7 Criminal Minds Characters MIA for Now, but Can Show Up in Season 17
Who are you missing the most?
With the Hollywood strikes in full swing, Criminal Minds Season 17 will most likely be delayed. But the show's new platform, Paramount+, is adamant that it will happen.
So we can relax and speculate about which of the beloved original characters might return in the new chapter to help the BAU investigate the mysterious Gold Star case.
Alex Blake
After Emily Prentiss left the BAU at the end of Season 7, her position was filled by Dr. Alex Blake, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn. Blake lasted two seasons and was a compelling, well-developed character. She left the BAU for a full-time teaching position.
With Blake's ties to the FBI gone, Prentiss could bring her back to help with the Gold Star case.
Kevin Lynch
Nicholas Brendon's Kevin is a tech wizard who first appeared in Season 3 to help the unit after Penelope Garcia was shot. Since then, he has become a recurring character and Penelope's love interest. It would be interesting to see how Luke Alvez would react to Garcia's old flame if he were to appear in Season 17.
Aaron Hotchner
Prentiss is a fine unit chief, but let's face it, we still miss Hotch. Thomas Gibson's character was an integral part of the BAU from day one until Season 12 when he left the FBI to care for his son after a tragedy struck his family.
However, the character's exit coincided with reports of a behind-the-camera altercation. Who knows, maybe with the new crew and network, viewers will have a chance to see Gibson on screen again.
Jack Hotchner
If the creators find it impossible to bring back the scandal-plagued star, they can still give a nod to the character of Hotch by reintroducing his son Jack. Since Jack should be around 18 now, the creators can recast him and craft an exciting storyline for both old and new viewers.
Derek Morgan
At this point, the BAU could certainly use fan-favourite Derek Morgan (aka Chocolate Thunder), who was both a great profiler and a strong operative. Shemar Moore's character was an original member of the BAU and left later in the series to be with his family. But he never completely cut ties with the unit, assisting them occasionally.
Matt Simmons
Daniel Henney's Matt Simmons remained a BAU member after the original show's finale. So fans were surprised when Simmons did not return for the reboot. It turned out the actor was busy with another project and had a scheduling conflict. In the story, the agent was on a special FBI assignment that could conclude any moment. Well, we hope it happens sooner rather than later.
Spencer Reid
If there's one character all Criminal Minds viewers would love to see return, it's Matthew Gray Gubler's Spencer Reid. He was part of the unit for 15 seasons and easily became the face of the show, adored by millions.
Gubler was reportedly busy with other projects when Season 16 was filmed, but the door remains open for his character, storyline-wise. Reid is on a top-secret mission with Simmons and could return at any moment. We would certainly love to see the agent walk through that interrogation room door.