Criminal Minds Suspect Behavior Review: Where It Went Wrong... Comments (Page 6)
142 Comments
Kari
May 30th, 2011 8:16 AM
I didn't mind Garcia being on the CM:SB however I felt that it was as if she was two different people? I love her on the original CM. It wasn't just the hair color changing, but it's as if she had one personality on CM and another on SB.
CMfan
May 29th, 2011 11:03 PM
I also believe that the major factor that you didn't mention was the cutting of two beloved actresses from CM which many fans believed was cost cutting and then introducing a spin off. It was like a slap in the face, we can't afford two favorite female characters on the original but we can afford 5 new ones in a spin off. It made fans angry and many including myself refused to watch CM-SB because of it.
mighty mouse
May 28th, 2011 1:43 PM
I don't mind a cliff hangar. As other comments indicated, it's worked on other shows. it provides a continuity and assurance that viewers will come back. But come on! A cliff hangar should only be done for established shows, not newbies. This was a show on the bubble with a shortened first season. That was both arrogant and stupid. I had the same problems as others with character development and differentiation from CM. But they could have given it another 13 episodes for next season and fix the issues with the show. Maybe it will come back mid-season next year.
tarina hardin
May 28th, 2011 12:20 PM
I think it was a disgrace with the ending. I really loved the show. I am a true CBS fan, as well as a criminal minds fanatic. I thought that the show had great potential and that the story line was even better than the original criminal minds. I do hope that someone else picks it up, because at this point CBS sucks.
Cherry
May 28th, 2011 1:09 AM
I don't think that the show really had potential for one reason (and excuse me if I'm totally wrong about this)- it was the wrong way to create a spin-off. Now, I'm not entirely clear on why AJ Cook and Paget Brewster were kicked off the show (I, for one, was first told it was because of budjet cuts to create Suspect Behaviour, along with others) but people were all riled up about that, and some where even threatening to stop watching Criminal Minds altogether until Cook and Brewster were brought back on. But I agree with you on one thing for sure: it didn't have the spark needed for such a show.
Mike
May 27th, 2011 11:07 PM
Don't forget people, there is Criminal Minds itself, they can follow up on this cliffhanger with an episode of Criminal Minds.
Lucille Schenk
May 27th, 2011 2:51 PM
Odd but I agree with most of the comments made. I also think CMSB had enormous potential. The writers did a good job of tying Hotch from Criminal Minds with Coopers character. That's where they stopped introducing the characters and making them real people with lives and personal problems of their own. We,the viewers, need to be involved and need to care about the characters. We care about the characters in.Criminal Minds. We don't know who the characters are in CMSB. Let's hope we are given another chance to get envolved with CMSB.
Sue Ann Rank: Recurring Character
May 27th, 2011 1:55 PM
I fell asleep, so I was not aware that there was a cliffhanger until you all mentioned it in the review and the comments. This show never impressed me. I found the gymnasium setting to be ridiculous. The characters were as poorly developed as everyone says. The only actor I really liked in this cast is Janeane Garofalo, and I didn't care much for the person she portrayed. The stories were a stretch. At this point, the only one I can recollect is the one about the father who was blowing places up with his sons in them. I will never give this show another thought.
I agree with the review in full. I don't think that CBS has given it enough time to find its footing. Flashpoint appealed to a summer audience that was tired of re-runs. The summer is approaching and there are no new episodes of CM:SB to provide new shows.
As regards character development, I think that folks will invest in good characters. The parent CM has fascinating characters. Whether you look at the NCIS Abby, Ducky Gibbs combo or CM's Reid, Garcia, Hotch team, the striking contrasts make life interesting. Would Special Victin's Unit be as rich without Munch and Ice-T? When you place the brainer, the moral conscience, the grump,the villain, the hunk and a goth on the sound stage, life can become interesting. With CM:SB, none of the characters seemed particularly interesting or outstanding. I'm sure that their names were mentioned ; however, thirteen episodes later, I can't recall their names. All of that said the cast is talented. Had they been given characters to develop, I'm
Jim Garner Rank: Staff Member
May 27th, 2011 2:56 AM
For those commenting about a "full season", it has become very standard for shows to do 12-13 episodes. Lie to Me, Chicago Code, and CM:SB were all 13 episodes. There are still plenty of shows that do 21-24, but the "mid-season" shows tend to be 11-13.
