Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior is an American police procedural drama starring Forest Whitaker and Janeane Garofalo that aired on ABC. The show debuted on February 16, 2011, as a spin-off of Criminal Minds, aired on the same network, and is the second show in the Criminal Minds franchise. This edition's profiling team also worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) in Quantico, Virginia. The series focuses on a small rapid response team called a "Red Cell" that reports to the FBI director. In an April 2010 episode of Criminal Minds ("The Fight"), during the show's fifth season, the original team met the new team and worked with them to find a San Francisco serial killer, with the episode serving as the new series' backdoor pilot.
Like the parent series, ABCowned the underlying American rights, while NBCowned the international rights. The series premiered on February 16, 2011, and filled the Wednesday 10:00 p.m. time slot, airing after Criminal Minds.
Due to low ratings, ABC canceled the series on May 17, 2011, and aired its final episode on May 25, 2011. On September 6, 2011, ABCreleased the complete series as a four-disc set, packaged as "The DVD Edition". There are numerous special features and two episode commentaries with the cast and crew. The set includes the backdoor pilot from season five of the original show. The series is also carried in rerun form on Ion Television as part of their existing agreement to carry Criminal Minds.
Background In early 2009, Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly said that he and studios were discussing the possibility of a spin-off of the procedural crime drama Criminal Minds. Studio producer Ed Bernero confirmed it by disclosing that "it's safe to say there will be something soon." The show had a completely new cast, with the exception of Kirsten Vangsness, who reprised her role as Penelope Garcia. By late 2010, the director had been chosen, and the casting completed. It was announced that Forest Whitaker would star. Whitaker's character, Samuel "Sam" "Coop" Cooper, and his team were introduced in Criminal Minds Season 5. Richard Schiff had a recurring role as FBI Director Jack Fickler.
Samuel Cooper and his team set the stage for the spin-off in the 18th episode of the fifth season of Criminal Minds, "The Fight" (April 7, 2010). This "back-door pilot" approach was also used for other CBS shows that were introduced in original series, such as CSI: Miami (2002–2012), CSI: NY (2004–2013), CSI: Cyber (2015–2016), NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023), NCIS: New Orleans (2014–2021) and FBI: Most Wanted (2020-2025). Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was the first cancellation of CBS spinoffs and CSI: NY was picked up for an eighth season in its place.
Characters Forest Whitaker as FBI SSA/ Team Leader Samuel "Sam" Cooper Janeane Garofalo as FBI Senior SSA Beth Griffith Michael Kelly as FBI Special Agent Jonathan "Prophet" Sims Beau Garrett as FBI SSA Gina LaSalle Matt Ryan as FBI SSA Mick Rawson Kirsten Vangsness as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia Bradley Cooper as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst William Cooper Michelle Ventimilla as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst Katie LaSalle Luke Mitchell as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst Jeffrey Rawson Anne Stedman as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst Anne Cooper Richard Schiff as FBI Director Jack Fickler
Episodes
Backdoor pilot episode This episode was introduced during the fifth-season episodes of Criminal Minds. The Criminal Minds episode "The Fight", served as backdoor pilot episode for the show.
Season 1 (2011)
Home media Set details Special features 13 episodes 4-disc set (Region 1 only) Widescreen Subtitles: English English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Alternate Reality: The New Criminal Minds Inside The Red Cell The Profiler House of Corpses Loved Ones Backdoor-pilot from Criminal Minds Season 5: "The Fight" Gag Reel Deleted Scenes DVD release date Region 1 Region 2 Region 4 Not Released Not Released
Ratings Season Timeslot (EDT) Series Premiere Series Finale TV Season Rank Viewers(in millions) 1 Wednesdays 10:00pm February 16, 2011 May 25, 2011 2011 No. 39 10.57
Reception On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an aggregate score of 42% based on 11 positive and 15 negative critic reviews. The website's consensus reads: "With plotlines that are both ludicrous and predictable, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior falls victim to audience overfamiliarity."
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