La team de CM chat avec les fans

@Erin_Lee54:
What was that first day back with everyone together again like for everybody? <3

@CM_SetReport - Erica Messer [ecm]
ecm: rewarding! there's nothing like having your whole family together. biggest smiles we've had for a long time!

@KaseyBryant1
will there still be serial killers or will they be toning it down a bit in this season?


ecm: we'll have a mix of all types... most will be serial offenders.


@Dani257
For Erica - I hope not, but are there any plans to pair up any team members romantically?


ecm: that's one of the most asked questions we get! we'll be exploring the intensity of the friendships both on and off the case cont...
ecm: but there are no plans for our team member's kissing... some people are okay with hugs :)


@Rensomnia
Can we delve more deeply into how each member copes with the stress of the job? More family drama (GOOD & bad), too?

ecm: yes, we're trying to be as realistic about the demands of the job and how it affects everyone.

@kqorr0103
Heard there was going to be a big Reid arc this season. Know she's busy with Glee but will the wonderful Jane Lynch be back?

ecm: we'd LOVE to have Jane come over to play at our house! fingers crossed...

@holliefjsmith
What vision does [Erica] have for the show over the upcoming years?


ecm: i'd love to reveal more about our heroes. each episode this season will do that... and it's a trend that should continue forever


@BrigitteCMFan TB
My question to Erica: what's in store for Hotch this season?


ecm: you'll see Hotch in a different light... he's a complex hero and we'll be exploring more layers of what makes him tick


@holliefjsmith
What's [Erica's] favourite CM episode and why?


ecm: that's like choosing between my children! i have to say the premiere is close to my heart -- the biggest victory of all. our family!


@holliefjsmith
Will we see more moments of the team socialising outside of the office? :)

ecm: we will!

@RobbyGT RobbyGT
Question, Do you guys actually film in DC/MD/VA where a lot of the show takes place??


ecm: oh my god, i love you! we don't, but our amazing crew sure makes it look like we do... all los angeles, all the time :)


@zackgibra
What happened to Rossi's Marine Corps background story? Will we see it in Season 7?


ecm: you'll hear some more about it in episode 703 written by the talented Sharon Lee Watson.


@HotchBeard SSA Hotchner's Beard
are you #TeamBeard or #TeamRazor?


ecm: when i saw tg w/beard this summer i wanted everyone to see it so wrote to it! glad there's a following... #tie


@BonesTvFanatic Ivana ♥
where are you chatting live from?

ecm: the writers' room!


@CM_SetReport
http://yfrog.com/z/h79ysipej

@fitchconnie
question for erica messer.....did you ever think in your wildest dreams the show would be this popular

ecm: we've had our heads down, doing the work for seven years. the fact that it's seen around the world will always blow my mind!

@SuperMegaLaura
Will There Be More Baby Henry? :D

ecm: YES! look for him in episode 7x07 written by the brilliant Virgil Williams!

@ttessa21
What's it like to work with such an amazing cast?

ecm: it makes coming to work each day a gift! they make us look good!!! and they're the nicest group i've ever worked with :)

@Hirumagal
How is everyone going to react to Emily's return?

ecm: each in their own way... we stayed true to each character. you'll see more tonight! if you're in the states...

@CriminalHist0ry Historyo5
Why don't we see more promos with ladies of CM? I love the boys very much! But the girls are integral to the how as well! THKS

ecm: agreed! they are AMAZING!

@valia214 Valentina
for erica: did u go to the meet & greet in laguna? were u surprised at how many people were there? did any1 recognize u?

ecm: i did! when i saw the LONG LINE i snapped a picture. loved how many fans turned out. @kqorr0103 said hello and 3 young fans! :)

@twinstar1954
does JJ family life have some of the same difficulty Aaron had or can she handle it better because Will knows what to expect?

ecm: working parents have that bond -- but each relationship is different so the challenges will be, too.

@JJ_Jareau_CM
What can criminal minds fans look forward to this season? ;)

ecm: insights into each character's life... we meet 1 of rossi's ex-wives, explore hotch's life & deal with the repercussions re: prentiss

@KaseyBryant
how long does it take you guys to do an episode?

ecm: prep w/director is 7 days, shooting is 8, post varies 2-3 weeks and then you see it!

@Steph_Pep
How did you find my video that aired during the Panel Center?

ecm: you're video was wonderful! TG showed it to me and we wanted everyone to see it! will post the link shortly!

@Cali3643
what's more Important hw or criminal minds?

ecm: the mom in me says homework. the producer in me says #criminalminds !!

@SpecialAgentBoo Agent Boo
ok, one more question! How often do you guys do events outside of CA?

ecm: it's rare during our shooting season but in the hiatus our cast travels the world! hoping to attend #sdcc next summer!!

@alana_jones
Will Morgan be keeping his office this season? How about JJ?

ecm: he will. she won't. stay tuned!

@tstutzy90
what are the chances the show will be on demand or online for viewers unable to watch as it airs?

ecm: it's a co-production so it's always been tricky. we're finally on iTunes!

@SageWhitworth
#criminalminds can we hope to see any romance for some of the cast members this season?

ecm: yep and i'd tell you more but you didn't ask with who!!! wait and see...

@debadle
Are you taking over the CM chats for this year?

ecm: every thurs (sched permit) courtesy of cmsetreport.blogspot.com our first chat is tomorrow w/ @Gibsonthomas deets 2 follow

@pise7en
Do the cast [members] choose what outfits they're going to wear or [does] someone decide for them? Thanks!

ecm: BJ Rogers leads our talented group of costumers & is responsible for all the fantastic outfits u c.@CM_SetReport vid coming soon

@Tea_Aficionado
Ay, caramba! So excited for tonight!!! Any more teasers about what will happen in the first episode??

ecm: sergio's fate will be revealed!! as will our team's... make sure to watch tonight @ 9pm EST/PST on CBS! come to our chat tomorrow!

That's all the time we have with Erica. Be sure to follow @ajcookofficial as she live tweets the east coast feed tonight.

TG: hello! Thomas here. WE have 107 questions so should we get started?
ECM: Hello everybody!


iceprnce1: Will we see more of the beard?

TG: The beard wishes to be seen, but the razor aint so sure.


a2z: Can we get any hints regarding the JJ/Hotch friendship exploration?

ECM: These two have the most in common as working parents. It's unspoken but strong. They've grown closer in the past few seasons and that will continue.


SnowLeopardLass: Thomas, how does it feel to have The Team back together again?

TG: REunited, and it feels so good...


Gubelette: Where was Reid during the time he wasn't with the unit and how long was he gone?

ECM: You'll find out a bit more in episode 7x02... he's been dealing with his mom...


katharine: Hi Thomas, will hotch be smiling more this season?

TG: Hotch is almost always smiling on the inside…


jennseiler: Sorry about that - My question is for Thomas - are a lot of pranks pulled by the CM cast members? If so, who is the biggest prankster?

TG: there are many pranks and much fun in direct proportion to grimness of the material…and, sometimes I am seen as the Prankster in Chief, but that ain't always the case...


connive: do we get to find out more about strauss? (why she took the leave)

ECM: Yes we do! She's such a great character and we wanted to humanize her a bit more this season and those to come...


paddles0626: Hi! Longtime CM fangirl here This question is for Thomas- what was it like to go from Dharma and Greg- comedy, to CM, which is super-intense? Did you prepare for your roles in different ways?

TG: You know when the writing is so good, as it was on D&G and as it is on CM, then it's easy to prepare…plus, you do your homework...


stucky1513: how upset is Reid with Hotch? will there be a confrontation?

ECM: Expect some kung-fu confrontation! Kidding... each character deals with that "betrayal" in their own way...


Explodingegg: I'd love to know what Mr. G's favorite iPhone apps are

TG: ok, it's not an iOS app, but there's a really cool Mac app called DaisyDisk which scans your hard disk and presents it as an interactive visual map…it's ten bucks (apparently usually twenty) but really great!


Outfitter: Thomas, do you ship MGG and Shemar. You even said they're engaged. and the way they look at each other and take cuddling pictures together

TG: MGG and Shemar ship themselves…!


psych eek: How are you feeling today Erica after such a outstanding response to the first show of Season 7?

ECM: I'm feeling happy for all of us -- we've worked hard to turn this ship around and are looking forward to telling more amazing stories for our heroes!


Explodingegg: Thomas, who were the biggest influences on you growing up - as an actor or in any other way?

TG: As an actor, I feel like I was influenced by everyone I saw…I particularly remember being impressed by Peter Sellars' amazing performances


Avery: Hi there! First of all, congratz on the AMAZING premiere!! My question is if we will see more of Hotch's dimples during the season!! ;)

TG: Dimples are not FBI authorized...


amandazucoloto: Hi! About the socializing moments, are we gonna have one like the bar scene with JJ, Prentiss and Garcia in the second season? That was awesome!!

ECM: We'll have one that's even better! Coming very soon...


giann105: Thomas!!!! What is a typical day on set like??

TG: Typical day in the studio or on location…we show up, rehearse, shoot, have lunch, shoot some more, shoot some more, and then go home, and do it again the next day…


Michelle: Is it me or did Rossi not seemed surprised by Prentiss being alive? Is that something?

ECM: Very good catch, Michelle. Stay tuned... like 6 days away tuned...


freechickennow: Erica, how do you think up new storylines for the show when the show's been going on for so long?

ECM: It's certainly not just me... there's a village of very talented storytellers who help keep it fresh.


katharine: Thomas what is the hardest part about playing hotch?

TG: I think the hardest part of playing hotch is answering questions about what's the hardest part of playing hotch…


gube187: What was your first impression, when you first met Matthew?

TG: Powerful dork


katie.weber: When will we learn about what it was like for Emily while she was in hiding?

ECM: She'll reveal a bit of that in the next few episodes.


_iamtb: TG: What do you think of all the crazy ships us cri-minders have? ;)

TG: I think it means that we're doing something right that you're interested in exploring dynamics of different relationships...


Explodingegg: Erica, how do you feel about some of the videos-fan art-fan fiction that people put together? Is it cool to see that stuff on YouTube? Or do things like "copyright infringement" pop in your head? (personally I love that stuff)

ECM: The videos are amazing! I love to see how our show is seen and loved by so many people in so many countries. The ones with humor (ie: the friends theme song) make me laugh out loud


Christine_Druesne: Thomas, Would do you like to do a stage play again in Broadway ?

TG: I miss doing plays and hope to get back to doing theater work soon…anywhere!!!


laurapotterxx: Will we get to see more of Jack/Henry this season? We miss them!!

ECM: We sure will!


_iamtb: TG...what's your all time favorite Beatles song?

TG: today, it might be A Day in the Life...


laurapotterxx: Hey there Erica! Is there a video game for CM out/to be coming out? Are you the wrong person to ask??

ECM: It's in the works. TG saw a screen cap in France. Will ask around and get an answer by next week's chat!


criminal musings: Thomas, does anyone roll their eyes when you get out your phone and start asking them to pose for pictures?

TG: yes, that's why I try to take candid snaps…


_prentiss: Thomas, do people ever wonder why you take pictures of feet.. every Tuesday?

TG: it has become TTFT tradition, but I reserve the right to post phoot photos on phridays or anyday…


Kris: What can you tell us about the new writers CM has this season?

ECM: There's 3 new writers who've joined our team of 8 this season. They're seasoned and talented and love our show which makes this season the best yet.


gchan: Thomas, do you think you can convince Shemar to start tweeting? since you are the twitter king! :)

TG: I don't think it's possible to convince Shamboogie to do anything he doesn't want to…!


Rensomnia: I love how the both of you are so incredibly available to your fans (Twitter, chats like this, Facebook pages, etc). How do you manage the time to do all this?

TG: Since it's relatively easy to post via phone, etc., it's pretty easy to find the minute or two to do it!

ECM: One time Hotch said, he gives 100% at work and 100% when he's home. We do the same. We're lucky to do what we love for a living and the fans are a HUGE reason we're here right now chatting with you lovely folks.


SheilaMarie: Thomas, t'etait excellent ce lundi !! C'etait l'idee a qui?

TG: C'etait une idee de Chuck Lorre!


criminal musings: Thomas, do you skype with your kiddos every day like Hotch did with Jack? (So glad Jack got a mention by the way! Thank you Erica!)

TG: As long as we're shooting in a spot with a signal, I try to do it every day...


swpwallie: Thomas, how was the party last night? Did you prepare any of the food? Or was it pizza and beer?

TG: It was a great party, and maybe made better by the fact that I left the cooking to professionals…!


_iamtb: You all realize how much we love and appreciate this cast/crew right? :D

ECM: You are not alone! This is, by far, the greatest group of people I've ever worked with. We're truly a family. We have good and bad days but always work through it.


CheetoBreath: Thomas, how many times do you hit the snooze button? LOL

TG: After the party last night, I did hit it a few times this morning!


Bailey: Thomas, which episode is your all time favorite?

TG: How can you choose among your children?


heleena_barzel: are you laughing about all this questions ?

TG: We might giggle a little about some of them!

TG: For a little turnabout, can I ask a question? If Hotch were included in nicepeter's Epic Battles of Rap…who would he battle???

ECM: GIDEON!

thecowboycliche: Foyet?
shaan: Chuck norris
criminallymindless: Dharma Montgomery! :)
katharine: Bond
Heidi: It doesn't matter, because according to Jack, "Nobody beats Daddy!" :)
raisadaxx: agent mulder and scully
shandendoah: charlie sheen
gchan: Optimus Prime? LOL


criminallymindless: Erica, what is your favorite part of starting a brand new season?

ECM: Looking at where we've been and where we can go with the heroes we all know and love. It was obvious that there are many, many more stories to tell and that was exciting.


