Criminal Minds

Joe Mantegna will be playing in the annual Los Angeles Police-Celebrity Tournament, hosted by none other than Donald Trump, on Saturday, August 1. Money raised will go to the LA Police Memorial Foundation, which gives “emergency financial assistance to officers and civilians of the Police Department in the event of death, serious injury, illness or other catastrophic circumstances.” A great cause. Other celebrities who have taken part throughout the years include: Neal McDonough, Daniel Baldwin, Carlos Mencia, Terrell Davis, Rick Dees, Erik Estrada, Chad Everett, Don Johnson, Ron Perlman, Paula Trickey and more. Past celebrity golfers included Frank Sinatra, Jack Lemmon, Bob Hope, James Woods, Samuel L. Jackson, Joe Pesci, Wayne Gretzky, Jane Seymour, Jack Nicholson, James Garner, Dennis Franz, Smokey Robinson and Clint Eastwood. Quite a line up.

Heath Ledger as the Joker. He received posthumous praise for his role as this classic villain.

Starz will be airing a special called Unforgettably Evil, which looks at the most infamous movie villains and why we can’t get enough of them. A blurb about the show:

Unforgettably Evil features Tobin Bell, Lauren Shuler Donner, Malcolm McDowell, Daryl Hannah, Live Schreiber, the late David Carradine, Eric Roberts, Joe Mantegna, Bruce Greenwood, Stan Lee and Eli Roth as they discuss modern and classic film, with an emphasis on the villains and what it was that made them such memorable characters in film history.

Below is Starz’s description for the special:

“The special investigates the psychology behind classic villains and the often startlingly simple way in which they grind on the audience’s nerves while playing on their fears. From Alien to Terminator, villains do not necessarily have to be human to be bad. Villains are as old as time itself, and allow the screenwriters of the future to keep audiences squirming in their seats with the help of these characters, who know exactly how to push our buttons.”

This is on Tuesday, July 28 at 10:00 PM on Starz.

Why not? I have Shemar Moore with his pretty abs. Thomas Gibson, aka Hotch, deserves some love too, right? Here are some great pictures for your weekend. Have a good one!

Good shot? Bad shot?

Hotch on the job.

Before he realizes there are cameras:

And after:

Have a good weekend everyone. Don’t forget to tune into CBS Wednesday night at nine for a rerun of “Mayhem,” the season four opener.

More than just a pretty face; Shemar Moore has pretty abs too.

First, the ab news because nice tummies brighten anyone’s rainy Thursday. Shemar Moore has once again made a top ten best abs list. This one is on The Insider, and Mr. Moore makes #4. Awesome job. Beating him out are Kellan Lutz at #3, Vin Diesel at #2 (with a name like his, you almost have to have a six pack), and #1 was Justin Timberlake. For that list and its accompanying pictures, click here.

On to serial killers. Fangoria has a review of How To Be a Serial Killer, starring Matthew Gray Gubler as an apprentice serial killer. Here’s an excerpt:

Moving seamlessly through a variety of styles, writer/director Luke Ricci brings us the story of Bart (CRIMINAL MINDS’ Matthew Gray Gubler), a fumbling video-store clerk/slacker who is constantly getting pushed around by his clients. As if rescuing a damsel in distress, in swoops Mike (Dameon Clarke), a regular customer and serial killer. After dispatching a particularly nasty patron, Mike promises to show Bart the ropes of slaughter. But don’t think the story is all just slash-slash, kill-kill; while Mike desperately tries to juggle the life of a motivational murderer with that of a normal person–killing a careless dog owner one moment and doting on his girlfriend Abigail (Laura Regan) the next–Bart tries to fit into his new life. It’s the dynamic between odd couple Mike and Bart that makes for the film’s most memorable moments: On the outside, Mike is the leader of the duo, but more than once, Bart seems to be the instigator, preying on Mike’s insecurities, especially when it comes to his girlfriend. It’s hard to decide who Bart is more jealous of, Mike or Abigail.