CM:SB was only planned for 13 episodes for it's first season, so it did get all of it's first season. I do agree it was pretty poor form to decide to do a cliff-hanger.
I agree with the reply that maybe we will get lucky and Criminal Minds will let us know what happened and finish out the story. It would be very poetic to have split off the show and then return for the final answers.
I also have not seen any reports that the character switch up at CM was due to budget cuts for CM:SB.. Honestly it would surprise me given that I have never heard of two shows sharing one budget. So if you have a credible link to this statement, please share! :)
Ant
May 27th, 2011 2:30 AM
i really started to get into this series. I really hope that another network picks it up. CBS never even gave it a chance to get established. They could have atleast let it run for a full season then make up their minds to cut it or not.
Dave Stein
May 27th, 2011 2:18 AM
How can they leave an almost canceled TV show with a cliffhanger ending? Poor form, folks. It reminds me of oh-so-many other TV shows where they just don't gave a damn about the audience. I already understood why they were canceling the show; it was very bad. But to pull a stunt like this – we know where the real criminal minds are - at CBS.
Okay, here's the obvious ending that I saw coming from twenty minutes earlier. (It was also obvious who the "puppet-master" was from the time he was interviewed, and especially once the gun dealer was murdered with a high-powered rifle and Beth taken.)
Cooper fakes the shooting.
1) Cooper knocks the bad guy out making sure his face is bleeding.
2) He shoots off to the side, pretending to shoot at him.
3) He takes a photo of the "corpse," and mails it as instructed.
4) Bad guy still doesn't let Beth go, since she knows who he is. The rest of the first episode of the non-existent next season is taken up with chasing them down.
Kathy
May 26th, 2011 10:39 PM
I liked the show alright, I don't understand leaving the season finale as a cliff hanger. Should've ended it knowing they weren't renewing, kinda lame CBS, maybe someone else can pick it up and fix the issues and give the fans what happened.
susie
May 26th, 2011 7:37 PM
I AGREE CBS OR REALLY NINA TASSLER IS TO BLAME. GETTING RID OF TWO LOVED CHARACTERS TO MAKE A SPIN OFF THEN ANNOUNCING THAT TO THE WORLD WAS A DUMB MOVE. ALSO, JUST IGNORING THE FANS THAT MADE A HUGE OUTCRY FOR HER (aj) RETURN AND LETTING PAGET GET AWAY. AFTER ALL AREN'T THE FANS WHO MAKE THE SHOW. I HAVE QUIT WATCHING ALTHOUGH I MAY COME BACK SINCE A.J IS BACK BUT WON'T BE SUCH A BIG FAN TILL PAGET IS BACK AS WELL. I BET CBS WISHES THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE SEASONS THAT YOU OULD WAKE UP AND WISH IT WAS DREAM. I DO.CBS NEEDS TO MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE FANS.
Melody Van Gundy
May 26th, 2011 5:05 PM
I'm sorry, but Cooper always reminds me of a sock monkey that got ripped and sewn back together a little off....the ears and the lazy eye.....love you Forrest Whittaker!
Karen
May 26th, 2011 3:07 PM
I tried watching this show about five times and only once did I make it through a whole episode, for all the reasons that you listed. Plus a very negative reaction to the way Forest Whitaker played the part. How about Andre Brauer instead?? Now, HE would have sucked me in!
I think CBS got sloppy in putting this show together, being over confident that it was sure to be a hit because it had "Criminal Minds" in the title. This is the first that I have heard about the cuts at CS being due to the launch of the spin off. I wouldn't have given this show a single viewing had I known that earlier.
