Season Twelve

Season Twelve. On May 6th, 2016 CBS announced the renewal of Criminal Minds for the 2016-2017 TV season, with a standard initial order of 22 episodes. The season will premiere on September 28, 2016.

Ratings
No ratings information is available at this time.

Cast

 * Joe Mantegna - David Rossi
 * Thomas Gibson - Aaron Hotchner
 * Adam Rodriguez - Luke Alvez
 * Matthew Gray Gubler - Doctor Spencer Reid
 * A.J. Cook - Jennifer Jareau
 * Kirsten Vangsness - Penelope Garcia
 * Aisha Tyler - Doctor Tara Lewis

Highlights
The season will predominantly focus on the BAU tracking down and recapturing thirteen serial killers, who all escaped from prisons across the U.S. during the events of last season's finale The Storm. The team will particularly focus their efforts on serial killer by proxy Peter Lewis.

Showrunner Erica Messer revealed that a new agent will be replacing Derek Morgan, who was written out of the show last season due to Shemar Moore's decision to leave. She also clarified that the team will continue to cope with Morgan's departure and that this will initially affect their relationship with the new agent. Starting with the season premiere, Adam Rodriguez will join the series as a new main character, Agent Luke Alvez, who is a member of the FBI Fugitive Task Force.

Kirsten Vangsness confirmed that Paget Brewster will be reprising her role as Emily Prentiss for several episodes in the season. Prentiss will assist the BAU in their manhunt of the thirteen escaped serial killers.

In addition, it was confirmed that Aisha Tyler would be reprising her role as Doctor Tara Lewis, filling a series regular role. Lewis was a recurring character introduced in the previous season.

Aaron Hotchner will no longer appear in the series after Thomas Gibson was dismissed due to an altercation between him and an episode writer. His absence will be written into the season, but he will still appear in the season's first two episodes. Two new series regulars were sought as a result of the dismissal, with one expected to fill in a role succeeding Hotch as BAU team leader.