Criminal Minds then and now – a look back at the stars of the hit show

Homeland star Mandy starred in Prison Minds for 2 seasons as FBI Senior Supervisory Particular Agent Jason Gideon, who is taken into account one of many highest-profile folks the FBI has ever had.

Nevertheless, Jason begins to really feel exhausted, and when his girlfriend Sarah is murdered by serial killer Frank Breitkopf, guilt takes over and Jason decides to go away the unit. In his last episode as a member of the unit, he retreats to his cabin, the place he writes a letter to his colleague Dr. Spencer Reid, leaving an envelope along with his gun and FBI badge.

Jason is later killed off-screen by a suspect he tracked down in one in every of his first circumstances.

Mandy's resolution to go away the present after two years in 2007 got here as a sudden shock to followers and the present's producers.

It took Mandy a number of years to share her story, telling New York Journal that the present was “very harmful” to her spirit and character. “The most important public mistake I made was that I made a decision to do Prison Minds within the first place,” Mandy, 71, stated.

“I assumed this was one thing very totally different. I by no means imagined they’d homicide and rape all these girls each evening, daily, week after week, 12 months after 12 months.”

A former prosecutor, Hotch is an FBI supervisory particular agent and the BAU's Unit Chief, in control of the brokers and the circumstances they deal with. A decided and sometimes unemotional man, he’s unable to stability the calls for of labor and his residence life, and his spouse divorces him in season three.

He regains custody of his son in season 5, however leaves the BAU in season 2, later revealed to have gone into witness safety when his son is stalked by a serial killer.

Nevertheless, the true motive Hotch was ousted was on account of Thomas' conduct on set.

In 2010, the now 62-year-old was accused of pushing an assistant director on set and was allowed to proceed engaged on the present after finishing anger administration courses. Nevertheless, throughout Season 12 in 2016, he was fired after he kicked a co-executive producer within the shin throughout a heated argument.

“There have been artistic variations and disagreements on set. I'm sorry that occurred,” Thomas stated in a press release. “All of us wish to work collectively as a crew to make one of the best present potential. We've all the time completed that and we'll all the time do this.”

“Thomas Gibson has been fired from Prison Minds,” the 2 studios stated in a joint assertion. “Inventive particulars about how the character's departure shall be addressed on the present shall be introduced at a later date.”

Ellie was the BAU's specialist in intercourse crimes circumstances, however she was shot on the finish of season one, and in season two it’s revealed that though she suffers from emotional trauma, she decides to rapidly return to work.

Nevertheless, throughout a surveillance scene halfway by the second season, Eli brutally murders a suspect, making the scene appear like a suicide.

Each Jason and Aaron doubt the story, and he or she surrenders her badge and gun to them each, leaving the unit without end.

Shemar's Derek Morgan is likely one of the present's hottest characters, a assured and warranted man who was a police officer in Chicago earlier than making use of to the FBI and BAU.

FBI Particular Agent Derek has an in depth friendship with Spencer, whom he typically refers to as his youthful brother, and even requested Spencer to be his son's godfather.

Derek additionally has an intimate, however platonic, relationship with technical analyst Penelope Garcia. Their bickering has typically led followers to ask the showrunners to show their friendship right into a romance, however that has by no means occurred.

Shemar, 54, left the collection on good phrases, deciding it was time for him to maneuver on after 11 years. Writers determined to have Derek depart the BAU after his pregnant spouse, Savannah, was shot, and he determined to say goodbye to the crew as a result of he didn't wish to put his household by that trauma once more.

Shemar starred SWAT, Additionally on CBS.

The child of the BAU, FBI Supervisory Particular Agent Dr. Spencer Reid is a genius who graduated from highschool on the age of 12 and holds two bachelor's levels and three PhDs.

Spencer is recognized as autistic however has an eidetic reminiscence, and though his co-workers joke about his skills, he’s a revered member of his crew.

Matthew, 44, has performed Spencer for the reason that starting, and when the present resulted in 2020 he was seen recovering in hospital after struggling a fall. He determined to not return for the rebooted new season, a choice which left followers and his co-stars devastated.

