'Criminal Minds' season 12 spoilers: Thomas Gibson returning? Penelope Garcia despises new guy Luke Alvez?
Fans and viewers who have followed "Criminal Minds" since it first aired might experience a bit of separation anxiety when it premieres in a few weeks. For the first time in 12 seasons, familiar faces will be missing from the screen, replaced by a new one.
When "Criminal Minds" season 12 premieres on Sept. 28, Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) will have already left FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) to focus on his family. In his stead is Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), head of the Fugitive Task Force.
Alvez is known for his superb tracking skills, which will come in handy when the BAU starts looking for the remaining five serial killers (out of 13) who managed to escape prison before season 11 ended. Mr. Scratch a.k.a. Peter Lewis (Bohdi Elfman) is among the five still on the loose.
Speaking to TV Line, showrunner Erica Messer talked about Rodriguez's character and Derek Morgan's departure. In particular, she zeroed in on what Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), the team's technical analyst, will feel about the new guy. Morgan has always been flirtatious towards Garcia over the series, and the two characters shared a close relationship.
"The fun thing about that character is, not that he's a new [Derek], but what is Garcia going to think of the new guy? There's something real in the workplace environment where a friend leaves and you're like, 'I'll never love anyone the way I loved that friend,' so she has to warm up to him," Messer told the outlet.
Meanwhile, there are rumors that Thomas Gibson, who played Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner on "Criminal Minds" ever since the series started, will be returning to the series after his recent termination.
Apparently, Gibson's firing from the show after an altercation with an episode writer is just a publicity stunt meant to promote and build up hype for the series' upcoming season. Some fans surmised that Gibson will be absent as Hotch from a few episodes but will later be back as a series regular.
The truth is it's the other way around. Gibson will be seen in a few episodes since he had already shot some before he was fired. In fact, Cinema Blend posted some "Criminal Minds" season 12 pictures that show Gibson as Hotch interacting with the rest of the team, including newbie Alvez.
Initially, Gibson was only suspended, during which Messer and the writers prepared a storyline that will see Hotch leaving the team for a special mission. Cinema Blend says Messer will probably use the same storyline and just expand it now that Gibson is totally out of the show.
Aside from Rodriguez, two recurring guest stars have been promoted to series regular. Paget Brewster will reprise her role of Emily Prentiss while Aisha Tyler will be seen regularly as Dr. Tara Lewis.
"Criminal Minds" season 12 will premiere on Sept. 28 at 9/8c on CBS.
