return coming to light on the streaming service, but the latest update at least keeps hope alive that Team BAU will be back on the small screen in the years to come. Granted, it probably won’t be exactly the same, seeing as how Kirsten Vangsness’ Garcia left her post for greener pastures (possibly even with Alvez as her romantic partner), among other details. But any port in a storm to see more flirting between fan-favorite non-couple J.J. and Reid, amirite?

New episodes of How I Met Your Father debut on Hulu every Tuesday morning, with Paget Brewster’s character making her presumably memorable entrance on February 8. You can check out past seasons of Criminal Minds on Paramount+, and head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what else is popping up in the coming months! 

Criminal Minds came to an end on CBS after 15 seasons back in 2020, and just a year passed before news broke that a revival featuring members of the original cast was in the works for the rebranded Paramount+. Paget Brewster, who played Emily Prentiss off and on over the original run of Criminal Minds, was one of those attached to the developing revival, but now she has some bad news for fans who were counting on seeing the BAU back in action. Still, fans don't have to despair yet.

Paget Brewster took to Twitter to drop the news that disappointed a lot of fans, who replied to her tweet. In response to a fan asking for any news on the Criminal Minds revival, Brewster wrote:

In her post, Paget Brewster didn't clarify who all the "we" was regarding those who think that the Criminal Minds revival is dead, but it's possible that she's speaking on behalf of other members of the original cast who had been attached to reprise their roles. It's unlikely that Brewster is speaking in any official capacity for anybody at Paramount+ or CBS Studios, as TVLine reports a Paramount+ spokesperson stating that the project is "still very much in development." So there's hope, even if there is some conflict between Brewster's comment and Paramount+'s statement!

Paget Brewster's previous most recent big update on the developing revival came back in April, when she was decidedly more optimistic about the series returning, saying that cast members who weren't already signed on to other shows – which presumably would mean no Shemar Moore, who is busy over on S.W.A.T. – were negotiating for the revival, and even excited about what Criminal Minds could do on a streaming platform vs. CBS. That's a sentiment more or less echoed by David Boreanaz after the news that his SEAL Team would swap from CBS to Paramount+, so the sudden pessimism from Brewster comes as something of a surprise.

Previous reports about the Criminal Minds revival indicated that it would mix some returning characters with some newcomers, which sounds similar to what the CSI: Vegas series is going to do when it hits the airwaves on CBS in the fall. A revival could theoretically still happen without all the legacy members of the cast who had been expected, which could include Paget Brewster. The revival developing in a different direction than expected could explain the comment that it's "dead," although only time will tell on that front.

The earlier descriptions of the revival indicated that it would be far less procedural than the original series, with the agents pursuing one single case from the beginning of the season to the end. Criminal Minds had featured ongoing mysteries with particularly gruesome serial killers over the years, but not on a week-to-week-to-week basis. The plans for the revival suggested something far more serialized, somewhat like how Law & Order: Organized Crime was a departure from previous Law & Order series.

So, is the Criminal Minds revival truly dead, as Paget Brewster indicates, or should fans take heart from the Paramount+ statement that the project is still developing? Criminal Minds has performed strongly streaming, and the original run of the series didn't end so long ago that it has become irrelevant, so I would say that fans shouldn't 100% give up hope just yet. Still, for now, it's probably best to look ahead to the 2021 fall TV lineup for the shows that are confirmed to return to television and streaming.

Of all the noteworthy TV revivals currently in some form of development, most are for series that have been off the air for longer than 14 months. However, audiences could very well witness a second wave of Criminal Minds coming to streaming in the future, as the former CBS crime drama is tentatively being set up for a quick return via the revival-happy streaming service Paramount+. While news has been fairly light for the not-yet-ordered project, former star Paget Brewster has offered fans an intriguing update about Criminal Minds' potential future.

At this point, Paramount+ and ViacomCBS have yet to make any official announcements regarding a Criminal Minds revival, but Paget Brewster confirmed that the producers and network execs have indeed already put feelers out amongst cast members about returning. Here's how she explained it to ComicBook.com:

Speaking of Criminal Minds actors who landed other jobs in the meantime, Paget Brewster herself is set to reprise the role of Judy Ken Sebben for the Adult Swim spinoff Birdgirl. That said, it's definitely easier for actors to plan their schedules around voice-acting roles than it for them to balance two different live-action projects. So unless Birdgirl is getting a super-sized order that will keep Brewster in the recording booth for months at a time, she'll almost definitely find room to bring Emily Prentiss back to Criminal Minds fans.

While an official synopsis for Criminal Minds revival isn't available, Paramount+ did confirm that the crime drama's first season on a streaming platform would be far more of a serialized story that follows a single case from the premiere through the finale. As well, it was revealed that the updated take would feature a mixture of familiar characters from the flagship series, as well as several new cast members to add to the fray. Considering Kirsten Vangsness was changing career paths with Garcia in the Criminal Minds finale, it's possible she won't be returning for the Paramount+ revival, but we're hoping.

While lots of facts are still up in the air when it comes to Criminal Minds' revival, one thing is absolutely clear: streaming on Netflix has definitely helped the Joe Mantegna-starring series add a big new following to the fanbase. And Paget Brewster understands how effective Netflix has been in expanding the show's former core viewership. In her words:

In fact, the drama's popularity on that streaming service likely factored into the decision to keep moving forward so soon with a new chapter in the BAU agents' lives. (At least for the main cast members who didn't land full-time gigs on other shows.) If there's anything we can count on today's youth for, it's streaming the unholy bejesus out of untold numbers of TV shows.

So for those who can't wait to see more from Team BAU on Criminal Minds in the future, stay tuned to see what happens next with the potential Paramount+ series. And don't forget to check out Paget Brewster in action for Adult Swim's Birdgirl, airing Sunday nights at midnight ET.

After fifteen seasons, Criminal Minds had its final curtain call on February 19, 2020. The two-hour series finale saw the cast of the hit CBS investigative procedural without an acronym in its title give their bittersweet goodbyes to a show rooted in bleakness.

The cast of Season 15, despite a few regulars who stayed until the end, does not feature the same line-up as its earlier years, when led by Mandy Patinkin and also starring Shemar Moore. However, fans of Criminals Minds welcomed those who joined late, such as Joe Mantegna and Paget Brewster, with open arms as if they were there from the beginning.

Now that the series has reached its end, the central cast is still far from finished with their careers outside of analyzing criminal behavior. So, what is next for the cast of Criminals Minds?

Joe Mantegna (David Rossi)

In 2007, Joe Mantegna joined the cast of Criminals Minds as David Rossi. The veteran FBI agent returns to the Behavioral Analysis Unit after a 10-year retirement, bringing a different kind of investigative style and more gruff persona to the team than Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) after his departure, and considers retirement in the series finale, only to go back on that claim by the end of the episode.

The 72-year-old actor was actually known for playing several criminals in movies and TV, such as Joey Zasa in The Godfather Part III and Fat Tony on The Simpsons, before playing a guy who catches them in his most popular role to date. There is not much known to be on the horizon for Joe Mantegna in the world of acting at the moment, but he is active on Twitter and Instagram and recently made an appearance on SiriusXM’s Beatles discussion show, “Fab Fourum.” If his emotional message to the fans of Criminal Minds following the series filming wrap-up is any indication, not only will his character be missed, but he will miss playing him.

Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid)

Matthew Gray Gubler is the only actor to appear in all 323 episodes of Criminal Minds as Dr. Spencer Reid, who just may be the heart of the show. The highly intelligent supervisory special agent is one of the youngest members of the BAU and also one of its most tortured souls, having suffered from his own issues with mental health, grieving his murdered girlfriend, and even battling substance abuse following his abduction by a man who injected him with drugs that he developed an addiction to for a time.