CBS has established a record of canceling really good shows for financial reasons, sometimes without even giving them a chance to establish an audience. The Unit and Without A Trace are perfect examples. Moving shows to obscure times, moving them around the schedule and preempting them for no good reason seems to give the CBS execs the excuse they're looking for to cancel a really good show.
courtney
May 26th, 2011 2:16 PM
since this was the end of this series and its left with a cliffhanger that they should rap it up in the season premier of nect seasons criminal minds. That would tie the show in a bit more but then again for people that didnt watch suspect behaviour it wouldnt make much sence but that seems to be the only way to tie it in and finish it
Michael
May 26th, 2011 2:06 PM
I agree so much with this article. Although I do think another few episodes might have connected with a couple of tweaks here and there. Other than no character connection, except the occasional glimpse of the quirky and really "adorable" Garcia, I had problems with Forest Whitaker, constantly mumbling or speaking so soft with a non pattern of speaking, I could not pick up on what he was saying all too many times. Just as I felt as if I were getting focused and pulled into a situation, he would speak and break my attention. Too bad it was cancelled and TOO BAD they ended it as they did. I find that irresponsible and a bit frustrating.
Don Deyne
May 26th, 2011 1:19 PM
Penelope apperaing in both shows didn't bother me. This wasn't a whole separate division but a small team working outside the perview of the behaviorol science dept. I thought it would attract viewers from one shoe to the other. I had no problems with the characters and thought Prophet went to prison for harming a pedophile. I have found myself wondering about Sam's pocket chain but chauled it up to the fact he's a biker. I think it's possible the show suffered from airing with Criminal Minds. CM has been really intense and dark this season and I think by 10 people want something a little less so after watching that. I too feel the viewer backlash was an issue (as I think it was for Law & Order) On the TVGuide blogs people are ALWAYS saying if so and so leaves I'm not watching anymore. They took JJ leaving an refused to give the new show a change. Look for Law and Order to die completly next year since at this stage Christopher Meloni is out.
Mel
May 26th, 2011 11:30 AM
Easy, blame CBS.
You don't "leg go" of cast members from the original show for "creative reasons" and expect fans to like the new show just because Forest Whitaker is starring in it!
I miss my regular Wednesday night family. I'm glad CBS/CM re-signed Shemar Moore and brought AJ Cook back but they need to fix the mess they made with Paget Brewster and re-sign Thomas Gibson!
Dorothy Nelson
May 26th, 2011 11:01 AM
i liked the show, and dont want it to end. it was easy for me to understand that this was a spinoff of the orginally criminal mind, good that they used penelope garcia in both shows. not explaning each character makes it interesting for future episodes. eventully this would have come out. i love mysteries.
Mike McCabe
May 26th, 2011 9:30 AM
They wore the same clothes alot
Deborah
May 26th, 2011 8:44 AM
I really wanted to love the show, since Criminal Minds is my favorite, but found it so difficult to get into. I liked a few of the episodes pretty well, and thought it was a wonderful premise, but just couldn't get any synergy going with any of the team members. Wish they could go another season, and fix the problems. Then it would be worth watching!
Shannon
May 26th, 2011 8:40 AM
I can identify three reasons I think the show didn't work, and only two of them were in-show reasons. The out-of-show reason is absolutely what engendered anger from the fans:
1) It was made clear through the season that the cuts of important characters (who just happened to be female... hmm...) on the primary show were related to the expense of a new show. Irritating the people you're counting on to watch your new show is not the way to get it started. And the original CM is an ensemble show in which JJ and Emily were (are?) essential. Imagine if a CSI franchise had been launched only by removing Catherine and--well, there isn't another female lead over there except Sara, whom fans love to hate (they took out the really cute lab nerd girl/love interest for Hodges... I sense a theme). So right off the bat there was a sense of destroying the old show to build the new. Boo hiss.
