Criminal Minds: Why Thomas Gibson's Aaron Hotchner Left ... - CBR

Summary

• Thomas Gibson brought Aaron Hotchner to life for 11 years, providing stability in a sea of cast changes on Criminal Minds.
• Hotch's departure due to Gibson's firing sparked controversy, leaving fans shocked by the sudden exit in season 12.
• Hotchner's legacy on the show as a father figure and unit chief made his departure and reasons for leaving a compelling storyline.

With over fifteen seasons, Criminal Minds is one of the most popular police procedural dramas. The show features many different characters and actors throughout its run, some of which made a big impact on the series. Thomas Gibson brought Criminal Minds Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner to life for 11 years, providing an anchor as other cast members came and went. To many fans, Hotch's strength in the face of horrific events was a necessary source of calmness, which made his quiet departure in the 12th season that much more unexpected.

Plenty of actors left Criminal Minds throughout its run, from Mandy Patinkin to Shemar Moore, but it was Gibson's departure from the show that probably sparked the most controversy. Hotch was written off the CBS procedural as a result of Gibson's firing, and Hotch was given a quick in-story explanation for his departure from the BAU team. But, who exactly was Aaron 'Hotch' Hotchner, and why did Hotch leave Criminal Minds?

Updated on March 11, 2024, by Florencia Aberastury: Criminal Minds has seen many characters come and go, but Aaron Hotchner's influence and legacy on the show is hard to deny. This article has been updated to include more information about Hotch and his departure from the show, as well as to bring the article up to current CBR standards.

Who Was Hotch on Criminal Minds?

• Before joining the BAU, Hotch was a prosecutor. He also worked as a profiler for the FBI's field office in Seattle.
• Hotch stated once that he chose to become an FBI officer instead of a prosecutor, as he felt he could stop killers sooner.
• In Criminal Minds' first episode, Jason Gideon returns after a six-month sick leave. Gideon was the BAU's team leader and on his return, Gideon took back his position. Hotch is tasked with evaluating his performance and approving his return to the team.

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Aaron Hotchner was introduced in the Criminal Minds premiere as the Behavioral Analysis Unit's team leader. While other characters played the role of protagonist early on, especially Mandy Patinkin's Jason Gideon, Hotch became a father figure. The other BAU members relied on him not only for assignments but also for advice and guidance. Hotch had a strong bond with his team, and protected them from the higher-ups that wanted to cause trouble, like Section Chief Erin Strauss.

Over the course of Criminal Minds' run, many of Hotch's storylines focused on his home life. After having a child with his wife in the first season, Hotch's storylines centered on the hard time he had trying to juggle the responsibilities of his demanding job, while also finding time for his family. As the BAU's team leader, Hotch couldn't skip any investigation and the team constantly traveled through the country where they were needed. His constant absence from his home caused Hotch to have many arguments with his wife, and it eventually led to their divorce. Later seasons focused on Hotch building a strong relationship with his son while also wrestling with the dangers of his job at the BAU, which placed him and his family at risk.

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Aaron Hotchner was at the center of the investigation relating to serial killer George Foyet, known as the Reaper. Hotch had been working on Foyet's case for over ten years, and his obsession with the case became more evident to the BAU team as time went by. Foyet eventually captured and tortured Hotch in the Season 5 premiere "Nameless, Faceless." Things quickly escalate for Hotch, who begins to act more erratically and has a hard time controlling his emotions, resulting in Hotch stepping down as Unit Chief while Morgan takes his place. George Foyet's case comes to a heartbreaking conclusion when Foyet kills Hotch's wife before Hotch finally kills Foyet in the episode "100."

When Does Hotch Leave Criminal Minds?

• Peter Lewis first appeared in the episode "Mr. Scratch" from Season 10.
• Lewis targeted the BAU team through most of Season 12, stalking Hotch's son and kidnapping Tara Lewis' brother. Lewis also runs into the team's SVU in the Season 12 finale, killing Stephen Walker and kidnapping Emily Prentiss.

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At the beginning of Criminal Minds’ twelfth season, Hotch was slowly phased out of the show. After appearing in the first two episodes of season twelve, Hotch was notably missing from episode 3, titled "Taboo", where SSA Rossi revealed that Hotch was seemingly on a “special assignment.” However, it turned out that this was just a cover story. So, why did Hotch leave Criminal Minds?

The BAU team was investigating the escape of Peter Lewis, also known as Mr. Scratch. Lewis was a serial killer who had been stalking the BAU team, and especially Hotch’s son, prompting the FBI agent to take some special protective measures. As noted in episode 6, which was titled “Elliott’s Pond,” