The 12th season of the police procedural drama TV series “Criminal Minds” will air on CBS on September 28 and latest reports indicate of the likely shake-up in the casting of the show as well as the storyline.
Early this month, actor Thomas Gibson, who plays Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) Supervisory Special Agent Aaron ‘Hotch’ Hotchner, was fired from the show after he reportedly kicked a producer during the filming of an episode of the TV series.
It is not the first time that the actor vent his anger on a production team member of “Criminal Minds” because not too long ago, he also shoved an assistant director, prompting the producers to make him attend anger-management classes.
Gibson is exploring his legal options in an attempt to overturn his firing from the show, that was obviously dear to him.
In a recent statement, the actor said that he loves “Criminal Minds” and has put his heart and soul into the TV series for the last 12 years. He added that he hoped to see it through to the end but with his firing from the show, it no longer becomes possible for him, reports TV Line.
How the show will send off Hotch character
As Gibson has already filmed a couple of episodes of Season 12 of “Criminal Minds,” the producers have no other recourse but to incorporate the demise of his character, since it is unlikely for the actor to come back and reprise his role in the future.
According to reports, Hotch would most likely be killed by Mr. Scratch, his arch-nemesis in the show as of late. It could be recalled that Mr. Scratch drugged Hotch and subsequently controlled him in Season 11 so the writers and executive producers would probably look into that angle to write off Gibson’s character from the show, details Movie News Guide.
What seems certain at this point is that the departure of Thomas Gibson, being the lead star of “Criminal Minds,” is bound to shake up the show’s Season 12.
Reports now have it that the show is looking to cast two new characters in addition to Adam Rodriguez, who was previously taken in as a replacement for Shemar Moore, who exited the TV series after episode 16 of Season 11.
Since CBS is also involved in the production of the long-running TV series, the network is said to be looking for young and fresh faces to replace Hotch in “Criminal Minds” Season 12. No details have been released regarding the new characters or how they would be introduced in the show.
Season 12’s big bad
Erica Messer, the executive producer of “Criminal Minds,” recently revealed that the upcoming 12th season of the show would be focusing on the efforts of the BAU of the FBI to apprehend the 13 serial killers who managed to escape during the Season 11 finale.
In a recent interview, Messer said that there are still five out there when “Criminal Minds” returns to the small screen on September 28 including Mr. Scratch, played by Peter Lewis.
She said that Mr. Scratch is going to be the show’s big baddie for season 12. Messer confirmed that the TV series will stretch Mr. Scratch and tell his creepy tales.
The showrunner also confirmed previous rumors that when Season 12 of “Criminal Minds” return, it shall have an expected time jump and it is presumed that during that time, new character Luke Alvez, played by Adam Rodriguez, and other BAU agents caught and re-processed the other eight serial killers who were previously at large.
Reports also have it that Mr. Scratch and the remaining serial killers still at large will cause a lot more terrors in the upcoming Season 12 of “Criminal Minds.”
Peter Lewis was introduced back in Season 10 and he used drugs and other psychological tactics to turn Mr. Scratch into a boogeyman of sorts to Agent Hotch and others, causing his victims to attack and sometimes kill others.