Criminal Minds: Paget Brewster Inks New Deal & A.J. Cook Wraps Character

http://www.deadline.com/2010/06/criminal-minds-update-paget-brewster-inks-deal-to-go-back-a-j-cook-will-make-brief-return/

It's a case of good news/bad news for Criminal Minds fans, who had been rallying to keep co-stars A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster on the show. Brewster just closed a deal to return to the veteran CBS crime drama, and she will be in almost every episode next season. But Cook, whose option for next season was not picked up, will be gone after wrapping her character's storyline in 2 episodes early in the season.

I hear Brewster's pact is for "10 out of 13", which means that, extrapolated over the 22-episode season, she will be in the majority of episodes. The actress had been approached to continue as a regular on the show but for a reduced number of episodes; now the reduction seems to be pretty small. Meanwhile, Cook this afternoon tweeted the news that she will be doing two final episodes of Criminal Minds next season. "Thanks for your undying support but it's a done deal," Cook wrote. "Excited for what's next." As planned, Criminal Minds will introduce a new female regula sometime next season.