It would appear that the executives down at CBS HQ are all still drunk on the celebratory champagne that arrived with the NCIS/NCIS:LA premiere numbers. How else do you explain the recent news that they are now all hot and bothered to try out a Criminal Minds spinoff? That’s not to say I don’t like the show. It’s a solid part of the crime-time family. And given the premiere ratings (15.8m/4.4), it’s a legitimate hit. But a spinoff? Doesn’t that feel like going to the well one too many times?
At present, the plan is to do the pilot as an episode of Criminal Minds in the spring, with the hope of bringing the new show to viewers next fall. You can certainly see where the idea comes from. The network does have a history of making this move successfully. That’s how we got from CSI to CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. And from JAG to NCIS and NCIS:LA. With Criminal Minds though, I’m just not seeing it.
To start, while successful, when compared to the successes of CSI and NCIS, the show is a distant third. CSI has spent years as the #1 show on the network, and the #1 or #2 scripted show on TV. NCIS hasn’t been quite as successful as CSI in originals, but you also can’t discount its syndication success. It’s not unusual at all to see repeats of NCIS on USA in the top 20 of all cable broadcasts for a week.
In addition, Criminal Minds long ago lost its best asset. You can place a lot of the credit for the continued success of CSI and NCIS at the feet of the G-men, Grissom and Gibbs. Neither of them have much at all to do with the various spinoffs, but they drew viewers in and helped to foster something of a brand loyalty. Criminal Minds had their own G-man, Gideon (Mandy Patinkin), but he’s long gone. And as good as Joe Mantegna is, Rossi is no Gideon. It’s just another thing that makes this a harder sell.
Add it all up, and it just doesn’t seem like the best idea. There is an entirely different feeling that comes from hearing Criminal Minds spinoff, as opposed to NCIS spinoff. My best guess is that the end result will be another solid episode for the show next spring, that probably never makes the jump to series. And if it does, it will be just successful enough to ride the will-they / won’t-they cancellation bubble that we saw The Unit struggle with recently.
What do you think? Is there any real viewer interest in a Criminal Minds spinoff? Have I missed the crazed internet following that is clamoring for this show to be made? Or is this a case of the network trying to force the successful model of one show onto one where it really doesn’t fit?
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Sep 30, 2009 @ 17:00 EST5EDT
I think an NCIS spinoff was a stupid idea, pretty soon CBS will be CSI Mondays, and NCIS Tuesdays, and CM Wednesdays, and L&O Thursdays (CBS will pick up all the L&O when they get canceled within the next 1-2 years).
And sadly it still would be better than NBC.
I don’t quite get how a spin off would work in this case. For the CSIs the city where the shows are located are another character on the show, making a spin-off more likely to succeed. NCIS created a division that works a more international angle.
Are they just going to make a new FBI show or another type of BAU? In an episode last season there was a unit that dealt with crimes against children but who wants to be depressed every week. Not that Criminal Minds doesn’t bring the depressing episodes it does but certainly not every week.
Yes, please, no crimes against children shows. Also, I would love it if the new Criminal Minds spinoff included our old friend Mandy. But otherwise, I think NCIS:LA would have succeeded even if it had a name like LA Criminals. So I hope they don’t call the spinoff Criminal Minds: Whatever City.
I love this show. Keep up the good reviews!
Um, does no one pay attention? Ive heard Hotch, morgan and several others state rather obviously that the BAU is UNIQUE to quantico. There isnt another team like them, why do you think they fly all over the damn world. So unless they are creating a second team in the same location, it makes no sense. they are always saying how profiling is still looked down on or whatever by alot of people. it just wont work.
leave my show ALONE!