‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Star Paget Brewster Apologizes After Social Media Clash With Critic

Paget Brewster has apologized after facing backlash for a heated social media response directed at a TV critic who reviewed Criminal Minds: Evolution. The actress admitted that her reaction went too far and said she regretted attacking someone for doing their job.

The controversy started when Brewster responded to a review written by ScreenRant staffer Shealyn Scott. Scott’s article discussed the changes made to Criminal Minds after the original CBS series moved to Paramount+ as Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Brewster, who plays Emily Prentiss in the series, criticized Scott’s review in a now-deleted post on X. She argued that negative coverage could affect the people working behind the show and expressed her frustration in a personal way.

“Hello critic Shealynn Scott,” Brewster wrote. “You’re young. You don’t know that bad pics and bad reviews can lead to 350 people losing their jobs. Sell vintage. Work at a shelter. Do something better than what you do now. Because right now you suck.”

The post quickly drew criticism from members of the entertainment industry and journalists who felt Brewster’s response was unfair. Critics defended Scott and argued that reviewing television is part of the entertainment industry, even when opinions are negative.

David Rooney, chief film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, responded to Brewster’s comments and said the situation reflected poorly on the actress.

“This is a very bad look. An actor on a long-running show attacking a young reviewer who contextualizes her respectful criticisms with obvious knowledge of the material — says way more about u being thin-skinned than it does about her professionalism. ‘Work at a shelter,’ really?!” Rooney wrote.

Andy Behbakht, a senior writer at ScreenRant, also defended his colleague. He criticized Brewster’s reaction and called for an apology.

“This is disgusting behavior on your part, and really tragic to see you tearing down a young female journalist whom you are literally telling that she ‘sucks’ and that she shouldn’t be in the field that she is in,” Behbakht wrote.

After the criticism grew, Brewster returned to X on Sunday to apologize. She acknowledged that her comments were inappropriate and took responsibility for the situation.

“Hi guys, I was mean to Shealyn Scott last night and I profoundly regret it. Shame on me for insulting a human being for doing their job. I’m very sorry, Shealyn. And I’m sorry to those who follow me that you saw me behave like that. Turns out, last night, I sucked,” Brewster wrote.

The original review that started the discussion focused on how Criminal Minds changed after moving from network television to streaming. Scott noted that the Paramount+ version has a different tone, including a TV-MA rating, shorter seasons, and new characters.

In her article, Scott explained that while many fans have enjoyed the changes, some choices have divided viewers.

“Plenty of the continuation’s changes have been received warmly, and ‘Criminal Minds’ unquestionably still works as a gripping crime drama, but there are just as many tweaks that feel more like downgrades,” Scott wrote.

Criminal Minds originally ended its CBS run in 2020 before returning on Paramount+ in 2022 as Criminal Minds: Evolution. The revival brought back several familiar faces, including Brewster and Joe Mantegna, while introducing a new format for the long-running crime drama.

The situation has now ended with Brewster’s apology, but the incident has sparked a wider conversation about the relationship between actors, critics, and online reactions in the entertainment world.

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