Fortunately, the series finale gave Spencer Reid a more positive resolution and Matthew Gray Gubler a proper send-off before moving onto his next prospect, which includes starring alongside his on Criminal Minds character’s onscreen adversary Aubrey Plaza in the upcoming comedy King Knight, about a modern-day priest confronting his “prepster” past. The 39-year-old actor, additionally known for voicing Simon in the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks films, can also be seen in the recent Netflix drama Horse Girl opposite Alison Brie.

A.J. Cook (Jennifer "JJ" Jareau)

Jennifer Jareau, or “JJ” to friends and family, was inspired to join the FBI by her future colleague David Rossi. As played by Canadian actress A.J. Cook on Criminal Minds since the beginning, JJ has seen quite the journey from the BAU’s media liaison to becoming a field agent, then leaving the team temporarily in Season 6 before returning the following year.

A.J. Cook nailed the often traumatic life of JJ because her filmography is not short on dark subject matter, from starring in a Goosebumps episodes as a teen, leading the second installment of the Final Destination franchise in 2003, and most recently playing a prescription drug addict in the 2019 indie Back Fork, co-starring and directed by her Criminal Minds onscreen husband Josh Stewart.

In terms of what she has coming up, from what Cook told Parade, it sounds like she's hoping to unplug for a bit and spend time with her family, though acting and directing remain her passion so we likely haven't seen the last of her. Rest assured, her time on the popular crime drama will remain her shining moment for years to come.

Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia)

The quirky fashion sense, flirtatious personality, and overall irresistibly fun presence of Penelope Garcia is unusual for a crime procedural series, which is why the fan favorite is such a stand-out on Criminal Minds. The hacker turned Technical Analyst for the BAU, and eventually its Media Liaison Officer following Jennifer Jareau’s field agent promotion, was portrayed for 321 episodes by Kirsten Vangsness, also the series finale’s co-writer.

In addition to her political activism on social media, Kirsten Vangsness is putting her creative focus post-Criminal Minds into several new and vastly different endeavors, including an autobiographical one-woman stage show largely inspired by the music of Duran Duran called Making It Up and taking her animated short film Curtains to film festivals around the globe. Vangsness is also a businesswoman as part-owner of the Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana, California.

Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis)

Aisha Tyler wears a lot of hats in her career. The comedian first appeared in Season 11 of Criminal Minds as recurring character forensic psychologist Dr. Tara Lewis before becoming a series regular the following year. At the same time, she was already voicing Lana Kane on FX’s animated espionage comedy Archer, hosting both The CW’s revival of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and a regular panelist on CBS’s answer to The View, The Talk.

Now, having left The Talk after six years in 2017 and her stint on Criminal Minds crossed off of her list, Aisha Tyler can focus on the upcoming 11th season of Archer, appearing in films like the upcoming comedies Friendsgiving and Bad Therapy, and prolonging her directorial career with her long-awaited project Vigilante. Whether or not she will continue hosting duties and playing improvisational comedy games on Whose Line Is It Anyway? is unclear, but we would not hold anything against the busy 49-year-old for taking things one step at a time.

Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons)

Supervisory special agent Matthew Simmons was first introduced on Criminal Minds in a Season 10 crossover episode setting up the series’ international spin-off Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. When that show was cancelled after two seasons, Simmons, played by Daniel Henney, joined the BAU in Quantico as the muscle, which his military background helps achieve.

In addition to starring on Criminal Minds, Daniel Henney, a Michigan-born actor of Korean descent who got his start in modeling, also reprised his Big Hero 6 role of Tadaschi in the Oscar-winning animated film’s series spin-off. He is currently in the Czech Republic filming his next project, an Amazon Prime original show called The Wheel of Time, inspired by the series of novels by Robert Jordan.

Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez)

Luke Alvez, played by hispanic actor Adam Rodriguez, was introduced into the world of Criminal Minds as an FBI task force agent assigned to help the BAU apprehend a slew of serial killers following a prison escape. After one of those criminals tortured his partner Phil, Alvez was hired by the BAU to track down the man responsible, and stuck with them as a profiler ever since.

In addition to his four-year stint on Criminal Minds, Adam Rodriguez has been played recurring characters on shows like Empire and Jane the Virgin, had a small role in his co-star Aisha Tyler’s directorial debut, Axis, played Tito in both Magic Mike movies, and was a series regular on fellow CBS hit procedural CSI: Miami for 10 years. The 44-year-old actor will star in Showtime’s sequel series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, not a a cop this time, but instead a passionate union leader in 1938 Los Angeles.

Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss)

No character in Criminal Minds has seen their roles change more than Emily Prentiss, played by Paget Brewster. The former Interpol member joined the BAU in 2006 before leaving to return to Interpol as chief of the London office, only to come back to BAU and get promoted to unit chief after the resignation of Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson).

During Emily Prentiss’ time in Europe, Paget Brewster was actually starring as Frankie Dart on the final season of Community, but managed to prolong her reputation as an accomplished voice actress while still filming Criminal Minds in such projects as American Dad!, Bojack Horseman, and DisneyXD’s revival of DuckTales. She will soon be lending her voice to the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law spin-off as the title character of Birdgirl, and will appear as a live-action character in Ryan Murphy’s mini-series about aspiring actors, Hollywood, which is slated to drop on Netflix in May 2020.

Mandy Patinkin (Jason Gideon)

Before becoming the initial star of Criminal Minds in the series premiere season, Mandy Patinkin first gained notoriety from speaking the famous “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,” in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride. He abruptly left Criminal Minds after just two seasons, citing the subject matter to be “destructive to my soul and personality,” and his character, BAU Senior Agent Jason Gideon, was written off as having suffered emotional issues following the murder of his girlfriend, prompting his retirement. He was later revealed to have been murdered by an old adversary in a Season 10 episode.

Mandy Patinkin would make a triumphant return to television in 2011 as mentor to bi-polar CIA operative Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) on the highly acclaimed Showtime thriller Homeland, which is currently in its final season. In an interview with NPR in November 2019, Patinkin said that once the show is over, he would like to keep his calendar open to see what sort of new project he “bumps into,” whether it be another crowd-pleasing adventure film, another Tony-winning turn on Broadway or a new album of songs. You never know what this man of many talents will have up his sleeve next.

Your favorite Criminal Minds characters may not be fighting crime together anymore, but there is still plenty more in store from their acting counterparts in the world of entertainment. For more news and updates on the careers of the crime series’ former stars, be sure to check back here on CinemaBlend.

Major spoilers below for the most recent pair of Criminal Minds episodes, so be warned!

With so few installments left to go in Criminal Minds’ final season, what better time is there for the long-running CBS drama to ramp things up in the romantic lives of its main characters? Following a week of extremely close calls for certain agents, Criminal Minds dropped a double-episode airing that added a shocking extra chapter to Spencer Reid’s burgeoning relationship, and also took a small step forward with Emily Prentiss’ own slowly expanding love life. And all with the help of returning actors Aubrey Plaza and Stephen Bishop (though none of the season's big bad).

Below, we’ll break down how the Criminal Minds episodes “Date Night” and “Rusty” expanded upon Reid and Prentiss’ romances, for better and for worse. (For anyone who may have missed out on how the show put an end to Reid and J.J.’s once-promising chances, read up!)

