With the confirmed absence of A.J. Cook and Jennifer Love Hewitt for Season 11 of the American police procedural TV series “Criminal Minds” after both got pregnant in real-life, show producers were looking at possible options on how to address the gaping holes momentarily left by the two actresses.
While A.J. Cook has just given birth to a baby boy just recently, Jennifer Love Hewitt has yet to deliver her baby so the former has a better chance of returning towards the last few episodes of the show while the latter’s return is close to nil.
In order to spice up viewer interest to the long-running TV series, producers are reportedly bringing in reinforcements to keep the fans glued to the series when it returns to CBS on September 30.
According to the Parent Herald, Asian martial arts superstar Jackie Chan may actually have a guesting stint in one episode of “Criminal Minds” Season 11.
The show has been known to feature some famous celebrities in cameo appearances over the past 10 seasons so the report about the “Rush Hour” actor joining the show as guest seems likely.
It would have been good if Jackie Chan would guest on the show when Jennifer Love Hewitt is around as they would have surely relieved being paired together, which they did in the movie “The Medallion,” shown in 2003.
A new cast member
Meanwhile, talented actress Aisha Tyler is reportedly set to join “Criminal Minds” Season 11 possibly as a new cast member. It is still not clear if she will be made into a series regular or initially appearing on the show on recurring roles.
Accordingly, Tyler will play the role of a forensic psychologist named Dr. Tara Lewis, who will be the newest member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Her character will help the team focus on criminal cases and that she will be the new romantic interest of Dr. Spencer Reid, played by Matthew Gray Gubler.
With such an important role for her character, it is likely that Aisha Tyler will become the show’s newest series regular.
In a reveal made by CBS recently, the network describes Aisha Tyler’s character in “Criminal Minds” as someone who wants to study psychopaths up close and personal. Combining her background on psychology and her experience in the FBI, she has already come face-to-face with a good number of monsters, so joining the BAU would be seamless for Dr. Tara Lewis.
Filming underway
Meanwhile, filming for Season 11 of “Criminal Minds” is well underway and so far, every cast member is in unison in saying that the upcoming season would be the show’s most exciting yet.
The show got a new guest star who has a significant experience working on procedurals. Marisol Nichols of the “NCIS’ fame will be joining the BAU for a few episodes as a recurring character, portraying Agent Colburn, reports Enstarz. Nichols will be the second addition to the cast after Aisha Tyler
When “Criminal Minds” unveils its 11th season it September, it shall also mark the show’s 11th year as it began airing on CBS in September 2005.
While the series only started with 22 episodes during its first season, it has averaged 24 episodes after Season 3. It has never fallen below 23 episodes since 2008 and the least number of episodes was in Season 3 where it only had 20.
It could be remembered that it was in 2007 when there happened a writers’ strike in Hollywood and that was the main reason why “Criminal Minds” only had 20 episodes for Season 3.
However, reports coming out from the production of “Criminal Minds” indicate that the show will only have 22 episodes for Season 11 which is the fewest it will have in the last seven years.