This just in from the let-bygones-be-bygones division of the CBS casting department: Mandy Patinkin — the very talented but oh-so-complicated actor who walked off of Criminal Minds after its second season — will guest star on an upcoming episode of Three Rivers, the network’s new drama about organ transplants. Patinkin, who was the recipient of a double corneal transplant, won’t re-enact his real-life problems with degenerative eye disease; instead, he’ll play an ALS patient who wants to be taken off life support so his organs can save others. In a network press release today, CBS tried to make hay out of the fact that Patinkin has a “very personal connection with organ donation,” but I think they were missing the point. Patinkin’s back, baby!
Far be it from me to give Patinkin a pass for not showing up to work back in the day when he was helping to make Criminal Minds a surprise hit for CBS, but there’s something oddly respectable about a guy who walks from a job — not because of money or the grueling schedule — but because he reportedly thinks the show is too violent. His surprise departure didn’t hurt the show — Joe Montegna proved to be a superior replacement — but it certainly left a sizable void in primetime. However persnickety this Emmy and Tony winner is, Patinkin is a bona fide TV star who deserves his own show. What do you think, Patinkin watchers? Do you miss the Chicago Hope alum as much as I do?
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I really do. I predicted before the show even aired he would up and quit one day, just like on Chicago Hope, but I think he did it unprofessionally. Would it have really killed him to just call up producers and say “I’ll do one or two episodes in season 3 so you can write me out”. No, he screwed with everyone’s jobs and the relationships with the cast and crew.
I do miss Gideon though. I agree the show gets too violent at times, but when he was on, they did a better job of the profiling work and the mind games. Patinkin is more restrained than Mantenga. Love the A&E reruns. Don’t remember some of them
While I have never seen a reason given for his leaving Chicago Hope when he did, I suspect it had to do with his failing eyesight due to keratoconus. He had his first cornea replacement surgery in 1997, less than a year after he left.
And from what I have read, Patinkin had more than one conversation about the escalating level of violence on Criminal Minds, and that it made him extremely uncomfortable. If they chose not to do anything about it, I don’t know that I can blame him for taking the step that he did. Besides, I think the show did a great job of leaving his absence open.
FABULOUS! I really enjoy Patinkin’s work.
BUT– could someone please explain to me why Three Rivers is just not very good, despite its excellent cast and fine production values? Is it yet another case of “too many cooks in the kitchen”???????
I do miss him (although I’ve never really watched Criminal Minds — too violent). Come to GLEE, Mandy! Your singing will be welcomed there!
“dreams”
He’d be a great foil for Jane Lynch — even if it was for just one or two episodes.
What a brilliant idea! I’d swoon if he sings on that show. Love him!
Criminal Minds was the third show he walked out on. He was only on Dead Like Me for 2 years. That was the end of a really good show that should have lasted for a long time. I like his acting but can’t depend on him.
Dead Like Me only ran two years. He didn’t leave the show. It got cancelled.
Don’t mind me, but YOU THINK IT WAS RESPECTABLE FOR HIM TO LEAVE THE SHOW REGARDLESS THE WAY HE WALKED OUT?? Talk about PROFESSIONALISM.
I LOVE the Patinks and will certainly watch him in any thing he does, stage or screen.
If you keep give him his OWN show don’t think you he will still LEAVE abruptly? You can’t trust this moron. He has a short attention span. He needs to be on broadway and that’s it.
I don’t see what all the hubbub is with this guy…he’s a major ham in the acting department.
He was great in “The Princess Bride”..other then that I could take him or leave him, he is a major flake though, if I was a producer of a show I wouldn’t hire him!
I disagree with Montegna being a superior replacement. I can only watch the show in reruns, because I feel like Patinkin had a better rapport with the group.
I too don’t think that Montegna was a “Superior” replacement, but the show (IMO) did get better. They stop focusing on Gideon and let the rest of the cast branch out. Now this show is an ansemble cast instead of having a frontrunner, which made it better. It made the other castmembers step their game up.
I too don’t believe Montegna was a “Superior” replacement, but I have to say the show got better. It made the other castmembers step their game up and now it’s a ansemble cast instead of focusing on one person. I don’t really miss Gideon’s character that much.
With so many talented, professional and deserving actors not working, what makes Patinkin worth the trouble? He may have been great in “Evita” and “Princess Bride” decades ago, but now he’s just a useless ham. “Chicago Hope” didn’t miss a beat without him and neither did “Criminal Minds.”