Alex: Is chatting with fans a fun way to spend a Thursday night?

TG: oh yeah!


rcaponetto: How do you get your hair to look so awesome?

TG: Juilliard, and a wee dab o' product…


cmwonderlady: Will next week's chat also be with you two?

ECM: We've got a 24 episode order this season and the plan is for you to chat with all of the writers after their eps air. Would also love for you guys to get to see more behind-the-scenes which is why we started @cm_setreport


_iamtb: I hope my Biology teacher accepts that I do not have my work done because I decided to chat with the lovelies, EM and TG.

TG: DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

ECM: says the dad! Do it NOW, says the mom!


pise7en: Hi Thomas! How do you feel about wearing ties every day? Thanks!

TG: a little choked up...


a: What question do you get the most?

TG: it's all about the feet...


gchan: Thomas, can we get a WHEELS UP? :P

TG: WAIT FOR IT….


TG: W
TG: H
TG: E
TG: E
TG: L
TG: S


TG: ………………………..up

ECM: Thanks for the love everybody!


TG: thanks…g'night!

jsb: hey everyone. so excited to be here!

swpwallie: Hi Janine! You seem to focus on the criminally insane. Where do you get your insight or should I say inspiration?

jsb: my family

jsb: bring it on!

Misty: After seeing “Proof” some fans are talking about how immature Reid is. Was it how you intended the character to come across during the episode ? As a big Reid fan I really, really struggled with that aspect of the episode.

jsb: look, jj and reid have been best friends. to play reid as accepting the lie and not having real life consequences to it would have been false.

Kris: Welcome Janine, thanks for an awesome episode last night. Where I really loved it and didn't mind the gory subject matter, I've read where some people thought it was too much. What would you say to those people?

jsb: maybe we shouldn't have shown the girls' eyes out. in script, it didn't seem as bad but on the table it was hard.

Janie: What was your inspiration for the final scene where Rossi was teaching the team how to cook? I loved it :)

jsb: we needed to bring the family together. we needed to have closure, so I thought why not go to rossi's and break bread. the man can really cook....so that's what we did. i loved that scene!

Kris: You've written for both Third Watch and ER, both ensemble shows. This is your 2nd year with CM. How does CM compare with your experiences with those shows? Other than the subject matter, how does it differ?

jsb: i've been really lucky. all the shows i have been on are great. this is definitely the scariest but the crew and the writers are the best!

swankyhoodrat: Hey Janine; loved last night's episode! I have a question about Morgan. Although he seemed to forgive Prenntiss on the surface, he seemed hesitant about it, especially after 701. Is this something that will expanded on in future episodes?

jsb: stay tuned....

proofchat: Do you have a favorite BAU character to write for? If so, who? What makes this character your favorite?

jsb: love all of them.... and im not just saying that to keep my job.

pastapartycounseling: Does Reid's presence at Rossi's in the final scene mean the friction between him and JJ is over?

jsb: yes..they're bffs again

Reidsgirl91: So we've had a bearded Hotch and a couple smiles from him. Are we suddenly seeing a new side to Hotch?

jsb: look for more smiles.....seriously, i was shocked too!

samiam1294: favorite line of the episode???

jsb: fade out...

ShellPalmer: Do you think that Reid and Morgan have fully gotten over the deception of Prentiss' 'death'?

jsb: reid yes...morgan.......not so much.... you'll see...

proofchat: Loved seeing JJ able to get in there more, and be more involved, especially in "Proof". Do you (or any of the writers have plans to give JJ some scenes where AJ can really flex her acting muscles. She does already, but I am always up for more JJ!

jsb: yes, she is back and we plan to really have her go there this season.

masovamari: Why do you think showing so much violence is actually good to the show?

jsb: i think one of the reasons this show is so successful is because it's edgy. sometimes we push the envelope too far but in general it doesn't bother me. does it bother you guys?

Kris: not even a little bit
Reidsgirl9: Doesn't bother me!
paparossi: yes it does bother us i wanted to vomit last night

jsb: really, what did you have for dinner?

ghostturtleneck: YES YES IT BOTHERS UP

jsb: my next episode i will ease up......maybe. it's unfortunate this show is about serial killers, i wish they didn't kill to be serial.

Janie: is it hard to write for a show when the cast is so close on and off screen? or does it make it easier?

jsb: honestly, it's hard to write in general but the fact that this cast is close allows us to have a daily interaction with the actors.

ShellPalmer: Do you think there'll be love on the horizon for any of the characters this season?

jsb: lots even for sergio!

Selly_M: Just want to say how much I appreciated that Reid admitted to the Dilaudid issue. Although we all knew it, it seemed a bit glossed over (I'm sure because he would have lost his job.) But it was great for him to just say it.

jsb: when you are in a 12 step program, you are constantly battling your demons. reid is no different.

gchatter: What episode will you be writing next? Any early ideas?

jsb: im writing ep. 10... and I don't want to give anything away. but it's cooooooool.

Reidsgirl91: How important, would you say, is casting the perfect Unsub?

jsb: it's very important. i've spent the last 22 hours trying to make a deal for an unsub that will freak you out. hoping it works.

audrey: reid and jj were never bff. you don't know your canon

jsb: reid is godfather to jj's child.... my canon rocks!!!

proofchat: As a writer, do you ever write a line and then have the actor deliver it differently than you imagined? (Prentiss's "Reid..." comes to mind after he storms out.) Is it gratifying to have your work interpreted another way or does it catch you by surprise?

jsb: it catches me by surprise but it's the best part of the job.

kitty: Yay to JSB for standing your ground on canon!

Alana: I couldn’t help but notice Reid’s “I had to deal with some stuff with my mom” and “I have a lot going on.” Can we expect to see the show dealing with Reid’s personal problems soon?

jsb: the line explained where reid was during the past three months which we will learn more about later in the season.

temperedsuggestion: For the unsub, did you cast an actor with a developmental disability, or did you have an actor "play dumb"? (Pardon my phrasing).

jsb: andy milder is an amazing actor. check out "weeds" on showtime!
jsb: and that's all acting...

lcm123: Why does Emily seems so ok after all she went through? Are we going to see some of the "scars" of being hiding for months? Or she is ok now?

jsb: she's not okay...

proofchat: For the final scene in Rossi's kitchen, did you write that he cooked spaghetti carbonara or did you leave it open for Joe to interpret and cook what he wanted?

jsb: i wrote carbonara but rossi can cook anything.

elle306: Is Jane Lynch returning as Diana Spencer?!

jsb: wouldn't that be great!

sue5789: are going see hotch scars

jsb: magic eight-ball says "outlook good!"

iandoyle: are there going to continually be "happy endings" at the end of episodes this season? it seems too cheesy and convenient

jsb: no, it's going to get tragic!

swpwallie: Yeah! Team shirtless!

jsb: guess what? hotch can do the butterfly.

Reidsgirl91: how hard is it to write episodes that involve crimes against children?

jsb: not a problem at all. no, seriously, it's difficult.

emily: what was Emily doing when she was 'dead' did she get another job somewhere and try to blend in, or did she just hide in a room for 3 months, or try to follow any news on ian dolye or what?

jsb: we're going to get to this. trust me, it wasn't easy for her.

Selly_M: How hard is it to write Reid and his genuis, random facts? He always makes me laugh with his rambling and then think...damn, the writers had to look this stuff up. haha

jsb: it's super hard. thank god for wikipedia!

saviour: What character dynamic do you think is the most interesting?

jsb: i love rotch!

kitty: Yay ROTCH

littleskittles9: are we going to see kevin lynch again?!?

jsb: garcia would be really mad if we didn't. so would we.

swon: Do all the writers work together on episodes or does each person get a turn? If you take turns, what do you do when it's not "your episode"?

jsb: we are constantly helping to break other writers episodes. im also helping with casting, cutting eps in the editing room, researching, scouting, meetings, giving notes on scripts... we are working all the time. if it's ever 3 in the morning, trust me a CM writer is working.

liedla: What's your favorite episode from before you were a writer?

jsb: the 100th! still makes me cry.

Travis_Mom: Why weren't the other team members told that Prentiss was still alive?

jsb: they couldn't take any chances... her life was at stake.

liedla: Will we ever see Anderson again? He is more than a pretty face, you know.

jsb: yes....

OrkutCM: How many writers have CM?

jsb: 8 writers. all amazing.

Danielle: The 100th was such a powerful episode! Poor poor Hotch.

emily: what types of episodes/scenes are the most fun or hard to write?

jsb: i love delving in to the mind of the unsub. the idea that they are just everyday people, living next to all of us, intrigues me.

swpwallie: Does the moderator show you all the questions asked; and you pick the ones you want to answer? If so, you're pretty daring...not afraid of the tough ones

jsb: yes but there are so many so im just trying to be fair.

KristinaG: I feel as though we've lost the dorky awkward Reid and I miss him! Will we see more dorky rants?

jsb: stay tuned.

gchan: who was your favorite unsub ever?

jsb: all the ones i wrote.

swpwallie: Can you tell us which character is the focus of episode 10?

jsb: hotch is the focus of ep 10 and i truly feel you guys will love where the episode goes. we'll see him in a different light... i hope you guys will root for him! we are!


jsb: thanks for this you guys. trust me when i say you guys are the best fans ever!

SLW: Hi everyone, it's Sharon. Can't wait for your questions.

LaTXCVI: Sharon, congratulations on a terrific first screenplay for the show where you were credited. How'd you come up with the idea behind Dorado Falls?

SLW: Thanks. I've always been interested in Capgras Syndrome but had never been able to use it in a story before. Criminal Minds seemed like the perfect place for it and a Navy Seal unsub turned the disease into something deadly.

TwistedCistern: What are the chief differences between writing for Criminal Minds and for other shows you have written for?

SLW: I wrote for the Unit and Lie to Me before Criminal Minds. On both of those series, I was part of establishing the format and characters more. On Criminal Minds, I'm joining a successful show in season 7 so it's more about not messing it up!

criminalmusings: my friend Danni who couldn't attend would like to know which of the writers (besides Rick) has the Doctor Who obsession

SLW: I do! I've loved Dr. who since I was a kid.

gchan: hi Sharon! :) great episode! the Morgan/Prentiss scene in the beginning & end were great! will we get to see her training w/ Morgan? (even just a few glimpces)

SLW: possibly ☺

zanneJ: Which character is the easiest for you to write, and which is the most difficult?

SLW: It's hard to say which is easiest or hardest, but so far it's fun writing Reid and Garcia because they tend to have lighter personas on the show.

zanneJ: How did Luke had prosopagnosia as well as Capgras Syndrome, wouldn't he have been unable to recognize his own face in the mirror?

SLW: Good question. He didn't exactly have prosopagnosia (face blindness). The people looked like his family members but he believed they were imposters. As for the mirror, it was purposely a grimy, distorted mirror so that conceivably, he wouldn't have the same problem when he looked at himself.

jillian: I can't wait to see all the cases this year with the team finally back together. How long will the team take to get back to 100%?

SLW: We'll probably deal with this for awhile. It'll take time for everyone to cope, just like in real life.

thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: I loved the way you worked Prentiss' trauma into the episode as a parallel with the unsub. Will we learn more about Prentiss' time away and/or its lasting effects on her in future episodes?

SLW: I'd love to learn more about Prentiss' time away myself so yes, hopefully we will explore it.

weallhaveanelephantsmemory: Each character had an about equal role in the episode, which was great. But how hard it is to keep a balanced dynamic, rather than end up focusing on one or two characters/their dynamic?

SLW: It's tricky! There's not a lot of room in the script and you want to give each character a voice and a role in the case. But that said, we do tend to pick one or two characters in each episode to focus a personal story on.

KrisyPie: How do you prepare yourself to write about something so dark?

SLW: I get in a warm and cozy place and turn on all the lights.

thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: i really loved seeing Rossi's military past and expertise in negotiating put to good use in this episode. Can we expect to see more of the team members' particular skills emphasized this season (Morgan's bomb squad experience or Reid's skills with a map, for example?)

SLW: You'll definitely see more of that. My next episode centers around Reid and we will see his map skills and more.

Explodingegg: How'd you get into screen writing?

SLW: I actually got into it the roundabout way, by attending med school first. I had always been interested in writing, though, and managed to get an agent when I was a resident.

doradochat: We have now seen the inside of Rossi, Prentiss, Hotch & Garcia's homes. Any chance we will go home with Morgan, JJ or Reid this season?

SLW: We'll go home with JJ in episode 707. Will and Henry will return as well.

LaTXCVI: You're also listed as an executive producer. What do you find rewarding about each of your roles - EP/screenwriter - on the show?

SLW: As a producer, it's a lot of fun to be involved in things other than just the writing, such as being involved with the filming and editing of each episode.

paramount: There doesn't seem to be the same comraderie between Morgan and Reid that there has been in the past. Is this something that will come back?

SLW: It will definitely be back. Wait about 6 days!!

thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: How similar was the finished version of "Dorado Falls" to the original script? What got changed, added, or left out?

SLW: The final version is actually very close to the original script.

thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: Are you on set constantly during filming? What is your role during that time?

SLW: Yes, the writer of each episode is on set from beginning to end. Our role is to answer questions the director or cast may have and to make sure the intent of each scene in the script is clear.

rossorito: When will you be writing next?

SLW: I'll be writing episode 711 which airs Jan 18.

coolranchdoritofalls: How often do you draw from real-life experiences when writing episodes?

SLW: Surprisingly often. Real-life conversations with friends and family often end up in scripts.

doritooooooos: In a past episode, we saw Kevin wanting to go off to live on a farm with Garcia and expand their relationship. In future episodes will we be exploring the Garcia/Kevin dynamic? Side question, Garcia and Morgan will still be their normal flirty funny selves aswell?

