# Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior is a police procedural drama starring Forest Whitaker and Janeane Garofalo that aired on CBS. The show debuted on February 16, 2011, as a spin-off of Criminal Minds, aired on the same network, and is the second show in the franchise. This edition's profiling team also worked for the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. The series focuses on a small rapid response team called a "Red Cell" that reports to the FBI director. In a 2010 episode of Criminal Minds ("The Fight"), during the show's fifth season, the original team met the new team and worked with them to find a San Francisco serial killer, with the episode serving as the new series' backdoor pilot.
Like the parent series, CBS owned the underlying American rights, while ABC owned the international rights. The series premiered on February 16, 2011, and filled the Wednesday 10:00pm time slot, airing after Criminal Minds.
Due to low ratings, CBS canceled the series on May 17, 2011, and aired its final episode on May 25, 2011. On September 6, 2011, CBS released the complete series as a four-disc set, packaged as "The DVD Edition". There are numerous special features and two episode commentaries with the cast and crew. The set includes the backdoor pilot from season five of the original show. The series is also carried in rerun form on Ion Television as part of their existing agreement to carry Criminal Minds.

## Background

In early 2009, Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly said that he and studios were discussing the possibility of a spin-off of the procedural crime drama Criminal Minds. Studio producer Ed Bernero confirmed it by disclosing that "it's safe to say there will be something soon." The show had a completely new cast, with the exception of Kirsten Vangsness, who reprised her role as Penelope Garcia. By late 2010, the director had been chosen, and the casting completed. It was announced that Forest Whitaker would star. Whitaker's character, Samuel "Sam" "Coop" Cooper, and his team were introduced in Criminal Minds Season 5. Richard Schiff had a recurring role as FBI Director Jack Fickler.
Samuel Cooper and his team set the stage for the spin-off in the 18th episode of the fifth season of Criminal Minds, "The Fight" (April 7, 2010). This "back-door pilot" approach was also used for other CBS shows that were introduced in original series, such as CSI: Miami (2002–2012), CSI: NY (2004–2013), CSI: Cyber (2015–2016), NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023) and NCIS: New Orleans (2014–2021). Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was the first cancellation of CBS spinoffs and CSI: NY was picked up for an eighth season in its place.

## Characters

* Forest Whitaker as FBI SSA/ Team Leader Samuel "Sam" Cooper
* Janeane Garofalo as FBI Senior SSA Beth Griffith
* Michael Kelly as FBI Special Agent Jonathan "Prophet" Sims
* Beau Garrett as FBI SSA Gina LaSalle
* Matt Ryan as FBI SSA Mick Rawson
* Kirsten Vangsness as FBI Special Agent Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia
* Richard Schiff as FBI Director Jack Fickler

## Episodes
### Backdoor pilot episode

This episode was introduced during the fifth-season episodes of Criminal Minds. The Criminal Minds episode "The Fight", served as backdoor pilot episode for the show.
Pilot episodes (Criminal Minds season 5) :
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 109 | 18 | "The Fight" | Richard Shepard | Story by : Chris Mundy & Edward Allen Bernero Teleplay by : Chris Mundy | April 7, 2010 (2010-4-7) | 518 | 12.70 |
| The BAU team travels to San Francisco to investigate the murders of several homeless men that have occurred over the last three years. They begin working with another team of BAU agents, led by Samuel Cooper, who are investigating the murders of father-daughter duos that have occurred shortly after the homeless murders. The teams discover a connection between their respective cases. This episode launches the spin-off, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. ||||||||