Spencer Reid + Cat Adams + Maxine

Just when it seemed safe for Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spender Reid to even begin to approach the starting line for any complicated feelings for Rachel Leigh Cook’s Maxine, Criminal Minds brought back a familiar face that was fully invested in burning it all down. Fans got to welcome back Aubrey Plaza in what can easily be assumed is her final guest-starring role as the “Black Widow killer,” Catherine Adams, and it was a doozy.

With this delightfully wicked return, Aubrey Plaza definitely cemented her spot among the best Criminal Minds guest stars, in part because she still managed to eke some empathy out of Reid and viewers during her devious scheme. Everything seemed simple enough from the outset (at least for this show's plots), with Cat on death row and a semi-formal date with Reid as her final request. Naturally, that request came coupled with a man and his daughter getting kidnapped by one of Cat's sycophants.

Despite his every primal instinct, Reid was basically forced into the date with Cat while other members of the BAU squad went to work figuring out what the wild card was in the kidnappings, which initially seemed to connect back to Cat's tragic upbringing. For my money, the best part of the season so far was the reveal of the lighted "Cat + Spencie 4-Evr!!!" sign. I kinda want LEGO to get behind making that for one of their big sets, with little Reid and Cat figurines on roller skates. (Get on that, someone.)

On the opposite end of Catherine's fun and games was the all-too-serious situation involving the kidnapped man and his daughter, who were eventually revealed to be the father and sister of Reid's new romantic interest Maxine, as portrayed by Rachael Leigh Cook. And lo, the most awkwardly diluted conversation in Criminal Minds history took place, with Reid, Cat and Maxine all unburdening themselves of some heavy "truths" in the throes of panic, improvisation or sadistic infatuation, depending on who you were listening to.

That cringe-heavy situation started after Reid's humbly confessed that Cat still clouds his thoughts, and the to-be-executed killer convinced him to give her a passionate kiss. A kiss that Maxine OBVIOUSLY witnessed and interrupted. As explanations tumbled out, Cat revealed her prior pregnancy (as seen in a previous appearance) ended in a miscarriage. She tried pinning Reid as a monster, since he'd physically roughed her up during that encounter, and that accusation made for some seriously uncomfortable moments between the three of them. Thankfully (I guess?), we later found out Cat's legitimate miscarriage came months later and had nothing to do with Reid.

As well, we found out that Maxine was working with Prentiss and Rossi during that whole conversation, and that she learned the truth about Cat's miscarriage as soon as Garcia looked up the medical records. Her confession of abuse, which was Cat-nip to the husband-killer, was merely an improvisation, but I can't be alone in thinking that Maxine filed that story as more of a fantasy than anything else. She leaned into that bit pret-ty, pret-ty, pret-ty hard.

I also can't be alone in thinking this "Date Night" exchange between Rossi and Prentiss deserves a gold-plated poster.

In the end, even though Maxine has made it abundantly clear that Reid is not her boyfriend, the path forward looks ripe with opportunity for dates that don't require prison releases and hyper-plotting. Although Maxine certainly has more acceptance hurdles to jump over when it comes to Reid's world, at least from what we know so far.

Where Will Prentiss And Mendoza's Future Take Themd?

To be clear right up front on this one, the episode "Rusty" was far more of an Unsub-of-the-week episode than the kind of character-driven installment that "Date Night" was, so the romantic drama that went down between Prentiss and Stephen Bishop's Andrew Mendoza was far more bumper cars than emotional roller coaster. Still, Prentiss was having a hard time dealing with some recent adjustments, despite her talk of bigger fish to fry.

Prentiss' dismissal of Mendoza's calls and flowers stemmed from his relocating to Denver to run the field office there, as the long-distance relationship is taking its toll. She'd recently cancelled a trip to visit him for the weekend to meet his daughter, and her excuses aren't worth the trouble.

Of course, Rossi gets it out of Prentiss (with barely any prodding): Mendoza had asked Prentiss three months prior to move to Denver with him, and she was having major concerns about that idea. It's understandable, sure, but Prentiss' hang-ups seemed to be more with the very notion that she hadn't ever planned for a relatively sudden trip across the country in the name of romance...which isn't exactly the kind of thing one can spend years planning for.

All Prentiss needed was a guiding light to tell her just to be honest with Mendoza about how she was feeling, and that it was perfectly fine and human if she did end up moving to Denver with Mendoza. What is love, after all, if not an emotion that's powerful enough to get people to uproot their lives? What is love if not something to make you marry your third ex-wife a second time?

After getting that refreshing slice of life advice, Prentiss make things far less awkward with Mendoza and met his adorable daughter. And though she wasn't bringing up any plans to move all her things to Colorado in the near future, Prentiss at least seemed content with the current status quo, with the possibility of upheaval down the road.

Which means that Criminal Minds might end with Emily Prentiss leaving all of her BAU compadres to go to Colorado! Not that it would stop her from working with them, since Denver is going to continue having wacko killers, no matter how legal weed gets there. Is that something you guys would be interested in seeing?

Criminal Minds only has two weeks left on CBS, so be sure to tune in on the next two Wednesdays on CBS at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Criminal Minds is only weeks away from wrapping its fifteenth and final season on CBS, meaning the end of Paget Brewster's time as Emily Prentiss (again). That doesn't mean the end of her time on CBS, though, as Brewster landed a live-action role on another of the Eye Network's dramas. Her new show will be the action adventure drama Blood & Treasure, which will take her overseas and has presented her with a new set of challenges that she is hilariously tackling.

First, who is Paget Brewster playing on Blood & Treasure? The beloved CBS regular (who also appeared on one of the network's comedies earlier in the 2019-2020 TV season) definitely isn't playing Prentiss 2.0, and it won't just be a one-off guest shot.

Paget Brewster will tackle the recurring role of a resourceful nun in Rome by the name of Sister Lisa. Deadline reports Sister Lisa is a friend of Father Chuck Donnelly's, and she becomes a source of information for him as he begins to investigate a mystery. Despite what sounds like a serious storyline, Sister Lisa is a nun with a sense of humor.

So, it's fitting that Paget Brewster seems to be keeping a sense of humor about her preparations for the Blood & Treasure role! The actress, whose role in Season 2 of the drama will be recurring, is heading to Italy to play Sister Lisa. Despite her many talents developed over her years on the small screen, one skill has eluded her: fluency in conversational Italian.

Paget Brewster is using the popular language service Duolingo to learn Italian, and it's not going too well so far. Brewster has shared some of her learning journey so far via Twitter. Take a look at her first Duolingo post:

Unless Sister Lisa makes her Blood & Treasure debut as a nun who operates a side business selling chocolate-covered bananas or Paget Brewster lands a side job in Italy hosting a cooking program, this particular phrase might not come in too handy! There is always money in a banana stand, though.

In this tweet, posted on January 26, she hadn't written the sentence in Italian. Was this because she just hadn't done it yet? Was she protesting the challenge because of its irrelevancy? Or was she just not ready to show her grasp of the Italian language to Twitter just yet?

The food-based challenges from Duolingo didn't stop with the chocolate bananas. A few days later, Paget Brewster shared another sentence that probably won't do her much good in Italy:

Paget Brewster evidently doesn't expect that she'll be overcome with curiosity about whether or not horses eat bread after she spends some time in Italy for Blood & Treasure. Personally, I would laugh if there's a scene in Season 2 in which Sister Lisa has to ask somebody who has come to her chocolate banana stand if horses eat bread, but I'm not holding my breath.

Apparently Duolingo has more than one Italian question involving horse diets, since Paget Brewster posted another tweet the very next day about directly asking a horse if it wants an apple. Does Duolingo have a program for learning horse? If Paget Brewster does ask a horse if it wants an apple, I doubt it could answer in Italian (or English).

