'Criminal Minds' season 12 spoilers: BAU team tracks serial killer in rural Virginia in episode 4; How will Thomas Gibson's Hotch be written out of story?
The BAU team is heading to rural Virginia in the upcoming episode of CBS' hit police procedural drama "Criminal Minds" season 12.
Titled "Keeper," next week's episode will see the team track down a serial murderer before he kills again. The official synopsis doesn't give too much details away, but it gives viewers a clue on where the team will be going next. "The BAU team searches for a serial killer along the Appalachian Trail in rural Virginia," the episode description reads.
Since CBS decided to fire actor Thomas Gibson after an on-set incident, fans have been wondering how the series would write off his character, Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner. After all, the actor had been a part of the show since its debut and had appeared in more than 250 episodes. Additionally, he played an integral part in the story as the BAU team's chief.
Given that his exit occurred after already filming the first few episodes of season 12, there wasn't a proper farewell for his character. Last week's episode, however, finally gave fans the answer they needed. His absence was briefly explained in a throwaway line, saying he was away because of a "special assignment."
To help viewers adjust to the transition, the procedural enlisted Paget Brewster, who plays Emily Prentiss. to return as a series regular. Although Hotch's absence was never mentioned too much in the previous episode, Cinemablend speculates that he won't just quietly disappear. The implication in the episode is that since he is on a temporary assignment, he will return in the future. Gibson's departure is already permanent, so a comeback is certainly off the table. It remains to be seen if he will be killed off or recast.
CBS recently announced that actor Damon Gupton will be joining the show in episode 8, but it is still unclear if he will be the new BAU chief. Rumor has it that another new cast member will be introduced to join him this season.
The 12th season of "Criminal Minds" airs every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
