“Criminal Minds” has had quite the tough few months. First, the whole controversy around the dismissal of Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) from the series made fans gather and straight boycott the series until their favorite character is brought back. Now, Gibson’s place has been taken by a new actor and fans are once again mustering against the show and its producers.
International Business Times shares that after Thomas Gibson’s dismissal from the series, the character of Aaron Hotchner may never come back to the series. To solidify this decision, a new character has been introduced in his place. Stephen Walker (Damon Gupton) has been introduced in the series to fill the void left by Gibson’s character. There was an immediate backlash from fans of the series, who show their utter disappointment in the series’ producers, who have not changed their decision regarding Gibson. There has been an explosion of negative feedback on all social medias. Some of it is milder than others, but the tone of the messages is the same – the series is not what it used to be.
Who is Stephen Walker? Cinema Blend Gupton’s character made his debut in the episode “Scarecrow”. He is a seasoned profiler, who has had years of experience in the field. He joins the Behavioral Analytics Unit after a long career in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Program. He surely is competent in his job and will be a great addition to the BAU. Only time will show if Gupton will manage to create the same chemistry with the rest of the cast, which Gibson had. Viewers will just have to have some patience on this matter.
A small glimpse from the characters’ relations is revealed by TV Guide. They share that Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) will not be as cold with Stephen Walker, as she was towards Alvez (Adam Rodriguez). Still, she will have her reservations, but they will fast fall, as the team tries to gain the speed and cohesion that they lost with the recent cast changes.
“Criminal Minds” Season 12 Episode 9 will air on 14 December on CBS.
