Season Eleven

Season Eleven. On May 11th, 2015 CBS announced the renewal of Criminal Minds for the 2015-2016 TV season, with a standard initial order of 22 episodes. The premiere will be on September 30, 2015.

Ratings
No ratings information is available at this time.

Cast

 * Joe Mantegna - David Rossi
 * Thomas Gibson - Aaron Hotchner
 * Shemar Moore - Derek Morgan
 * Matthew Gray Gubler - Doctor Spencer Reid
 * A.J. Cook - Jennifer Jareau
 * Kirsten Vangsness - Penelope Garcia

Highlights
Erica Messer has confirmed the possibilities of both Kate Callahan and Emily Prentiss making appearances in the season. There will be no new agent to replace Kate permanently; instead, Messer has entertained the notions of bringing back familiar characters to guest-star in her place or imposing a "revolving door" of new agents. In addition, A.J. Cook, who is currently pregnant, will not be present for the first few episodes of the season, as she is scheduled to give birth during that time.

It has been confirmed that actress and comedian Aisha Tyler will join Criminal Minds at the start of the season as a recurring character, Dr. Tara Lewis, a forensic psychologist with a passion for the criminal justice system. Her previous experience in the FBI has brought her face-to-face with monsters, as her job was to extensively interview psychopathic criminals to determine whether they were fit for trial. Her dream was always to study psychopaths up close and personal, to try to learn how they can be caught and if there is any conscience behind their brutal crimes. Needless to say, after interviewing several candidates to fill the void left by the absences of Kate and, temporarily, JJ, under some pressure from Chief Mateo Cruz, Hotch is ordered to have Lewis join the BAU in the premiere.

There will also be a possibility of Reid having a new love interest in the wake of Maeve Donovan's death, as well as Jane Lynch reprising her role as Reid's mother Diana.

Joe Mantegna will direct two episodes for the season, including the show's 250th episode, and he has hinted the possibility of Rossi's third ex-wife making an appearance.