'Criminal Minds' Season 12 Updates: Emily Prentiss is Back at BAU, Also Being Eyed as Hotch's Successor
What was supposed to be a short stint for Paget Brewster has turned to being a series regular.
Paget Brewster was only supposed to guest star in multiple episodes of "Criminal Minds" Season 12. But, it has now been confirmed by CBS that she has been promoted to series regular in the network's long running crime drama series.
Hotch leaves the BAU
Brewster will be reprising her role as SSA Emily Prentiss and will be joining the BAU that needs a skilled member of her caliber more than ever as Hotch (Thomas Gibson) will no longer be there as its chief.
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Last month, Gibson's official departure from "Criminal Minds" Season 12 following an onset altercation with a producer/writer. He was fired after having only able to film two episodes of the upcoming season. Before being upgraded to series regular, the character of Prentiss was meant to be featured only in a short story arc.
Excited over Paget Brewster's return
Executive Producer Erica Messer expressed the cast and production team's excitement over Paget's return. Messer said that the actress was missed by the BAU family on and off screen. She added that it has been great that Paget is back and it felt like she never left.
Although Prentiss is back in "Criminal Minds" Season 12, it is unclear as of the moment how prominent the character will be. Initially, she was intended to help the BAU to track down 13 serial killers that escaped from detention. Prentiss is slated to make her first appearance in the October 12 episode.
Exciting Criminal Minds stint
Paget has had an interesting stint in the eleven seasons of "Criminal Minds". She was offered to continue playing Emily Prentiss, but in a reduced capacity in 2010. She stayed on the series until her contract ended in Season 7. She later went on to return for the show's 200th episode and made another appearance in one episode of Season 11. Before rejoining the cast in "Criminal Minds" Season 12, Paget was with the Fox comedy series "Grandfathered".
In addition to Paget, Adam Rodriguez was added as a cast member as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent Luke Alvez. Meanwhile, Asha Tyler, who plays Dr. Tara Lewis, has also been promoted to series regular. It has been reported that one of the new characters including Prentiss could be Hotch's successor as BAU team leader.
New photos appear online
New photos from the "Criminal Minds" Season 12 premiere have appeared online. In one, Alvez can be seen talking to Hotch that must have something to do with the 13 fugitives who escaped last season. Another photo of "Crimson King" shows David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) in a serious conversation with the team as they are about to go in their mission.
"Criminal Minds" Season 12 is slated to air on September 28 on CBS.