SLW: All of that will be addressed in episode 713!

jillian: How often do you write an episode? Do you get help from other writers?

SLW: Currently, I write every 8th episode. I get a lot of help from the other writers in the story breaking process. We all give extensive notes on everyone's outlines and scripts.

doradochat: What is your favorite episode of CM from a past season?

SLW: I really loved Lauren from last season and also Normal from season 4 but I'm a fan of too many episodes to name them all.

zanneJ: When you first came aboard, did you speak to each cast member to ask them more about what they felt about their characters and where they would like to go with them?

SLW: The writers spoke as a group to each cast member.

matia: how many hours do you work in a day

jessi: How long does it takes to write an episode?

SLW: The hours in a day vary from 9 hrs to all nighters when a script is due. We have two weeks to write an episode but still have other duties on the show during the daytime

thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: Do you have a working titled for 7.11?

SLW: True Genius

doritoooessss: how do writers decide which jokes make it on screen and which get cut

SLW: If we laugh when we see it :)

OneTrueThree: Who is your dream guest star?

SLW: Robert Patrick!

interpol: Will we see any new romances blossom this season?

SLW: Yes, next question.

gchan: will there be more epic team get togethers like the cooking lessons @ Rossi`s? (by the way, i`m kind of sad we didn`t get to see the team actually cooking in that episode. it would have been cute!)

SLW: I hope so. Those are always fun!

avf: You loved Normal, Robert Patrickl is your dream guest star, may I then assume you're a fellow X-Phile?

SLW: Yes! A major one. Wouldn't it be awesome to get Mulder and Scully to guest star???

SLW: Thank you so much for your questions. I had a great time! Hope to do this again soon!!

Breen Frazier (bf): Hello everyone!

nopetodope: question for Breen: Many fans have been "arguing" about Reid acting too much like Matthew, while others say he's maturing as a person, comments?

bf: It's a little bit of both. Matthew is always looking for new details to play with Reid. I think all the actors do. The humor in this episode is a reflection of that. But we try to keep the core of the character true. cough. So the MIT/CalTech mistake is mine. Apologies.

talleycat: Great episode, the best so far this season IMO. Loved the Jack and Hotch scene. Those are always gold. Hotch has been a lot less intense this season. I think he's smiled in every episode. Is there a reason why he's seems less "burdened"?

bf: We haven't discussed in the room why Hotch is less burdened. I think it's a function of the arc of the character. If the theme from last season is secrets, the theme for this season is scars. That's my take, BTW, not Messer's. Anyway, at a certain point the scar tissue heals and you learn how to move on. I think you're going to see that pop up with a few of the characters this season.

criminallymindless: Hello, Breen! Thank you so much for a wonderful episode last night. The writing was superb. Will we by chance get to see more of the prank war between Reid and Morgan? Please don't say it's over! :)

bf: Not yet. I'd like to see it revisited. It's a tonal issue, to be honest. In the middle of a murder investigation for Reid and Morgan to be one-upping each other can be distracting. I know it was divisive last night. The way I justified it was that it was on point with the theme of the episode. As the team was investigating a high school tragedy, the high school nature of their characters came out a little bit.

GublerlyMindless: How did you think of the idea for the Morgan vs. Reid thing? It was hilarious!

bf: It sort of evolved over the course of several rewrites. It started with Reid teasing JJ about being a mean girl. Then that led to, "Who were YOU (reid) in HS?" Then that led to Morgan and Reid going at it. The actors were all game. And I think if you watch the episode again, you can see a lot of subtlety in their humor. Shemar, esp. If you watch his face in Act 3, just reacting to Matthew, the man can say more with a look than with a speech.

Fred: Are we going to see more about Reid’s genius in the future, his scientific background (chemistry, engineering, math), ..?

bf: Yeah, we've got an episode coming up about that that deals extensively with that. Specifically, the question of, how well does a boy genius age?

NittyMcNitpicker: In your defense, I read interviews that Kirsten, Polly, and Matthew were trying to push the idea that the characters knew each other at MIT so they could have a crossover....

bf: I've heard that, too. The actors are VERY game to do it. My understanding is that it's a studio hangup. You can cross-promote when it's the same studio. We're an ABC/CBS co-prod. NCIS is just CBS.

Tigereye: Breen, you wrote one of my favorite CM episodes ever, 52 Pickup. I can see some common elements with that episode and Painless including the humor (loved!) and finally a bit of Hotch/Prentiss interaction. I appreciate you remembering that these two in the past have asked each other the difficult questions. Will we get to see more of that between them, especially given no one seems to know, except maybe JJ, what Emily went through in her time away?

bf: My next ep is all about that. Ep12. Here's my take... Hotch and Prentiss understand each other in a way that no two other members of the team do. That's esp true now that they're both survivors of MASSIVE TRAUMA. I thought a lot about this while writing Lauren. Do you think Emily Prentiss enjoyed sleeping with Ian Doyle? Was she holding her breath and her nose each time? I mean, these are really complex emotions that we've never unpacked. The two team members who come closest are Hotch and Morgan. In terms of violent and/or sexual assault. I believe that Hotch is the closest in terms of dealing with it, working on it. And he can help Prentiss through it as well.

pranksterparty: It seemed a bit strange that an episode focusing on high school bullying made no reference to Reid's experiences that we learned about in "Elephant's Memory" -- not even nonverbally. Was that a conscious decision, and if so, why?

bf: It's a question of "personal story" real estate. We only have so much time and space per episode. Just to be mercenary about it, we hadn't had a Hotch-centered episode and he needed one. And I was happy to write it because who doesn't love writing Hotch? As a result, there needed to be something else to do with Reid and I wanted a different flavor for Reid, a lighter moment. I mean, the episode is SO dark. You're talking about Columbine, school shooters. Stuff that can be a trigger for certain audience members. So rather than duplicate our strengths by having Hotch deal with a bully situation (at home) and Reid dealing with it in his past, we thought, let's play a funny runner between Morgan and Reid instead. At the end of the day, these decisions are dealer's choice. And that was mine.

Guinevere: Hi Breen! What great writing last night. There was a little bit of everything, violence, suspense, humour and tender moments. As one of my favourtie writers on the show, I can't wait to see your next episode. Can you tell us which ep that will be?

bf: Yeah, Ep12. Writing it now. Can't say too much. If you're obsessive about it... There's a Korean horror movie called "3 Extremes." It's basically a hard-R version of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Watch the middle section.

painless: Who thought up the screaming in the phone scene? I want to know!

bf: Matthew definitely enjoyed it. He doesn't get to play blind rage very often. I wrote it as intense, he performed it the way he did. But we talked a lot about the tone of the scene. Real quick digression about this... I asked our FBI profilers, Jim Clemente and Jim Fitzgerald if this practical joke was okay or if it was the type of thing they would never do. Fitz said, not only is it okay, he's done it on another profiler. So, a lesser-known detail about the job that we got right.

ssaminds: how did you come up with the idea for JJ to be cheetobreath?

bf: Heh. I love putting shout-outs to the fans in my episode wherever I can. That's it.

Rosalieee: Who is the hardest to write?

bf: None of them. JJ is the most fun to write now that she's a profiler.

Star76114: OMG Breen! Love the way your mind works!!!!

bf: Reid is the one that I feel the most kinship toward. Sorry to be that guy answering the question that way, but it's true. They're all a delight.

NittyMcNitpicker: Doesn't Prentiss having kept in touch with JJ-- even through online Scrabble-- sort of detract from Prentiss telling Reid that she lost 6 friends? Or was she just manipulating him?

bf: Yeah, but c'mon, playing online scrabble is not the same as seeing your friends for dinner, going out to a movie, going over to their apartment and sharing a glass of wine or hunting monsters together. It's a fair question, but I don't think it detracts from the pain Prentiss went through losing her entire family.

pranksterparty: We've been told that Reid and JJ's issues are resolved, but there still seems to be an underlying tension between them, particularly at Principal Givens' house. Was that your guidance, or was it nuanced acting by Matthew and AJ?

bf: Nuanced acting.

pranksterparty: This episode obviously referenced Columbine a great deal. Was that the origin of this story, or did a different aspect of the plot inspire you first?

bf: Great question. The episode started with a How Stuff Works podcast. They dealt with CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain. Which, I found out, both House and Grey's Anatomy did. So I dug deeper into the research and found asymbolia. A serial killer who doesn't feel pain was where this episode started. It was too good an idea not to have an episode be about. But it wasn't enough. As we started getting into the story, we needed more than just, "He can't feel anything and as a result he doesn't feel empathy. Because we were breaking the story in July, the whole "ten years later" idea was in the zeitgeist. WRT 9/11, obvs. But something about that stuck in my head, and I thought, "What if it's 10 years after a Columbine-styled incident?"

I've always wanted to do a school shooter episode, but could never find the right tone. My mom, who is a fan of the show, said, "The minute I see a 16 year old walking down the hall with a machine gun, I changing the channel." But if it's 10 years later, you can give the audience the emotional distance to study school shooters without exploiting it. As weird as it is, it's okay to see 27 year olds get killed, but not 17 year olds.

sonofadorito: It seemed kind of out of character that Reid would actually coach basketball, after his experience with the football team. Don't you think he would be a little traumatized?

bf: We made it basketball because of his history getting bullied by the football team. In my experience, the basketball team were not nearly the same kind of bullies as the football team. Also, you can break down the stats of HS basketball much more effectively than HS football. Sort of.

pranksterparty: What is your favorite episode of Criminal Minds that you've written? What are your favorites from any writer?

bf: Fave that I've written: Uncanny Valley. Fave of all time: 100

sonofadorito: Do you have a working title for your next episode?

bf: "Unknown Subject."

Cheery: Do you (and the other wirters) keep in mind how often the unsub is introduced at the beginning of the ep vs. revealed later on? The exposition for the latter is preferable, for me anyway.

bf: Yes, that's a big part of the story structure as we break it. It's one of those things that we sort of figure out as we go. It's not the first detail, but it's not the last either. Usually, the terms of the story dictate when we see the UnSub's face.

ghostturtleneck: Are we going to see more of Prentiss struggling with the events of the past few months? It seems from what we've seen so far, she's not ready to address it, which is very much how we would expect her to deal with it. Is it going to came to a point where she can't avoid it any longer?

bf: Ep12 is all about that.

dst: Are we ever going to revisit the family members of any of the team? e.g, Morgan/Prentiss' mother?

bf: Yes. Can't say who yet.

Rosalieee: Any Garcia/Kevin info? I love the geekiest couple of tv

bf: Ep13 will have Kevin.

bf: You guys are going to flip when you see what we're doing with the two of them. No, they're not getting engaged.

Rosalieee: Is it difficult to find new ways to kill people?

bf: YES!!!!! No, here's the problem. We've covered all the serial killer greatest hits. So now the question becomes, how deep do we need to go with the UnSub's individual personalities, the quirks that the team can profile. EG capgras or pain asymbolia. We are not (repeat NOT) going to turn into a disease of the week show. But we can't just do Bundy or Dahmer week in or week out. I have to say, that's where the new writers -- last season and this season -- have brought in a ton of new ideas that have reinvigorated the CM template. And they're a big part of why we've gotten to Season 7 and why I think the show can last well into Season 10.

Jasper: What character dynamic do you enjoy writing most?

bf: Character dymamic... hmm. Whoops. Here's the thing, and this is true of any writer on this staff or any writer in TV ever. You want to find NEW dynamics to play. New scenes that you haven't written before. New scenes that the actors can bring new life to. There's a small but important detail at the end of Uncanny Valley I can give you. Reid has just talked down the UnSub. Rossi looks at him and says, "Nice job, Dr. Reid." Not "kid" but "Dr. Reid." He sees Reid as not just AN equal, but HIS equal. I love Hotch/Prentiss. Love Morgan/Reid. She wasn't popular, but I liked Ashley and Rossi together.

painless: There is so much homoerotic subtext. Loved it. Whose idea?

bf: BWAH! Hang on... Ed Bernero and Simon Mirren's. Kidding. Look, these guys love each other. They hang out together. They're always cracking each other up. It's natural that the rapport between them as people would bleed through on camera. Ed always said this show was a family. Every show says that. This is the first show I've worked on where I felt it was the truth. So, the vibe you're getting is the actors really enjoying each other's company. I think that's a HUGE part of the show's staying power.

thatgirloverthere: How hard is it to write unsubs? Like, how can you, as a writer, go from writing a delusional phsycopath to someone who just loses it from one stressor?

bf: Eh. Hmm. It's a huge part of the show, where the stories start from. So, Erica Messer says, "I want to write an episode that starts with a little boy running for his life down the street Then we cut twenty years later and we see that same kid as an adult, and he goes on a rampage." When that's your starting point, you've already determined a lot about what your episode is going to be. Spree killer vs. serial, etc. For me, I like to dive into the research. I had been fascinated with hoarders, specifically, Homer and Langley... uh... somebody. Anyway... That turned into doll collecting, our inability to let our past go and, as a result, "Uncanny Valley."

MCV: In your experince is the writing process at Criminal Minds different from any other show you may have written for, in that a conscious choice has been made to involve the actors and their interpretation of the characters they portray and obviously care about, in the process

bf: It is different, both in the way you framed your question and from my personal experience. We ALWAYS seek out the actors' input. We have a table read and the actors go to each cast member afterward to get their notes. Usually, the cast member that is the focus of the episode has the most to say. That process is invaluable for making the episodes as true and good as they are. What's new to me is writing on a standalone procedural drama. I never thought I was going to be the type of guy who'd be able to write a CBS cop show. Fortunately, this is not a CBS cop shop. It's much better and smarter than that. But you know what I mean. It's not NCIS. Nitty. But what we get in the process is to tell season long arcs in a VERY special, detail-oriented way. Sometimes this is planned -- like Hotch and the Reaper. Sometimes it is thrust upon us -- like writing JJ and Prentiss out of the show. However we come by it, the best we can do is to write scripts that are true to the characters as we understand them and as the actors inhabit them.

drewski126: What is your favorite TV show besides Criminal Minds?

bf: Phineas and Ferb. I have a 4-year old. Love Mad Men and Justified and Homeland.

