Here is a deep dive into the season that tested the BAU’s resolve both on and off the screen. Season 6 picks up shortly after the dramatic events of the Season 5 finale, which saw the team hunting a serial killer targeting families. However, the real tension began almost immediately with the departure of fan-favorite agent, A.J. Cook .
For fans of CBS’s long-running procedural Criminal Minds , the sixth season (2010-2011) is remembered as a year of significant transition, emotional gut-punches, and behind-the-scenes upheaval. While it delivered the signature psychological profiling and terrifying unsubs (unknown subjects) that viewers expected, Season 6 is often defined by what—and who—was missing. season 6 criminal minds
In a controversial cost-cutting move by CBS, Cook’s character, Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, was written out in the second episode, "JJ." The episode sees her forced to accept a Pentagon liaison position in a decision that felt abrupt and unsatisfying to loyal viewers. The backlash was immediate and fierce, leading to fan campaigns (#SaveJJ) that ultimately succeeded—but not until Season 7. Here is a deep dive into the season