I will always watch this show. Always. It could be made with a cardboard set and Ed Bernero playing all the parts, and I would still watch it.
But.
CBS still sucks. It was a sexist move, and I don't know how anyone could see it otherwise. The show is already mildly sexist in that there are only three female regulars. While CM is much better at dealing with the female victims than other shows, it is still a little offputting that so many women get attacked and so few men do. Cutting the female cast is terrible. Especially since this show is one of few that shows women in real positions of power. JJ and Emily are important to the team. You would never hear any of the team members saying that JJ or Emily were replaceable. And yet, that's exactly what this jerk move from CBS says. The show treats women one way while the studio treats them another. Again, if CBS was having budget issues, there were plenty of other places to trim fat- the spinoff, Charlie Sheen's (Or really any other major actor's) salary, taking on less new shows.
I also see Doctor Who being brought up as an example of a show where the cast has changed and people still watched. I feel like this is a terrible example, as the entire point of DW is change. Change is so built into the show that to not change would be stupid. You can't have an alien that doesn't physically age be played by one person. Part of the reason old villians come back is to give the show a sense of rhythm that the leads cannot provide. The Daleks will always have some crazy scheme to rule the universe. The Cybermen will always be ready to assimilate. And even thought the companion changes, there will always be one to ask The Doctor questions.
These elements steady Doctor Who, but the elements that steady Criminal Minds are the cast. Morgan will always kick down a door. Reid will always have a statistic. Emily will always have a snarky comeback. JJ will always give a press conference, and will always feel for the victim. With cases changing every week, it is the team that steadies the show, so to take away any member of the team shakes the rhythm of the show. This may not be a terrible thing, but it is upsetting enough to get strong reactions from fans. And until the new rhythm of the show is found, there will be a lot of bitching and moaning. This happens even with Doctor Who.
And as to the arrangement that this is Hollywood, and it's ruthless and whatnot, I counter with the Friends example. They stuck together as a cast and refused to be bullied by their studio. And the studio listened. There are other examples of fans and cast members alike standing up to the studio and demanding what is right. So no, Hollywood does not have to be dog-eat-dog.
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momijizukamori
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Date: Jun. 26th, 2010 04:37 am (UTC)But.
CBS still sucks. It was a sexist move, and I don't know how anyone could see it otherwise. The show is already mildly sexist in that there are only three female regulars. While CM is much better at dealing with the female victims than other shows, it is still a little offputting that so many women get attacked and so few men do. Cutting the female cast is terrible. Especially since this show is one of few that shows women in real positions of power. JJ and Emily are important to the team. You would never hear any of the team members saying that JJ or Emily were replaceable. And yet, that's exactly what this jerk move from CBS says. The show treats women one way while the studio treats them another. Again, if CBS was having budget issues, there were plenty of other places to trim fat- the spinoff, Charlie Sheen's (Or really any other major actor's) salary, taking on less new shows.
I also see Doctor Who being brought up as an example of a show where the cast has changed and people still watched. I feel like this is a terrible example, as the entire point of DW is change. Change is so built into the show that to not change would be stupid. You can't have an alien that doesn't physically age be played by one person. Part of the reason old villians come back is to give the show a sense of rhythm that the leads cannot provide. The Daleks will always have some crazy scheme to rule the universe. The Cybermen will always be ready to assimilate. And even thought the companion changes, there will always be one to ask The Doctor questions.
These elements steady Doctor Who, but the elements that steady Criminal Minds are the cast. Morgan will always kick down a door. Reid will always have a statistic. Emily will always have a snarky comeback. JJ will always give a press conference, and will always feel for the victim. With cases changing every week, it is the team that steadies the show, so to take away any member of the team shakes the rhythm of the show. This may not be a terrible thing, but it is upsetting enough to get strong reactions from fans. And until the new rhythm of the show is found, there will be a lot of bitching and moaning. This happens even with Doctor Who.
And as to the arrangement that this is Hollywood, and it's ruthless and whatnot, I counter with the Friends example. They stuck together as a cast and refused to be bullied by their studio. And the studio listened. There are other examples of fans and cast members alike standing up to the studio and demanding what is right. So no, Hollywood does not have to be dog-eat-dog.