The Real Reason Mandy Patinkin Left Criminal Minds

Mandy Patinkin's character, Jason Gideon, retired from the show due to mental health issues after his girlfriend's murder, per Distractify. With Patinkin having moved on, he doesn't hold much fondness for his role in the show. In fact, he even thought it was a mistake.

During a 2012 interview with New York Magazine, Patinkin opened up about what he actually thought of his role in "Criminal Minds" and the show in general. "The biggest public mistake I ever made was that I chose to do 'Criminal Minds' in the first place," he revealed. "I thought it was something very different. I never thought they were going to kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year. It was very destructive to my soul and my personality. After that, I didn't think I would get to work in television again."

Patinkin's creative differences with "Criminal Minds" led to his exit. The next time he'd take a similar role, Patinkin would be aware of the show's violence and the messaging behind it. For him, the part of Saul Berenson in Showtime's "Homeland" was a welcomed change.

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