Behind-the-Scenes Beef That Robbed Us of Criminal Minds' Best Unit Chief
Over the course of 15 seasons of Criminal Minds, many characters have left the show, but the departure of Aaron Hotchner may have been the most unexpected.
Hotch was one of the most consistent characters on Criminal Minds.
This was both a characteristic of his character, who kept his cool in almost any situation, and of an actor who spent eleven years on the set of the show while other actors have come and gone.
That is why fans got shocked when the actor left the show in season 12.
"Hotch leaving was ironically what made me realise he was my favorite character. I had been torn between a few of them until that point, but as soon as he left it really hit me that the show was just not the same without him," Reddit user Seiliko commented.
However, the circumstances of Thomas Gibson's departure from the series and his behavior were the opposite of what viewers saw on screen.
Back in 2010, Thomas Gibson had his first conflict on set. As far as is known, the actor shoved the assistant director, which resulted in him attending anger management classes. Then in 2013, Thomas was arrested for drunk driving.
The show's creators refused to take it anymore when the actor kicked a set worker again in 2016.
After an internal investigation, the actor was fired from the show and his character was given a new arc in which Aaron discovers that his son is being stalked by a serial killer and decides to enter the Witness Protection Program.
As a result, he steps down as head of the BAU in favor of Emily Prentiss, who at first has doubts about her ability to lead the group.
Although the actor's behavior was obviously unacceptable, his character was so beloved by fans that they couldn't even get mad at him.
"Thomas Gibson deserves better and should be allowed to come back. He's also been in almost nothing since he was fired which means this stuff probably ruined his career," Reddit user willrobster16 commented.
Despite the departure of one of its main stars, the show still managed to maintain good ratings for the next three seasons.
Fans are still hoping for the return of the beloved character in Criminal Minds: Evolution, as it has been announced that the sequel has been renewed for a second season.