ReidLover: Why aren't you on Twitter?

bf: Remember Kurt Sutter? I have a bigger mouth than he does. There are things I say in the writers room that would probably get me fired. So its for the best that I stay off social networks in general.

freechickennow: Breen I love your personality. If I ever meet you, I'll buy you dinner. Dessert too.

bf: Will it be chicken?

Porthos: The no-inter-team-romance on CM has fostered a fan community where creative fanworks focusing on romantic relationships between characters has thrived without a lot of the issues and "drama" witnessed in other fandoms. Do you think this "no romance rule" has helped the success of CM as a format?

bf: Absolutely. When I started, Season 4, Ed had laid out certain non-breakable rules. Interteam romance was one of them. He knew that once team members started dating, that's what the focus of the show would be. And that was one of the smartest decisions he could have made. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Sorry, shippers.

Cheery: Will anything every go "wrong" with the team's plane? Is that something you might explore? Afterall, there's already been an exploding SUV...

bf: We joke about that in the writers room. I don't think so. Maybe Season 10. Hang on... Ep7 has a gag about this.

gchan_s2: is there a date when ep12 will be aired? :).

bf: Jan 25 2012. Unless the Mayans have other ideas.

Rutland: What ever happened to that weird little cookie last year where Hotch refused to use the tablets and was reading Spenser's hard copy files? Will that loose end get raised explained and tied up?

bf: Hotch refused? Well, he uses them now and we never really deal with iit. I think it has to do with the ubiquity of iPads. Hotch isn't a technophobe like Reid is, and to a lesser extent, Rossi.

NittyMcNitpicker: Can you share some of the other unbreakable rules Ed set out?

bf: Let me think... The victims need to be sympathetic. Which I know seems self-evident, but you'd be surprised. Sometimes as a writer, you get excited about a death scene because you're thinking like the UnSub but you ALWAYS have to feel for the victim or the audience isn't scared. That's all I can think of right now, but if more come back, I'll post them.

D: Will we ever hear Emily calling Hotch by his first name "Aaron"? It has never happened before, she always calls him "Hotch".

bf: H-m-m-m-m-m... I'm trying to think, I don't think so. Rossi is pretty much the only one who can get away with it.

stucky: Whats going on with Reid and his headaches?

bf: We'll deal with Reid headaches, but it will be a while. This is my take (and only mine), but I feel that now that the team is back together, a big source of stress is gone from his life.

pranksterparty: Is there a Morgan-centric episode in the works?

bf: Yes. Ep9

sonofadorito: Have you guys ever tossed around the idea of character being homosexual?

bf: We have. Here's the trick. You can't have it the focus of the episode. You can't throw it away so that the audience goes, "What?” Remember that Law and Order that ended with the lawyer going, "Am I being fired because I'm a LESBIAN?!" Cut to EXECUTIVE PRODUCER DICK WOLF. So, we haven't found a way to integrate it naturally into the storyline. If it presents itself, we totally will. Season 10, as the plane goes down, Morgan turns to Reid and says, "I love you." There you go.

ReidLover: If you could write on any show other than Criminal Minds what show would that be?

bf: Show that's already gone, Battlestar Galactica. On the air now, swear to God, I would love to just hang out in the Phineas and Ferb writers room. They took all the stupid stuff we did on Alias and made it hilarious.

jillian: Are there going to be any female serial killers this year?

bf: Female SK, yes, but not the way you'll expect.

freechickennow: You think you'll ever do a collaboration episode again in the style of Bo Crese?

bf: Bo Crese, not in the near future. Part of it is a math problem. We have 8 writers, 24 episodes, we each get 3 and we're all to greedy to share credit.

a: AND IN SEASON TEN CAN HOTCH AND PRENTISS GET MARRIED AND ADOPT JACK AND SERGIO?

bf: Would you like to join the writing staff?

onionsssss: Have you ever considered a career in professional trolling?

bf: Only if you finish writing Ep12 for me.

jessi: Are we gonna see more about their lifes outisde the FBI?

bf: Yes. Here's where Messer started the season... She basically made a deal with CBS and said, "Look, for six years, we haven't gone home with this team. "Now, it's time to do that." So there's more personal stuff this season than the past six years combined. I can't tell you what it is, but that it's awesome and you guys will love every second of it. Also, Reid now has a fourth Ph.D. from Yale.

ReidLover: Any special plans for the 150th episode? Killing anyone new off?

bf: Funny, that's Ep12. And no.


bf: That's it for tonight. Need to go home and tuck the kids in. Thank you for the great questions. And, as we were secretly talking about you before I logged in... You guys keep us honest, not just in the Reid, PhD department, but in making the best show we can. Thank you very, very, very, very, very (VERY) much for that.

Bruce Zimmerman (bz): Hi, Bruce here. This is my first time in one of these... I'm happy to answer your questions... or try.

rensomnia: The shoe reference was amazing---how did you come up with that idea?


bz: Well, I'm not a genius like Reid, but I think men trying to understand women and their shoes is universal. Personally, my wife has an entire closet devoted to shoes.


niteanjl: Is it hard to work in the 'personal details' of the characters without detracting from the main plot?

bz: It is a little tricky. You never want to interrupt the flow of a story to get into personal issues, so I always try to find some way to make it feel like it is a branch from the same tree and not something completely different.

4pairsofshoes: Why did you choose to include Rossi’s wife in this particular episode, or was there no underlying reason (was it just time for a Rossi-centric ep)?

bz: Joe has been asking for a story about one of his ex wives since it has been floated in the series earlier. This seemed like a good time to do it. There was a slight thematic thread because in the end she is going to ask him basically to help her commit suicide, and the UnSub in this episode is coming to terms with a mother who wanted to kill herself.

shmoo: Was there a specific reason you chose Emily to be the person that Rossi confided in about his ex being back in his life?

bz: When I first thought of writing that scene, I had Hotch in mind. But it felt like Hotch was too focused on the case and Rossi would be able to take a little breath and confide to Prentiss instead. And when I saw how it came out, I was happy I did it. Paget has a really nice side to her that was able to reach out to Rossi and give him the type of advice that he needed.

intimatenecktouching: JJ's sister killed herself - was JJ not effected/reminded by this case, or was it simply not showcased?

bz: Sometimes unfortunately we are really under pressure to service all of the characters in a very short time span. This was a case where it might have been legitimate to involve JJ, but that would have taken a chunk of story away from somebody else, and it was simply a matter of logistics.

4pairsofshoes: What character does your next episode focus on?

bz: It involves the world of compulsive gambling, set in Atlantic City. There isn't a specific strong personal story in it as there was in this episode, but I'm trying to have more fun with Morgan and Garcia. I think their relationship is a very interesting one.

criminalrinds: This is your first Criminal Minds episode. How did you go about preparing/researching to handle the team members' characterizations and dynamics particular to the show?

bz: Good question. It's always a challenge to come to a new show and plug into the voices of the existing characters.... particularly a show like this that has had such a long run and is so successful. All I try to do is learn from the actors and the other writers, and take their guidance. Several times during the breaking and writing of my first two episodes I've gotten the occasional "Hotch wouldn't say that," and it's very helpful. And of course I watched a lot of the show before even joining the staff.

marisa: How challenging is it to work with minors in an episode with this serious of a storyline?

bz: Again, it is always a tightrope you carefully walk. You need to be mindful that these are children, but most of these kids are very well focused on the fact that this is a show and not real life. I got a sweet card from the boy who played the little guy who kept screaming for his mommy. He said he had a lot of fun, and thanked me for not having him die at the hands of the UnSub. So even the kids have some humor and perspective.

criminalrinds: Anything you can tell us about Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, which we've heard is a Morgan episode?

bz: Morgan is showcased a little more in it. Strauss is in it, and Morgan finds himself knocking heads and in conflict with his superiors. Don't want to say anything else because I don't want to spoil it for you...

fromchildhoodshour: How does your background as a novelist inform your writing for CM?

bz: It works for and against me sometimes. As a novelist you can write whatever you want, take your time, describe things elaborately, use 500 pages to set up a world, etc. You also don't have to think about a budget. In this episode the big money expense was the leap off the bridge, obviously, and this was something I really wanted and fought for. The stunt people and crew did an extraordinary job, and I was lucky to have a director who really had a vision for how she wanted it to look. I guess the main thing is, as a novelist you really want to explore character. Fortunately this show has terrific characters already in place, so it's not just the nuts and bolts of a standard procedural.

intimatenecktouching: Morgan and Reid's camaraderie in this ep was a nice pick up of the pattern of their relationship s1-s4 (less so in s5-s6). Why do you think these characters work well together?

bz: I think they're fun because they are such opposites. In my mind, I think the two of them respect what the other one brings to the table that the other cannot. Again, this is me, but I find Reid very charming and probably unaware that this kind of charm and intelligence can be very attractive to women -- as opposed to Morgan, who is your classic leading man, handsome, action-oriented, and so forth.

fromchildhoodshour: JJ had a very authentic voice this episode, which I loved. It reminded me of why she is my favorite character. The majority of the character's voices were authentic, in fact. I really appreciate that and I just wanted to tell you. I can't believe this is your first episode, because it was so well done. Who is your favorite character to write and why?

bz: Thanks for the nice words. I tapped into JJ a little because she is a mother of a young child and it was natural that she would be the one to reach out to the distressed mother in order to get information. Hotch also recognized this, which is why he sent her in alone. I'm still feeling out who my favorite charaxter to write for is. It might be Garcia, believe it or not, because she's so outlandish and can be the voice of the average person.

jasper: Who chose the Poe quote?

bz: I did. Always liked the poem from when I was in college and it seemed the natural quote to kick off a story about an Unsub who had a bad childhood.

alianora: Why did you choose to give Rossi's ex wife ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) as opposed to any other fatal disease?

bz: I wanted to it be a disease that is particularly awful in how it works on the body, to make it really understandable why Carolyn would want to not go through it. On a personal level, I had a very good friend who died of the disease about ten years ago and I remember how difficult it was.

rosalieee: Will Rossi Share his dilema with the team?

bz: A member of the team will find out. Don't want to give away who it is, or the reaction. Stay tuned for 706.

fromchildhoodshour: Did you envision the unsub as being so young and handsome when you wrote him? Or was that someone else's (casting?) call?

bz: Honestly, I think every writer has strengths and weaknesses, and casting is not one of my strong points. The novelist background again, probably. So I defer frequently to the director and showrunner unless I have fairly strong feelings yes or no -- which I do sometimes. On this UnSub, the director particularly responded to him because he portrayed a kind of man-child innocence that made it believable he'd want to be a 911 operator so he could go rescue children.

criminalminds82: The mix up of the partnering was different than usual. Hotch/JJ Rossi/Prentiss Reid/Morgan It was nice to see the interactions. Was it intentional?

bz: Yes, it was intentional. A nice thing to explore is how the various team members interract. I think it keeps things fresh and unexpected and I'm trying to do the same thing in my next episode as well.

criminalrinds: This is the first time this season (besides Prentiss' return) that we've seen a major plot development for one of the team members. Can you talk a little about how those big elements are decided upon and how they're introduced into specific episodes?

bz: At the start of the season we talk about possible story ideas and also discuss bigger character arcs. This year our showrunner Erica Messer particularly wanted to get into the character's personal lives a little more than in the past, so we look out across the expanse of the 24 episode landscape (which is daunting at the start of the season, believe me) and plant some flags in the ground so that we are sure to give each character something meaty to complement the case each week. The Rossi ex-wife storyline was actually something that the writers discussed doing last season, but the Prentiss/Ian Doyle issue became so important that the Rossi story was pushed to this season. I guess this means that there is always room for surprise and discovery even among the writers, and it's hard to predict how some of the final episodes of this season will play out. But it's also what makes this job fun.

deathangelarawn: Who's idea was it to put the wolf fact in the episode? Why is Hotch going trigger happy?

bz: I wanted to put the wolf story in there. It felt thematic, and the wolf is always a symbol in children's literature of the bad guy. As for Hotch, I guess I could have given the shot to Morgan. I'll have to talk to Thomas about letting his gun cool off for awhile.

katie.weber: Anything special happening in the 150th episode?

bz: We're going to be reading it today. It's written by Breen, so you know it'll be good. I taught him everything he knows.

unknownsubject: If the BAU could time-travel, what era do you think they'd do well in?

bz: I think if they time travel to next Wednesday they'd do fantastic. But a funny question. Maybe the could figure out if there was an UnSub among the dinosaurs, we'd know why they became extinct.

sue5789: Is Jason coming back

bz: I'm new to the show, but the last time I looked he was working over at homeland security.

sometimesthedayjustends: Do the other writers read the transcripts of the writer chats?

bz: Sure do.

longponytail: How different is it writing for Criminal Minds, compared to other shows you've worked on?

bz: It's been great. My background it mostly crime and procedural, but this show also has the element of varied and interesting characters. And it's great to be in the world of such crazy killers -- you almost never find that you need to rein yourself in when thinking of stories or villains.

fromchildhoodshour: The "breaking" of an episode sounds painful. Like it is full of critiques and criticisms. Is it what it sounds like or is it more based on logistical things?

bz: Yes, it can be painful. Most viewers (like my folks, for example) watch a tv show and don't think too deeply about the dozens and dozens of combing-through each episode goes through. But it is valuable. When I came to LA to write for TV after writing my novels, some of my TV writer friends here told me I would hate it. Group writing, network notes, etc. But I found the opposite to be true. The vast majority of people in this business are very, very smart, and it's great to have eight brains in the room helping with a story.

alianora: Whose idea was it to put the unsub's mother in a floaty white fairy tale type dressing gown in the unsub's mind? I really liked that touch.

bz: I thought it was important that we see the event as it appears in the UnSub's romanticized imagination. Glad you liked it, and it provided a nice contrast to the reality.

sometimesthedayjustends: What if your favourite CM ep?

bz: It was probably "100". I wasn't on the show then, but I remember watching it and being blown away. I think I'll lobby with Erica Messer to write "200".


bz: Thanks for all your questions... this has been a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy coming to Atlantic City with me on my next episode...

