Criminal Minds was no stranger to cast turnover, losing key protagonists and going through a number of seasons in which team members seemed to arrive and leave within the same year. Many departures became well known, including the dismissal of Thomas Gibson after an alleged on-set altercation and the early loss of Mandy Patinkin over the show's content. One that was nearly as dramatic, however, was the departure and return of A.J. Cook's Jennifer Jareau, better known as JJ.
As part of a mid-series shuffle based partially on budgetary constraints, Cook's character was written off the show despite her seniority and through no fault of her own. More interesting, however, is that she was brought back less than a season later. Here are the on and off-screen stories behind why A.J. Cook left Criminal Minds.
Who Was Criminal Minds' JJ?
Jennifer Jareau had been on Criminal Minds since the first season. She first appeared in the second episode of the series as the Behavioral Analysis Unit's media liaison, working not as a profiler but as an integral member of the team who accompanied them on most cases. Later in the series, JJ assumed the role of a profiler -- continuing her work with the BAU in the field.
JJ met her husband William LaMontagne while working a case with the BAU. They had two children together over the course of the show, and JJ's role as a working mother became an important part of her character.
Why Did JJ Leave Criminal Minds in Season 6?
Despite being a rather foundational member of the BAU team, JJ was written off of the series during most of Season 6. But before anyone asks if JJ died -- she was still alive and well. The in-fiction reason was her forced transfer to the Pentagon, which was in turn a cover story hiding her real work on a task force in the Middle East. Apparently, the Pentagon job had been offered to JJ multiple times before, though it's unclear if those instances were also cover stories for similar secret work. The real-world reason for Cook's exit was less dramatic, though.The studio was looking to reduce costs, so it let go of both Cook and fellow Criminal Minds star Paget Brewster.
While Brewster stayed on for most of Season 6, Cook was given two episodes to wrap up her storyline. While financial reasons were the biggest factor in the decision to not pick up Cook's contract, some speculated that she had chosen to leave for the standard "creative differences" that are often cited when an actor and show part ways. Others viewed her dismissal alongside Brewster's reduction as a sexist decision. While Brewster told The AV Club that the network was "not particularly kind to women" and pointed to the significantly increased pay of her and Cook's replacement Rachel Nichols, the generally accepted reason is strictly financial.
When Does JJ Come Back to Criminal Minds?
Fortunately, Cook wasn't gone for long. The Season 7 premiere saw the return of both JJ and Brewster's Prentiss to the BAU, with the former now having the profiler training necessary to rejoin the team in a new position. Her return was bolstered by the outpouring of fan support after the announcement of Cook's departure -- no one except the studio seemed willing to let JJ go.
Cook stayed on as one of the leading characters for the remainder of the original show's 15-season run and is now part of the cast of the revival Criminal Minds: Evolution, also known as its 16th season. Despite the potential for ill will between her and the network, Cook saw the fan support as a silver lining and was able to build a continued career after the experience. While the situation was obviously less than ideal, corrections were quickly made and Criminal Minds fans were able to see JJ not only continue her story but grow in importance until Criminal Minds: Evolution came into fruition.
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