2) They also failed to explain why this team needed to be different than the original team. There are
I completely agree w/ the review.I liked the spin-off;however getting to know who was who & WHY was SO confusing! They could really have made it a hit...writers,directos,get it together!!
May 30th, 2011 8:16 AM
I didn't mind Garcia being on the CM:SB however I felt that it was as if she was two different people? I love her on the original CM. It wasn't just the hair color changing, but it's as if she had one personality on CM and another on SB.
May 29th, 2011 11:03 PM
I also believe that the major factor that you didn't mention was the cutting of two beloved actresses from CM which many fans believed was cost cutting and then introducing a spin off. It was like a slap in the face, we can't afford two favorite female characters on the original but we can afford 5 new ones in a spin off. It made fans angry and many including myself refused to watch CM-SB because of it.
May 28th, 2011 1:43 PM
I don't mind a cliff hangar. As other comments indicated, it's worked on other shows. it provides a continuity and assurance that viewers will come back. But come on! A cliff hangar should only be done for established shows, not newbies. This was a show on the bubble with a shortened first season. That was both arrogant and stupid. I had the same problems as others with character development and differentiation from CM. But they could have given it another 13 episodes for next season and fix the issues with the show. Maybe it will come back mid-season next year.
May 28th, 2011 12:20 PM
I think it was a disgrace with the ending. I really loved the show. I am a true CBS fan, as well as a criminal minds fanatic. I thought that the show had great potential and that the story line was even better than the original criminal minds. I do hope that someone else picks it up, because at this point CBS sucks.
May 28th, 2011 1:09 AM
I don't think that the show really had potential for one reason (and excuse me if I'm totally wrong about this)- it was the wrong way to create a spin-off. Now, I'm not entirely clear on why AJ Cook and Paget Brewster were kicked off the show (I, for one, was first told it was because of budjet cuts to create Suspect Behaviour, along with others) but people were all riled up about that, and some where even threatening to stop watching Criminal Minds altogether until Cook and Brewster were brought back on. But I agree with you on one thing for sure: it didn't have the spark needed for such a show.
May 27th, 2011 11:07 PM
Don't forget people, there is Criminal Minds itself, they can follow up on this cliffhanger with an episode of Criminal Minds.
May 27th, 2011 2:51 PM
Odd but I agree with most of the comments made. I also think CMSB had enormous potential. The writers did a good job of tying Hotch from Criminal Minds with Coopers character. That's where they stopped introducing the characters and making them real people with lives and personal problems of their own. We,the viewers, need to be involved and need to care about the characters. We care about the characters in.Criminal Minds. We don't know who the characters are in CMSB. Let's hope we are given another chance to get envolved with CMSB.
Rank: Recurring Character
May 27th, 2011 1:55 PM
I fell asleep, so I was not aware that there was a cliffhanger until you all mentioned it in the review and the comments. This show never impressed me. I found the gymnasium setting to be ridiculous. The characters were as poorly developed as everyone says. The only actor I really liked in this cast is Janeane Garofalo, and I didn't care much for the person she portrayed. The stories were a stretch. At this point, the only one I can recollect is the one about the father who was blowing places up with his sons in them. I will never give this show another thought.
Rank: New User
May 27th, 2011 3:10 AM
I agree with the review in full. I don't think that CBS has given it enough time to find its footing. Flashpoint appealed to a summer audience that was tired of re-runs. The summer is approaching and there are no new episodes of CM:SB to provide new shows.
As regards character development, I think that folks will invest in good characters. The parent CM has fascinating characters. Whether you look at the NCIS Abby, Ducky Gibbs combo or CM's Reid, Garcia, Hotch team, the striking contrasts make life interesting. Would Special Victin's Unit be as rich without Munch and Ice-T? When you place the brainer, the moral conscience, the grump,the villain, the hunk and a goth on the sound stage, life can become interesting. With CM:SB, none of the characters seemed particularly interesting or outstanding. I'm sure that their names were mentioned ; however, thirteen episodes later, I can't recall their names. All of that said the cast is talented. Had they been given characters to develop, I'm
Rank: Staff Member
May 27th, 2011 2:56 AM
For those commenting about a "full season", it has become very standard for shows to do 12-13 episodes. Lie to Me, Chicago Code, and CM:SB were all 13 episodes. There are still plenty of shows that do 21-24, but the "mid-season" shows tend to be 11-13.