JM: Joe here. Excited to see your questions.

Smiley: Joe, it is fantastic that we are starting to see more into Rossi's personal life... are there certain things you would like to approach for the character?!

JM: I love when we get into the personal aspects of the character as well. I hope to in the future get into Rossi's military background.

JennSeiler: My question for Joe is if he was surprised by the whole Rossi had a son part of the story and if so, would he want to explore that storyline in any more detail? I would also like to know what he thinks of the Bears' chances of going to the Super Bowl?

JM: I was consulted about that aspect of the script and thought that it was a very interesting and appropriate aspect of the character. And being a cub fan, I am not holding my breath for the Bears.

Em_prentiss: Are we going to meet anymore of Rossi's wife later on in season 7? Did Rossi every tell anyone about his child he lost?

JM: Since there are two other wives there's always a possibility that they might rear their heads. I think Hotch is the only person I would've talked to.

Explodingegg: Hi Joe! So my question is, Rossi's got a rep for being kind of a gamer. Do you play any computer games in real life?

JM: I have two daughters in real life so I'm better with Barbie knowledge than computer games.

SesameSquirrel: After making a list a while ago (and esp. after 7x06) I realized Rossi is the only BAU member who's never been shot / concussed / stabbed / impaled / in a car crash, etc. on screen. What's your secret Joe? ;)

JM: I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Lisa: Do you prefer long haired Reid, or short haired Reid?

JM: Reid is my boy, long hair, short or bald.

oceanblue78: Hi Joe, thank you for doing this chat for the fans. Thomas Gibson said you were pretty good at cooking italian food. Have you got any plans on releasing an italian cook book of some kind if you haven't already done that?

JM: Not a bad idea. We own a restaurant in Burbank California so maybe a cookbook by Rossi is next.

goingnuclear: Joe, congrats on your recent "star" in Hollywood! I have a few questions. How do you think season 7 is going so far? Which episode in this season has been your favorite to shoot? Do you have any major hopes for this season we haven't heard about?

JM: Season 7 is going fantastic especially since we're at full strength again. I enjoyed doing the two episodes involving my first wife and my only hope is that we do what we've been doing...onward and upward.

swon: Awesome episode Mr. Mantenga! Just wondering with doing Criminal Minds, it can have pretty heavy topics, is it refreshing to do other projects/comedy such as the Simpsons?

JM: Ironically I did a Simpson's episode today. It's nice to do a little comedy like that now and then but I get a little comic relief now and again on C.M. as well.

Sergiocushion: Joe, just wondering if you would rather end up in a fight with Rossi or Fat Tony? They're both pretty tough guys!

JM: No problem. I can take them both.

gchan_s2: Which ex-wife was Rossi`s one great love? (Like for Hotch, it was Hayley).. Or is Rossi still looking for the final Mrs. Rossi? :).

JM: After 3 wives I think Rossi's done looking...but you never know...

HoneycombHead: Hey Joe! Was wondering what do you think is Rossi's biggest strength and biggest weakness?

JM: I would think Rossi's experience may be his biggest strength and his attachment to his old ways on occasion may be his biggest weakness...but I'm learning.

Marisa: Have you ever consider directing an episode?

JM: I've directed one feature in my career called LAKEBOAT and it was quite an endeavor so I don't take it lightly. Maybe down the line but right now Dr. Reid is our infant terrible of directing. He does a great job.

HoneycombHead: Has there ever been a plotline that has been particularly hard to do emotionally?

JM: A few seasons ago my own daughter Gia appeared in an episode and it was a little tough seperating fact from fiction with her on the set. She did a great job though and I was very proud of her doing a very difficult role.

pastaroni: The last few scenes of last night's episode left me in tears. How do you get in that mindset you need to be in when you're going to film difficult scenes like that?

JM: Our writers do a wonderful job of setting up a situation that for me my job is just to say the words with all the meaning I can muster and hopefully the emotion intended will be there.

goingnuclear: Do you think Rossi prefers boxers or briefs?

JM: Maybe we'll find out in a later episode:}

love_sil: Did Rossi really know Emily was alive? Is he gonna say something about it?

JM: As I inferred in an episode that I had a hunch she may have lived. I think Rossi may indeed have had such a hunch.

jillian: Hey Joe!! What is your favorite part of working on Criminal Minds?

JM: My favorite part is just being here each day. There's a quote that goes if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. That's where I'm at.

gchan_s2: Who was your favorite unsub?

JM: I've had a few. Jamie Kennedy as the cannibal was a good one, and C. Thomas Howell did a great job as the Reaper.

owllover: Joe, how do you feel about owls?

JM: My roommate in college actually owned an owl named Van Hoo. It kept me up at night.

criminallymindless: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?

JM: Just enjoy yourself at whatever level you do it. It's all about the journey, not the destination.

NittyMcNitpicker: In "Exit Wounds" the team members had to double up. We know Morgan shared a room with Garcia, JJ and Prentiss probably shared, but how was the rest of it divvied up? Did Rossi share with Hotch or did he get to be on his own?

JM: Rossi has a lot of cash....I share nothing.

NittyMcNitpicker: Did Rossi give Reid any wardrobe advice? In the beginning it was said that Reid emulated Gideon, but after Rossi joined, Reid started wearing nicer and more fitted clothing. Can this be attributed to Rossi's influence?

JM: You'd have to ask Reid, but I'd like to think it's true. If it end in a vowel, I'll wear it.

criminallymindless: Did you enjoy working with Isabella Hoffman?

JM: Working with Isabella was great. I knew her as a friend and it was great to be able to work with her on such a moving storyline.

Explodingegg: OK, gonna ask you my favorite dumb question - and I'm serious... If you could be any dinosaur, which one would you be?

JM: David Rossi....T Rex....what else!

gchan_s2: Did Rossi and Strauss have a "thing" in the past?

JM: Rossi and Strauss have something going....we'll see where that takes us.

swon: How did this Criminal Minds job come about for you? Did they have the character of Rossi created with you in mind? Were you a fan of the show before you joined?

JM: As you probably know I came in under unusual circumstances, but I think it made it all the more exciting as we had to fly blind for a little while. I had a lot of input on the character, including his name and background.

NittyMcNitpicker: I think I read somewhere that you like cats. I have 8 of them myself; how many do you have? Do you have any favorite breeds or types of cats?

JM: We've had cats for many years. We have 3 right now. Most any breed is good for me, but I’m partial to our Siamese right now.

owllover: Do you think Rossi and Hotch are like the parents of the team?

JM: Not sure about that but when I came in I thought Gideon had been somewhat of the mother hen so I thought I'd come in as the rooster.

Britt: Who do you think Rossi's favorite author is?

JM: I was a huge fan of Robert Parker and did a lot of his books on tape. I think Rossi would like him as well.

criminallymindless: What's your favorite dish at Taste Chicago? I need recommendations!

JM: It's all good, but Joe's half and half is the best sandwich in the world. Of course I'm prejudiced.

Becca: Aside from Criminal Minds, do you have any other TV show favorites?

JM: Are there other TV shows? Actually I host a show on the Outdoor Channel called Gun Stories which traces historical firearms, an interest of mine.

Pise7en: Which character is your favorite? Apart from yours of course.

JM: Since I'm older than the other cast members I can't help but think of them somewhat as my kids....and you don't play favorites with your kids. You love them all equally...and I do.

anniebelle: What's the oldest/coolest firearm that you own?

JM: David Mamet presented me with an old pistol from the early 1900's engraved with the saying, "Never Forget Chicago."

adeaner: Where did the ring that you wear on the show come from?

JM: The ring is the one given to agents who have been with the FBI for over 20 years.

Sergiocushion: If you could have anyone guest star on Criminal Minds, who would it be?

JM: Ringo himself told me he was a fan of the show. It would be my dream to have him come play with us sometime.

Dan: What is your favourite kind of music?

JM: I like all kinds of music, but one episode mentioned my attraction to the Ratpack, and their music is certainly among my favorites.

love_sil: Do you actors give ideas to the writers?

JM: We actors have a great dialog with our writers. The episodes involving one of my wives was one I had suggested awhile back.

paparossi: What did you do for Halloween?

JM: I worked most of Halloween but we were sure to let Matthew enjoy his favorite holiday with the day off.

elle: Rossi makes an interesting mentor and confidante for the individuals on the team. Do you have a similar relationship with the cast?

JM: I think often art imitates life and vice versa.

smritzbitz_CM: What's your favorite holiday?

JM: My favorite holiday is Memorial Day. I've been hosting the National Memorial Day concert in Washington D.C. for 10 years now and I think it's very important because that holiday honors the men and women who made all our holidays possible.

JennCMFan: When MGG directs is it more fun on set ?

JM: When Matthew's on set, it's ALWAYS fun.

paparossi: What do you think sets Criminal Minds apart from other crime shows?

JM: I like to think C.M. is the thinking fan's show. We demand a little more from our viewers and you guys step up to the plate.

anniebelle: What's one thing you've given to Rossi's character? What's one thing you've taken away?

JM: I've given Rossi maturity....Rossi has taken away my sleep!

jillian: Do you think you could actually be a profiler?

JM: I have the utmost respect for the real profilers. I'm happy to play one....not sure if I can be one.

swon: Would you like to see Rossi in a physical confrontation with an unsub?

JM: I had one little mix-up with Jason Alexander's character in an episode, but for the most part we let Morgan do the butt-whipping on our show.

JennSeiler: Who is the better cook at home: you or your wife?

JM: My wife is, hands down. But I do make a very good carbonara.

Heidi: What is the best prank that any of you have ever pulled on each other?

JM: I think Shemar meets the Bear was a good one.

criminalminds82: When Rossi came back he was not much of a team player, now he is what do you think changed that?

JM: I think it was a good example of how people can and do change when necessary. It's part of the growth of all of us.

procrastinator: Who was in the bear suit?

JM: That's what made it great. It was no suit!

Explodingegg: If you could drink beer with any historical figure, from any time period, living or dead, who would it be and why?

JM: I would want to have a beer with Jesus, Buddah and Mohammed and ask them, boys, let's get together and bring some understanding to people everywhere.

anniebelle: Yeah, have you noticed profiling qualities seep into your everyday life? Like, do you see people and think, "Impotent narcissistic sociopath!"?

JM: I play David Rossi, but I'm a lot more Dean Martin. No profiling for me on my free time.

JM: Thanks everyone. I love being part of this show. I hope you continue to enjoy being part of it with us.

VW: Hello all, excited to be here!!!!!! This is Virgil, writer of ep. 707... Q's??

1000profilers: What made you think up this week's case?

VW: It was all about Frankenstein...so I basically stole it from Mary Shelly - did I spell that right? Shelley?

Kitten0409: Hi Virgil! About last night episode. People that has suffered one, and lived to tell the tale, have been saying it was a very accurate despiction of those situations. Do you have live experience with them? And was the title, There's is No Place Like Home, a reference to The Wizard of Oz? Kansas + tornadoes + the title itself... :D

VW: 1) Yes, the title (as well as many other references) were a nod to the great OZ and... 2) I grew up in Chicago, many tornado and thunderstorm warnings where the sky turned green...but never any 1st hand experience with a twister - thank goodness

flymypretties: Are there any guides provided to help the writers? A cheat sheet of commonly used terminology, or something listing established facts about each character?

VW: Yes, we get a lotta help. There is actually a guide the writer's room came up with last year. There are also our former FBI profiler advisors, who are invaluable, but basically when I got hired...I had a CM marathon...and then another one... and then antother...we're in season 7

SergioCushion: I really liked that you included the moment with Rossi and Garcia at the begining of the episode, it's a character relationship that we don't get to see a lot of in the show. What made you decide to include that part in the episode?

VW: I spent 4 seasons on the show "ER" where we did a lot of character stuff - those kinds of scenes ALWAYS make shows better.

Frivolouswhim: Virgil, the ep you wrote is my favorite so far this season. How did JJ's storyline about Henry getting sick come about?

VW: Clearly you have impeccable taste. I have 2 kids and raising little ones is a universal issue a lot of people can relate to. What does a working mom do when she has to fly off and go catch crazy killers?

angry_emily: Who wrote the little star poem?

VW: I wrote it. We couldn't clear any of the classic kids books. So I thought of my kids and out it came.

Rensomnia: How do you writers manage to make so many of the UnSubs both horrifying AND kind of pitiful at the same time? Brilliant!

VW: Good question. It's always a bit more interesting when you find yourself feeling pity for this CARAZY person. Sometimes we try to write to that. Sometimes we just want a bad guy doing bad things...depends.

angry_emily: How much more post-production goes into an episode with so many special effects?

VW: A lot

soundofmescreaming: Do you write how every interaction among the characters have to be or do they improvise some of them?

VW: They improv a lot - we collaborate on that when we're shooting but the actors have a very personal relationship with those characters and their instincts are usually right...usually

lcm18: Have you already started working on your next episode? Can you tell us something about it?