In all seriousness, at least Paget Brewster has some time before she starts playing Sister Lisa for Blood & Treasure in April. That may not be enough time to become fluent in Italian, but maybe Duolingo will move her past the food- and horse-based questions by then!

Blood & Treasure will likely return in summer 2020. If you want to see how Blood & Treasure left off, you can find the full first season streaming on Amazon Prime. For now, you can catch Paget Brewster in the final stretch of Criminal MInds before the long-running series wraps for good on Wednesday, February 19 on CBS. For some more viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, check out our 2020 winter and spring premiere schedule.

Though Paget Brewster wasn't a full member of the Criminal Minds cast for each and every season that it's aired on CBS, the actress is as synonymous with the show as any of its other widely known stars. That'll change soon, with Criminal Minds ending after Season 15, but Brewster has already lined up her next network TV role, and she'll be sticking with CBS for it.

As revealed by the actress herself, Paget Brewster will appear opposite Allison Janney and Anna Faris on CBS' hit comedy Mom for its upcoming Season 7, set to premiere in the fall. The comedically talented Brewster will take on the role of Veronica Stone, who joins the fray within the law firm as Christy's new boss. This might not be the most ideal situation for Christy's stress levels, though.

According to the character description, Veronica is quite importunate as a senior partner, and she demands her employees match up with her high expectations. Unfortunately, her energetic persona is often directly pointed at Christy, who takes the brunt of Veronica's yelling and complaining. That should make for some amusing exchanges.

While it's possible Paget Brewster's role could be expanded as time goes on, she is currently set for two episodes of Mom Season 7. The first one is reportedly set to air on Thursday, October 10, in Mom's usual 9:00 p.m. time slot, though it will now have the new comedies The Unicorn and Carol's Second Act airing before and after, with Young Sheldon taking over The Big Bang Theory's coveted lead-in position.

Check out Paget Brewster's Twitter reveal below.

Interestingly, if Veronica Stone does indeed arrive in October, with more potential appearances to follow, Paget Brewster's role on Mom will technically start up prior to her concluding run as Emily Prentiss on Criminal Minds. With this final season set for ten episodes, as opposed to the usual 20+, CBS execs chose to push Criminal Minds' premiere to 2020 as an anchor for the network's midseason entries.

Since she has spent more years on Criminal Minds than any other project, fans might think of Paget Brewster as a fully dramatic actress, but her Mom casting is the latest in a long line of comedic roles that Brewster always excels in. For instance, her other big roles in recent years came on Community, Comedy Central's Another Period, Disney's DuckTales reboot, and the short-lived John Stamos comedy Grandfathered.

Plus, the other big post-Criminal Minds role that Paget Brewster signed up for is returning her to the world of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. She'll be reprising the role of Birdgirl, real name Judy Ken Sebben, for the spinoff series Birdgirl, centering on her promotion to head of the now-corporation Sebben & Sebben, and all of the problems that provides.

Fans shouldn't expect too many belly laughs for Criminal Minds' final season, which will continue the story of the final big bad Unsub introduced at the end of Season 14. There will likely be some lighter moments, hopefully involving Reid and J.J., as well as Rossi's life as a newly married man. But things will likely get very dark before that big series finale.

2019 Fall TV Premiere Schedule: Dates For New And Returning Shows

Without a specific date set yet for Season 15, which wrapped principal production earlier this year, Criminal Minds will return to CBS at some point in the new year, so stay tuned for more updates. Mom, meanwhile, will hit the network for Season 7 on Thursday, September 26, at 9:00 p.m.

CBS’ Criminal Minds had an incredible run. A little over 320 episodes have aired since it debuted in 2005 and it has even been given a couple of spinoffs, though neither were particularly popular or lasted super long. The original show wrapped after fifteen seasons, and soon, a new spinoff series will premiere on Paramount+ called Criminal Minds: Evolution, continuing the story. But until that comes out, let’s talk about how the cast has changed over the years. 

As would be expected for a long-running drama, over the show’s run a lot of the Criminal Minds cast members have come and gone and come again, some under some pretty sketchy circumstances. So which actors have left Criminal Minds (and which have returned) and why did they do it? And, just who might be coming back to the spinoff?  

Why Mandy Patinkin Left Criminal Minds

Mandy Patinkin was the original star of the show. Patinkin played Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, the head of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Mandy Patinkin left the show after two seasons over “creative differences.” It would be years before he finally explained his departure. In an interview with Deadline, Patinkin explained that he didn’t feel comfortable with a lot of the subject matter covered on the show and decided it wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of.

His character Jason Gideon’s departure was equally perplexing, as Mandy Patinkin seemed to have caught the producers by surprise. Ultimately, Gideon was written out quickly, resigning after a particularly difficult case. Eight seasons later, the character was killed (off screen) by a serial killer being pursued by the BAU team.

Why Shemar Moore Left Criminal Minds

Shemar Moore’s character Derek Morgan is among the most popular characters over the show’s run. A star for over 10 seasons on the show, he's returned to Criminal Minds in a guest-starring capacity. However, when he left for good, according to what the character said at the time, it was to spend more time with his wife and baby, though it was announced soon after that Moore would be starring in a new CBS show, S.W.A.T.

Shemar Moore's sendoff was more emotional than many of the other actors, as he was one of the few who left the show on very good terms with both the show’s producers and CBS. On the procedural, Derek Morgan left the BAU for the same reason Moore left the show, to care for his family.

Why Thomas Gibson Left Criminal Minds

Thomas Gibson’s exit from Criminal Minds was by far the most controversial. Gibson, who played Unit Chief Senior Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, was fired from the show after an on-set fight with a producer that allegedly got physical during the filming of Season 12 in 2016. The show was only two episodes into the season when the confrontation occurred and Gibson was fired the day after the reported fight.

Gibson's character was written out quickly, as Hotch was placed in Witness Protection to protect his son from a serial killer. 

Why A.J. Cook Left Criminal Minds

A.J. Cook is one of the original stars of Criminal Minds cast, with her character, JJ, going all the way back to the beginning. However, her run as a cast member has not been without its ups and downs. After Season 5, it was announced that Cook did not have her contract renewed in what was reported to be a cost-cutting move by the show’s producer. She did appear in a handful of episodes in Season 6 to wrap up their storylines and was then gone. Just not for long.

The passionate fans of the show were outraged and eventually the show relented and brought her back before the start of Season 7. A.J. Cook was a cast member on Criminal Minds until the show’s end, and will be reprising her role on Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Why Paget Brewster Left Criminal Minds

Like A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster’s run on the show has been filled with ups and downs. Brewster’s character, Emily Prentiss, first appeared in the middle of Season 2 after Elle Greenaway, played by Lola Glaudini, left the BAU when Glaudini left the show.

Brewster would go on to star as a full-time Criminal Minds cast member through part of Season 7, when she left the show to pursue other opportunities. She continued to appear as a guest star a few times after that, though. Then, at the end of Season 11, she returned for Shemar Moore’s final episode, returning for good for Season 12. Paget Brewster was a regular on the show since her return, and will be continuing her role in Criminal Minds: Evolution. 

Why Jeanne Tripplehorn Left Criminal Minds

Jeanne Tripplehorn burst onto the Hollywood scene in the early nineties when she starred in a number of box office hits (and one infamous bomb). She played Michael Douglas’ wife in Basic Instinct, then went on to play Tom Cruise’s wife in The Firm. The only flick to mess that run up was when she starred as Kevin Costner’s love interest, of sorts, in the notorious Waterworld.

