Criminal Minds Ed Bernero Replace Chris Mundy as the Spinoff Showrunner

Ed Bernero to replace Chris Mundy on CBS' 'Suspect Behavior'

By Micheal Schneider

Exec producer Chris Mundy has exited CBS' upcoming "Criminal Minds" spinoff in a showrunner shakeup.Ed Bernero, who serves as exec producer and showrunner on the "Criminal Minds" mothership, will now run both, focusing much of his attention on getting the spinoff (official name: "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior") up and running.

With Bernero spending more time on "Suspect Behavior" (which he also exec produces), some oversight on "Criminal Minds" has shifted to Simon Mirren and Erica Messer -- both of whom were elevated to exec producer at the start of this season. (Bernero still remains official showrunner on both.)The "Suspect Behavior" showrunner switch comes as other new and returning series have also faced changes at the top. CBS' new Tom Selleck drama "Blue Bloods," for example, saw original showrunner Ken Sanzel exit this summer.

Bernero's double "Criminal Minds" duty is similar to Shane Brennan's dual showrunner hats on "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles."Mundy, meanwhile, continues to be based at ABC Studios, which produces "Criminal Minds" with CBS TV Studios.

Mundy's credits include "Criminal Minds," where he first wrote the episode last season that became a backdoor pilot for "Suspect Behavior." He also worked on Fox's "Head Cases," CBS' "Cold Case," ABC's "Line of Fire" and the Eye's "Presidio Med."

"Suspect Behavior," which features a new crop of FBI investigators, stars Forest Whitaker, Matt Ryan, Michael Kelly, Janeane Garofalo, Beau Garrett and Kirsten Vangsness (who's splitting her time between both "Criminal Minds" shows).

Besides Bernero, exec producers include Mark Gordon, Andrew Bernstein and Deborah Spera.

Source: Variety


From Dealine Hollywood

Ed Bernero will be pulling double Criminal Minds duties this fall. The executive producer/showrunner of the original CBS series will also serve as showrunner on the upcoming Chriminal Minds spinoff for the offshoot's original 13-episode midseason order. Chris Mundy, originally tapped to run the spinoff, is exiting the crime procedural starring Forest Whitaker. Word is Bernero was brought in to bring a steady hand to the spinoff a couple episodes into its production as the network was reportedly not happy with its creative direction. CBS and CBS Studios, which co-produces Criminal Minds with ABC Studios, employ a similar setup on NCIS and NCIS: LA, both run by Shane Brennan.

Additionally, Bernero is keeping busy on the development front through his ABC Studios-based Bernero Prods. run by Rob Kim. He has set up 3 projects at ABC: a spec, which he wrote; The Box, which he is co-writing with Norman Morrill (How to Make It In America); and a third project written by Laurie McCarthy (Ghost Whisperer), which is still in negotiations.