VW: Yes, people will die ;) and its a hate crime....ooooohhhh

Jasper: What do you think are the challenges of writing for the 7th season of a show?

VW: The biggest challenge is the 100+ other episodes - we've done everything - so how do we keep it fresh? Hard to do in season 7

thecriminalprofiler: In one word, how would you describe writing for Criminal Minds?

VW: Fun

FunSub: Last nights episode was one of the best episodes so far this season! What is your next epsiode, and which character will it focus on?

VW: Morgan...and thank you...again someone with impeccable taste

flymypretties: What's your writing process like? Do you have any rituals or habits?

VW: To gory to reveal...but yes

soundofmescreaming: Is it hard to write a background story of the unsubs?

VW: Yes, because sometimes they take up a lot of script space, so you have to be efficient...oh and interesting...and good too...a lot to ask

ChocolateDivine: Found it hilarious that normally unflappable Rossi was having a hard time flying through turbulence. What inspired you to peg him for it?

VW: Because it's funniest with him since he's unflappable

angry_emily: There's a belief that art imitates life... Is television trying to tell us that RVs are generally bad news?

VW: I would stay away from anything bigger than a pick up truck

flymypretties: How does the environment on the set compare to your time at ER?

VW: It’s great here. It was great there too. Just different. But in all honesty this is one of the best groups I've ever worked with.

angry_emily: I noticed that Rossi tells JJ to control Reid on the plane. Is JJ the team mother, even though she no longer presents the cases?

VW: No that was just for the humor of the moment - it was funnier with him begging her instead of telling Reid to shut it

Frivolouswhim: Can you please get Shemar (at least half) naked in your next Morgan centric ep? As a late Christmas present to the fandom? :) :)

VW: Stay tuned...and Merry X-mas (but it may be more of a Valentine's gift)

BubblegumFox: What led you to start writing for television?

VW: When I was a kid I was an actor. So I got bit by the bug at around 8 years old. By the time I got to college it was California or bust. I was broke as a joke...but writing was free. So I wrote. I've always written. But screenwriting really kinda found me. I had a passion for comics, movies, Tv, books my whole life, just something inside me. When I got a job as a PA on "Lois & Clark" I really got turned on to TV

kat: What's the biggest challenge writing a script for this show--balancing the case with the personal, making the dialogue sharp, or keeping the suspense level high?

VW: Yes. All of the above.

Frivolouswhim: Which part of writing do you enjoy the most? Collecting ideas, the writing process itself or seeing the ep done and ready to air? Or do you love it as a whole all the same?

VW: Good question - I actually hate the act of writing. But I LOVE having written. It's the finished product that makes the process totally worth while

flymypretties: What is the relationship between the writer and director during the process of filming an episode?

VW: Like 2 peas in a pod - if you're lucky - lotta collaboration

BubblegumFox: How long do you spend deciding on the baseline for a episode? Then how long on average do you spend actually writing the script for a episode?

VW: A couple/three days to break the story. A week to write the outline. 2 weeks to write the script.

angry_emily: What was cut from this episode?

VW: Not much was cut, not much at all

flymypretties: What's the name of the Garcia and Kevin-centric episode coming up?

VW: "Snake Eyes"

flymypretties: What can you tell us about "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy"?

VW: People die...and Strauss has a secret

FunSub: There hasn't been an unsub that tries to get close to the investigation in a while. Do you think there will be one this season? Will there ever be one that gets romantically involved with a member of the team just to get on the inside of the investigation? Particularly Reid? *Hint Hint* :P ::laugh

VW: Hmmmmmm....maybe. Stay tuned.

Carol: Hey Virgil. Loved the episode, congratulations. Can you give us any information about the 150th epi that is Emily-centric?

VW: It's shooting right now and was written by my esteemed colleague, Breen Frazier. A jet scene like none other. And people die.

BubblegumFox: Are there ever times you think it is too much writing for this type of show ::blink ?? and do find yourself double checking the front door to see if it is locked?

VW: Yes, it has changed my outlook a bit. Trust no one... and, yes, when I'm writing this show I have to take a lotta breaks just to get out of the Criminal Mind

ChocolateDivine: Is there any ep coming up where someone on the team gets beaten up or has his/her life in danger?

VW: Yes...stay tuned

angry_emily: are you determined to not give us any information

VW: Yes...and did I mention to stay tuned?

Rensomnia: You crack me up with your "And people die" bit...can you work your own sense of humor into scripts or are you fairly limited in where you can go with it?

VW: Yes, it's hard to get humor in since every ep has a crazy on the loose. Sometimes it gets awkward when you try to force the humor. But I feel like humor is essential. I always say "Never cut funny".

flymypretties: Anything you can tell us about "True Genius"? Is it going to be a more lighthearted episode, or angsty?

VW: It’s one of the smartest episodes of the year. And people will die. Oh and crime author, Patricia Cornwell, makes an appearance

disillusioned: please tell me there will be some morgan/prentiss stuff coming up

VW: Now that you mention it - M & P have some biz in my next episode

thecriminalprofiler: Whos idea was it to have AJ's son in real life to play Henry on the show?

VW: It just made sense, especially since he played her son before

thecriminalprofiler: What is your opinion on inter-team romances? A lot of the CM fandom want to see Hotch & Prentiss hook up!

VW: I support it - but the network...not so much. From my "ER" experience, we used to do that all the time. I've also been on other shows that did it. We even did it on "24". But it's not my show. I just run the plays the coaches tell me to run and try to write them so you guys have a great 42 minute experience on Wednesday nights.

Rensomnia: Do you have any ideas for guest stars you'd like to see brought in for an ep or two?

VW: We actually just cast an UnSub in 709 that I used in an ep of ER - Shawn Hatosy. He's also on "Southland". Great actor.

Frivolouswhim: Which of the characters would you take on as a room mate in real life? :D

VW: Prentiss - she's hot. But my wife would kill me. And then they would have to investigate my murder.

angry_emily: Gideon Prentiss and Morgan were both profiled in the past. Will any others be profiled this season?

VW: Hmmmmm - stay tuned

Frivolouswhim: Virgil, your middle name should be Tease. Or is it? :D

VW: No it's danger

ChocolateDivine: Would it be feasible to do a crossover episode with another crime drama series? Or even any other show?

VW: We're thinking about a "Grimm" cross over ;)

Kitten0409: Why the great CM tradition of concealing who the unsub is until the team discovers his/her identity seems to have been completely lost? We love NOT to know who the unsub is... :-(

VW: Every show evolves and changes. We may get back to some of that though.

BubblegumFox: Are there any places that you would like the show to go to? Like having an unsub in Hawaii so they all catch the jet there... and just forget about the unsub for once...

VW: Great idea, we'll call it Vacation Minds...spin off?.

FunSub: Do people die in the next episode? :PP haha

VW: No, not a one.


VW: You guys are awesome. Thanks for the ?'s and thanks for your time. STAY TUNED!

KV: I’m here! I’m here! Ask stuff!

jobelle: Last night’s episode was so tragically beautiful! Kirsten, you always look so gorgeous, how much influence do you have on Garcia's wardrobe/makeup?

KV: First, I thank thee. And I blush. Secondly, I have about one percent of input I actually try to not have input anfd let the glam squad do their thang I think it makes it cooler.

Brockely: Kirsten, do you ever get a little weirded out that all the Garcia episodes seem to be the really really creepy ones?

KV: WHAT IS FRAKING UP WITH THAT?!?!? Jeeze.

oceanblue78: Hi Kirsten, thank you for doing this chat for the fans. I was wondering how you guys manage to fit other projects like Pretty and Theather of Note productions in your busy CM shooting schedule?

KV: Yes I am saying yes I find it weird she’s like the whipping girl of creepy poor Garcie.

Swon: Kirsten, great episode last night! Loved seeing Garcia out and about...what's this story about a stick that you brought back with you?

KV: Its the newset member of the team POSIBBLY THE GREATEST inanimate team memeber yet second to Reid paper clip. STICK I found her/him in the forest while shooting hope. It was a nice balance I will have cm _setreport post STICK adventure.

3secondsofandersonwasnotenough: Kirsten, first off you were wonderful in last nights episode and I was wondering what you like the most about your character?

KV: Thank you. Again. Blushing. I just love her. I love that she’s so confident and shes like a big open hearted weirdo and i love that she’s SO different from me but we are like next door pals.

cmlover7891: Kirsten, you make this show so enjoyable to watch. How do YOU feel about inter-team romances? Particularly, Morgan & Prentiss? They've been through SO MUCH together.

KV: If we wrote that story line then there would be much less slash fiction to be written about it and thats no fun is it? Also, I like to keep him all to myself.

Reidxmaps: Is Gaiman as awesome as I like to think he is?

KV: MORE AWESOME. I WILL VOUCH. MORE AWESOME.

Kate: heeey so great you´re here!!! i wanted to ask, outside the show.. how is the relationship between all of you? are you friends with paget and aj?

KV: If by friends you mean people I hug and share my dreams and fears and drink wine with and watch movies with and eat food with and giggle with then, yes, friends, yes. I love them. I them each.

Drewy: Hi Kirsten! Will we be seeing more of Kevin Lynch soon?

KV: Well I saw his name at the table read today so i think thats a huge yep

Msynergy: Kirsten! If you could snatch anything for your home from set what would it be? :D

KV: STICK. SHEMAR. THE PURPLE STEGASAURUS ON MY DESK. All the mini milky way midnights in the cady jars. all of them. I would build a fort of delicious chocolate candy and keep shemar hostage in it.

BubblegumFox: What was you most fun episode to shoot so far?

KV: Ok, i'm going to sound pollyanna but pretty much the one we are shooting at that time. i like to live in the now. thanks Eckhart Tolle. Penelope was pretty different and I had neat stuff... but I always have neat stuff... I love to do it that all. I just love doing the show.

IgubeYou: I really love your acting... what or who inspired you to become an actress?

KV: Hey. Thank you xoxox. I was really super shy and so i took acting to help and then i felt really happy when i was doing it and I love learning about it so i kinda poured myself into it. Its fun, its crazy fun and I'm SO HAPPY I get paid to do it.

DoctorSpence: Are you jealous of Matthew since he's in Japan? I know I am.

KV: Oh my God. I'm green. green green green. But he is pretty fantastic so he should be on wild adventures. But so should us all. You and I DoctorSpence will go there in our imaginations

Paula: How many pair of glasses does Garcia has and in which colors?

KV: I think she has 10 pairs? I have 1 pair. I borrow three of her pairs, but I have bought them all with my own money but I bought them for her.

ChocolateDivine: Who would win? Kevin Lynch or Xander Harris of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? (same actor)


KV: I think we all know the answer to that question. (whispers) xander.

teamgarciasshoes: When you're shooting scenes in Garcia's office, who reads the other team members' dialogue?

KV: Rarely an actor reads them usually a crew member. Yes, its weird and funny.

Nuria: What is your favorite beginning or ending phrase?span>

KV: Rainmaker.....

Brockely: If you could do a guest stint on any other show, where would you go?

KV: 30 Rock. Or Fringe. Or 30 Rock. Or 30 Rock.

BubblegumFox: Does the show ever 'seep' into your everyday life?... like do you find yourself double checking locked doors because of some of the stuff you see or thinking your're able to hack into anything like your character?

KV: I sometimes think I can hack things.I can hack things. Bread. Cheese. Seitan. And no I dont let the creepy seep in. Don't let it do that to you either. xo

Paget_Prentiss: I think half the world what like to know this. DOES MATTHEW HAVE A GIRLFRIEND? I GOT TO BED EVERY NIGHT ASKING MYSELF THIS?

KV: Yes he does and its you.


Ali_B: If you weren't an actress, what do you think you would do instead?

KV: I would be a DJ or a person who writes plays and performs them on stage... oh wait...

oceanblue78: Hi Kirsten, thank you for doing this chat for the fans. I was wondering how you guys manage to fit other projects like Pretty and Theatre of Note productions in your busy CM shooting schedule?

KV: I make time. I think thats what has to happen. As much as I love my cm job and I do so much-- I am a creator I love creating stuff so I find my days off and hours off and I plug it in there. Kill Me Deadly is like my heart right now and Pretty the Series is SO MUCH FUN, and I am writing a play that premeires next year and i think doing all of those things makes me better at my job. This is a side note: Paget just texted me: MORE GARCIA MORE GARCIA-- See, I told you we are friends


Jasper: If CM ever did a musical episode (shh just pretend), what song would you like for Garcia's big number?

KV: La Vie Boheme and then The Lusty Month of May.


Cheleg: Kirsten, last night's episode gave us lots of little fan cookies and backstory tidbits. Do you love seeing those in the script as much as we love seeing it on screen?

KV: Oh my gosh. Yes.


swon: From all the cast and crew's tweets it looks like you guys have an amazing time on set. Who's the one to usually goof up their lines/have the biggest pottymouth?

KV: Paget, Thomas tie.


BubblegumFox: Are you willing to share any details on the upcoming episodes? Please.

KV: Morgan in a towel. BAM.


SophieFCrowther: If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

KV: To be able to create my own reality. But I think I DO HAVE THAT POWER. My power would be to remember that cos I forget that I can.

Emi9626: What do you guys do when your waiting to film

KV: I have phases, I read, talk with the gang, play wwf, knit, nap, watch movies, listen to things.

Cat: if you could write an episode how would it go?

KV: Pandas! and we solve the whole distribution of wealth thing! and then a fashion show! and Kittens! This is why I dont write for this show.

zimmer483: Hi Kristen :D ! I wanna to ask u what is your real hair color ? lol u wear so many different hair colors for Garcia, that i need to know haha

KV: Lets see-- My hair went silver when I was 17, so i have a HUGE streak of white and then its kinda red brown. No really my natural color is violet green.