She joined the cast of Criminal Minds in Season 8 as Dr. Alex Blake. Her run with the show was fairly short, leaving after just two seasons when contract negotiations fell apart. Her character's exit came after she decided working in BAU reminded her too much of her deceased son and she left.

Why Jennifer Love Hewitt Left Criminal Minds

It’s easy to forget that Jennifer Love Hewitt starred on Criminal Minds for two seasons as Kate Callahan. Her character’s arc ended dramatically when a pregnant Callahan faced every mother’s nightmare. Her niece, whom she had adopted after the death of her sister and brother-in-law in the September 11th attacks, was kidnapped and then rescued. Kate Callahan decided she needed to take some time away to care for her adopted daughter and soon-to-be-born baby.

Like her character, Jennifer Love Hewitt left the show at the same time for maternity reasons. Like the character, Hewitt was pregnant with her second child and it was announced before Season 11 that she would be leaving the show to care for her growing family.

Why Rachel Nichols Left Criminal Minds

Rachel Nichols joined the show first as a guest star in a three-episode arc that eventually morphed into her getting signed on as a full cast member. She joined as Ashley Seaver, an up-and-coming FBI trainee, but that gig was controversial at first, with fans angry that she was seemingly replacing the two popular characters played by Cook and Brewster. Ultimately, she didn’t last very long. She was let go after just one season when the other actors returned.

Why Damon Gupton Left Criminal Minds

Blink and you might have missed Damon Gupton’s very brief run on the show during Season 12 as Special Agent Stephen Walker. Gupton departed the show as fast as he joined when the network decided not to renew his contract in the wake of a number of cast maneuvers before Season 13.

Why Lola Glaudini Left Criminal Minds

Lola Glaudini starred as Elle Greenaway in the first season of Criminal Minds. This was not Glaudini's first time playing an FBI agent, as she also starred on The Sopranos as Deborah Ciccerone-Waldrup, a Federal Agent going after Tony Soprano.

Elle Greenaway had a violent end to her run with the BAU, both being shot and shooting suspects in her final episode. Lola Glaudini's personal reason for leaving the Criminal Minds cast was not nearly as dramatic. She reportedly wasn't happy living in L.A., where the show was shot, and wanted to return to her home on the East Coast.

Who Is Going To Be Back For Criminal Minds: Evolution?

Unsurprisingly, many of the actors from this list who left the show already are not going to be back for Criminal Minds: Evolution, but we have already confirmed two above – A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster. Of the main cast members who were still on the show when Criminal Minds came to an end in Season 15, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Tara Lewis, and Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez are all set to come back for the reboot on Paramount+, according to Deadline. 

However, two important characters from the line-up haven’t been confirmed to come back, and those are Spencer Reid and Matthew Simmons, played by Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney. 

Neither have given confirmation as to why they aren’t returning, but one theory for Henney is that it’s most likely because of a schedule conflict, since he has to also devote his time to the Amazon Prime original series, The Wheel of Time, and its demanding filming schedule. 

Even so, the showrunner of Criminal Minds: Evolution, Erica Messer spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the possibility that some people might return that haven’t been confirmed yet, where she specifically mentioned their desks and how they will still have stuff: 

Whether that means they’ll be back or not is up in the air, but it’s something to keep in mind as we wait for Criminal Minds: Evolution to premiere.

So there it is. The topsy-turvy world that is the Criminal Minds cast. It's been a wild ride for the fans of the show and for the actors that have helped make the drama the huge success it is, and now, it’s going to be even crazier once Criminal Minds: Evolution debuts.

Though she's often in some of the funniest shows on television, Paget Brewster will likely forever be most closely associated with CBS' Criminal Minds, which she's starred in for 9 of its 14 seasons. That killer drama is ending with Season 15, but Brewster already has a fabulous follow-up role locked down. She'll head up a Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law spinoff being set up at Adult Swim, fittingly titled Birdgirl.

That's right, Judy Ken Sebben is finally getting her chance to shine on her own without necessarily vying for any other Bird-related superhero lawyers' attention and respect. Birdgirl will see Paget Brewster reprising the voice role of Judy, who spent much of her time on Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law donning the Birdgirl costume and trying to solidify her place as a sidekick, while also putting up with Peanut's weirdness.

The Birdgirl series will obviously change up that dynamic a bit in order to give Paget Brewster's monologue-spurting Judy more agency. She will now be taking over CEO duties at Sebben & Sebben, the absurdity-filled lawfirm-turned-corporation. Taking on such a massive duty is huge for Judy, and she'll need to find ways to balance her professional life with her life as a vigilante.

Much as Harvey Birdman had his unique cadre of employees helping him run things day to day – "Did you get that thing I sent ya?" – Birdgirl's central heroine will form her own Birdteam within Sebben & Sebben. And there's no better way to describe the team's situation than Adult Swim did in their announcement, so here it is:

See, this is what happens when Avengers: Endgame comes along and punctuates a mini-era of superhero pop culture. We can't have nice things.

Birdgirl will be produced by Cartoon Network's Susan Shipsky, and directed by Rich Ferguson-Hull. The latter worked on over half of the spectacular Harvey Birdman episodes from its four-season run, as well as last year's one-off special Harvey Birdman, Attorney General.

Interestingly, Paget Brewster is the only star noted in the show announcement. That makes enough sense, considering she IS Birdgirl. But does this mean that no one else from the franchise will be around? The show might feel naked and lost if Gary Cole isn't around for a scene or two as Harvey. And how could we watch an entire Birdgirl series without Judy's father Phil Ken Sebben, voiced by late night great Stephen Colbert?

Granted, she might get hit on a lot less, since the eyepatch-wearing lunatic often tried flirting with his daughter whenever she was in her Birdgirl outfit. Just because he's the President now doesn't mean that kind of behavior has changed. (That said, it's not even confirmed if his and Harvey's newer positions from the Attorney General special will be intact for the spinoff.)

Birdgirl might not be the Criminal Minds follow-up that CBS fanatics were expecting for Paget Brewster, but the Harvey Birdman spinoff is one that will no doubt please those who adore the Hanna Barbera-embracing Adult Swim series. It might also make sense to fans who enjoy Brewster's work as Della Duck on Disney's solid DuckTales reboot. She also popped up in an episode of American Dad this year.

On the live-action side of things, Paget Brewster spent 2018 getting laughs on Comedy Central's historical farce Another Period, and she was also in the direct-to-DVD semi-thriller The Witch Files. Of course, she'll be seen portraying Emily Prentiss for her last batch of episodes when Criminal Minds returns to CBS for its fifteenth and final season. At least her future is looking bright...ly animated.

Criminal Minds is only getting ten episodes when it returns to take on its final big bad, but fans can bet those episodes will be full of moments that call back to classic episodes. As well, it will likely tie up a lot of loose ends leftover in Season 14. It'll start off with a two-parter, so be sure to check it out to see where Paget Brewster's Special Agent ends up.

No release date has been set just yet for Birdgirl, but expect to hear more about it in the future. And in the meantime, check out everything else that's coming to TV for the summer.

Criminal Minds has possibly showcased more evil and deviancy than any other TV show, across 300+ episodes and more to come, As such, the show's stars have seen a lot of horrifying acts over the years. When Paget Brewster was asked which of the show's gnarly murder methods took the top billing, she didn't mention the latest one, but here's how the actress answered.

