‘Criminal Minds’: Michael Kelly Reflects on Short-Lived Spinoff ‘Suspect Behavior’

While Criminal Minds has been brought back from the dead in the form of Paramount+ revival , the same can’t be said for the short-lived spinoff Suspect Behavior. Premiering in 2011 and airing for just 13 episodes, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was the second show in the franchise and even saw the team work with the BAU in a Season 5 episode of the original series as the backdoor pilot. Unfortunately, due to low ratings, CBS canceled the series a week before the Season 1 finale.

Micheal Kelly, who currently stars in Prime Video’s Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, starred on the spinoff as FBI Special Agent Jonathan “Prophet” Sims. In an interview with TV Insider, the actor reflected on the one-season series and what it was like working with Oscar winner Forrest Whitaker, saying, “Getting to work with the actors that I worked with there, that was crazy. It wasn’t my first show, but it was definitely early in my career. That was a lot of fun. Forest Whitaker, getting to work with that guy every day was pretty damn cool. I’ve been blessed.”

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior also starred Janeane Garofalo, Beau Garrett, Matt Ryan, and Kirsten Vangsness, who reprised her fan-favorite role of Penelope Garcia from the original series. While the show averaged 10 million viewers for Season 1, it did rank 39 for the season, with only 42 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The backdoor pilot in Criminal Minds was also the only time the cast was on the original series, and the characters weren’t seen again following the cancellation.

Now with Criminal Minds: Evolution coming out likely sometime next year, even despite the delay due to the writers’ strike, it’s always possible someone from Suspect Behavior could make a return. It sounds like Michael Kelly still thinks of that time of his life fondly, even if it didn’t last very long. It would be nice to see Prophet again after so long since it has been 12 years since the show ended, and fans would be able to get at least some proper closure, even if it has been so long. 

As of now, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior isn’t streaming anywhere but can be purchased on platforms such as Apple TV, YouTube, and Prime Video, but fans can watch the backdoor pilot on Criminal Minds in Season 5, Episode 18, “The Fight,” on Paramount+.