The End of an Era on Criminal Minds

Since I'm writing about this over a week after it happened, I don't think I have to do a real *SPOILER ALERT*.  But just in case you are a Criminal Minds fan and haven't watched last week's episode yet, and don't have any idea what happened... you may want to stop right here.

Not that I really care, because it got ruined for me too.  Damn peeps on Facebook who had to post about it before I saw it!!!

In any case.  It is a depressing dreary rainy day here, so I decided to go with a depressing dreary topic. As you know if you've read my blog for any length of time, I have a love-hate relationship with the show Criminal Minds.  I really love to watch it, as long as it's not dark out or near bedtime.  If I DO watch it after dark or near bedtime, then it often creeps me out so much that I have to sleep with a light on.

I'm a tough chick, yo.

One might wonder why I put myself through the agony of watching something that can freak me out so badly.  What's the point?  Well, I'll tell you the point.  And that point is a certain holy-hell-handsome actor named Shemar Moore, better known to CM fans as Special Agent Derek Morgan.

That's right.  It's worth it to watch a show about the sick, twisted minds of disgusting criminals and what they can do, if it means seeing a certain sexy man swoop in to save the day at the end every time.

And for 11 years, that's exactly what SA Morgan did on the show.  He was there from the very beginning, and every episode thereafter.  He was the macho protector.  The ultra-hot superhero.  The delicious utterer of the words every woman (especially Penelope Garcia) would die to hear him call them:  "Baby Girl."  He was a constant comfortable reassurance and delectable eye candy on each and every episode.

Until last week.

Last week, he made his exit from the show.  And hearts across the nation broke.

For me, the news came in a few Facebook statuses and link shares from friends.  A few even declared that their days of watching Criminal Minds were over.

I'm not that kind of kid, though.  I remember people saying that when Mike Fisher got traded from the Sens, that the team had lost them as a fan.  I remember people saying that when Dr. McDreamy was killed off Grey's.  (I don't need to put a *spoiler alert* on that, do I?  It happened like a frigging year ago.)  But that's not my style.  I'm still hanging in with the Sens (even if it I am lacklustre in my support lately, boo to not making the playoffs), and I still religiously watch Grey's each week (Alex Karev is enough for me).

And truly, there's still enough to keep me with Criminal Minds too.  I didn't see last night's ep yet, but I like the other characters on the show enough to keep tuned in.  I'm especially a fan of Dr. Spencer Reid, maybe even more so than I loved Morgan, so he alone will keep me watching.  (In the daylight, and not close to bed time, of course).

But it was still pretty sad to see him go.  Shemar Moore is one sexy creature, so it's a shame to not have him on my TV screen each week.  I can only hope he'll have other projects lined up that will keep him in my television/movie life going forward.  It won't be the same, of course.  I'll miss him on Criminal Minds, particularly in the adorable flirtatious interactions he shared with Garcia.  He will be irreplaceable, especially in that regard.

But I'm also holding on to hope that he might return, even if it's in a guest role from time to time.  I mean, he wasn't killed off the show.  His character didn't die a fiery death.  He didn't leave in a coffin.  He simply decided to leave the BAU to be a husband and father.  And for those of us who were fans of his as Malcolm on the Y&R, we know that every so often he makes a re-appearance on that show as well, just keep the hearts a-fluttering.

We can only hope.