Tonight at 9pm et/pt on CBS, you can catch my episode of Criminal Minds, Paradise.
A serial killer who disguises his victims’ demise by creating car accidents to mask their earlier deaths is the subject of a BAU manhunt, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Oct. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. William Mapother (“Lost”) and Wil Wheaton (“Numb3rs”) guest star.
I worked with William Mapother and Robin Lively for much of the story. You can read an interview with William, but be warned that it’s a little spoilerish. Also, the Criminal Minds Fanatic blog has some pictures and a huge pile of spoilers.
I kept a production diary when I worked on the show, and after it airs tonight, I’ll start posting it. I think it will eventually run four posts, after I cut it up. Here’s a spoiler-free excerpt:
We did the table read for Paradise during a lunch break while they were filming Minimal Loss. One of the regulars, I forget who, almost couldn’t make it, and Luke Perry was going to fill in for him. I recall thinking that it would have been so cool to work – even in a table read – with him, but why in the world would he want to spend his lunch hour filling in for a series regular? By the time I was done with my episode, I totally understood. The cast and crew of Criminal Minds made me feel like I was part of their family, and I never wanted to leave.
I’m really proud of this episode and my work in it. I felt great when we shot it, like I’d done what the script demanded, and everyone seemed very happy with the quality of the work.
So, of course, now that the show is airing in 10 hours, I’m terrified that I’m going to suck. Sigh.
Oh, and a warning to people who haven’t seen the show yet: I’m sure there will be spoilers in this post from our dear friends in Canuckistan, who saw the show last night.
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I wish I could see it tonight, but I’m in the process of moving and don’t have TV right now. My mom’s recording it for me so I will be able to watch it, hopefully tomorrow.
~~TARA~~
Relax, Wil, you are a great actor. You’ll rock it.
For some reason it tickles me that they list your affiliation as “Numb3rs”. Weren’t you a regular in some other TV show a while back?
Wil Wheaton (Numb3rs)?!
What, not Star Trek? :: shakes head sadly :: I fear I am getting very old.
I’m excited – I was going to watch CM regardless, but I’ll watch with special glee knowing you’re on.
BTW… how does a little regional convention (U*Con in Ann Arbor, MI, Nov 21-23) go about humbly begging for the presence of your stellar self? Maybe for next year?
Jae Walker (big ol’ Wil Wheaton fangirl)
I saw the end of the episode last night (yay Canada!)and am looking forward to watching the entire episode. Looks like it’s going to be a creepy episode. Yay! 🙂
Numb3rs and Criminal Minds happen to be two of my favourite primetime shows.. Math and serial killers.. Sexy!! And Wil Weaton now too.. Can’t wait!!!
Watched it last night. Don’t worry, you didn’t suck. In fact, you did a great job. Maybe too good….Creepy.
Criminal Minds is one of my favorite shows and I’m looking forward to seeing you in it. Keep up the good work!!
Saw it last night in Canada and I agree with everyone else – you did creepy very well. 🙂
Wil relax. It’s YOU. You don’t suck.
(I was gonna say, you can’t suck, but something tells me you wouldn’t believe me.)
*smiles*
Well, Wil, welcome to the eternal debate, that predates even the Greeks:
To suck or to blow?
Either way, I hope you do either boldly!
I saw it last night. It was very convincing. Very creepy character. Way to swing a bat! LOL
It actually reminded me of the movie Vacancy, and Wil, you were the Norman Bates from Bates Motel. LOL
I love this show and have been looking forward to your guest appearance. I’m sure it will be well worth the wait. 🙂
I thought you did fine.
That said, I think I prefer you in roles where you’re one of the good guys!
Thanks for the reminder. My wife and I have both been looking forward to this one!
Thanks for giving Evil Ethan from Lost his comeuppance! Made my day…
I saw it and you didn’t “suck”. In fact, I thought you were quite creepy (seems to be the going word). The only reason I watched the show last night was because I saw your name in the credits at the beginning when I was flipping for something to watch. I hope you get your own show soon. 🙂
Keeping it going
wil finds new, fun gigs to do
Still like the sweater
Hopefully none of my fellow Canuckistani’s spoil it too bad. You know something funny, I get tempted to use Canuckistan all the time but was afraid you would go “huh what is she smoking” but know I know.
Fantastic job by the way. It was an amazing performance and I am so glad it was out of your regular type. I gasped at the end, my fiance laughed cause of the irony. Can’t wait to get to actually talk about this!
Just started acquring it via the ‘other means’ – not waiting a year to see it in NZ.
And what episode of Numb3rs were you in so I can hunt that down as well? Season and episode number would be appreciated. 🙂
Criminal Minds is one of my favorite shows, and you did it justice. You perfectly matched the intensity of the show and even though we got the idea you could play a serious jerk from “Numbers” who knew you could be so seriously creepy too?
You were trez faboo, Wil. 🙂
Glad you added in the reference to Canadia up there, Wil. I was confused about what day it was when I saw the episode pop up on the torrent sites.
I was kind of hoping you’d play Miles Sklar again, tying the FBI from the two shows into a shared universe. Or even better, have Sklar go missing on a episode of “Without A Trace” first, before being outed as a serial killer on “Criminal Minds”! Three CBS FBI shows tied together via Wheaton!
