10 TV Stars Who Controversially Left Their Hit Shows

9. Mandy Patinkin - Criminal Minds

Mandy Patinkin has something of a reputation for not staying on any one show for too long (his present run on Homeland notwithstanding). He'll put in a season or two, but that's usually it. In that regard, Criminal Minds was no different. He starred as Jason Gideon, the stable, fatherly head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI, in charge of a crack team of serial killer hunters. The show was an immediate success, bringing a little bit of an edge to the traditional procedural. But good ratings were not enough to keep Patinkin interested, and he left after the second season to be replaced by Joe Mantegna. Under normal circumstances, these types of shows tend to be a little bit like the Supreme Court -- once you're there, you pretty much stick with it until you die. Procedurals are known for their longevity, and most actors are in it for the long haul. So it was a big deal when Mandy Patinkin left after such a comparatively small amount of time. Word is that he really struggled with the dark subject matter of the show, and couldn't face the idea of continuing to film a series about the worst of humanity. We think he knows what he's doing, though -- his career was thriving before he did Criminal Minds, and it's certainly not hurting now.