CBS' 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior' with Forest Whitaker hunts down strong ratings in premiere
Looks like CBS' new procedural "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" has profiled a solid start for itself.
The natural question was whether the "Criminal Minds" franchise would prove worthy of spinoff, a la the more-popular "NCIS." But Wednesday night any doubt was answered with a 10 p.m. time slot victory for "Suspect Behavior," which stars Forest Whitaker as FBI profiler Sam Cooper. The premiere
(12.9 million total viewers) easily swept past NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" (7.2 million) and ABC's "Off the Map" (4.3 million), according to the Nielsen Co.
For CBS, "Suspect Behavior" delivered its best numbers in the time slot in more than a year. And it held on to 99% of the 9 p.m. audience from the original "Criminal Minds," which is a sign of strong viewer interest.
Fox's "American Idol" -- with a two-hour drama-filled episode devoted to the singers dividing into groups -- dominated the night with an impressive 22.8 million average viewers.
Show Trackers, what did you think of the premiere of "Suspect Behavior"?
-- Scott Collins
Photo: Forest Whitaker stars as FBI profiler Sam Cooper. Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times
I wath the series in hope it would be as good as the other. I usually like Forrest Whitaker, however I thought he over acted. What a ham of a performance. Almost as bad as the red headed guy from CSI Miami. Once I saw Janeane Garofalo was in the cast I have decided this is not a show I woul support. Here political views are too far left and she is way out spoken. I would like to see her in the unemploymnet line . As a loyal viewr of the original Criminal Minds, I will not be watching this show any further.
Posted by: Bob | February 20, 2011 at 03:02 PM
The writers of this new Criminal Minds are NOT Smarter than a 5th grader!!!!!
In the first episode, a statement was made that they need to travel 20 minutes North of Cleveland to a rural area.....dah!!! The only thing north of Cleveland is Lake Erie!!! and you must travel 90 minutes to get to any type of rural area ----
but even if the writers get educated, the cast is by far the most unattractive on TV and are dressed like slobs --- and with Garofalo on the show ---- no one in my house will be watching ..... better luck next time! The original is one of the best shows on TV.
Posted by: Oma | February 21, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Did not like this new show, was not worth watching. The cast did not "gel".
Posted by: rovgrandma | February 22, 2011 at 09:42 AM
i really liked it! just watched it on dvr. look forward to seeing penelope mesh with the new group!
Posted by: debbie s | February 22, 2011 at 04:59 PM
oohh my gosh nooo i am a loyal criminal minds fan i have seen every episode i will not be watching this spin off doesnt even compare in no way to ncis or csi sorry just doesnt work.
Posted by: monica swancey | February 22, 2011 at 07:36 PM
I too was excited to CM spin-off, and it was a let down. The issue with "Garafelo" if she played the same role in a movie, it would be different. However, the same role in "24" and now CM and having to act the same character week after week. That is what makes people not support her. As for Garcia, I also think that was too much.
Posted by: Dianne | February 22, 2011 at 10:35 PM
I actually kind of liked it I mean it was only the first show so I know it'll get better I know it's not gonna start off great so as a true criminal minds fanactic i'm going to continue to watch and see how it plays out.
although I still love criminal minds better because I mean who's better than Derek morgan and Reid
Posted by: Danielle | February 23, 2011 at 02:41 PM
Why cant some posters understand that actors blabbing their mouths are going to put off some people? Why all of a sudden were spammers because many people are so sick and tired of hearing janeane garofalo run her big mouth. I will never support anything that woman is in. Actors DO need to realize that they are ACTORS and we dont care about their opinions, especially when they are so full of hate! I love forrest w. and CM is my favorite show, but I will not support anything that this woman is in, ever! also coming from a family of a long line of law enforcement and military, she is absolutely unbelievable as an FBI agent, she is not that good of an actor.
Posted by: vivien | February 23, 2011 at 07:14 PM
This program has a great cast of actors. But they should leave the dramatic overacting to the CSI bunch. I enjoy Criminal Minds in spite of the mild overacting, but Suspect Behaviour is a over the top. Let the actors do their jobs. They are better than what you are writing right now.