“Once I discovered he wasn't going to have the ability to come again, it was actually arduous for me. I assumed this shouldn't be taking place anymore.” [returning[,” AJ Cook, 45, told Buzzfeed.

“I kind of struggled with that at first. But when we started seeing the scripts, it’s just such a strong storyline that it made me feel a lot better when I saw where it was all going. But yeah, he’s so great and I definitely miss him. Hopefully, we will see him again soon. We’re definitely setting some things up.”

JJ was the team’s communications liaison, working with local police agencies and often determining which cases the BAU picked up. In early seasons she dates, off-screen, New Orleans police detective William LaMontagne, whom she met on a case, and they welcome two sons, Henry, whose godparents are Spencer and Penelope, and Michael..

In season six, JJ leaves the team after taking a role at the Pentagon, but in real life she was let go by CBS in a cost-cutting move, given two episodes to wrap up her storyline.

AJ returned in season seven, however, after pushback from fans, with JJ now a FBI Supervisory Special Agent.

AJ also returned for the new series in 2022 and her real life sons play her boys in the show.

Penelope Garcia was a teenage hacker who was offered a job with the BAU and the FBI over jail time. She works mostly out of their Quantico offices as a BAU technical analyst, but occasionally is asked to join the team in the field.

Godmother to both Derek’s son Hank and JJ’s son Henry, Penelope later becomes the communications liaison when JJ leaves.

Kirsten, 51, helped write four episodes, including the season 15 series finale.

Paget joined the series in season three following Greenaway’s departure, but although she was asked to report problems within the team to the Section Chief, she remained loyal and refused to turn on the unit.

In season six she was killed after being held hostage by an UnSub, which coincided with CBS’ decision to let go of Paget and co-star AJ over what they claimed were cost-cutting measures.

Paget went on to allege that the network was “not particularly kind to women” but she was also rehired in season seven amid outrage. Paget however made the decision to leave at the end of season seven, tweeting: “That’s a wrap. To everybody at Criminal Minds, thank you for the best 6 years of my life. I love you. I always have, I always will.”

Her character moved to London to work for Interpol but returned in season 12 permanently, after the dismissal of Thomas Gibson. Emily is hired as Unit Chief, and remains in that position now.

Joe joined the series in season three as Senior supervisory special agent David Rossi who was brought into the FBI to replace Jason Gideon.

The Tony award-winning actor stars as David, an experienced profiler who helped launch BAU in its early days but retired to write books. David is discovered to be having a secret romance with Unit Chief Erin Strauss, but she is murdered in season eight. In the final episode of season 15, he has reunited with his second ex-wife, and has a connection with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

Joe returned for the rebooted series, and continues to take a starring role.

Daytime Emmy award winner Aisha Tyler joined Criminal Minds as forensic psychologist and supervisory special agent Tara Lewis in season 12. 

Hired to join the BAU when JJ goes on maternity leave, Tara later helps to save her younger brother from a UnSub.

In season 17 it was revealed she was in a relationship with Rebecca Wilson from the DOJ, but their romance leads to issues between Tara’s personal and professional life.

An Army Ranger, Alvez was a member of the FBI fugitive task force that partnered with the BAU in season 11 before joining the BAU in season 12 full-time. 

Alvez and Penelope have had a romantic connection but realized they were better as friends. However, showrunner Erica Messer revealed in 2023 that she doesn’t think it’s over between them yet.

“In episode nine, when [Alvez] He finds out she's sleeping with Tyler Greene… It's not an enormous brother saying, 'What are you doing? You're messing up.' It's totally different. It's like, 'Why him? Why him?' And that's how you realize it's not over. She's not over having any emotions for Alvez, as a result of he doesn't react that method. So now we get to play a little bit bit extra of the triangle as a result of Alvez is aware of now. He wasn't in love with Tyler to start with.”

Adam, 49, additionally appeared in Roswell And CSI: Miami.

A former Military drone spotter, Tyler joins the BAU as a marketing consultant after infiltrating a community run by the serial killer Sicarius, who he believes killed his sister.

In Season 17 a short romance begins between Penelope and Tyler.

Ryan-James is a Canadian actor who has additionally appeared in 'This Is Not Once more'. Nancy Drew And When hope calls.