CM:SB was only planned for 13 episodes for it's first season, so it did get all of it's first season. I do agree it was pretty poor form to decide to do a cliff-hanger.
I agree with the reply that maybe we will get lucky and Criminal Minds will let us know what happened and finish out the story. It would be very poetic to have split off the show and then return for the final answers.
I also have not seen any reports that the character switch up at CM was due to budget cuts for CM:SB.. Honestly it would surprise me given that I have never heard of two shows sharing one budget. So if you have a credible link to this statement, please share! :)
May 27th, 2011 2:30 AM
i really started to get into this series. I really hope that another network picks it up. CBS never even gave it a chance to get established. They could have atleast let it run for a full season then make up their minds to cut it or not.
May 27th, 2011 2:18 AM
How can they leave an almost canceled TV show with a cliffhanger ending? Poor form, folks. It reminds me of oh-so-many other TV shows where they just don't gave a damn about the audience. I already understood why they were canceling the show; it was very bad. But to pull a stunt like this – we know where the real criminal minds are - at CBS.
Okay, here's the obvious ending that I saw coming from twenty minutes earlier. (It was also obvious who the "puppet-master" was from the time he was interviewed, and especially once the gun dealer was murdered with a high-powered rifle and Beth taken.)
Cooper fakes the shooting.
1) Cooper knocks the bad guy out making sure his face is bleeding.
2) He shoots off to the side, pretending to shoot at him.
3) He takes a photo of the "corpse," and mails it as instructed.
4) Bad guy still doesn't let Beth go, since she knows who he is. The rest of the first episode of the non-existent next season is taken up with chasing them down.
May 26th, 2011 10:39 PM
I liked the show alright, I don't understand leaving the season finale as a cliff hanger. Should've ended it knowing they weren't renewing, kinda lame CBS, maybe someone else can pick it up and fix the issues and give the fans what happened.
May 26th, 2011 7:37 PM
I AGREE CBS OR REALLY NINA TASSLER IS TO BLAME. GETTING RID OF TWO LOVED CHARACTERS TO MAKE A SPIN OFF THEN ANNOUNCING THAT TO THE WORLD WAS A DUMB MOVE. ALSO, JUST IGNORING THE FANS THAT MADE A HUGE OUTCRY FOR HER (aj) RETURN AND LETTING PAGET GET AWAY. AFTER ALL AREN'T THE FANS WHO MAKE THE SHOW. I HAVE QUIT WATCHING ALTHOUGH I MAY COME BACK SINCE A.J IS BACK BUT WON'T BE SUCH A BIG FAN TILL PAGET IS BACK AS WELL. I BET CBS WISHES THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE SEASONS THAT YOU OULD WAKE UP AND WISH IT WAS DREAM. I DO.CBS NEEDS TO MAKE IT RIGHT FOR THE FANS.
May 26th, 2011 5:05 PM
I'm sorry, but Cooper always reminds me of a sock monkey that got ripped and sewn back together a little off....the ears and the lazy eye.....love you Forrest Whittaker!
May 26th, 2011 3:07 PM
I tried watching this show about five times and only once did I make it through a whole episode, for all the reasons that you listed. Plus a very negative reaction to the way Forest Whitaker played the part. How about Andre Brauer instead?? Now, HE would have sucked me in!
I think CBS got sloppy in putting this show together, being over confident that it was sure to be a hit because it had "Criminal Minds" in the title. This is the first that I have heard about the cuts at CS being due to the launch of the spin off. I wouldn't have given this show a single viewing had I known that earlier.