Geez, why did that monster have to get put back into our brains like that? As longtime Criminal Minds fans know, the killer that Paget Brewster is referring to is Brad William Henke's Steve. As seen in the Season 6 episode "Sense Memory," Steve made a habit out of taking women captive in his taxi, rendering them unconscious, and then rendering parts of their bodies down for candle-making. Classic Steve.

Justified and Orange is the New Black's Brad William Hanke has made a career out of playing filthy and skeezy characters, with Criminal Minds featuring one of his creepiest performances. Just thinking about Steve smelling all those women makes me feel uncomfortable, and it's stomach-turning to think about him burning one of his candle trophies.

Meanwhile, Paget Brewster's longtime co-star Joe Mantegna had a different answer when he was asked. Although Brewster also had something to say about it.

As one of the key villains to wreak havoc two different episodes (the Season 5 finale and Season 6 premiere), Tim Curry's Billy "Prince of Darkness" Flynn was positively disgusting to watch the entire time. With his nicotine and meth addictions, Billy traveled the country, building up a list of victims that was started when he was just a teenager. Not a single iota of warmth or cuddliness about this guy.

With his catching and memorable laugh, Tim Curry is also known for playing one of the most frightening monsters in live-action horror: IT's Pennywise the Clown. And somehow, Billy Flynn makes Pennywise look like a professional child care service. Thank goodness Curry himself isn't anything like either one of those killer creeps.

To see what other Criminal Minds stars lke A.J. Cook and Adam Rodriguez have to say about the gnarliest of gnarly killers, head to TV Guide.

With way more crazy killers and tragic victims on the way, Criminal Minds airs Wednesday nights on CBS at 10:00 p.m. ET. While the crime drama's premiere didn't do so hot in the ratings, other shows from our fall TV premiere schedule will surely bring in the big numbers.

Paget Brewster has not been shy when talking about the problems that led to her eventual exit from Criminal Minds several years ago. Still, the actress is making a big return to Criminal Minds this week. Now, Paget Brewster has spoken out to explain why she is pumped to return to the show that allowed her to play one of TV's most popular characters. Here's why she's happy to be back playing Emily Prentiss:

This shouldn't come as a huge shock to fans. While Paget Brewster had a big problem with CBS when they reduced her role and temporarily cut out A.J. Cook, who plays JJ on the series, she's always been careful to explain that she loves the Criminal Minds cast and creative team. In fact, she's appeared on Criminal Minds since the initial brouhaha went down and the network wanted to go in a different direction. She's been back, probably because she loves the cast, as she recently told TV Guide.

While the actress has been back to reprise her role on the long-running procedural since the time her character Emily Prentiss first exited, this return should make fans more excited than usual. That's because this time Emily Prentiss' return is an even bigger deal, because she's coming back as a series regular rather than a guest star. There's been a lot of changes on the set of the veteran procedural over the past few months. First, Shemar Moore decided to leave the series, and then Thomas Gibson was unceremoniously fired after an altercation with a writer on the show. With so many familiar faces leaving, it made sense for Criminal Minds to bring Paget Brewster back. It probably helped that her series Grandfathered was cancelled by Fox after Season 1, leaving some time in her schedule open.

Paget Brewster isn't the only person joining the cast of Criminal Minds. Adam Rodriguez took on a new role on the show at the beginning of the season, replacing Shemar Moore. Recently, we learned Bates Motel's Damon Gupton has also joined the cast, replacing Thomas Gibson. It'll still probably be a while before the newer cast gels and we really see how this new team pans out, but it could be really nice to have some new blood and thus some new storylines to engage with. You can catch new episodes of Criminal Minds on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET. To find out which shows have yet to premiere, take a look at our fall TV premiere schedule.

Criminal Minds has had some extremely hectic months going on between Season 11 and Season 12, and it didn't get any crazier than the firing of star Thomas Gibson. That unfortunate occurrence brought on something truly great, though, as actress Paget Brewster agreed to reprise the role of Emily Prentiss not just for a cameo, but as a full-time regular. And now we have our first look at her back in her familiar digs.

Now, I know that the image above isn't full of explosions, and it isn't a glitzy indication that certain doom will befall one of these characters, but isn't it great all the same? It's more about the comfort of something so familiar, like seeing a parents' car parked at a childhood home you haven't been back to in a while. I know, I know. Paget Brewster's last appearance on Criminal Minds only happened six months ago for a Season 11 episode following Derek Morgan's exit, but that one was experienced without the knowledge that she'd be back for good one day. This is better.

Unfortunately, Prentiss won't be showing up in the season premiere, and we'll have to wait until Episode 3 to see her again. Here's the official synopsis for the episode, which sadly doesn't tell us too much about what the beloved agent will be doing upon her return. Other than investigating, I guess.

"Taboo" will also feature a guest-star appearance from Twin Peaks' Sherilyn Fenn, so this episode is packing some major actress power. This will presumably also be the first episode without Thomas Gibson's Agent Hotchner involved, so we can probably expect to hear some kind of excuse for his absence. (Kinda hoping for something snarky, although that wouldn't do the character any justice.) Season 12 will also feature a guest spot from Jane Lynch, whose last Criminal Minds appearance was back in Season 4.

And now, because it's important, let's take another look at Prentiss back at work at the BAU.

It's like it should be weird seeing her there with Adam Rodriguez's Luke Alvez, who is being introduced as the lead role replacement for Shemar Moore's Derek Morgan, but it doesn't. As long as there's light shining through some blinds somewhere in the room, it works.

With Prentiss now on the way to making a more permanent home for herself in the BAU again, Criminal Minds will bring Season 12 to fans on CBS starting on Wednesday, September 28, at 9:00 p.m. Check out everything else that's premiering and returning with our fall premiere schedule.

Criminal Minds spoilers are below, guys.

Criminal Minds has gone through a lot of changes over its eleven seasons on CBS, and one of the biggest happened only last week when Shemar Moore ended his run as Agent Derek Morgan. Morgan was such a fixture on Criminal Minds that it’s difficult to imagine the show without him. Luckily, the hit drama is bringing back a familiar face by reuniting Emily Prentiss with her former unit, and according to showrunner Erica Messer, Prentiss is the perfect character to kick off the recovery period for these characters who have just said goodbye to Morgan.

Bringing back Paget Brewster for a guest role in the wake of Moore’s departure is a great move by Erica Messer to soften the blow of the shakeup from Morgan’s grand (and thankfully non-fatal) exit. By revealing how Prentiss will fit back in to the team in her chat with TVLine, she promises that the episode will likely feel like as much a blast from the past as possible after last week’s game-changer. Prentiss showing up to help catch a killer with her old pals is really perfect timing.

Her guest appearance will be the second time that Paget Brewster has reprised the role of Emily Prentiss since leaving the show as a regular in Season 7. She popped back in for the 200th episode in Season 9, but that’s been it for Prentiss. Of course, considering Brewster’s experiences toward the end of her tenure on Criminal Minds, it's hard to blame her for electing to focus more on her new Fox series Grandfathered than continue to show up on CBS.

According to Brewster, the network juggled the female actresses and then more or less forced her to stay longer than she would have liked, and it left her with a “scummy” impression. Luckily, however, her memories of her time with the cast and crew of Criminal Minds are much sunnier, and she’d already expressed a willingness to come back for an arc when actress A.J. Cook had to take a break for maternity leave. It was only the success of Grandfathered keeping Brewster busy that stopped an earlier return of Emily Prentiss.

Considering how beloved Prentiss was during her tenure on Criminal Minds and the killer ratings from the latest episode, we can bet that an awful lot of viewers will be tuning in for Paget Brewster’s big return to help address the Derek Morgan situation. And whatever that serial killer business is. To see Prentiss back in action, don’t miss Criminal Minds on March 30 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. 

