Adios, Hotch

In all my years following the comings and goings on Criminal Minds, the news about Thomas Gibson's dismissal from the show after an "on set altercation" was (you have to admit) more mind blowing than when they announced Shemar Moore was leaving, mostly because his character Hotch has been the backbone of the BAU for the entire run of the show. At this point the only OG cast members left are Matthew Grey Gubler... and maybe Kirsten Vangsness. 

Okay, he's had some prior incidents which all lead to what some would say was that last straw for the production. Also, I read someplace that the guy was kicked in the shin - if I knew there was a "three strikes" rule on the show, I would've gone all out and kicked the guy in the balls, but that's just me. We don't know what actually happened and we probably never will. 

With him gone, the show saved the money that would be his salary (which I imagine is pretty significant, given his OG cast member status) and bring in someone younger and/or cheaper. 

With a departure as abrupt as this, I can't wait to see how they write themselves out of this Hotch-sized hole: I don't think they can use "Hotch finally retired" as a write-out, I think they would have to kill him off at this point. Or maybe they could say Hotch got fired because of what happened in the last season, but the team still has to carry on. 

I don't know who can step in as BAU unit chief... I suppose Rossi could, but I don't think that was why he came back to the BAU in the first place. 

I'm with the rest of the fandom - here's to the beginning of the end of Criminal Minds. 

New NCIS muscle!

After they announced that Adam Rodriguez will be joining Criminal Minds in the upcoming season, over in NCIS-land they also announced last week that Wilmer Valderrama will be joining Gibbs's team, presumably to fill the DiNozzo-sized void from Michael Weatherly's departure. 

Like it is for Dr Reid on Criminal Minds, just because McGee is now senior agent that he's gonna be the one doing the takedowns from now on. And they certainly can't expect Bishop to do it either :P 

I haven't seen much of Valderrama since That 70s Show personally (I know he's done other things since, it's just that I haven't seen those personally), so it might take a little time for me to get over his lispy character from that show. 

I'm not sure what kind of series regular the English guy will be in the new season (MI6 liaison?), but I can't wait to see how this works out. 

Criminal Minds casting news - New BAU muscle!

When news broke that Adam Rodriguez (who, as far as I'm concerned, will always be that guy from CSI: Miami) will be joining Criminal Minds this coming season, I mean, with the BAU's staffing issues, you just have to. 

Anyway, considering that the previous season ended with the mass prison escape, and that the next season is starting with them attempting to recapture said prisoners, writing his character in as someone from the FBI Fugitive Task Force totally makes TV-sense. Also, the BAU's resident muscle had just left, and unless Dr Reid seriously bulks up, they still need someone to do UnSub takedowns.. #thereIsaidit

Long story short: Don't care, good for him, can't wait for Season 12 of Criminal Minds in the fall. 

Thoughts While Watching Michael Weatherly Leave NCIS

Another long running CBS show, another OG cast member leaves. 

Unlike Shemar Moore's surprise exit announcement from Criminal Minds that gave the Baby Girl portion of the CM fandom little time to process/grieve/whatever, TPTB at NCIS made sure fans had time to process Michael Weatherly's departure at the end of the past season, which was announced some time ago.  

Of course the NCIS fandom (me included) had their guesses as to how Weatherly would be written out of the show: he finally gets the cajones to lead his own team, go off to be with Ziva... I wasn't expecting Ziva to show up, at any rate. The good news is that they didn't kill him off, despite his numerous close deaths on the show (notably, the bubonic plague in the first season). 

But if anyone guessed that a Tiva offspring would springboard DiNozzo's exit, props to you. 

You have to admit, the look on his face when he found out he and Ziva have a kid together was just priceless.

But having the kid know who her "Aba" was in the picture was also just as priceless.

Fans will miss the goofball, but if they manage to write Reeves in as a new series regular, I think fans would like him about as much. 

As far as I'm concerned, DiNozzo's most badass moment was him shooting the bad guys as he ran through the port, threw the gun aside before diving in to save Gibbs in the car. 

Anyone else shed tears watching this episode?

Shemar Moore Leaves Criminal Minds

Every time news about someone leaving the show Criminal Minds erupts, the fandom just go nuts. You would think people would get used to it by now because there's always someone coming and going every year... 

