Criminal Minds Star AJ Cook Gives Fans A Close-Up Look At JJ In The Upcoming Reboot
When a series enjoys a fan base and longevity like "Criminal Minds," it's easy to see why those involved would be reluctant to give it up. Kirsten Vangsness, who will return as Penelope Garcia, described them during the final season as a family, telling Parade, "That's been a theme with us for this show just in general. I don't know from any other show, I just know I feel infinitely lucky that I got to be on this show and have this group of people that are like my family."
Luckily for Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, and Adam Rodriguez, they didn't have to wait decades to reunite with their "Criminal Minds" family, but just two years. Showrunner Erica Messer admitted that after the show ended in February 2020, she was already having talks about bringing it back by the summer, but with a major change to its storytelling. "We take you into the dark, we scare you, and then we save you, but adjust to the streaming market," she told EW.
With the show gearing up for a Fall 2022 return, the actors have been slowly dropping sneak peeks on their social media. Tyler posted a video telling people to "strap in because wheels are about to be up," and Vangsness posted a photo in full Penelope Garcia mode. Now it's Cook's turn to tease the return of Agent JJ Jareau.
AJ Cook posted an Instagram photo dressed as Agent JJ Jareau
On September 14, 2022, A.J. Cook posted a photo of herself on Instagram in her FBI vest and hair pulled back, writing, "JJ's baaaaaaaack!!! And it feels so good. Criminal Minds:Evolution set to stream on Paramount+ ✨ More details to come....." It's safe to say that with over 300,000 likes and countless comments, fans are excited Cook is posting a glimpse of the "Criminal Minds" reboot. And in a joint interview, the actors all spilled the details on what their characters have been up to since we last saw them.
"In the time that you didn't see, [JJ] and her family moved to New Orleans and she headed a department over there. Then, the pandemic got out of control and they decided to come back," Cook told EW. "The pandemic has been really hard on a lot of our characters. We're going to see some things that are heartbreaking but very relatable. We've all been through the [wringer] through quarantine and COVID. We really wanted to pay homage to that."
While fans are excited, there's still disappointment that some of the original actors, such as Matthew Gray Gubler, have chosen not to join the "Criminal Minds" revival. Erica Messer is still hoping that Gubler and others will find time to make appearances once in a while, and viewers hope the same. "Criminal Minds" will stream on Paramount+ this fall.