Criminal Minds
The rebootedCriminal Mindsis take back for season 16 , and here ’s how each confirmed mould member and character can pick up right where they leave off . 2021 marked the first yearCriminal Mindswas not on the air since September 2005 , with the serial close arriving in 2020 and marking the remainder of a stellar 15 - year running . However , perDeadline , this suspension proved to be very unawares - subsist indeed , with a ten - episode resurgence of the serial publication confirm as in development by Paramount+ in February 2021 . The BAU has had many members amount and go during its initial 15 - year run , so who is coming back forCriminal Mindsseason 16 ?
Six originalCriminal Mindscast membersare poised to participate negotiations with the serial ' new streaming home Paramount+ . ReturningCriminal Mindscharacters let in Rossi ( Joe Mantegna ) , Garcia ( Kirsten Vangsness ) , Alvez ( Adam Rodriguez ) , JJ ( A.J. Cook ) , Lewis ( Aisha Tyler ) , and Prentiss ( Paget Brewster ) . Two buff - favorite characters currently not in the build to bring back at this stage of development areCriminal Mindsmainstay Dr. Spencer Reid ( Matthew Gray Gubler ) , and Simmons ( Daniel Henney ) , who migrated from spinoff seriesCriminal judgment : Beyond Bordersin season 13 . Henney is currently bind to Amazon Prime Video ’s highly - successful fantasy seriesThe Wheel of Time , while Gubler ’s reasons for not returning to theCriminal Mindssetup stay unknown to date .
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That ’s who isreturning forCriminal Mindsseason 16 , but name and faces are n’t the only consideration . Season 15 was intended to be the last time audiences would join the BAU as they analyzed UnSubs and foiled the plans of sequent sea wolf , professional hitmen , domesticated terrorists , and everything in between . The question of how each of the confirm characters can return duringCriminal Mindsseason 16 boil down to where each character ’s respective tale arcs left off . face such as Jennifer Jareau ( A.J. Cook ) will fall away back easily into the reboot ’s setting given their continued connexion with the BAU , while other characters such as Penelope Garcia ( Kirsten Vangsness ) may command a more detailed account of their journeying back to Quantico . Here ’s how each of the six confirmedCriminal Mindscharacters can revert for time of year 16 , as well as where each character ’s storyline ended in the time of year 15 finale .
David Rossi
Joe Mantegna ’s David Rossi has been amain cast member of theCriminal Mindsfranchise since 2007 when he made his first appearance in time of year 3 , episode 6 , " About Face . " TheCriminal Mindsfinale sees Rossi still wrestling with whether or not to re - withdraw from the BAU after being shot by an UnSub and remind of his own fatality rate at the goal of time of year 15 . Ultimately , Rossi reneges on his oftentimes - design retirement due to how much the department mean to him , or else using his prearrange retirement company as a meet send - off for Penelope Garcia . Rossi ’s return to the fray is perhaps the easy of all to organize inCriminal Mindsseason 16 , given he canonically still leads the BAU team and remain as bowelless a special agent as he was in 2007 whenAgent Hotchner ( Thomas Gibson)coaxed him out of his other retirement plans .
Penelope Garcia
Among everyone who is come back forCriminal Mindsseason 16 , one type returns after leaving the BAU following a historical 15 - twelvemonth stint . This is , of course , fan - favorite and mainstay since season 1 Penelope Garcia . At the closing of time of year 15 , Penelope decides to move on from the BAU , taking a job at a non - profit ( handily located near Rossi ’s family ) , and also breaks her reference ’s bike of ( often self - enforced ) loneliness by accepting love - interest Luke Alvez ’s ( Adam Rodriguez ) date proposal at the remnant of the season . lend Penelope back forCriminal Mindsseason 16 is a smart move from the reboot , particularly given her importance to the series as the emotional , human core of the BAU . However , theincredibly quotable Penelope ’s return is the most difficult to envision since she entrust the BAU to protect her genial health at the close of season 15 . A potential alternative forCriminal Mindsis to have Penelope return through her aroused attachment to the BAU . It ’s unlikely she ’ll feel the same connective to her non - profit job as the BAU . Since Alvez is also back there ’s a prospect that her newfangled flame could be in trouble himself , as it would n’t be the first time a phallus of the BAU has ascertain themselves becoming an UnSub ’s target .
Luke Alvez
Adam Rodriguez ’s Luke Alvez represents the new , youthful core of the BAU after his type was introduced to fill the void left by Derek Morgan ’s ( Shemar Moore ) going away at the remnant of time of year 11 . Alvez go through his own trials and trial across a three - season fiber discharge , with his greatest challenge arriving after he and Matt Simmons ( The Wheel of Time ’s Daniel Henney ) are snatch in time of year 15 , episode 5 , " Ghost . " Like Rossi before him , Alvez end theCriminal Mindsfinale still working for the BAU , take in his re - integration into the series a unlined proffer for time of year 16 .
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Jennifer Jareau
Jennifer Jareau ’s bow is one ofCriminal Minds ' most across-the-board examples of character development , with JJ undergoing three title changes and several torturesome undercover assignments in addition to start out a family with her eventual husband , Will LaMontagne , Jr. ( Josh Stewart ) . Jareau ’s story inCriminal Mindsseason 15 consists of resolving her unrequited love for Spencer Reid , convalesce from being shot in the season opener , and wrestling with taking a new job in New Orleans that would be more suitable for her young family . Ultimately , the close ’s final scene as the BAU team toasts Garcia confirm Jareau is staying at Quantico , set up her easy return as part ofCriminal Minds’season 16 core agentteam .
