In 'Criminal Minds' Shuffle: Patinkin out, Mantegna in
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I heard the rumors that Harvey Keitel was in the running to replace Mandy Patinkin on CBS' Criminal Minds, but I didn't hear that Geena Davis was in the mix too. How about that? How about neither? Joe Mantegna is alright, but Harvey Keitel is better. Much better.
After two years playing FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit leader Jason Gideon, Patinkin left "Criminal Minds" last month. In a statement that followed a week of swirling rumors, both sides said the departure was due to that favorite Hollywood condition of "creative differences."
"Money." I don't know why it's so hard to say that word in Hollywood since everything revolves around it. Can't say for sure, of course, but it's not hard to guess either. With all due respect to Mandy Patinkin (I loved him in The Princess Bride) it's not like producers were beating down his door to star in big summer blockbusters and whatnot, he can't say that television was too constraining (it often is) or that it isn't engaging enough (that's bullshit) and these "creative differences" may very well be just that, so who's to say.
Still smells like money to me, though. More coverage on Variety, TV Squad, tv.com, and Hollywood Reporter.
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