The show premiered in 2005 on CBS and had a mostly successful run.
As noted,Criminal Mindsis no stranger to losing essential cast members.
Of course, even some of the best TV shows of all time lost important characters at some point.
That said, some exits on the series were more premature than others.
Glaudini debuted onCriminal Mindsin season 1 as FBI BAU Special Agent Elle Greenaway.
Greenaway got a proper send-off.
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After someone shot her, she began to suffer from PTSD.
After failing to attend her psychological evaluation, Greenaway handed in her badge and walked away.
She preferred living on the East Coast, where she was from.
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
Paget Brewster replaced Glaudini, who, like her, also left the show early.
After leavingCriminal Minds, Glaudini stayed as a television actor, with recurring roles inThe ExpanseandRay Donovan.
Brewster was onCriminal Mindsfrom season 1 to season 5.
She left the show in Season 5 to pursue other opportunities.
Her exit was a huge storyline, as Prentiss seemingly died, and the team mourned and replaced her.
However, after bringing him down, she leaves again to run Interpol in London.
Since that time, she has become the team leader and remains there inCriminal Minds: Evolution.
Brewster returned to her comedy roots during her time away with roles inCommunity, Another Period, andGrandfathered.
There were flashbacks to Gideon (recast with a younger actor) and Rossi’s past.
Patinkin quickly rebounded four years later with his long run onHomeland, where he received four Primetime Emmy nominations.
He most recently starred inThe Good Fight.
DID YOU KNOW: A.J.
Cook’s real sons, Mekhai and Phoenix, played her character’s sons in Criminal Minds?
Cook and Page Brewster.However, Nichols only lasted for one season.
When Page Brewster and A.J.
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
She’s not a splashy, loud character.
She didn’t come in with a bang she was already part of the team when we meet her.
She came in nicely and she left nicely."
(viaTV Guide).
Kate replaced Dr. Alex Blake in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).
After Kate discovered she was pregnant, she left the BAU to focus on caring for her family.
The reasons for Kate and Hewitt’s departure were the same.
Damon Gupton was no stranger to playing characters who were in law enforcement.
Gupton rebounded quickly, signing on toBlack Lightningone year later and thenThe Big Door Prizeafter that series ended.
His next show is the 2025 Paramount+ seriesHappy Face.
When it comes to the first major departure, it was Mandy Patinkin’s Special Agent Jason Gideon.
Criminal Mindshandled Emily Prentiss’s departure best.
The next major character to leave was Paget Brewster, but that didn’t work out very well.
Unlike Brewster and Cook, Moore was not returning and moved on to a new show.
That was proven even more when the show fired Thomas Gibson andCriminal Mindsnever missed a beat.
Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J.
Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster.
Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.