Mandy Patinkin leaves "Criminal Minds." Your thoughts on this announce!

Mandy Patinkin leaves "Criminal Minds." Your thoughts on this announcement?

According to E! News Online & msn.com, CBS announced that Mandy Patinkin has left the series "Criminal Minds" after two seasons. Days after news had broke that he was MIA from the third season table read, Pantinkin & the producers of 'Minds' have announced that he left the series at his request & that it was not due to contractual issues or financial reasons, it was due to creative differences between Patinkin & the producers of the show. Patinkin stated that he would like to work with CBS again in the future with other projects in mind. A casting call is now in the works for a new lead character on the show to replace Patinkin as soon as possible. "Criminal Minds" includes the cast of Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, & Kristen Vangsness

OH NO! You've got to be kidding! Part of the reason I started watching the show in the first place is because I followed Chicago Hope & Pantinkin's performances always leave me with the sense he's drawn you into the character.

I think Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matt Gubler, Paget Brewster, AJ Cook and Kristen Vangsness are wonderful actors, but I guess its because the show started out with Patinkin that I might have a hard time with whomever they decide to replace him with.