Oh well, can’t wait to watch this episode.
P.S. I was just talking to my fiance some more about your performance. And this is what he had to say. He ranks your ability to do creepy (I laughed when he said creepy as it is the word of the day) up there with Robin Williams’ ability to do creepy in movies such as 1 Hour Photo, Insomnia etc. 😀
I didn’t realize you’d be seen in Canada first, or I’d have been less spoilerish in my Twitter message about seeing the show.
*Puffs out chest about being Canadian*
definately not my kind of show, but nonetheless … geek code of conduct kept me from not watching a fellow geek appearance on a tv-show.
imho you did a very decent job.
i’m looking forward to the day when i’ll be able to watch you play some character in a show written by aaron sorkin or joss whedon :p
Damn, I screwed myself by volunteering to work the ER tonight. Can’t wait to see the episode, hopefully they will replay it soon. As far as shows I’d like to see you in, I think it would be great to see you in an episode of The Big Bang Theory.
Tivo is now set.
Oh, and it looks like “Pie in the Sky” is airing, too.
Huh.
Romantic Comedy?
You were great, but the character seemed better suited for a two-parter somehow. Maybe I’m just spoiled by the show’s format because the episode itself was awesome, but toward the end I was hoping to see the mother hating badass confront one of the series regulars for a quick game of mental mother hating chess. (I so miss Mandy Patinkin on that show, even with the excellent run they’ve had this season.)
Just so I don’t forget: Robyn Lively friggin’ rocked too!
Anyway, hope you stop by my weekly television routine again sometimes. This was just too much fun!
don’t worry wil you will do fine. The Canadians liked it the US will like it to.
@xanadian: Holy crap, a freakin’ haiku! Awesome! Can’t believe no one else caught that, or commented on it at least.
@wil: I’m giving Criminal Minds a special viewing this evening, because you’re in it. I haven’t heard much about the show, and it’s not in my normal line up. So, that being said, I’m sure I’ll be engrossed from beginning to end. No luck-giving is necessary. You’re an actor. They gave you the part (and aired it) because you don’t suck at what you do. Actually, you’re something like +6 against Sucking. So there.
This will be my first episode of Criminal Minds…unless you count the scene where Spencer shoots the guy between the eyes when he was aiming for the hands…
Um, yah. Anyway, looking forward to it.
Acting can be a strange way of meeting people. I did a show called Line of Fire a few years ago with William Mapother where I was prostitute to his John. Like, hi nice to meet you, now I must straddle you in your tightie whiteys. Okay great working with you. Bye.
Completely. Bizarre.
I’m totally looking forward to your Criminal Minds tonight. Sounds like your experience was awesome and you didn’t have to do any random man-straddling.
Cheers!
As I mentioned in the Wil repeats thread I watched the episode last night and enjoyed it very much. I forgot you were Wil, and just hated your character to the very fiber of my being.
Thanks Wil.
Thanks for the reminder, Wil.
And might I add: Robin Lively is hot.
my 21st century monitoring machine is set to record all.
Autotune, Locked & Loaded
OMG! I have always been a bit of a fangirl when it comes to you in STNG and then of course your blog, but I have to say…BRAVO! Criminal Minds, which is one of my fav shows, you were GREAT! A little Norman Bates meets Annie Wilkes (psycho kiler not stalker fan) I am SOOO glad to see you play something other than the nice guy, normal guy, the geeky guy… I bet it was so fun playing “outside the box”.
Again, great job and look forward to seeing you in more “dangerous guys.” kind of parts.
I lost focus and forgot that you were “Wil Wheaton” and thought, “Shit, he is scary.” Good job ACTING! What a good performance.
Seriously friggin creepy (in the best way)…and the episode’s not even over here yet. Awesome job, no lie.
Death by truck – Bam! Nice job, Wil
You were great!
Wil, Bra-freaking-vo! Seriously. I’m with ColleenS, it was really hard to reconcile the character. Fantastic job!
Wil, you played a sick, sick man.
Nice job.
Excellent episode! The tone was very eerie from the beginning. Wil was fantastic, and I am completely creeped out by him now.
It feels weird to say it but you creeped me out really bad ! Haha.
You definitely didn’t suck !
Wow. Nice job! You were very creepy….it was a little weird to see you so creepy, actually- so, I say you nailed it.
And, the dude deserved what he got in the end- as he was running through the woods, I was thinking, “Man, I hope he gets hit by a truck..”
DUDE! I had to go lock all my windows and doors after that episode. You were superbly criminal and scared the bejeesus out of me!
I cracked up when you were talking about the Old Lady’s Hummel collection… 😉
Just saw the episode, can I just say…OMG creepy much?
Nice job. Totally didn’t see “the end” being that way but quite poetic.
Good job seeing you as a “baddie”.
holy shit! you got hit by a semi! Honesty moment – I’ve never actually seen you in anything since your wesley crusher days. Not intentionally, I just didn’t realize you were on shows that I might like. Anyway, I thought you were definitely creepy in this episode – and I mean that in a good way!!