Sounds interesting. From the killer’s point of view - sort of like Dexter a bit (which I am a huge fan of). For the rest of the review, click here. Apparently, this isn’t going to have wide theater showings, so if it’s playing near you, see and let me know how you liked it! The rest of us can wait for DVD I guess -my small town movie theater definitely won’t play this

(Matthew Gray Gubler back in 2004. Love his hair!)

AJ, looking stunning here on the red carpet, is celebrating her birthday today. I hope she has a great one! Lots of July birthdays for the Criminal Minds cast!

And more good news: President Obama had been schedule to speak tonight, preempting Criminal Minds, but “Roadkill” will run in CM’s normal time. “Roadkill” has the team investigating a series of murders by car in Oregon. Not my favorite season 4 episode, but worth tuning in for.

One tiny bit. On TV Guide’s Mega Buzz feature, they had a little season 5 opener news (a very tiny, little bit). Here it is:

I’m going crazy because there hasn’t been any news on Criminal Minds. Please, tell me something about Hotch’s future! — Francesca
MATT: You and many other Mega Buzz readers seem rather concerned about the gun that went off during Hotch’s unexpected season-finale face-off with the serial killer known as the Reaper. Well, you should know that is not the only gunshot that plays a pivotal role in the Sept. 23 opener.

So, not much to go on, is there? We’ll just have to wait a few more months and see how this turns out.

You can find news on SVU, CSI, True Blood, Saving Grace, Lie to Me, and more here.

Enjoy Criminal Minds “Roadkill” tonight, and let me know what you think after the show!

(Alex O’Laughlin helped Criminal Minds make the top twenty for the week with his guest starring role in “The Big Wheel.”)

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for July 13-19. Listings include the week’s ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An “X” in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (X) “Major League Baseball All-Star Game,” Fox, 14.59 million viewers.

2. (2) “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 13.51 million viewers.

3. (1) “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), NBC, 11.64 million viewers.

4. (X) “Major League Baseball All-Star Pregame,” Fox, 11.22 million viewers.

5. (6) “NCIS,” CBS, 10.45 million viewers.

6. (9) “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 9.12 million viewers.

7. (8) “The Mentalist,” CBS, 8.37 million viewers.

8. (39) “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 8.23 million viewers.

9. (65) “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 8.013 million viewers.

10. (13) “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 8.012 million viewers.

11. (18) “CSI: NY,” CBS, 8.010 million viewers.

12. (54) “Wipeout,” ABC, 7.69 million viewers.

13. (6) “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS, 7.67 million viewers.

14. (X) “CBS News: Remember Cronkite,” CBS, 7.64 million viewers.

15. (12) “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 7.48 million viewers.

16. (18) “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday, 8 p.m.), NBC, 7.47 million viewers.

17. (50) “So You Think You Can Dance” (Thursday), Fox, 7.20 million viewers.

18. (37) “Law & Order: SVU,” NBC, 7.11 million viewers.

19. (50) “So You Think You Can Dance” (Wednesday), Fox, 6.95 million viewers.

20. (88) “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 6.50 million viewers.

Another update on AJ Cook’s baby weight loss. I’ve posted on this before, and am just adding an update for women who may be going through the same weight loss struggle themselves after having a baby. It’s really hard to find time to exercise, especially if, like AJ, you work all day. Health.com has been having a series on AJ’s weight loss, as well as tips from the beautiful Criminal Minds star on staying fit and losing extra pounds. Here’s her progression:

In April, less than six months after having her son:

Only two months later, AJ had lost 5 pounds and 3% of her body fat. This is a great accomplishment - and very healthy.

Her most recent photo, in July, shows a toned AJ, who has lost a total of 8.5 pounds and 85 of her body fat.

This month, AJ talks about motivation. She’s so close to her goal that sometimes it’s very tempting to just slack off. AJ says:

If I find myself getting bored or wanting to quit, I try to switch things up by trying new recipes and activities. I can’t let myself slack off because I’m accountable—my RD and trainer are going to know if I do! You can’t fake your way through this. There’s nowhere to hide. I’ve learned to take responsibility and do it 100 percent, and I’m almost there!

My results have started to motivate my husband, who is now saying, ‘You’re looking so good, I have to drag my butt back into the gym.’