This year, one of the OG cast members Shemar Moore is finally moving on from the show, having been there pretty much since the beginning, all those years ago. Which is a shocker to fans (even me) because we're only finding this out recently (apparently it was also teased on his Instagram account, which I wouldn't know because I don't follow the guy there). And the show gave him three episodes for his exit, which is pretty generous, considering how abruptly other people get written out over the show's run.

I personally had never given two hoots about him or his character, but I don't begrudge the guy his popularity amongst the fandom. But knowing the show, we'll be hearing about Morgan's replacement before the new season starts in the fall, because I don't see Matthew Gray Gubler stepping in as BAU's resident muscle man :P 

I haven't seen Morgan's last episode myself yet, but from what I've read about it, it seems like a decent send off for a longtime cast member. And at least he wasn't killed off..? 

Thoughts While Watching the Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Pilot

After almost a year since the yuuggge crossover/backdoor pilot from last season's Criminal Minds, their second attempt at a Criminal Minds franchise finally got started, and that was Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. 

As to be expected, they made some cast changes in the months between the backdoor pilot and this pilot - Anna Gunn got cut, Annie Funke and Alana De La Garza got added... There would be a revolt if Daniel Henney got cut, so thankfully for everyone he's still on the show. 

• Of everyone from the mothership show, they could only get Joe Mantegna to cameo in the first five minutes of the show? Okay, then.
• Wait, so IRT is also based out of Virginia like the BAU, right? 
• I know it's a calculated move on their part that Simmons's first appearance on screen be him doing that obstacle course :P 
• There's something about Daniel Henney that doesn't convince me that his character is a father of four young children. Too well rested, perhaps? 
• If you thought the BAU's private jet was fancy, the IRT's jet is so MASSIVE and IMPRESSIVE that they can transport both a bike and a SUV in there O.o 
• More jet scenes please! 
• Did they get their Thailand B-roll from The Amazing Race, existing stock footage, or did they shoot their own B-roll?
• Their "Thailand" set is clearly some dressed up backlot - there's something about the sky that clearly does not look like Thailand AT ALL.
• I suppose if I was Mae, I would rather get on the back of the bike with Simmons in the rain than to ride in the SUV to be a lamp post between the boss-man and Clara :P 
• You have to admit that Monty has a tough time, what with having to deal with victims' families AND still be the black, male Garcia of Beyond Borders. 
• Dumb question: What does one do with a challenge coin? 

The pilot was, IMO, rough, borderline cringeworthy to watch, but that's more to do with the writing than the performances. My inner sucker will keep watching to see if it gets better. 

Thoughts while watching the 2016 Academy Awards

You have to give them props for finding ways to shave time off the notoriously long Academy Awards telecast - by having the (what I call) the Thank You ticker (because that's how acceptance speeches get so long) and what not. Two and a half hours from 3, 4 hours is a slight improvement, I must say. 

• If there's a dress code for these things, Jenny Beavan sure didn't give two shits about it, by not just being in pants, but in a bedazzled LEATHER JACKET too. Thumbs up from me. 
• Lady Gaga took the skirt off her dress when she performed. Two-fer. 
• The little presenter blurbs was handy, I suppose... if you ever wondered what their previous work was.
• All the ladies (of a certain age) in their prompter-reading glasses. 
• Why is Sarah Silverman there? Just to present? Was Michael Sheen her plus-one? There's a shot of them in the audience where she (wearing a strapless gown) was wearing his jacket. D'awww....!! 
• Was wondering why Priyanka Chopra was at the Oscars, and then I remembered that both her and the Oscars are on ABC. 
• The Chinese kid accountant bit is still funnier than dragging ACTUAL accountants on stage for their 15 seconds of fame. 
• DID Dev Patel comes to the Oscars looking like that on purpose, or is it for a role in the Castaway sequel? 
• Poor Sly Stallone? Not really - I, for one, am glad Mark Rylance won for Bridge of Spies. But I think people will come up to him and say "Would it help?" for the rest of his days. 
• Chrissy Teigen must up her cringe game. 
• Besides little Jacob Tremblay, who else was excited that the droids made an appearance? 
• The Girl Scout cookie sale is definitely a step up from Ellen's weird pizza delivery skit two years ago. 
• Yup, poor Abe Vigoda (among others) didn't make the cut-off for the In Memoriam montage.