Criminal Minds is getting up there in years, but has remarkably been able to create big TV moments for fans despite its age. Recently, we saw Spencer Reid have another crazy love interest, and now we’ve just learned that Emily Prentiss will finally be making her big return to Criminal Minds later this season. I’ll give you a second to let that sink in before I start making woo noises louder than that guy during the Super Bowl. You ready? “Woooooooooooooooooooo.”

In what is definitely the best news TV fans have gotten today and probably the best news we’ve heard all week, TV Line has learned that Paget Brewster’s schedule has opened up to allow her to appear on an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds. We don’t have an exact date for when the Season 11 episode will air, but we do know it will happen this spring. Agent Emily Prentiss is currently working with Interpol, and in the episodes she’ll enlist the help of her old gang to track an “elusive serial killer.” I mean, what else would they be helping her with?

Back in August, we learned that Paget Brewster had been slated to return to Criminal Minds this fall. The series desperately needed women this fall after A.J. Cook left for a real-life and onscreen pregnancy leave and Jennifer Love Hewitt left because she was real-life pregnant, as well. The show actually called Brewster and she was game, but then the new comedy Grandfathered was picked up by Fox and the filming schedules just could not be worked out.

We’re not totally complaining, a. because we dig Grandfathered and b. because Criminal Minds ended up signing on Aisha Tyler after Paget Brewster said no. Still, fans have been clamoring for the return of fan-favorite character Agent Emily Prentiss basically since she left the series. Ok, we know she popped up briefly for the 200th episode, but that feels like so long ago. Her return to Criminal Minds should be like the crème de la crème of all guest stints. Tops, basically. And even if you weren’t a huge fan of her character, it should be nice for Criminal Minds to step back a bit from the norm and do a reunion sort of episode.

This is especially big news, considering Paget Brewster has been open about her dislike of the CBS heads during the time her tenure was ending on Criminal Minds. It's nice to see she still thinks her former TV family is cool enough to return to a network she formerly was not jazzed about. We’ll let you know as soon as Paget Brewster’s big appearance has a premiere date. In the meantime, Criminal Minds has some other big guest starring names coming up, including Danny Glover, who is expected to appear in the March 2 episode as Agent Morgan’s father. You can catch new episodes of CBS’ long-running drama on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET.

If you’ve been a fan of Criminal Minds for all of its lengthy run, you are probably already aware of the drama that went down on the show several seasons ago. A few years ago, veteran actress Paget Brewster’s role was reduced and A.J. Cook was displaced on a whim by CBS. They then returned to the show on another whim by CBS. It was a rough time for Brewster, especially, who ended up leaving the show after her contract played out. In a recent interview, Brewster had some pretty sharp things to say about CBS, calling the network “scummy.”

While A.J. Cook ended up getting over the call by CBS and sticking with the show, I don’t know that I totally blame Brewster for feeling the way she does (a feeling that led to her leaving the show). At the time, reports indicated that CBS just felt they would be saving money by displacing just the girls on the show. This makes it seem as if the network thought the men were far more valuable to the franchise than the ladies on the show. That can’t feel good.

Of course, Brewster is quick to let people know that her problem is with CBS and not the Criminal Minds family, who always treated her well. In an interview with Will Harris from the AV Club, the actress says the creative team was really understanding about her decision to quit and even wrote her character, Emily Prentiss, out in a way that felt real.

In the time since, Brewster has done pretty well for herself, starring in the most recent season of Community and popping up in numerous other comedy projects from Key and Peele to The Kroll Show and new comedy Grandfathered. Meanwhile, Criminal Minds has had a tough time filling Emily Prentiss’ shoes, with new characters popping up each year. In fact, Season 11 kicked off last night with Aisha Tyler in a brand new role. A lot of fans still miss Prentiss, but the show will go on.

You can catch new episodes of Criminal Minds on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

In the 10 years that it spent on NBC, Friends not only boosted its central six-some to fame, but it also shined a spotlight on many up-and-coming actors and actresses, from Adam Goldberg to Jon Favreau to Aisha Tyler. In fact, the highly-rated sitcom was the first gig that Criminal Minds’ Paget Brewster got, but she came very close to losing that job entirely. Or so she thought.

Brewster joined the cast of Friends in Season 4 and played the quirky Kathy, who originally started dating Joey, but then cheated on him with Chandler and dated him until he broke up with her. (This incident led to the famed “Chandler in the box” Thanksgiving episode.) But Brewster found herself in an awkward position after she first landed the job. Here’s how she described it to Will Harris from The AV Club.

Considering how popular Jennifer Aniston’s hairdo was in Friends’ early years, it’s not entirely ridiculous for Brewster to think that a haircut and hair dye would be a good enough reason to get her booted from the show. I hope she at least liked her new hairstyle, as that would have been adding insult to injury for her to be waiting on a verbal pink slip while also having to consider where she would go to fix her hair immediately after leaving the set.

Thankfully, Paget Brewster’s nightmares would not be realized that afternoon, as Bright soon eased her worries.

Kathy was one of my favorite short-term girlfriends from the Friends universe, even if she was a cheating cad. I can’t imagine anyone else in the part winning audiences over so well, so here’s to Paget Brewster’s acting talents being more important than what her hair looks like!

Criminal Minds was in serious need of new cast members after the end of last season. Jennifer Love Hewitt was leaving the show and A.J. Cook would also be out for part of the season for maternity leave. While most thoughts then turned to new cast members, Minds very nearly turned to old cast members. Unfortunately, the unforgiving schedule of regular TV prevented Paget Brewster from returning to her old stomping grounds as Emily Prentiss.

While speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour to promote her new comedy Grandfathered, Brewster says she actively tried to do a few Criminal Minds episodes to cover for A.J. Cook, but they just could not make the timing work. According to TV Line:

For Criminal Minds fans the “close but no cigar” situation has got to be a little frustrating. Brewster’s character of Emily Prentiss was a fan favorite during her years with the BAU and after a couple of years away it would have been nice to see her again. If the show didn’t want her, or she had no interest in going back, that would be one thing, but to know everybody was on board but scheduling prevented it is more than a little upsetting.

It’s nice to know that she views her time there happily and would have been willing to return, as it implies there may still be an opportunity for her to return down the road. Things got weird for the show’s sixth season, where Brewster had her role reduced and Cook was removed entirely. Fans were so upset that both actresses were asked to return for Season 7. While Cook has remained since then, Brewster left after the seventh season except for a guest appearance in Season 9.

Brewster has plenty to do, however. Her new show Grandfathered, starring John Stamos as a bachelor who discovers he has a child...who has a child, has been picked up by Fox and will premiere in the fall. (Plus, she was also in the sixth and possibly final season of Community on Yahoo.) In addition, Criminal Minds signed Aisha Tyler to take over the role that Jennifer Love Hewitt left behind.

While we may never see Agent Prentiss again, it’s nice to know that the door is open. Season 11 of Criminal Minds premieres on CBS on September 30. Grandfathered Season 1 will premiere on FOX the day before, September 29.

Community is heading into Season 6 with a much different cast than the one it started out with. Following the recent departures of Yvette Nicole Brown and Jonathan Banks – who left for personal and professional reasons, respectively – the quirky comedy series has found two solid actors to fill the void, as veteran actor Keith David (Platoon) and TV mainstay Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) were added to the cast as series regulars. This season should be gravy with these additions.

