Summary

• Mandy Patinkin's Special Agent Jason Gideon was one of the original cast members in Criminal Minds, but abruptly left the series early in its third season.
• Jason Gideon was a complex character who took responsibility for his team's suffering and ultimately left in search of a happier life than the one he led at the BAU.
• Mandy Patinkin left the show due to its dark subject matter and portrayal of violence against women but went on to star in other successful projects in the years since.

Premiering in 2005, Criminals Minds is a police procedural series centered on the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, which consults on local crimes using psychological profiling to find and capture criminals. Actors like Thomas Gibson, Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster and Joe Mantegna have starred in Criminal Minds for several years, and some continue to star in the revival series of Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds: Evolution. However, other stars, like Mandy Patinkin, starred on the show before leaving after only a few seasons.

While the original team was made up of seven core characters; Jason Gideon, Aaron Hotchner, Elle Greenaway, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, Jennifer Jareau, and Penelope Garcia, Criminal Minds' cast lineup has evolved over the years. One of those changes involved the seemingly abrupt departure in Season 3 of Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, played by Mandy Patinkin. This left a lot of fans wondering why Patinkin moved on from the show.

Updated on April 12, 2024, by Florencia Aberastury: Mandy Patinkin's departure from Criminal Minds was unexpected for many fans, as Jason Gideon was a core member of the BAU team. Gideon's Criminal Minds career didn't last long but left a mark on the series, and this article has been updated to include more information about why Gideon left Criminal Minds, as well as to bring the article up to current CBR standards.

Who Was Jason Gideon in Criminal Minds?

Jason Gideon Was Criminal Minds' Senior Supervisory Special Agent from Seasons 1-3

• First appearance: "Extreme Aggressor," which aired in 2005.
• Final appearance: Season 3, Episode 2, "In Name and Blood"
• Jason Gideon's fate is revealed in Season 10, Episode 13 "Nelson's Sparrow"
• Mandy Patinkin appeared in 47 episodes of Criminal Minds throughout its first three seasons and never appears again after his departure in 2007.

In the pilot of Criminal Minds, Jason Gideon returned to the BAU following a six-month medical leave due to the PTSD he suffered when a bomber he was profiling killed six agents under his supervision. He was an empathetic person who carried the heavy weight of his personal and professional burdens. As a result, Gideon took responsibility for any suffering his team experienced.

Gideon notably blamed himself for the time Dr. Spencer Reid, played by Matthew Gray Gubler, was kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer. Gideon was particularly close to Reid, having handpicked him from the FBI Academy. The pair often played against each other in chess, although the intuitive Gideon always won. Gideon's final act before resigning from the BAU was to write a goodbye letter to Reid, explaining that he left in search of hope and happy endings. In Season 10 of Criminal Minds, Gideon's fate was revealed: he was killed by an unsub Gideon had chased after years ago. However, Patinkin didn't return to film his character's fate, which occurred entirely off-screen. With this, the door is officially closed for any type of cameo or appearance from Special Agent Gideon in future seasons of Criminal Minds.

Mandy Patinkin Had Very Specific Reasons for Leaving Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds' Dark, Disturbing Nature Was a Contributing Factor to Mandy Patinkin's Departure

Mandy Patinkin felt he had to step away due to Criminal Minds' dark and disturbing subject matter. The series has been known for tackling difficult subjects and detailing the very worst crimes that human beings can commit. This has turned many viewers away from the series over the years, though it has retained a passionate fanbase nonetheless. Continuously dealing with such heavy subject matter would understandably affect an actor, as it clearly did Patinkin.

Mandy Patinkin specifically cited the drama's frequent portrayal of violence against women, which he described as a heavy emotional burden, as the main factor behind his resignation from the series. Five years after his departure, Patinkin spoke about his decision to leave Criminal Minds in an interview in 2012, and said choosing to do Criminal Minds in the first place was the biggest public mistake he ever made. The official statement from the Criminal Minds team stated that Patinkin left as a result of "creative differences." While this explanation is far vaguer than the reasons detailed by Patinkin, the two stories seem to support each other's validity.

But why did Jason Gideon leave Criminal Minds? Mandy Patinkin's reason for leaving the show mirrors Gideon's in-show reason for leaving the BAU in many ways. The many disturbing cases the BAU team works on eventually took a toll on Gideon, who left a letter to Reid explaining the reasons behind his abrupt departure from the team. In the episode "No Way Out, Part II: The Evilution of Frank," from Season 2, Sarah Jacobs, a friend of Gideon, is murdered by serial killer Frank Breitkopf. This leaves Gideon traumatized, and his guilt and the toll other cases were taking on him were enough for Gideon to decide to leave the BAU.

What Has Mandy Patinkin Done Since Leaving Criminal Minds?

• According to the International Movie Database, Mandy Patinkin has 65 acting credits for his work in film and television.
• Mandy Patinkin's highest-rated project on Rotten Tomatoes is 1993's The Music of Chance, with a 100% Freshness Rating. He plays Jim Nashe in the film.
• Mandy Patinkin's lowest-rated project on Rotten Tomatoes is 1985's Maxie, with a 0% Freshness Rating. He plays Nick in the film.

Since leaving Criminal Minds in 2007, Mandy Patinkin has continued to enjoy a fruitful acting career. Despite his decision to leave Criminal Minds because of its dark and disturbing subject matter, Patinkin went on to star in a show of a similar caliber, the spy thriller series Homeland, alongside Claire Danes. Patinkin portrays Saul Berenson, a CIA agent who serves as a mentor and friend to Danes's character, Carrie Mathison. He remained on the series for far longer than he did Criminal Minds, appearing in all 96 episodes of Homeland until it came to an end in 2020. His decision to remain a series regular in Homeland for eight seasons despite leaving Criminal Minds after three proved controversial with some viewers, though many appreciated his work in both series.

Although Patinkin will likely always be best known for his role as Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, he has also appeared in several notable projects in more recent years. His career includes several voice acting roles, including in the Smurfs franchise, in which he voices the iconic character of Papa Smurf. Patinkin also starred in the Netflix original animated movie The Magician's Elephant, in which he voices Vilna Lutz. He also appeared in the emotional 2017 drama Wonder as Mr. Tushman, the principal at Beecher Preparatory School who acts as an important mentor for the film's protagonist, Auggie.

While Mandy Patinkin's decision to leave Criminal Minds in 2007 was controversial at the time, the actor has grown beyond the series in the years since. Through his work in both television and film, Patinkin has shown his range as an actor, having moved on from the character of Jason Gideon to other exciting projects. His most recent credit of note is his role as Detective Rufus Cotewell in the Hulu original mystery series, Death and Other Details, which premiered in January 2024 on the streaming network.