Season 12 of the police procedural drama TV series “Criminal Minds” will be premiering on CBS in about 10 days time but the interest of the fans and viewers is how the show will be writing off the character of Thomas Gibson, who played Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) team leader Aaron ‘Hotch’ Hotchner, over the past 11 seasons.
Gibson was fired from the TV series because he shoved one of the writers/producers during the filming for Season 12. It was the second time that he lost his cool on the set and vented it on a member of the production team that the producers decided to sack him for good.
It was apparently an altercation with show writer and producer Virgil Williams that led to Gibson’s dismissal.
He has been with the show right from the start so it was a big loss for both the show and the actor, who, according to some reports, intends to take legal actions against his firing.
The reports are also saying that since Gibson has already filmed a number of episodes of “Criminal Minds” Season 12, it is likely that he will be written off the show around the latter episodes. As to how it is going to happen, those spawned a guessing game among fans of the TV series.
Reports now have it that Gibson’s Hotch shall be exiting the show in the second episode. Previous reports were saying that he will be sent on a temporary assignment somewhere, which opens the possibility of him returning back to the show in the future.
It could also be a way for the TV show to ensure that when Gibson’s legal case prosper and the producers lose in the end, they can always rectify the situation and bring the actor back in.
Other possible scenarios
According to the International Business Times, there are other possible scenarios for Gibson’s graceful or ungraceful exit from the show.
The outlet cited at least four including the possible quitting of Hotch from the BAU and taking on a new job in a different division of the FBI somewhere else. The second one is Hotch could die on the job which seems unlikely considering that “Criminal Minds” is not the type of TV show which kills off its major characters.
The third possibility is that Hotch shall be taking a much-needed break as leader of the BAU. This is more plausible but the previous report about him taking a temporary position seems way better.
The fourth possibility is that Hotch will be suspended from something he committed sometime ago, which seems plausible considering that the initial thrust of “Criminal Minds” Season 12 is to catch the 13 serial killers who escaped the BAU custody during the Season 11 finale. Hotch could take the fall for the security lapse.
Fans would still enjoy the show
Despite losing two pioneers in the show in Shemar Moore and Thomas Gibson, actress Aisha Tyler, who plays Dr. Tara Lewis in “Criminal Minds” since Season 11, says that fans would continue to enjoy the TV series in Season 12.
She said in a recent interview that she knows how Thomas Gibson’s Hotch will be exiting the show but she is sworn to secrecy and simply cannot reveal anything, reports Game & Guide.
The first episode of “Criminal Minds” Season 12 is entitled “The Crimson King” and shall air on CBS on September 28.
Before Season 11 of “Criminal Minds” premiered on CBS last year, the biggest casting change was the absence of A.J. Cook, who plays Agent Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays Kate Callahan, both because of pregnancies and subsequent baby deliveries.
A.J. Cook returned before the second half of Season 11 of “Criminal Minds” but Jennifer Love Hewitt decided to take the full season off.
But Season 12 of “Criminal Minds” will showcase the most casting shake up the show has ever had in 12 years.
There are still no reports whether Jennifer Love Hewitt would already return as Kate Callahan but since Aisha Tyler shall be returning in the upcoming season 12 to reprise her role as Dr. Tara Lewis, then the “I Know What You Did Last Summer” actress is unlikely to return to the TV series.
It can be recalled that Dr. Tara Lewis came in to join Dr. Spencer Reid, played by Matthew Gray Gubler, in Season 11 to pinch hit for the absence of Kate Callahan in his services under the BAU.