CBS has established a record of canceling really good shows for financial reasons, sometimes without even giving them a chance to establish an audience. The Unit and Without A Trace are perfect examples. Moving shows to obscure times, moving them around the schedule and preempting them for no good reason seems to give the CBS execs the excuse they're looking for to cancel a really good show.
May 26th, 2011 2:16 PM
since this was the end of this series and its left with a cliffhanger that they should rap it up in the season premier of nect seasons criminal minds. That would tie the show in a bit more but then again for people that didnt watch suspect behaviour it wouldnt make much sence but that seems to be the only way to tie it in and finish it
May 26th, 2011 2:06 PM
I agree so much with this article. Although I do think another few episodes might have connected with a couple of tweaks here and there. Other than no character connection, except the occasional glimpse of the quirky and really "adorable" Garcia, I had problems with Forest Whitaker, constantly mumbling or speaking so soft with a non pattern of speaking, I could not pick up on what he was saying all too many times. Just as I felt as if I were getting focused and pulled into a situation, he would speak and break my attention. Too bad it was cancelled and TOO BAD they ended it as they did. I find that irresponsible and a bit frustrating.
May 26th, 2011 1:19 PM
Penelope apperaing in both shows didn't bother me. This wasn't a whole separate division but a small team working outside the perview of the behaviorol science dept. I thought it would attract viewers from one shoe to the other. I had no problems with the characters and thought Prophet went to prison for harming a pedophile. I have found myself wondering about Sam's pocket chain but chauled it up to the fact he's a biker. I think it's possible the show suffered from airing with Criminal Minds. CM has been really intense and dark this season and I think by 10 people want something a little less so after watching that. I too feel the viewer backlash was an issue (as I think it was for Law & Order) On the TVGuide blogs people are ALWAYS saying if so and so leaves I'm not watching anymore. They took JJ leaving an refused to give the new show a change. Look for Law and Order to die completly next year since at this stage Christopher Meloni is out.
May 26th, 2011 11:30 AM
Easy, blame CBS.
You don't "leg go" of cast members from the original show for "creative reasons" and expect fans to like the new show just because Forest Whitaker is starring in it!
I miss my regular Wednesday night family. I'm glad CBS/CM re-signed Shemar Moore and brought AJ Cook back but they need to fix the mess they made with Paget Brewster and re-sign Thomas Gibson!
May 26th, 2011 11:01 AM
i liked the show, and dont want it to end. it was easy for me to understand that this was a spinoff of the orginally criminal mind, good that they used penelope garcia in both shows. not explaning each character makes it interesting for future episodes. eventully this would have come out. i love mysteries.
May 26th, 2011 9:30 AM
They wore the same clothes alot
May 26th, 2011 8:44 AM
I really wanted to love the show, since Criminal Minds is my favorite, but found it so difficult to get into. I liked a few of the episodes pretty well, and thought it was a wonderful premise, but just couldn't get any synergy going with any of the team members. Wish they could go another season, and fix the problems. Then it would be worth watching!
May 26th, 2011 8:40 AM
I can identify three reasons I think the show didn't work, and only two of them were in-show reasons. The out-of-show reason is absolutely what engendered anger from the fans:
1) It was made clear through the season that the cuts of important characters (who just happened to be female... hmm...) on the primary show were related to the expense of a new show. Irritating the people you're counting on to watch your new show is not the way to get it started. And the original CM is an ensemble show in which JJ and Emily were (are?) essential. Imagine if a CSI franchise had been launched only by removing Catherine and--well, there isn't another female lead over there except Sara, whom fans love to hate (they took out the really cute lab nerd girl/love interest for Hodges... I sense a theme). So right off the bat there was a sense of destroying the old show to build the new. Boo hiss.
2) They also failed to explain why this team needed to be different than the original team. There are
Rank: New User
May 26th, 2011 8:31 AM
I completely agree w/ the review.I liked the spin-off;however getting to know who was who & WHY was SO confusing! They could really have made it a hit...writers,directos,get it together!!