Mike.Gaga: Have you become better with computers, having played Garcia all these years? Do you actually know how to code, etc?

KV: No however I have sex with someone who knows how to code and thats pretty good. I'm ok with computers. Better than the average bear but I'm no Garcia.

criminal1mind: What is your favorite color?

KV: black:)

breram18: Does Thomas act like his does during the show off set or is he really fun to be around?

KV: He’s very charming and effusively funny, very different.

issybellaw: So Paget just texted you.... you wouldnt give us her number? ;)

KV: 555-no.

Cat: What is your favourite pen that has been sent in so far?

KV: I love them all. I DO!


livern: Has anyone in the cast ever went on a date or hooked up?

KV: This is really bad that I am telling you but YES we all have a polyamorous relationshipand its going really really good. Wow. I feel so much better now that the truth is out.

gchan_s2: Okay, this question is gonna sound so retarded.. but, what does Shemar smell like? I mean, a sexy guy like him I`m sure smells sexy! LOL! You know, all sexy guys smell great w/ their cologne`s or what not :P.

KV: Like the forest and dreams.

GublerGirl: Are you a Potterhead or a Twihard?

KV: Potter. But I like the Twi.

Ali_B: What is your favorite word?

KV: Kiosk or refluctant.

catherine: What is your best memory from the show?

KV: Meeting Shemar.

catherine: Being a huge fan the girls of the CM, can you tell us a fact about them (AJ and Paget) that we wouldn't expect?

KV: Hmmm AJ is almost always dancing and Paget hates xmas music.

rubin145: What was your first paid job as an actress

KV: I was a head on a table covered with fruit and I talked to the guest at a party. it was kinda gross. I made 50 bucks for 4 hours.


livern: What is one thing you could change about Garcia if you could?

KV: I just learned that she doesn't drink wine. That made me sad.

alicemalice: If you could be one of the MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS, which colour Power Ranger would you be?

KV: Pink.

isabuttabelle: Do you like the show Doctor Who?

KV: WHO DOESNT LIKE IT? Remind me to be mad at them.

BrielleJMBaker: If you could pick any animal to be a domesticated pet, what would it be?

KV: A skunk.

BrielleJMBaker: Did you know fruit flies don't really like vegetables?

KV: Yes. Now.

Cat: Coke or pepsi?

KV: Izze berry flavored.

Cat: Garcia's turn! Coke or Pepsi?

KV: Uhhh Pepsi.

rubin145: What is your favorite knock knock joke.

KV: Interrupting cow.

Cat: What's your favourite musical?

KV: I like a lot... Little shop of horrors.

a-dilemma: What is your favorite flavor of toothpaste?

KV: Go smile lemonade.. its pricey but they have it at sephora and I spluge on it. I’m kinda a dental hygeine freak. Also, I am not so good with spelling zI -- like transpose i and e a lot.

alicemalice: If you had to pick a stage name, what would yours be?

KV: CERULEAN MINKY the 5th.


Dejautrime: If the BAU team were all animals, who would be what (does that make sense?)?

KV: Reid: spider monkey. Morgan: TIGER TIGER TIGER. Prentiss PANTHER. AJ GAZELLE. THOMAS LEMUR. ROSSI OWL. PG DOLPHIN

srqcmgirl: What's your favorite pick up line?

KV: Hey, I like you. Lets go make out


Sydney: Mac or PC?


KV: Whatever gets you to God, go there.


IgubeYou: Have you learned something from Garcia that has changed you in someway?

KV: Yes, that its good to accept yourself. That confidence will take you far and its a great thing to develop. That it is possible to love everyone.

Cat: What do you see in kevins and garcais future?

KV: I think that its hard to know...I dont know.. hear tell that its coming up. Thank you everyone for hanging out so so much. This is always so fun. I wish you all a night of discovered dreams. Much lovexoxox Kirsten signing off.

KH: Hey guys, thanks so much for being here.

CaffeinatedMe: To both of you: What's the HARDEST part about writing for CM?

KH: The hardest part is trying to tell stories that we haven't already done. lol


Kitten0409: Hi Rick & Kim! The unsub in last season Into The Woods, even if he was identified, was one of the few that got away. Will we see him/hear about him again?

KH: I wanted to play the REALITY that these types of offenders get away all the time.


BubblegumFox: Rick Dunkle what led you to start writing for CM?

RD: It was kind of a no brainer. I started as a script coordinator on Criminal Minds season one… They gave me the opportunity to write a freelance episode season four and, of course, I took it! They liked the script enough that they decided to hire me on full time as a writer. This has been my first TV writing job and I can't imagine being anywhere else.


Thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: So, Rick, what exactly is a hotchrocket?

RD: A "crotch rocket" is a motorcycle… I felt "Hotch Rocket" was appropriately amusing for Garcia to say :)


Twistedcistern: Thank you so much for both the chat and your awesome scripts, Since there are two of you, which *two* BAU members do you most enjoy writing dialog exchanges for?

KH: Prentiss

RD: Hotch

KH: Rossi

RD: Reid

KH: Morgan

RD: JJ

KH: Garcia

RD: Strauss

KH: Agent Anderson

RD: CSI Tech Gina

KH: BAU security guard #1

RD: Red shirted Receptionist


LovessumCM: How do you ensure continuity when you have so many different writers working on the show?

RD: We have a CM "bible" that we update after each episode goes to air. It's our cheat sheet. Fortunately, Messer, Kim, our Script Coordinator Jason Bernero and I have been around basically since the beginning… We try to be the encyclopedia of memory for the show.


Kitten0409: Last season, Strauss stepped down/took a leave of absence/not sure what it was and left Hotch in her place. Is there going to be a follow up to that, some explanation about what happened there?

KH: You'll find out next Wed. #709

KH: Rick corrected me... it will be THIS Wed.


FluffyJJ: Do you watch the episodes when they air? What goes through your mind when they do?

RD: If I'm home in time, yes… but, it's still work then, even when watching it air… I think… Oooh, that scene works really well, I want something like that in the one I'm writing… I usually try to steal all the scenes Kim writes.

KH: No comment


JJfans: What episode(s) did you feel the most pressure writing for? Were they big ones like 100 or a season finale? Or did they just mean something special to you?

RD: Sometimes, you have to start from scratch at the last minute… Issues forced Kim and I to have to write the first draft of The Stranger in one weekend. There wasn't enough coffee in the world for that kinda stress!

KH: It was a great writing excercise lol


Thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: Rick, we know Beth is back as Hotch's training partner in Closing Time. What else can you tell us about the episode?

RD: We just shot the first day of this episode yesterday and I have to say… I heart Hotch & Beth… the on-screen chemistry is simply amazing and Bellamy is so talented… I know all the Prentiss/Hotch shippers out there aren't wanting to give her a chance, but I have to tell you… You're going to love her. Plain and simple.

RD: Also, in the words of Virgil Williams, "people die."


ChocolateDivine: To both: which scenes in season 7 are your favourites?

KH: Yesterday, we watched the cut for the 150th episode. There were a few scenes in there that I would say are my favorite of the season. You're going to love the Prentiss/Hotch jet scene. It's going to be great!


FluffyJJ: What has been your "best day ever" on set?

RD: Meeting Kim Harrison...

RD: And Dallas Clark Day

KH: Meeting Rick Dunkle...


Twistedcistern: To Kim, totally fangirl question: We know how tall Rick is. How tall are you?

KH: 5'6"

SesameSquirrel: So Rick, does someelse besides Dash share your affections? You know, of the female human variety? ::cool

RD: Wait, is my name Rick or TTTO? I'm confused!

KH: I'll step in for this one... the answer is YES! lol

RD: Her name is Kim… or, as I call her, Boo!


FluffyJJ: What are 3 things you absolutely need when writing an episode?

KH: Chips, coffee and more coffee

RD: Oreos, Jalepeno Chips, Turkey jerkey & Coke Zero


Rusalka: Why do you sometimes choose to reveal from the beginning who's the unsub? Personally I find it much more fascinating when we discover his/her identity through the work of the BAU.

RD: It just depends on the story… We can't always have Garcia give us the entire backstory of the UnSub of the Week in act three/four… So it helps to be able to show part of that story up front so you can learn more as the team does. We try to vary it up as much as possible but basically, it's called "Criminal Minds" so we want to show you the mind of the serial killer as much as we can.


Thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: Kim, what can you tell us about your next episode, 7.16? Do you have an episode title? Any special character focus?

KH: It's called "A Family Affair" enough said.


JJfans: Who will be the next team member to be in peril?

RD: You'll find out in 7x14… and the result won't be anything like you're expecting!


CriminalMusings: How does Hotch have the time to date when he didn't have time to be a husband before his divorce, is now a single dad, and presumably works more than he did before (given the fact that Strauss asked for his help)? That and the triathlon...I think that season 7 is great so far in terms of getting into the characters' personal lives, but I along with a lot of other fans aren't sure how Hotch does these things.

RD: Here's the thing… we have to be real about this… Hotch can't stay single his entire life. He hasn't dated since his divorce from Haley, let alone the tragedy of her death. Haley wouldn't want him to stay alone and neither do we. We've played that Morgan is helping with extra paper work/late nights… and I personally think Jessica would also like Hotch to move on so she doesn't have to babysit so much. Hotch needs a new baby momma!


JJfans: If it were up to both of you, and anything were possible, where would you choose to go with the main characters? Any scenarios in the backs of your minds? Any character you're just waiting to get your hands on and write a great episode for?

KH: I'd love to take the team to Hawaii :) How cool would it been to see them all on vacation together.


CriminalMusings: Do you take it personally when fans react negatively to a story line? I'm talking specifically about Beth, but this goes for anything. You can't make everyone happy, right?

RD: Not at all. A lot of you actually disliked Prentiss when she started. We actually expect it. The team is a family and no one likes change… but change happens whether you want it or not and it's up do us to tell good stories, whether it's the path you want to see or not. Having said that, I can assure you… Morgan and Reid will never hook up!

RD: I stand corrected… Reid and Morgan will not hook up until Season 10 when the plane crashes… Sorry, Breen!


BubblegumFox: Is there a reason all the characters have some relation outside of the BAU eg. Hotch and Beth, JJ and William, Reid and his mom.... But with Morgan and Prentiss there is nothing??

KH: Or is there? *wink wink*



FluffyJJ: Will we find out more about Reid's headaches?

RD: He discovered advil.

KH: He's taking tylenol.


Avferreira: But they're all regenerating for season 11 right?

RD: Absolutely… Wouldn't Dr. Reid make a great Dr. Who!?!?!


a-dilemma: Rick: You posted on Twitter news about the 2 hour season finale. What can you tell us about that? Also, what do you have to say about the rumors on Gideon's return?

RD: It's too early to say much about the season finale. I'm still shooting 7x14 and that's not until 7x23 & 7x24… We won't even break the episode until the new year… Having said that I can assure you that 1) it will be awesome. 2) the rumors of Gideon's return have been greatly exaggerated and 3) Paul McGann is definitely returning to regenerate into Christopher Eccleston in the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who, lol.


Freakingdork: will we ever see Morgan's family again? even just one sister or just his mom or something would be nice.

RD: Yes.


Thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: So if the Reid headaches storyline has been dropped, what can we expect in terms of development for him this season?

RD: It's not necessarily dropped… we're just not focusing every episode on it… There is a fantastic episode re: Reid in January. "True Genius" written by Sharon Lee Watson and directed by Glenn Kershaw is off the hook good. You'll see Reid questioning things about what it means to be him, and coming to terms with a certain part of his life I can't mention. Also, he and Prentiss have a scene alone together that had the screening room in tears… not saying whether those were tears of sorrow or laughter :)

KH: What just happened? lol


BubblegumFox: How much coffee do you end up going through when writing a script for an episode?

KH: Let me put it this way... I'm working on my 3rd cup right now... it's only 11am lol

RD: This is what happens when writers get together on a Saturday morning!


Encarter: my ears!!!

BubblegumFox: Please dont start this Rick Dunkle and Kim we had this war last time with Kirsten..


JJfans: It seems like not too many people like writing/talking about JJ? What's up w/ that?

KH: JJ is amazing.

RD: You'll see more of Henry & Will this year.

RD: You'll see JJ like you've never seen her before in 7x14

KH: And in 7x24


JJfans: Any plans yet for MGG's episode?

RD: The one he's directing? Breen's writing it and it will connect to a storyline from the past. With Frazier & Gube at the helm, you know it will be fun-tastic.


UnknownSubject: Reid/Maps is the only canon ship, right? We've seen him with those maps, there's definitely something going on.

RD: Oh for sure… I think his firstborn will be named Garmin… or Thomas… or Thomas Garmin Reid!


Kris: So Rick, unfortunately it looks like the Colts are headed for the #1 draft pick. Time to draft an heir to Peyton?

KH: Forget the Colts, the Lakers are back on xmas day!!!

RD: Personally, I would hope Peyton could be our Quarterback forever! Also, the Colts may need a little Luck, too… Perfect scenario, if Peyton doesn't come back… He coaches Andrew Luck to Colts glory and a decade of consecutive Super Bowl victories!


Summer: When can we expect a fight to brew between the main characters?

KH: 7x09 things get a little heated between a couple of team members.


Paparossi: What happened to Sergio?

KH: 7x12 will give us a little insight as to what Sergio has been up to.

KH: dropitlikeitshotch... LOL love the name.


Dontstopdontbreak: I know everyone is a fan of reid x maps but will prentiss x turtlenecks make a comeback?

KH: Those turtlenecks have been sitting in her closet since shes gotten back from Paris. They will make their network return in 7x12.

KH: Rick is wearing a turtleneck right now lol


ChocolateDivine: Any major developments happening with Garcia and Kevin Lynch?

RD: Yes. Next question.


