The new season of CBS’s suspenseful criminal profiling drama Criminal Minds is underway and is exciting as ever! It follows a team of FBI Behavioral Analysists as they hunt down and predict the moves of society’s most dangerous criminals. As a fan of the show, I wanted to find out what to expect from Season 3, so I caught up with A.J. Cook to discuss her character – JJ, the inspiration for the shows (Yes, all of the stories are based on real events!), Mandy Patinkin’s surprise departure and what else we can expect from the new season!
LD: What’s new in season 3 and with the new character, Joe Rossi?
AJ: This season is more about the characters and how (the job) affects their personal lives. Joe (Joe Mantegna) is the exact opposite of Mandy’s character (Gideon). He is not a replacement. Joe was one of the original profilers. He has written many books and is now a millionaire. He hasn’t come back because he needs the money. The real reason is unknown from the rest of us, but it will be pretty interesting.
LD: What do you normally hear about your character?
AJ: One woman recently told me that I am the heart of the show. JJ is not a profiler; she deals with the victims and has compassion for them, which is why she was brought into the show.
LD: Do you think you could handle a career like your character’s?
AJ: Absolutely not! I don’t know how they do it. Whenever we work alongside real profilers, I constantly want to pick their brains. I want to find out as much as I can on how they do this for a living. They’re always upbeat and smiling, and they say if you can’t laugh you shouldn’t be doing it. You can’t bring it home with you.
LD: Are the cases on the show inspired by true events?
AJ: Yes, they look to real cases in what we call the red and blue books, which are filled with real crimes. They take creative licensing, but they’re all based on real stories. It is kinda creepy. I haven’t read the books; I want the stories to live in the book not in my head.
LD: Do fans send in ideas?
AJ: We get ideas from fans a lot, which I just found out. I don’t think any have been used yet, though.
LD: What was it like working with Mandy Patinkin, and why did he leave the show?
AJ: I had remembered him from The Princess Bride. He is such a nice man. It was hard for him to separate himself from the stories. He wanted to save the world. We will miss him very much.
LD: Can you tell me a little about the scheduling of filming?
AJ: It moves very quickly… not like movies. The concepts are dreamt up months before, but sometimes rewriting happens right before a scene. The episodes take about eight days to shoot and about a month in post (editing) with adding the voice-overs and all the music. So much goes into each episode.
LD: Has the show ever been re-shot due to current events?
AJ: Last year we had to pull Doubt (about a shooter on campus) because of the VT tragedy. It was set to air the day after it happened. We ended up re-shooting it and were able to save it for our season premiere.
LD: You have been in films like the Virgin Suicides and Final Destination 2, will you go back to movies?
AJ: Absolutely! Film is my #1 love. I feel so blessed and lucky to be on a successful show, but sometimes, great scripts come through and the artist in you wants to jump at it. Scripts have come across, then I see the previews and am like “I wanted that!”
Be sure to catch A.J. on CBS every Wednesday at 9pm! You can also check her out at her fan website: www.AJCook.com
