There is a lot that goes on behind the cameras on the set of Criminal Minds .
So now that the show has ended, we thought we would dive into the things that go on with the actors and the production crew.
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Let us know what your favorite fact is in the comments at the end of the article!
1. The Reason Mandy Patinkin Left The Show
At first, Mandy Patinkin was the star of the show.
Then, out of nowhere, he left in Season 3. No one knew why, not even the executive producers, the writers, or his fellow cast members.
He finally gave a reason in 2012:
“The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do Criminal Minds in the first place. I thought it was something very different. I never thought they were going to kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year. It was very destructive to my soul and my personality.”
“After that, I didn’t think I would get to work in television again. I’m not making a judgment on the taste [of certain people]. But I’m concerned about the effect it has.”
He concluded, “Audiences all over the world use this programming as their bedtime story. This isn’t what you need to be dreaming about.”
2. The Faces In The Intro
Who are the people behind the mugshots in the intro?
Well, you may have expected this, but real-life criminals. Big-time criminals, too. People like Ted Bundy, Jefferey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy.
3. How They Film The Show
As fans , we assume that all the episodes in a season are done by the time it comes out.
This isn’t the case for Criminal Minds . They were, at most, three episodes ahead at all times.
4. Why Thomas Gibson Was Kicked Off.
We all know that Thomas Gibson (aka Aaron Hotchner) left the show in Season 12.
He was actually kicked off, and it was because he got into a physical altercation with one of the producers.
5. Shemar Moore Was Robbed
It was actually by a person who guest starred on the show, none other than Keith Tisdell (the guy who played Rodney Harris in Season 8).
After his guest appearance, Rodney Harris and Shemar Moore became friends.
And that’s when Shemar Moore asked Rodney Harris to join his company, Baby Girl LLC.
The charity raises money for multiple sclerosis research, and while Harris was with the company he stole more than $60,000 from it and Moore.
On ridiculous things, too: $10,000 rims, $20,000 vacations, and a bunch of loans.
6. Matthew Gray Gubler’s Real Life Leg Injury
Remember when Dr. Spencer Reid had that leg injury in the fifth season (he was shot)?
They wrote that in because Matthew Gray Gubler actually injured his leg having a dance-off with his co-stars in 500 Days Of Summer .
This injury resulted in Matthew not being able to walk at all for THREE MONTHS!
It took three surgeries before he was even able to walk with a cane, and five months to walk without it!
Now that is some dedication to the craft!
7. Thomas Gibson Had No Faith In The Original Show
After filming the first show , Gibson said this about it:
“The whole experience was unusual to say the least – the writer was fired and I remember watching an early cut of an episode thinking ‘that was fun to do, but I’m going to have to find another job.’”
8. Damon Gupton Was Hired (And Fired) Because Of The Network
Damon Gupton, who played Stephen Walker for one season, was hired because the network wanted him on the show.
So they create this new character for him, put him on, and then the network decided to fire him a season later because of a “creative change on the show.”
9. The Two Spinoffs
Criminal Minds has actually spawned two spinoffs .
The first, Suspect Behavior , ran for one season and was canceled due to low ratings.
The second, Beyond Borders , ran for two seasons and was canceled due to, you guessed it, low ratings.
10. The Lighting
Believe it or not, but one of the hardest parts of the show is lighting it.
There’s an average of 12 people or more on the crew at all times, and it takes massive amounts of power to make each scene look as realistic as possible.
11. The Reason Lola Glaudini Left
Man, a lot of people have left this show .
Lola Glaudini (the woman who played Elle Greenaway) left because she didn’t like living in L.A. and wanted to return to her home town of New York City.
12. The Only Cast Members To Be On From The Start
Here’s a piece of Criminal Minds trivia for you: Who are the only two cast members who have been on since the show started?
If you guessed Matthew Gray Gubler And Kirsten Vangsness, then you’re right!
13. Lola GlaudinI Revealed Real-Life Profilers Gave Them Tips On How To Handle The Show’s Material
“They said go home, shut the door, take a shower and play with your kids. If you don’t, you don’t survive,” she explained .
14. Thomas Gibson Said Mandy Patinkin Was Hard To Work With
Thomas Gibson has said that his first day on set with Mandy Patinkin was tense.
He has since admitted that the actor is “a little hard to work with.”
15. The Cast And Crew Try To Keep It Lighthearted
Obviously, doing a show about such dark content can take its toll on the actors.
One of the ways they keep things light is by using the names of real-life staff for the names of victims as a joke.
16. Paget Brewster Would Stash Personal Things In Her Boots During Filming
During filming, Paget has confessed to stashing items in her boots. What types of items, you may be wondering.
Oh, ya know, just things like cigarettes and her cell phone, and sometimes, a whole episode script!
17. Matthew Gray Gubler’s Socks Never Match
True Matthew fans may have noticed that the actor never wears matching socks, and this whacky tradition continued on the Criminal Minds set.
How fun is that?!
Ironically, the one time Matthew was wearing matching socks on set is when he injured himself!
While filming a scene in The Life Aquatic , Matthew can be seen wearing matching socks for a split second. In a bizarre twist, that day on set Matthew sprained his ankle! Go figure!