To Mscisluv, Mantegna is a SUPERIOR replacement. He has more credibility, an impressive resume, and has a STRONG work ethic. Mandy’s character was an unsympathetic man and never meshed well with the group. With Mantegna’s character he doesn’t hide the fact he can be arrogant, and thus does not brood about it. His character actually cares for the team. Also? You can actually see the chemistry and friendship between Mantegna and Gibson.
I’ve got agree with Buffy Freak, I just don’t get the big deal about him. He’s not a great actor, does not really have good presence onstage, and has always looked like he was phoning in his parts. (Sure he can sing, but is that really needed in a cop show or a hospital show? Let’s not go to “Cop Rock”, OK.)
Of course, the big question is, will “Three Rivers” be around long enough for him to make his guest appearance? It would be karma biting him in the ass if the show was canceled and, in effect, walked out on him.
Would love to see him on another show. The suggestion of Glee is a great one – maybe as a recurring character rather than as a full time one, since I seem to remember reading that having balance in his life (time for family) was very important to him (good for him!).
The thought that he’d be a great guest star on Glee occurred to me too. Let’s hope it happens!
After leaving Chicago Hope and then Criminal Minds I’m convinced Patinkin is nothing more than a spoiled diva.
I think he is best as just a guest star, he was great in am episode of “Law And Oder” a couple of years back, but overpowered “Criminal Minds” when he was the “Star” the show is more of an ensemble that’s why it works better now without him, Mantenga blends in with the rest of the cast instead of trying to blow them off the screen!
I loved him in Dead like Me so yeah it would be great to see him in a new show of his own!
Joe Mantegna’s character of Rossi has far more warmth than Mandy’s ever did. Joe is a much better actor, and much easier on the eyes. Patinkin always had a look on his face like he was in pain. CM is better without him. Joe is a team player and it is an ensemble cast. No one needs a prima donna who, buzz is, was very difficult to work with. IMO, Patinkin should never get another acting gig because of his unprofessional behavior.
Patinkin has been known to quit shows when he’s not offered more money. He’s better as a guest star.
I’m still mourning the loss of Dead Like Me (I choose to pretend that follow up movie never existed) and I adored Chicago Hope so I would love to see him back on TV. My mom and I are big fans and I know she stopped watching Criminal Minds after he left.
Although Patinkin may be difficult, let’s not forget that he was diagnosed with keratoconus in the mid-90s and was blind after he quit Chicago Hope. Corneal transplants restored his vision and he rejoined the show just before it was cancelled. The experience also strengthened his faith. He was increasingly uncomfortable with the violence of Criminal Minds, though unless the producers changed it up after the contract (which Hollywood types are not above doing), he should have known what he was getting into after the pilot.
He did not need to quit in that way, it was very unprofessional. Also, I don’t think the show is too violent, for what it is. It’s a show about serial killers, what did he expect?
I think his best work was on Dead Like Me. I do miss that show. I can’t go so far as to give him a pass for walking out on Criminal Minds. True he had a better reason than money or his schedule, but he had no way of knowing things would work out so well with Joe Montegna. Mandy potentially left not just the producers but the cast and crew in a really bad spot. Still I’m glad to see that he and CBS have buried the hatchet.
Talented guy – but he’s a flake.
loved him in Yentl!
Mandy is an excellent actor, as is Joe; far different personalities.
I won’t address the issue of Mandy’s leaving CM, though he was clearly uncomfortable and had stated that repeatedly.
CM is a favorite once a week, but the recurring depraved themes become unwatchable on A&E when they run 3-5 episodes back-to-back.
Three Rivers is a loser, but I’ll watch it once more just to see Mandy.
I actually stopped watching Criminal Minds because of him after a handful of episodes and just got back into it last season. It’s a much better drama now without him, and I love Joe Montagna’s character more than I ever even liked Gideon. It truly has become an ensemble show, and it’s so much better for it.
I too stopped watching Criminal Minds after he left. At some point the violence simply became too graphic and disturbing. I’ve caught one or two episodes since he left and wasn’t impressed. I think he’s extremely talented and would love to see him in his own show again.
Mantegna is not a superior replacement, he brings Criminal Minds down constantly. It pains me to say it because I loved him on Joan of Arcadia and he is generally an excellent actor. Rossi? Sucks.
Love Patinkin, missed him a lot. He’s back baby!
Been a fan of CM since the first episode. Was so very worried when Mandy left that the show would end. But I adore Joe Mantegna’s Rossi so much more than I ever did Gideon. I can’t watch the first two seasons on A&E anymore they are just not nearly as good as the seasons after.