Tara Lewis
Another returningCriminal Mindsreboot graphic symbol is Dr. Tara Lewis ( Aisha Tyler ) , who joined the BAU permanently from time of year 12 forrader after her heroics apprehending several poisonous wrongdoer . yield her dismay at temporarily allow the BAU in season 11 , Lewis endsCriminal Mindsseason 15 on the nose where she deserve to be - surround by Rossi and the rest of her colleagues at Garcia ’s farewell political party . Lewis ' frequent tripper away from the BAU to interview serial killers for research purposes not only earmark her type ’s cellular inclusion in the storyline to be flexible asCriminal Mindsseason 16 begins , but can also be a strong source of narrative options for theCriminal Mindsshowrunners should they wish to explore more of the psychological cat - and - mouse game that characterized Lewis ' early time of year in the serial publication .
Emily Prentiss
The final returning core character forCriminal Mindsseason 16 is Emily Prentiss ( Community ’s Paget Brewster ) , who is canonically the current BAU Unit Chief . Prentiss ' season 15 ending carry shade of her abrupt time of year 7 difference following JJ ’s marriage ( also in Rossi ’s backyard ) , after which she did not render to the squad until time of year 12 some five years later . This time around , however , Prentiss ' time of year 15 story ends on a more irrefutable distinction , with the Unit Chief able to keep her job despite her weakness in the series ' penultimate Everett Lynch ( Michael Mosley ) case , as well shown house - hunt with her young mate Andrew Mendoza ( Stephen Bishop ) after famously struggling to work meaningful outside of oeuvre relationships . Like many of her colleague list above , Prentiss ' bass roots at Quantico means she will probably feature heavily in theCriminal Mindsseason 16 reboot in her Unit Chief role .
The Criminal Minds Cast Who Aren’t Confirmed For Season 16
Several stamp penis have n’t been confirmed for Season 16 ofCriminal Minds . Daniel Henney , who plays Matt Simmons from time of year 13 onwards , is presently involved inAmazon Prime Video’sWheel Of Time . It could be that scheduling or contract issues preclude him from returning toCriminal Minds , or he could be taking the chance to not return and labor his vocation beyond the world of the BAU andCriminal Minds’various spinoff serial . The most notable absence is Matthew Gray Gubler . Matthew Gray Gubler is one of the only cast members to have been in all 15 seasons ofCriminal Mindsso far . His character , genius analyst Dr. Spencer Reid , is only rivaled by Garcia in popularity . His absence is notable , so much so that many fans are questioning how successful aCriminal Mindsrevival can be without Reid . Gubler also direct many episodes ofCriminal Minds , so his previous involvement with the franchise was threatening , to say the least . Many rooter have their fingers crossed that the lack of Matthew Gray GublerCriminal Mindsseason 16 news program so far is n’t an indicant that Spencer Reid has parted ways with the BAU constantly .
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Other previous casting members improbable to come back let in Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan and Thomas Gibson ’s Aaron Hotchner . Morgan is still active inCriminal Minds , returning for several cameo episode after his BAU departure at the end of season 11 . While the show could bring Morgan back there ’s nothing that indicates it will materialise , particularly since Shemar Moore is pursuing motion picture appearances after his use inSonic 2,and has been the headliner ofS.W.A.T.on CBS since 2017.As for Thomas Gibson , he wasfamously cast fromCriminal Mindsafter an onset altercation and problematic behavior throughout filming led to his judgement of dismissal . Unlike other BAU Alumni , Hotchner is scarce refer by the remaining BAU . He and his boy enter witness protection , and that ’s pretty much the final stage of that . For many viewing audience , this was n’t a vast personnel casualty . The stern and stoic Hotchner was scarcely a lover favourite , and subsequent leaders like Rossi , JJ , and Prentiss sense like much better fit for taking the BAU ’s helm . Since there ’s no buff demand for Hotchner , the current cast probably wo n’t knead with Gibson , and the narration would have to splice itself in gnarl to bring him back , it ’s pretty much a guaranteeHotch wo n’t generate for season 16ofCriminal judgement .
Does Emily Prentiss Come Back In Season 16 Of Criminal Minds?
As refer , Emily Prentiss is fall back forCriminal Mindsseason 16 . Prentiss first joined the BAU in season 2 . However , like many of the other character , she took hiatuses in various seasons ( although she was never far from the show , being cite and appearing in cameos throughout ) . In Season 15 Prentiss was the BAU ’s whole tribal chief , leading the squad throughout various case including the two - season long hunt for Everett Lynch , AKA The Chameleon . Since Prentiss has been an on - again , off - again member of the BAU , some fans wondered if Pagit Brewster would devolve for season 16 , or if the unexpected continuation ofCriminal Mindswould see her save out to pursue a life with Mendoza in D.C. However , anupdate from Paget Brewsterin June 2022 ascertain fans that she and the rest of the aforementioned confirmed BAU alumni would be back for season 16 whenCriminal Mindsreturns on Paramount+ , whenever the freeing date stop up being .
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