If you’re needing an extra boost of motivation, check out the following tip from Dr. Judith S. Beck that appears in the Health.com article:

Create a “memory box” filled with “worth it” cards. “Write down your positive experiences,” she suggests. “Make a note when you get a compliment that makes you happy, when you fit into a smaller size of clothing, when you leave a special event feeling good instead of overstuffed and mad at yourself.” Then flip through the cards at least once a day (more, if you find it helpful!) to keep your motivation high.

If you can see progress that you’ve made, it helps you to keep going. So for other new moms, keep at it. I have to remind myself of that a lot because it took a year of exercise for me to start losing weight after my daughter was born, and it seems to be going that way after the birth of my son as well. But remember your goals and keep going! AJ is great inspiration because she is healthy and approaching weight loss in a very sensible way, yet making herself accountable. For other tips and stats on AJ’s weight loss journey, check out this link. This link provides info on the Feel Great Weight diet plan - which is more of a healthy lifestyle than overly restrictive diet. There are recipes, menus, exercise plans, and more. Check it out if you have some baby or nonbaby weight to lose. I’d love to hear any success stories as well!

Criminal Minds took the number 2 spot at 9:00 behind America’s Got Talent. Criminal Minds had 7.3 million viewers, while 11.4 million tuned into America’s Got Talent. Not bad for a rerun at all. The new fall season, starting on September 23, will definitely pull in the viewers. I can’t wait - and it’s getting closer and closer!

Here’s Joe at the ESPY Awards “Suite of Dreams” on July 15, enjoying some much deserved refreshment.

Joe Mantegna recently played in the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic, which helped raise an incredible $950,000 for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Other players included:

Dave Annable, Jim Boeheim, Billy Crudup, Julius Erving, Mike Eruzione, Natalie Gulbis, Evander Holyfield, Bruce Jenner, Joe Mantegna, Willis McGahee, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Ben Roethlisberger, Mark Sanchez, Barry Sanders, Wes Welker.

You can see the tournament on Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN HD. Check Joe out. I am still astounded by the amount of money raised. This is truly something wonderful that celebrities can use their names and talents for.

And here’s one more of Kirsten Vangsness. Here she is at the Women in Film 2009 Crystal and Lucy Awards, looking fabulous. This was on June 12.

I apologize for the lack of new posts. We went on a little trip to Cape Cod, and then my son got sick. I know he’s not feeling well when he allows me to hold him for longer than a minute. Usually, he’s crawling/walking around, getting into trouble. Yesterday, I had him in my lap while I was working on the computer, and he didn’t even try to type for me like usual. So, he’s my excuse - a big, fevery excuse at that.

Anyway, because this blog is not called Watching Katie, let’s talk about Criminal Minds. A rerun tonight, but a good one. “The Big Wheel” guest stars Alex O’Laughlin, who looks quite a bit different in this role. He plays a killer who sends the BAU a video of a crime he commits, begging to be stopped. What I really liked about this episode was Alex O’Laughlin! And I also liked the relationship between he and the little boy whose mother he killed. That was a heartbreaking twist that I thought really made the episode. There’s a whole lot of shades of grey between good and evil, and this episode looks at that.

Alex O’Laughlin fans will want to catch the new CBS show, Three Rivers. Here is an extended preview. Looks great - very dramatic. I’m not usually a fan of medical shows, but this looks awesome! Check it out:

I’m not sure about “Demonology.” I want to like it - I’m the kind of person that really liked Stigmata and other things of that genre. I should have liked this one, but honestly, I am not liking it even after seeing it again. First, I think the story is a bit convoluted. It’s very possible I was distracted because I was working on other things at the time, but a priest killing people who all went to a church in Spain where the priest, who was a friend of his, died or maybe was murdered seems like a weird flow of events. Why would this priest kill them? Did he think they killed the priest? If someone out there knows that I’m an idiot and would explain it to me, I’d be grateful. Honestly. I really would. I don’t get the connection here.