HeTalksAboutYou: Will we ever get to see Morgan outside of work, e.g. smashing down walls? Is that a private thing, or does he ever do a Grey's Anatomy and bring people to his houses to let them take out their anger with a hammer?

KH: Yes. Next question.

RD: Okay, no more sounds, please. Dash is getting worked up. He thinks Sergio is here!


Thisiscalmanditsdoctorwho: Is 7.13 going to have a Valentine's Day tie in? What about 7.10 and Christmas?

RD: 7x14 is probably the most romantic episode we've ever done… Having said that, people die!


CriminalMusings: Can you two please get married?

KH: Done!

RD: I often think we're already married.


Carol: what can Emily fans expect for her?

KH: More turtlenecks.


BubblegumFox: Do either of you like spinach... I is eating spinach!

KH: I liked mine steamed.

RD: I like mine on pizza with chicken.


Paparossi: Why do you keep blowing off Morgan questions?

KH: What was the question?

RD: Done and done.


FluffyJJ: Have you ever just wanted to grab Matthew and kiss his face?

KH: Done and Done!


Summer: If the cast members were vegetables, what would they be?

RD: Hotch would be a radish.

KH: Rossi would be an onion.

RD: Reid would be a carrot.

KH: Prentiss would be a squash.

RD: Garcia would be a beet.

KH: JJ would be taro root

RD: Morgan would be a snap pea.


SergioCushion: Do you like roast chicken? Do you think any of the team does?

KH: I don't care for roast chicken but I think the team likes it in their salads

RD: I think they prefer duck.

RD: "Hope" has been my favorite so far. It was so different and tragic.


a-dilemma: To both: what episodes (aired and not aired) have been your favorites this season?

RD: Sorry, folks, jumped the gun. Read backwards.

RD: Also, the episode with Morgan in a towel.

KH: We just had the table read for Rick's episode that he's shooting right now and I told him after the read that it was one of my fav. episodes of the season.


Swankyhoodrat: Do any of you have a dream dramatic scenario you'd like to write for one of the characters

RD: Aside from Hotch and Prentiss hooking up?

KH: Dude, I was thinking the same thing.


Em: What is your favorite show besides CM?

RD: Doctor Who.

KH: Jersey Shore!!!!

RD:

RD: Seriously, Kim?

KH: Yes!

RD: Could Snooki guest star?

KH: Awwwww :(

RD: HAHAHAHAH


CriminalMusings: Prentiss x The Situation. OTP!

KH: Yes!!!! I can see it now

RD: We're getting ready to bounce. Any final Q to ask?


Avferreira: What was the show that made each of you think you wanted to be a screenwriter?

KH: The Cosby show. I loved watching it as a kid and it's the first show that really got the wheels turning in my head that I could write for TV.

KH: Ugh! Rick... the people are waiting.


RD: For me it's a tie between Doctor Who and Buffy… I grew up with the original Doctor Who and just wanted that wonderful blue box to come and whisk me away. I think the new series is very clever and well done. I'm addicted. For me, the smartest show, IMHO, was Buffy. I freaking loved that show. It handled real topics admidst a fantasy world and had real drama mixed with fun. I wanted to be Joss and JJ Abrams growing up… Now I just want to be Kim Harrison.

KH: They didn't ask for an essay!!

KH: And on that note...


RD: Thanks for your time. This was fun!

KH: Thanks for your time!! We enjoyed chatting with you all!

RD: Keep watching!

RD: Chat again soon!

RD: "The Doctor, the Widow & the Wardrobe" airs soon!

KH: New Season of jersey Shore, Jan 5th 10pm


chat-admin: Also, new Criminal Minds this wednesday!

RD: And catch Criminal Minds Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Wednesday on CBS!

KH: Ya, that too.

JA: Hi everyone. Strauss here. So glad to be here with you and see all your enthusiasm for the show.

ravenbrittx7: Jayne...what is your favorite characteristic Strauss attains? Worst?

JA: OK, my favorite thing about Strauss is that she doesn’t take any crap – she’s tough and smart but can have a heart. My least favorite characteristic is that she is stubborn and political.

SmileyGidget: Jayne -- I think you are a fantastic actress and I have loved seeing more Strauss this Season and her change in character, last night was a very revealing episode for her, are you enjoying this side of the character?

JA: Yes, we see her up against a wall and that means that we will see her become something else- she will have to survive. That is so exciting for an actor to be up against a huge problem like alcohol.

soundofmescreaming: Are we going to see more of the trust issue between Hotch and Morgan?

EM: We will. It's always there from now on...we'll deal with more of that in episode 7x19.

JA: What would you like to see happen with Strauss, besides being off the show ;)

swon: NO I don't want to see Strauss go!

Paula: Have a romantic relation with someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gchan.s2: It would be interesting to see her struggles w/ the alcohol & how she deals with it, maybe a little of her family? :)

SpencerReidRamblings: I'd love to see her kids.

NNatalieeMcd: Kiss Rossi.

Avery: I'd love to see her become more of a member of the team! She has so much chemistry with Prentiss, Hotch, Rossi, etc.

StopBlowingHolesInMyShip: I'd like to see more chats between her and Hotch.

JA: It's fun to hear all the ideas- any more questions?

EM: We LOVE Strauss here in the writers' room, too. She brings such a great energy to the chemistry of the team. It's always fun to write scenes for her!

EM: And we'll deal with the aftermath of what you saw last night... look for it later in the season.

swon: Amazing acting last night Ms. Atkinson, do you have a favorite CM episode?

JA: This was my favorite episode because I was out in the field, but my favorite scene was when I believed that Hotch killed his wife's murderer in self defense. My second is the final scene in this last episode when Hotch tells me to get help -- wonderful. Seeing Strauss crack means that there is more to come! Could there be a kinder, gentler Strauss ;).

CriMiBird: Jayne is it fun to play. The bad girl of the BAU?

JA: YES!!! Although I also love it when i turn around and am kind now and then....it's fun to let myself be in my "be-atch."

Nayarit: Will the reason she's turned to alcohol be revealed more, is it simply stress pushing her over, or something longstanding, or stemming from something else? Amazing episode last night!

EM: Glad you liked it, thank you! It's been a long-standing issue. She's fought it, thought she was a functioning alcoholic for a long time. I'd love for Jayne to answer her idea of Strauss in distress... Jayne?

JA: I agree. She has coped with the stress of her career and her need for success and playing with the "Big Boys" but clearly she has sacrificed too much. She is so smart but I see her as so lonely. I know that she is married and has kids but it's clear to me that they have taken a back seat to her career-and at some level this must tear at her heart. I am so excited to see what Erica writes for her...

JotchObsessed: Do you think Hotch told anyone else except Morgan about Strauss' addiction to alcohol?

EM: That's a lovely and sad insight to Strauss but I do agree. And there's NO WAY Hotch or Morgan told another soul about that night...

STRAUSS_COME_BACK: Do you think we will ever get to see Strauss and Prentiss scenes ? Or at least see how Prentiss reacts to the news, because she isn't a big fan of strauss.

EM: She isn't a big fan but she respects her and the position. There may be a moment where they connect over that.

JA: I think initially she might be smug but then when she sees me and sees how I have changed she will have a different kind of respect and feeling for me.

EM: Prentiss is such an understanding character... she appreciates the layers in others.

HeTalksAboutYou: Jayne - are you involved in any other projects while on CM? (E.G. any more stage work on the horizon?)

JA: I will be seen in Perception in June and I am currently working on a play about Edith Wilson, President Wilson's wife-she ran the white house for 6 weeks! And a project with my husband, Michel Gill. And of course being a mom is my favorite role! Right, Erica?

EM: That’s right, Jayne! Mine, too!

HeTalksAboutYou: Erica: This season are we going to see any significant call backs to Morgan's key history? (Bomb squad experience, time in deep cover, history of abuse).

EM: We will see more of Morgan's history, especially in episode 7x20. It'll be a rewarding ride for all who watched season 6...

gchan.s2: After being in the field w/ the team, do you think Strauss would like to work with them more often, instead of staying in her office?

JA: Being in the field isn't her favorite thing, but I think she could be more collaborative with them somehow.

Dreis: To Erica: are we going to learn what was wrong with Reid’s mother, will we get to see more of that storyline?

EM: Funny, we talk about her all the time in the room. She's on Glee, so actually getting her to be in an episode is tricky... hopefully we'll see her later this season.

devoncarrots: Erica, we have seen where everyone lives except for Morgan and Reid. Why is that?

EM: I know, right? They'll be carpooling home soon...but they're NOT roommates!

wheelsup7891: Jayne, may I just say you were fabulous last night! I love that they focused on the personal side of Strauss we rarely see. Question: If you could put any 2 characters together on the show, who would they be?

JA: Thanks so much. I loved this episode. Thanks to Erica! And…any two people??? Hmm- maybe Rossi and Strauss. But that's a bit self serving…so Reid and Garcia. Absolutely. Most awkward couple ever, but so so cute. She would have flowers all the time.

dejautrime: If Strauss were an animal, what animal would she be?

JA: She would be....wolverine

EM: From X-Men!! He’s awesome.

Cheers: Erica, was a mysterious past for Prentiss always intended or did that just happen as her story evolved? Will we learn more about her past?

EM: Yes it was... from the minute Strauss asked Prentiss to be a mole, we knew she was a complicated character and that it stemmed from her past. We'll see more about how she's transitioning back but the biggest surprises happened last season, I think.

tabularossi: Erica, we keep hearing how phenomenal "True Genius" is. Can you give us a hint as to some of what we can look forward to?

EM: Sharon Lee Watson wrote a complicated story that shows us how smart she is... and REID! Of course. It's directed by Glenn Kershaw so you know it's great!

Avery: Are there any particular characters you'd like Strauss to share more scenes with?

JA: I would love to have more scenes with the women. But that just hasn't made sense. Maybe in the future-

Catherine: Erica, do we ever get to see more of JJ's childhood life/past? I feel like she's the only one without any real backstory.

EM: We'll get invested more in the life she's building for her child... but that will reflect how she was raised... "North Mammon" gave some history as did "Risky Business" where we learned about her sister's suicide.

alex: I'd love to see Strauss's family and know what she is like when she isn't working.

JA: I do think that we might see her have to deal with her family and her alcohol. Perhaps see what it has cost them. That would be very moving, but I have a feeling that there could be some kind of separation. Perhaps her husband can't take her career anymore, and there will be repair work with the kids. It can't stray too far from what the show is focused on which is CRIMINAL MINDS :)

moviegirl: If you have a CM "bible" and script supervisor like Rick Dunkle said how come you have problem with the continuity like Reid's birthday, Hotch's scars etc?

EM: We have living bibles on this show, too. Dunkle is one of them. I'm another. I won't ruin the surprise of 7x11 but trust us that we didn't have issues with the continuity. Hotch's scars have yet to be revealed...so I'm not sure what that's about...

Nayarit: Why isn't Strauss such a fan of the field?

JA: She doesn't have field clothing of course!! Frankly I think the whole serial killer thing scares the sh@#! out of her.

cmwonderlady: How different from all the others will the jet scene on 7x12 be? Are we going to need tissues or a baseball bat to hit the TV? :)

EM: There's so much talk about that jet scene now...was that because of a chat? hmmm. might need to have another talk about teasers versus spoilers. The scene is different in that there are only two characters on it... it's one of our favorites for that reason. Hate that it's blown out of proportion because I don't want anyone hitting a TV with a bat!

ravenbrittx7: I know people who ship Hotch/Prentiss are not looking forward to Beth's arrival? What will it be like? Can you give us a bit of a heads up about what to expect?

EM: Like the aforementioned jet scene, I don' t want to hype anything up. She's lovely and Hotch is charming...that's a good thing to see him smile.

JA: I would love to see Strauss hang out with Emily and Garcia…they would be crazy and wild and try to make Strauss have fun…it would be hilarious.

JA: Exactly -- would LOVE to see Strauss let her hair down!! Literally! Have we ever seen her really smile-oy! She is so tense!

EM: Just no drinking!

JA: Exactly, no drinking!

ReidTalkNerdy2Me: Jayne -- What is the most surprising thing you have learned about Strauss so far?

JA: That she drinks! Just kidding...no, that she really does have a soft side to her for Hotch.

EM: We knew that in ep. 6x21 last season but didn't tell anyone!

ravenbrittx7: Jayne...You are amazing. I just wanna thank you for taking the time to chat with us! It really means a lot! xo

JA: It's so much fun and I appreciate so much that you all are so curious and care!

Jasper: What spurred Strauss' evolution from (fabulously acted) stock female 'hard ass' character, to a more rounded nuanced figure?

EM: We wanted to show the relatable, human side of Strauss and what better way than to reveal her weakness!

JA: And...I think because she is an older female. She adds a depth to the show. We need her there to push the envelope. She is a good counter in many ways to Hotch. When you see a character move from one course of action, mind set etc..to another - it creates great tension and story..I always described Strauss as the hatchet girl!! but she has become more- but still nobody quite likes her :(

tabularossi: How does Strauss rank in your list of favorite roles you've played?

JA: I love Strauss because of the promise of her journey. Erica LOVES Strauss and because of that I know she is going to bring the juiciest pieces of her to this season and maybe next. I love being bad but I am going to love the transformation and for an actor there is nothing better. SO…STRAUSS IT IS!!!!

EM: Thanks for joining us Jayne!

JJfans: Thanks, Jayne!

JA: My pleasure! I love the applause but let's send applause to Erica and to our moderators and most of all our delicious and interesting and intelligent fans! Thanks so much! And keep watching!

EM: Thanks everyone for joining us tonight. It's been a lot of fun. We'll have to do it again! Thanks for watching. So glad you all liked the episode. Goodnight!