Criminal Minds Fans Call Hotch The Most Competent BAU Member (Too Bad He Won't Be Back in Season 17)
Paramount+ has rebooted Criminal Minds to continue the story of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) agents who grapple with criminal minds and personal lives.
In light of the show's resurgence in popularity, fans have decided to determine which BAU member is the best at their job. Most accolades went to one of the most popular characters, portrayed by Thomas Gibson!
We're talking about Aaron Hotchner.
As a core agent of the BAU, Hotch solved the most difficult cases, demonstrated excellent teamwork skills, and rarely let his emotions interfere with his work, making him a top-notch professional.
"Hotch had to manage up the chain and the team. Everyone only had to deal with their role most of the time," says Reddit user NuumiteImpulse, admiring his leadership abilities.
Of course, Hotchner didn't always follow the rules and sometimes faced terrible situations. However, he knew how to deal with them.
"Hotch is the only one who's managed to go through really terrible situations and still come out doing the right thing and doing what he really should've been doing," notes Redditor Old-Glass-1120, referring to when Hotch unleashed his anger on the Boston Reaper.
But can we blame him for his violent outburst towards his wife's killer, who not only acted dangerously during his arrest but also threatened to kill a child?
The fans didn't consider the other characters incompetent, either. Emily Prentiss came in second on the list. "She has the smarts, experience, toughness, and leadership. Plus, she has a much more natural chill/goofy side than Hotch," admits Reddit user SmilesUndSunshine.
In fact, she joined the BAU already highly experienced, and after Hotch's departure, she proved to be an equally strong leader.
Gideon was also mentioned! Despite being on the show for only three seasons, the unit's founder left a lasting impression on viewers as a father figure to the other agents, always ready to support and mentor.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely that we'll see Hotch in Evolution season 2 (or season 17 of Criminal Minds if you prefer). Meanwhile, filming for the next season is set to begin this spring, so we can expect to see it in the fall of 2023.