According to TV Guide, David is joining the Greendale staff as a retired scientist named Elroy Patashnik, who finds work at the community college as a way of reinventing himself. Brewster will play Francesca “Frankie” Dent, a consultant who is brought in to try and bring Greendale up to a higher standard. Both characters are about positivity, which means they’re probably going to find themselves at the butt end of some comedic terror as they enter this particularly off-kilter work atmosphere.

Greendale isn’t always known for insanely strict hiring procedures when it comes to its faculty and its dean. John Oliver’s Ian Duncan is no pillar of morals, nor was Dr. Marshall Kane, played by Michael K. Williams. Hell, Jeff teaches law there, so there’s no telling what Elroy and Frankie will be like.

Keith David, who broke into Hollywood with John Carpenter’s classic The Thing, is no stranger to TV, having starred in series like the underrated comedy The Job, The Cape, and most recently the cancelled Fox comedy Enlisted, which looked like it might get picked up by Yahoo for a short amount of time. His super deep voice can be recognized from recent voice roles in Free Birds and Adventure Time (as the Flame King); he also narrated the super-successful miniseries The Bible. He’s set to appear in a couple of episodes of the DirecTV comedy Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight. While David is awesome in dramatic roles like his creep-tastic turn in Requiem for a Dream, I like that he flexes his comedic chops often.

Paget Brewster spent many seasons as Emily Prentiss on CBS’ Criminal Minds, but her stint in drama shouldn’t fool you as to what kind of projects she gets into most often. She’s voiced characters on Harvey Birdman and American Dad, starred in offbeat series like Huff and Andy Richter Controls the Universe, and she most recently appeared on episodes of Drunk History and Key and Peele. Her next project is Oliver Thompson’s intriguing comedic drama Welcome to Happiness. Greendale will be lucky to have her.

Community is set to make its Yahoo debut in 2015.

Criminal Minds’ Paget Brewster is headed to ABC to co-star in the network’s comedy pilot, Spy, which is based on Simeon Gouldon’s British TV series of the same name. She’ll play a mother named Erica, although it doesn't seem as if her role as a mother will come first. She’s described as an emotionless person with plenty of personal issues who spends a lot of time at the therapist’s office.

Deadline is reporting that Brewster will star opposite Children’s Hospital’s Rob Corddry as his character, Tim’s, ex-wife. Additionally, she will star as the mother of a highly intellectual young son, who will be played by Mockingbird Lane’s Mason Cook. The title Spy will come in when Tim decides to randomly take a gig with the Secret Service to show he has chops and can be a pretty good dad.

Brewster caught a pretty tough break when Criminal Minds cut her role partway through Season 6. While she was eventually brought back to finish out the season, she eventually gave up on the CBS procedural to pursue comedies. Now, this pilot season, she’s signed on for the Spy pilot. I don’t think I’m the only Criminal Minds fan that would be happy to see her back in a regular role, and I really hope this one works out for the actress and, in extension, ABC. The good news is, the cast for this one is fleshing out pretty nicely, even if the plot seems a little oddball at this point.

With her contract up in May, Paget Brewster has made the decision that she won’t be returning to Criminal Minds next season, a call that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to execs at CBS. While the show is strong in the ratings, Brewster’s been wanting out for a while and made a move towards an exit last season that didn’t work out – but now she’s done.

Deadline reported her decision to leave the show this morning. Last year, Brewster made a comedy pilot over at NBC called My Life as an Experiment, which didn’t get picked up to series. That left her headed back for one more season as Emily Prentiss on the CBS hit, but not entirely happy about it. She would have been finished after last season had the NBC project gone forward, and the season finale left things open to go either way. CBS chose to exercise their option to bring her back when the NBC pilot was passed over.

Brewster is ready to move on and play someone new, and now she will get her chance. It’s rumored she wanted to tackle a pilot again this season, but wasn’t allowed to because of her contract. After some craziness that involved both Brewster and her co-star A.J. Cook being removed from the show and then brought back and Brewster herself being told her role was being reduced and instead remaining steady, it’s no wonder she chose to walk. Apparently CBS attempted to negotiate a new contract to keep her on the show, but she wasn’t interested.

Now that she is free of her obligations to Criminal Minds, I suspect Brewster will be very much in demand for a new role. It will be interested to see which project she decides to pursue – it looks like we can expect to see her in a comedy next.

Once one of the more stable franchises on television, Criminal Minds has been in complete and utter disarray over the last year. Its spin-off Suspect Behavior tanked miserably en route to a cancellation, and the decision to minimize and then ultimately cut out AJ Cook and Paget Brewster was widely maligned by fans. Now in an effort to return to that previous stability, the show has announced Paget Brewster will be back. The news comes just a month and a half after Criminal Minds extended an invite to AJ Cook, meaning both leading females will work in the behavior analysis unit next season.

According to Deadline, the reunion is bad news for recent signee Rachel Nichols. Her Ashley Seaver character started appearing regularly last season, but after failing to connect with the fan base, she’s out.

Sometimes change can be good for a long tenured show, but too much change all at once doesn’t always fly, especially where major characters are concerned. Both Cook and Brewster were beloved by fans, and as much as this might seem like a backtrack, it’s still ultimately a step back in the right direction.

Of course, all of this return to the glory years talk is moot if producers can’t agree on a contract with lead Thomas Gibson. The two sides have been in negotiations for sometime, but until now, those talks haven’t materialized. It’s a good bet he, like Cook and Brewster, will return, but the sooner that’s finalized, the sooner the writers can start carving out scripts for next season.

Is it me or is Criminal Minds starting to have a serious Grey's Anatomy behind the scenes vibe? Normally, after a show finds its comfort zone, one person may step away every few seasons, but that exodus usually isn't contentious and ordinarily isn't forced by the producers. Criminal Minds threw out that rulebook last year though after they bizarrely didn't renew AJ Cook's contract, talked of demoting Paget Brewster and brought in Rachel Nichols who fans have been at best meh on. For the life of me, I'm not sure why the show would tinker with a formula that's played so well with viewers, but today's news seems to indicate the producers realize they may have made a mistake.

AJ Cook has just signed a two year contract to return to Criminal Minds, just one year after her character was transferred to the Pentagon. According to Deadline, those in charge reportedly wooed her with a few promising new storylines for JJ, and she was sold on the potential of that altered direction. I would imagine a steady job also looked pretty nice.

The future of her co-star Paget Brewster is also still more up in the air than ever. Her pilot My Life As An Experiment still hasn't been picked up by NBC, and if the network ultimately passes, many are speculating she will return as well. All the coming and going may not strike viewers as overly believable, but something tells me they'll take character u-turns if it means having both of these girls back into the fold.

Paget Brewster, better known as the only interesting and likeable female character on CBS’s Criminal Minds, has just signed up for the NBC pilot My Life As An Experiment. The news comes in the wake of CBS officials relegating Brewster, who plays supervisory special agent Emily Prentiss and AJ Cook, who plays SSA-Media Liaison Jennifer Jareau, to supporting status. If My Life As An Experiment turns into a series, Brewster will be able to give the middle finger or go out in grace with the network, who TV Line has reported has changed their minds and given Brewster the chance to come back as a regular—which might as well be giving her a slap in the face.

The only slaps Brewster should be getting are the slapstick kind. My Life As An Experiment, based on a book by A.J. Jacobs, will be a comedy pilot. This won’t be Brewster’s first foray away from the dramatic. In her early career, she had a recurring role on Friends, and more lately she’s done voice work on animated comedies such as American Dad and Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law.

In some ways the change might do her some good. In her new pilot, she’ll be playing a wife and lawyer, so hopefully this will earn her a more spectacular wardrobe.