Premiering in 2005, Criminals Minds is a police procedural series centered on the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, which consults on local crimes using psychological profiling to find and capture criminals.
While the original team was made up of seven core characters, the lineup at the BAU evolved over the years. One of those changes involved the seemingly abrupt departure in Season 3 of Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, played by Mandy Patinkin.\
Who Was Jason Gideon on Criminal Minds?
In the pilot of Criminal Minds, Jason Gideon returned to the BAU following a six-month medical leave due to the PTSD he suffered when a bomber he was profiling killed six agents under his supervision. He was an empathetic person who carried his personal and professional burdens. As a result, Gideon took responsibility for any suffering his team experienced.
He notably blamed himself for the time Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) was kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer. Gideon was particularly close to Reid, having handpicked him from the FBI Academy. The pair often played against each other in chess, although the intuitive Gideon always won. Gideon's final act before resigning from the BAU was to write a goodbye letter to Reid, explaining that he left in search of hope and happy endings. In Season 10 of Criminal Minds, Gideon's fate was revealed: he was killed by an unsub he chased after years ago, but Patinkin didn't return. The door officially closed for any type of cameo or appearance in the future.
Why Mandy Patinkin Quit Criminal Minds
Mandy Patinkin felt he had to step away from Criminal Minds due to the show's dark subject matter. He specifically cited the drama's frequent portrayal of violence against women, which he described as a heavy emotional burden. The actor even went on record to say, "The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do Criminal Minds in the first place." The official statement from the Criminal Minds team stated that Patinkin left as a result of "creative differences." While this explanation is far vaguer than the reasons detailed by Patinkin, the two stories seem to support each other's validity.
Mandy Patinkin's movie and TV show resume has been rather impressive since Criminal Minds. Patinkin starred on Showtime's espionage thriller Homeland only a few years later. Some have suggested this move was hypocritical, considering both shows have been accused of excessive violence and misogyny. Nonetheless, Patinkin's character, Jason Gideon, left his mark on Criminal Minds, even after just three seasons.
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