### Season 1 (2011)

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Two of a Kind" | John Terlesky | Rob Fresco | February 16, 2011 (2011-2-16) | 107 | 13.06 |
| As child abductions occur in Cleveland, Agent Cooper and his team must attempt to catch the unsub before more kids are in danger. |||||||
| 2 | "Lonely Heart" | Michael Watkins | Shintaro Shimosawa | February 23, 2011 (2011-2-23) | 104 | 9.81 |
| Agent Cooper must unveil a shocking link involving a string of murders of single businessmen that occurs at hotels in Cincinnati. |||||||
| 3 | "See No Evil" | Rob Spera | Barry Schindel | March 2, 2011 (2011-3-2) | 109 | 10.36 |
| The Red Cell team tries to connect two unusual murders in Tucson, Arizona. The first murder victim has his eyes removed while the second victim was killed by being stabbed in the ear with an ice pick. Both victims were subdued using a paralytic agent. |||||||
| 4 | "One Shot Kill" | Terry McDonough | Rob Fresco | March 9, 2011 (2011-3-9) | 102 | 9.12 |
| The Red Cell team profiles a serial sniper (Noel Fisher) in Chicago who attempts to target Mick. |||||||
| 5 | "Here Is the Fire" | Andrew Bernstein | Chris Mundy & Ian Goldberg | March 16, 2011 (2011-3-16) | 101 | 10.33 |
| After explosions occur in a school the BAU rush to solve the case involving a pipe bomber in Fredericksburg, Virginia. |||||||
| 6 | "Devotion" | Stephen Cragg | Shintaro Shimosawa | March 23, 2011 (2011-3-23) | 111 | 8.80 |
| The BAU tries to close a case, after several victims were kidnapped and were found hanged across several states. |||||||
| 7 | "Jane" | Rob Hardy | Glen Mazzara | March 30, 2011 (2011-3-30) | 108 | 9.53 |
| The red cell team tries to solve a series of abduction of several women in Indianapolis where the unsub varies his victim preference. |||||||
| 8 | "Nighthawk" | Dwight Little | Ian Goldberg | April 6, 2011 (2011-4-6) | 106 | 9.12 |
| Agent Cooper and his team must uncover a connection involving a series of murders in Tulsa, Oklahoma which have occurred in the last 24 hours. |||||||
| 9 | "Smother" | Phil Abraham | Joy Blake & Melissa Blake | April 13, 2011 (2011-4-13) | 105 | 9.96 |
| While Beth discovers a dark secret of Mick, the team must uncover a frightening truth of abductions involving new mothers in Manchester, New Hampshire, when one takes a deadly turn. |||||||
| 10 | "The Time Is Now" | Tim Matheson | Joy Blake & Melissa Blake | May 4, 2011 (2011-5-4) | 110 | 8.83 |
| When a girl in Los Angeles who manipulated teen boys into killing their families' case mistrials and falls on the hands of Agent Cooper, he must work with his team to solve the case. |||||||
| 11 | "Strays" | Anna J. Foerster | Chris Mundy & Glen Mazzara | May 11, 2011 (2011-5-11) | 103 | 9.31 |
| When FBI Director Fickler's goddaughter, who is also the estranged daughter of a federal judge, is kidnapped, Agent Cooper and his team must try all means to get her back safely and apprehend the kidnapper. |||||||
| 12 | "The Girl in the Blue Mask" | Félix Alcalá | Mark Richard | May 18, 2011 (2011-5-18) | 112 | 8.46 |
| The red cell team must solve a case involving a killer who disfigures the faces of his victims, a case in which the first victim was found in the FBI's backyard: Quantico, Virginia. They are eventually lead to his home in Dale City, Virginia. |||||||
| 13 | "Death by a Thousand Cuts" | Edward Allen Bernero | Ian Goldberg | May 25, 2011 (2011-5-25) | 113 | 7.25 |
| Agent Cooper and his team travel to Dallas in an attempt to close a case of a serial abductor and shooter by proxy who randomly kills for fun. Also, Prophet and Beth go undercover and Beth's fate is compromised. |||||||

## Home media

The DVD Edition :
| Set details | Set details | Special features | Special features |
| 13 episodes 4-disc set (Region 1 only) Widescreen Subtitles: English English: Dolby Digital 5.1 | 13 episodes 4-disc set (Region 1 only) Widescreen Subtitles: English English: Dolby Digital 5.1 | Alternate Reality: The New Criminal Minds Inside The Red Cell The Profiler House of Corpses Loved Ones Backdoor-pilot from Criminal Minds Season 5: "The Fight" Gag Reel Deleted Scenes | Alternate Reality: The New Criminal Minds Inside The Red Cell The Profiler House of Corpses Loved Ones Backdoor-pilot from Criminal Minds Season 5: "The Fight" Gag Reel Deleted Scenes | Alternate Reality: The New Criminal Minds Inside The Red Cell The Profiler House of Corpses Loved Ones Backdoor-pilot from Criminal Minds Season 5: "The Fight" Gag Reel Deleted Scenes |
| DVD release date |||
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 |
| September 6, 2011 (2011-9-6) | Not Released | Not Released |

## Ratings

| Season | Timeslot (EDT) | Series Premiere | Series Finale | TV Season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
| 1 | Wednesdays 10:00pm | February 16, 2011 | May 25, 2011 | 2011 | No. 39 | 10.57 |

## Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an aggregate score of 42% based on 11 positive and 15 negative critic reviews. The website’s consensus reads: "With plotlines that are both ludicrous and predictable, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior falls victim to audience overfamiliarity."