Once in awhile TV karma kicks in and Universal harmony returns to the airwaves. And in this case, harmony may come in the form of A.J. Cook.
We were not amused when Criminal Minds dropped Cook’s contract last year, citing financial cutbacks. And even though we’ve still seen the actress now and then (most notably as a lesbian in Law & Order:SVU), the CM team was just not the same without JJ.
Wednesday, TV Line learned that Cook is in talks to return to Criminal Minds next season as a series regular. This info corresponds with news that showrunner Ed Bernero is leaving to focus on his new ABC show Partners, although the two tidbits are not necessarily related.
So, will JJ and Emily (Paget Brewster) finally be together again? Maybe. A few weeks ago, JJ appeared on CM for what was to be Emily’s last episode. The final few minutes were a heart-wrenching reminder of just how much we want the team to stay intact. (The clip has a huge spoiler, so don’t watch unless you’re caught up.)
Breathe.
The bad news is that Brewster is filming a comedy pilot for NBC and if it gets picked up, she’ll star in it. But CBS still has an option for her on Criminal Minds, so if she ends up being available, the network likely will bring Emily back.
We’re not sure where that leaves Criminal Minds‘ newest investigator, Rachel Nichols. In this week’s episode, her character Ashley stepped up and proved her importance to the team after taking a background role while Emily’s final story arc unfolded.
Having a rookie on the team has provided a new perspective for the other characters as well as the viewers, so I personally hope Ashley sticks around. Besides, with three on-scene female investigators and Penelope (Kirsten Vangsness) in the lab we have the potential for some seriously women-centric shows. And that’s a very good thing.
What do you think of A.J. Cook’s possible return to Criminal Minds? If Paget Brewster returns, do you want Rachel Nichols to stick around, too? Does this news make a difference in whether you watch the show?
