Why did Paget Brewster leave Criminal Minds? Emily Prentiss' role, explored

CBS’s critically acclaimed crime drama Criminal Minds was a hit among fans during its 15-season run, prompting its return as Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022. Several characters left and returned in the show’s long run, including Paget Brewster, who played Emily Prentiss.

Created by Jeff Davis, who also helmed the popular supernatural teen drama Teen Wolf, Criminal Minds follows a team of FBI agents in the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit) who try to catch and understand the psyche of the most dangerous criminals. It also showcases the characters' personal lives and the struggle they face while being near such criminals.

Criminal Minds starred numerous popular actors, including Mandy Patinkin, who played Jason Gideon; Jennifer Jareau, who was portrayed by A. J. Cook; Derek Morgan, played by Shemar Moore; and Dr. Spencer Reid, who is portrayed by Matthew Gray Gubler. Paget Brewster joined the show in its second season as SSA Emily Prentiss, who was initially hired to report on problems within the BAU team. However, her character didn’t have a smooth run, as she disappeared twice from the show and then returned to become the BAU Unit Chief.

Continue to read to know more about why Paget Brewster left Criminal Minds.

---

Who was Emily Prentiss, and why did Paget Brewster decide to leave Criminal Minds?

Paget Brewster joined Criminal Minds in season 2 and quickly became a fan favorite due to her quick wit and strong persona. Brewster’s Emily Prentiss was hired to report on the BAU unit’s shortcomings, but she remained loyal to the team. However, this loyalty didn't help her, as at the end of season 5 CBS reduced her role and fired Jennifer Jareau’s A.J. Cook, citing budget cuts. Her character was shown as being stabbed and killed by an escaped international arms dealer and was believed to be dead by the team.

Fans and even the cast members were shocked by the network’s dubious decision. Brewster even showed her frustration on the social media platform X with a tweet.

During an interview with the AV Club, Paget Brewster shared the real reason behind the cast changes in season 6 of Criminal Minds by saying,

"Oh, yeah, that wasn’t budget cuts. Inside one of our episodes, we had shot a spinoff with Beau Garrett, Forest Whittaker, Mike Kelly, and Matt Ryan, and—honestly—the next thing we heard, A.J. and I were fired. [Someone from] CBS had just called Ed Bernaro and said, “I want new women.” So we were fired."

Due to fan petitions and demands, A.J. Cook returned for season 7 as the main cast, and so did Paget Brewster. Emily was resurrected this season, and the audience was given the storyline that she was on the run after surviving the attack, and Cook's character assisted her during that time.

However, it was a short run for Brewster as she finally exited the show after season 7 in 2012 by sharing a tweet on X.

The decision to leave Criminal Minds was made by Paget Brewster to explore other projects. She shared in the AV Club interview:

"I hated CBS. [What they did] was just scummy. But everyone at Criminal Minds I really enjoy and I really like and I really care about. So I did that last year, and then I said, “I love everyone here, but I realize now, having left, that my heart isn’t in it."

However, Brewster returned to Criminal Minds in season 12 and has been a part of the main cast since then.

While Paget Brewster was away for 4 seasons of the show, she appeared on many other popular TV shows like Modern Family, Drunk History, and Community. She voiced various characters on the show Dan Vs. and was the voice of Lana Lang in the animated movie Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Lois Lane in Justice League: Gods And Monsters.

---

More about Criminal Minds

Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss is now the chief of the BAU unit of the FBI. Other than Brewster and A.J. Cook, Penelope Garcia’s Kristen Vangness, Joe Mantegna’s David Rossi, Aisha Taylor’s Tara Lewis, and Adam Rodriguez’s Luke Alvez are part of the reboot series Criminal Minds: Evolution, which wrapped up on Paramount Plus in February 2023 and has been renewed for its 18th season.

Although there hasn’t been any update on when the new season will premiere, fans can be assured that the BAU unit will be dealing with some psychotic and dangerous criminals again.

---

Catch all episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount Plus.