Keep AJ Cook & Paget Brewster on Criminal Minds!

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CBS has decided to save money on the best show on television, Criminal Minds, by cutting one of its female characters entirely (Jennifer Jareau, played by AJ Cook) and by severely reducing the part of Emily Prentiss (played by Paget Brewster) in the upcoming season that begins in September. This leaves only one full-time female character, Penelope Garcia as played by Kirsten Vangsness.

While we, the fans, certainly love Garcia, we also love Jennifer Jareau and Emily Prentiss and feel that this show cannot go on in such a state. It is a travesty of modern society that a network would make such a blatantly sexist decision. Everywhere in the world, women are devalued for getting married, for taking our husbands' surnames, for having children, or for having only female children and no male children, or for simply being women...the list is long.

In 21st-century America, this kind of thing should not be allowed to happen. These two female characters are integral to Criminal Minds, not only as valuable members of the team of characters, but also as representatives of a population of strong working women in a field which is still primarily male-dominated.

If CBS goes ahead with this decision, it will surely lose much of the show's fan base (just look at the online response to this story wherever it is printed) and one of its best money-making shows will no longer be so.

Shame on you.

58738 Signatures

  • Simone
  • Khairunnisa A
  • Nadia
  • Sam
    • Comments
    • we need the girls!
  • Katie G
  • Sally S
  • Robin C
  • Barbara N
  • Alba
  • Francesca
  • Rachel a
    • Comments
    • dont do it!!!!!!!
  • Stacey
  • marianne w
  • wattier
    • Name
    • gryson
    • Email address
    • [email protected]
    • Comments
    • If Paget and AJ aren't in every episode i stop to watch the show
  • Sally W
    • Name
    • Sally
    • Comments
    • The right thing would be to SCRAP THE SPIN-OFF and keep the original show intact! Do the right thing CBS!
  • Steph M
  • Yvonne M
  • Yvone
  • Beth S
    • Comments
    • What on earth are you thinking? do you want to ruin your ratings and your show? do not let the girls go!
  • Line H
    • Name
    • В
    • Email address
    • В
    • Comments
    • В
  • Al B
    • Name
    • Carroll Bailey
    • Email address
    • [email protected]
    • Comments
    • This is ridiculous. As fans, we are appalled at the sexist activity that has gone on at the CBS HQ. You've lost a watcher unless this is resolved.
  • Jenny T
    • Comments
    • "She was destined for the show." (Deborah Spera on Paget Brewster:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xpKdsPv7vk "We missed her!" (The cast on AJ Cook:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4TP38_VxjQ "There is one question I've been asked almost every time I've been interviewed." (Joss on strong women characters:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaczoJMRhs
  • Starrah
    • Name
    • Starrah
  • Lisa D
    • Name
    • Sarah D
    • Comments
    • This is about visibility of strong, successful women working alongside their male peers without distinction. Not only is the reason offensive -given women are still paid less in the workforce- it smacks of sexism. Where any of the male characters viewed as expendable as AJ and Pagets characters? It seems not. I am truly shocked that men are still seeking passivity and invisibility instead of rejoicing in the vitality and importance of women. You have not only insulted the thousands of women working in police enforcement roles, but the female viewers who tune into your show. I am ropable at this planned situation, and as a result, will channel my enjoyment in other shows that still have the courage and strength to celebrate their female characters and actresses. You should be ashamed, though given you have presented this to two of your female actresses, I sincerely doubt that you are, and that makes me all the more saddened. Shame on you, this really is reprehensible.
  • Vera D
    • Comments
    • You must be joking, right? All I can say is I'd be very pi**** if the characters of Cook and/or Brewster will be written off or extremely reduced, I don't know if I would keep watching Criminal Minds then. Better get rid of this Spin-Off and keep a sucessful team which is loved by the fans together! CBS, what are you thinking?? A very disappointed fan.
  • Olivia A
    • Comments
    • Won't be watching if they leave.
  • Doll H
    • Name
    • Second That
    • Comments
    • I say we send dolls heads to the newtwork, a symbol of women rebelling not only against societial pressures on our bodies (who looks like Barbie after all?) but sending a challenge to the creators to act wisely by retaining both AJ and Paget.
  • perlnoir
    • Name
    • perl
    • Email address
    • [email protected]
    • Comments
    • We love you AJ
  • Jana
  • Lisa M
    • Comments
    • The season past had a very strong 'woman' focus, and I was rejoicing in the high visibility, but in one action, it's been made redundant. I'll be utilising my women's power (while I still have it) and tuning off the show. Bad move.
  • Eliska
    • Name
    • SkyeCZ
    • Comments
    • One of the worst network ideas.
  • Summer
    • Comments
    • If my calculations are right you'll have already lost about $10000 on dvd sales thanks to this. BRING THEM BACK
  • Lee
    • Comments
    • Unbelievable. Why not ask the men to take a pay cut? Why not push aside Reid or Rossi? Hotch? Morgan? Was it ever a consideration?? Firing women, downsizing their role ... weren't we past this sexism?
  • Africa O
  • Taylor T
    • Comments
    • Will I be watching if they go? BIG NO!
  • Taylor T
    • Comments
    • Will I be watching if they go? BIG NO!
  • Magali
    • Comments
    • What? They must be kidding, because CM without JJ and without Prentiss isn't CM anymore! I certainely do not want the team becoming an alpha-male team! They need the girls!
  • Kim A
  • jaquemot
  • Francesca
  • huchet
  • Piitchoune08
  • Evelyne J
  • Nadia N
  • Emily M
    • Comments
    • What are you gonna do when there is a press conference? or a rape vicitim who needs to talk to a woman? they are the heart of the show!
  • Christine
  • Lou
    • Comments
    • I cannot believe they'll do that, I just cannot! HEY, we're here! Don't they think that our opinion matter? Hey, guys, fired JJ and Prentiss, and I won't watch CM anymore! Are the so sure the can afford the loss of hundreds, not to say thousands of fans? Think about it, CBS, just think about it.....
  • Michelle D
    • Name
    • Michelle
    • Comments
    • Removing AJ & limiting Paget's screen time will severly damage the show. I will NOT be watching if AJ Cook is not a series regular. Why are CBS always cutting back on the females on TV shows? The males can also be fired or let go. Changing the CM cast at all will be disastrous.
  • Laura
    • Name
    • Laura
    • Comments
    • AJ & Paget make the show more realistic & I will not watch CM if they are gone or limited
  • Laura
    • Name
    • Laura
    • Comments
    • AJ & Paget make the show more realistic & I will not watch CM if they are gone or limited