'Criminal Minds' season 12 news, updates: Casting underway for 2 new characters; Can series survive without Thomas Gibson?
"Criminal Minds" is getting another facelift for its 12th season following the exit of Shemar Moore, who played Derek Morgan, and the entry of Adam Rodriguez. There are talks that the production is looking for two new faces to join the show in the wake of Thomas Gibson's termination.
Gibson, who plays Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) Unit Chief Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, will no longer be part of the show this upcoming season following an altercation with writer Virgil Williams. Regardless if Gibson has a strong case against the writer, CBS and ABC studios have already released a joint statement announcing his termination from the show, so replacements will have to be cast as soon as possible.
Some fans were anticipating Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) to replace Hotch based on his seniority. However, "Criminal Minds" season 12 is going a different route, and instead of promoting Rossi's character, the show's on the lookout for two new series regulars.
According to TV Line's report, one of the two new characters that the procedural drama will cast will be Hotchner's replacement as leader of the BAU. Details about the second character are still under wraps, though.
The two new characters will be joining Rodriguez, who will play Luke Alvez, a former Army ranger and excellent tracker recruited from the FBI's Fugitive Task Force as Morgan's replacement, Paget Brewster, who will reprise her role as Emily Prentiss, and Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, who has been promoted to series regular.
With this continuing facelift the "Criminal Minds" is undergoing, some fans are worried that the stability of the show might suffer. However, Buddy TV shared three reasons why the show will survive this cast shake-up.
Apparently, the show already has a solid fanbase that translates to solid ratings, too. Maybe the ratings will initially go through a turbulent period, but it will pick up in no time. Moreover, the solid writing and disturbing cases that the show tackles will be enough to sustain the interest of fans. Finally, the talented cast of "Criminal Minds" can hold the fort even without Gibson and Moore. The three previously mentioned cast members and the yet-to-be-cast characters will be more than enough to help the existing roster pull the show through.
"Criminal Minds" season 12 will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 9 p.m. on CBS.