Posted by: Janine | February 23, 2011 at 07:42 PM
Sarah; junebug; stacey; I TOTALLY AGREE. It wasnt as good as original, tho i might tolerate it, when i saw janean Graffa-lo-life, I gagged every time, she is such a 'GAG-INDUCEMENT'. Id love to know how to write the producers to give them a link to these comments.. if she was replaced..?? Might work but not sure.
Posted by: SARAHMAX8 | February 24, 2011 at 02:31 AM
cRIMINAL MINDS CAST SHOULD BE AS FOLLOWED....MORGAN..HOTCH..JJ..PRENTIS..GIDDEON...REED..AND OF COURSE THE LOVELY gARCIA!!
Posted by: jennifer | February 24, 2011 at 05:06 AM
I thought the show was real bad, I couldnt watch the whole thing,
I wont watch it again.
The acting was terrible.
I agree I think people watched because they were already tuned in.
Posted by: D. Meyers | February 24, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Forest, I admire you as an actor and person. I respect your strength in the weight loss you have accomplished. I wish you would get Jeanine Garaphallo off the progran so I can watch. I canbnot tolerate her, even for a moment. She is a complete wacko and I cannot believe that anyone would hire her for a series that is so very popular. I keep checking to see if she got canned so I can watch. There are millions out here that feel the same. GET HER OFF YOUR SHOW
Posted by: dee | February 25, 2011 at 06:17 AM
Criminal Minds Suspect behavior was boring. I did not like the actors and did not like the story line. I watch the original Criminal Minds all the time, even reruns and enjoy all of the actors. Suspect Behavior should be called something other than Criminal Minds.
Posted by: yvonne | February 25, 2011 at 02:32 PM
I like Criminal Minds and was looking forward to the new show until I saw that Janine Garafalo was in it. I will not support her or her radical nasty political comments. She is hateful and uneducated.
Posted by: Cheryl Meinke | February 25, 2011 at 09:13 PM
We love Criminal Minds but won't watch spin off due to Garafalo. Yes, her private rants due affect her paycheck! No, it's not only one person saying this.
Posted by: Debra | February 27, 2011 at 09:14 AM
Bob!!! Totally agree!! I cannot watch Forest because of the over-acting. And Jeanine Garaphallo???? What were they thinking when they hired her? Aside from her political views - she can't act at all!!
The team! Looks like they are 'trying' to act. It's pitiful - trying to look and sound important but coming across as total amateurs. Would have been better off making a comedy out of it!
I am very disappointed because I can hardly get enough of Criminal Minds. I couldn't wait to watch the first episode of this spin off. I gave them a second chance but sorry I can't go through it again!
There will never be such a wonderful cast as on Criminal Minds even though I sure miss JJ) but I think the casting director for this spin-off could have done a whole lot better than what s/he came up with here.
Posted by: jilly | February 28, 2011 at 07:35 PM
The first episode of Criminal Minds/Suspect Behavior was fascinating, and we ,liking Forest Whitaker's acting, tuned in the next week, only to be disappointed. Last night's (3/2) promised more bloody, gruesome events and we turned it off after the first few minutes. Why to networks continue to produce a steady diet of violence and sex? We're tired of it and have vowed never to watch this program, in particular, again. Whatever happened to uplifting story content, with gifted actors of all ages ???
Posted by: Deborah | March 03, 2011 at 01:32 PM
I am so rooting for the rogue sniper in the upcoming episode "One Shot One Kill". Hopefully he will kill Sam Cooper and his entire crew...making it the series finale.
Posted by: Rawlins | March 05, 2011 at 12:06 AM
I've watched the 3 episodes that have aired simply to give the show a chance and get a better feel of the characters. I have to say I am sooooo not loving it. The characters lack chemistry and it's almost like they are just reciting lines. There is no emotion to go with the dialogue. The show is just BLAH. I was really looking fwd to it and I'm sorry to say but I doubt it will survive past one season.
Posted by: ns | March 05, 2011 at 10:33 PM