Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (2011)
A short-lived CBS spin-off following an elite FBI profiling team led by Forest Whitaker hunting the most dangerous criminal minds.
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior - Series Information
- Original Title: Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
- First Air Year: 2011
- Last Air Year: 2011
- Created by: Edward Allen Bernero
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Crime, Drama
- Content Rating (US): TV-14
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (45 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Number of Episodes: 13
- Status: Canceled
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English, Italian
- First Air Date: February 16, 2011 (United States - TV-14), February 16, 2011 (Canada - 14+), February 16, 2011 (Germany - 16), February 16, 2011 (France - 12), February 16, 2011 (Brazil - 14), February 16, 2011 (Spain - 13), February 16, 2011 (South Korea - 15)
- Networks: CBS
- Production Companies: CBS Studios, The Mark Gordon Company, Bernero Productions, ABC Studios
- Production Countries: United States of America
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior - Plot
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior was a short-lived American police procedural drama that aired on CBS. The show debuted in 2011 as a spin-off from the successful Criminal Minds, which had premiered in 2005. This edition's profiling team also worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. In an April 2010 episode of Criminal Minds, during the show's fifth season, the original team met the new team and worked with them to find a San Francisco serial killer. This episode served as the new series' backdoor pilot.
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the Red Cell team in action:
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Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Edward Allen Bernero
Main Cast
- Forest Whitaker
- Janeane Garofalo
- Beau Garrett
- Michael Kelly
- Matt Ryan
- Kirsten Vangsness
- Richard Schiff
- Jack Axelrod
- Raviv Ullman
- Zoey Deutch
Writers
- Shintaro Shimosawa
- Melissa Blake
Executive Producers
- Edward Allen Bernero
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior - FAQs
Is Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior a spin-off?
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior is a direct spin-off of the long-running CBS series Criminal Minds (2005). The connection was established through a backdoor pilot in Season 5 of the original show, where both teams crossed paths while hunting a San Francisco serial killer.
Why was Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior cancelled?
CBS cancelled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior after just one season in 2011 due to disappointing ratings. Despite the built-in audience from its parent series, the show struggled to carve out its own identity and failed to retain enough viewers to justify renewal.
Who leads the team in Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior?
Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker heads the ensemble as Sam Cooper, the driven and intuitive leader of the FBI's Red Cell unit. His commanding screen presence anchors the show, supported by Janeane Garofalo, Michael Kelly, Beau Garrett, and Matt Ryan as his fellow profilers.
Where can you watch Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior?
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior is available to purchase digitally on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. There is currently no subscription streaming option, so buying individual episodes or the full season is the most straightforward way to watch.
How does Suspect Behavior differ from the original Criminal Minds?
While both shows follow FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, Suspect Behavior centers on a more unconventional "Red Cell" team operating with greater autonomy. The tone leans darker and more intense, and the ensemble dynamic feels rawer compared to the polished procedural rhythm of the original series.
Did Kirsten Vangsness appear in both Criminal Minds shows?
Kirsten Vangsness reprised her beloved role as tech analyst Penelope Garcia in Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, serving as a familiar bridge between the two series. Her crossover presence was one of the clearest narrative threads connecting the spin-off to its parent show.
How many episodes does Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior have?
The series ran for 13 episodes across its single season on CBS in 2011. Although a special backdoor pilot episode aired within Criminal Minds Season 5 in 2010, the standalone series itself comprised just those 13 episodes before cancellation.
What are similar shows to Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior?
Fans of the show often enjoy Criminal Minds (2005) and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016) for their shared FBI profiling DNA. The Mentalist (2008) and CSI: Miami (2002) also offer compelling crime-solving procedurals with strong ensemble casts and fast-paced investigative storytelling.
More About Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
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