Another thing: when John, Emily’s old friend, meets the priest in his house (he’s come to do an exorcism), John says in Italian, “I am stronger than you.” There are hints throughout that these men may be possessed, especially with John. Not that I have a problem with a plot like this, but Criminal Minds is usually so rooted in this world, so to speak. That and Emily’s nosebleed at the end seemed like a kind of cliche way to add a little mystery to the show. That works in some movies or shows, but I feel like it didn’t really with this one.

One more thing: The last thing, I promise. Emily. I can understand feeling guilty about what happened to her friend, Matthew. But she kind of went about it in a self-centered way, saying he died for her and her abortion caused him to turn to drugs. Guilt is one thing but assigning so much importance to yourself is another thing altogether. I feel like Emily went beyond guilt into ridiculousness about this. That sounds a bit harsh to me as I wrote it, but I didn’t really feel her grief so much as her self-importance. Is it only me?

What did I like about “Demonology”? I thought it was funny and interesting that they gave their profile to a group of priests. Other than that, not my favorite. What did you guys think?

Here is a scene from “Demonology,” featuring Prentiss and Rossi. What did you think of the episode?

Happy Birthday to Kirsten Vangsness! I hope she has a great day! Here she is pictured with her partner, Melanie Goldstein.

Update: Here are the top 20 shows for last week:

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for June 29-July 5. Listings include the week’s ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An “X” in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (22) “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 13.15 million viewers.

2. (26) “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 11.44 million viewers.

3. (5) “NCIS,” CBS, 10.83 million viewers.

4. (32) “The Mentalist” (Tuesday), CBS, 10.55 million viewers.

5. (8) “The Mentalist,” CBS, 9.79 million viewers.

6. (10) “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 9.29 million viewers.

7. (15) “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.39 million viewers.

8. (4) “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” CBS, 8.236 million viewers.

9. (X) “America’s Got Talent,” NBC, 8.235 million viewers.

10. (17) “CSI: NY,” CBS, 8.20 million viewers.

11. (11) “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 8.04 million viewers.

12. (66) “48 Hours Mystery” (Tuesday), CBS, 8.02 million viewers.

13. (14) “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 8.01 million viewers.

14. (50) “Wipeout,” ABC, 8.00 million viewers.

15. (40) “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 7.95 million viewers.

16. (71) “The Bachelorette,” ABC, 7.94 million viewers.

17. (50) “So You Think You Can Dance” (Wednesday), Fox, 7.73 million viewers.

18. (36) “Law & Order: SVU,” NBC, 7.33 million viewers.

19. (50) “So You Think You Can Dance” (Thursday), Fox, 7.23 million viewers.

20. (26) “Cold Case,” CBS, 7.00 million viewers.

Paget Brewster, who plays Agent Emily Prentiss, is the focus of “Demonology”

Wednesday night CBS is reairing “Demonology.” When this episode originally aired, I was excited to see what was revealed about Paget Brewster’s charcter, Emily Prentiss. Part of the reason why I like Criminal Minds so much is that I like the characters. I like seeing bits and pieces of their personalities and histories revealed as they work on cases. I think they strike a good balance between focusing on the cases and giving us some hints about the characters.

I know some Criminal Minds fans that want the focus to be on the cases. I have to say that I’m more towards that side - I don’t think it’d be as entertaining if it were some big soap opera whose characters happened to be with the FBI. I like delving into the twisted minds of the unsubs because they are so different from me. But not so different at the same time. As we saw in “Normal” and “True Night” (with Frankie Muniz), normal people can snap and become something they’d never have thought possible. The human mind is so complex; it’s interesting to see inside those minds that are different than “normal” minds.

I’d love to see a bit more about Hotch’s childhood because there were some things alluded to in the first few seasons that’d be interesting to know more about. But I like him because he’s kind of dark and mysterious and reserved. I don’t know if I want to know too much. What do you think? Do you think there should be more/less about the characters themselves?

Here’s a picture of Thomas Gibson looking all smiley, which I thought was appropriate for his birthday. Wish Thomas the best, and have a happy Third and Fourth of July! Have a safe weekend and see lots of fireworks! Hopefully, it won’t continue raining here!