After a brief hiatus, the fourth episode of Season 12 of the American police procedural drama TV series “Criminal Minds” aired on CBS on October 16 and it featured the team members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) in their Halloween spirit.
The fourth episode is entitled “Keeper” and it featured the BAU team going after a serial killer hiding along the Appalachian Trail in rural Virginia, reports the Christian Today.
The BAU team members were also running against the clock during the episode as the unsub was determined to double his body count. He has already chalked up seven kills before the BAU got onto him.
As they head to the woods, the BAU team members also enter into the realm of the murderer, who possesses long and sharp nails and knows the area like it is the palm of his hands.
The fourth episode was also the first case of the BAU without Aaron ‘Hotch’ Hotchner, played by Thomas Gibson, as their Supervisory Special Agent and his role was ably filled in by Emily Prentiss, played by Paget Brewster.
Contrary to previous reports, Thomas Gibson’s Hotch actually lasted the first three episodes of Season 12 before he officially left the show after he got fired for a skirmish with one of the producers and writers of “Criminal Minds.”
Back as a series regular
Paget Brewster was supposed to do just recurring roles in “Criminal Minds” Season 12 but after the sacking of Thomas Gibson, the producers talked her into accepting a bigger role in the TV series. She relented.
As a result, from a supposed recurring role, Brewster once again becomes a series regular in “Criminal Minds.”
The actress was a series regular until 2012 but decided to slow down after as she was offered to star in a new TV series entitled “Grandfathered.” However, the show was canceled after only one season, thus freeing up the schedule of Brewster. So when the bigger part was offered to her in light of the abrupt exit of Thomas Gibson, she decided to accept it.
She explained that Emily Prentiss has been running Interpol for four years ever since leaving the BAU team but she is very happy that she is back on the BAU team full-time.
The actress said that showrunners and writers of “Criminal Minds” made Emily Prentiss powerful and good at the job and also invested with it. So those viewers who have seen the early seasons of the TV series would immediately notice the change in Emily Prentiss.
A permanent exit
During the third episode of Season 12 of “Criminal Minds,” it has been said that Hotch has gone away on a temporary assignment, which paved the way for the permanent exit of Thomas Gibson from the durable TV series.
The third episode was entitled “Taboo” and Hotchner was sent off on a temporary assignment. In his absence, a BAU member and an Interpol Unit chief were sent to chip in during Hotchner’s absence.
Despite the exit of Hotch, the episode still had plenty of juice on it coming from Emily Prentiss, JJ, played by A.J. Cook, and Luke Alvez, played by Adam Rodriguez, as they all go hunting a serial killer.
Even before the start of the airing of Season 12 of “Criminal Minds” last month, fans have been wondering how “Criminal Minds” will write off Thomas Gibson’s Hotchner, notes Movie News Guide.
Previously, the second episode of Season 12 of “Criminal Minds” on CBS reportedly became the swan song for Thomas Gibson as the actor has already been fired from the show after an on-set altercation with writer-producer Virgil Williams.
It was obvious that “Criminal Minds” does not want to hype up the exit of Hotch or highlight it so much of the episode focused on the criminally neglected Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau.
In fact, in his last seen during the second episode of Season 12 of “Criminal Minds,” Hotch had a little chat with an emotional JJ and asked her to take a break from work.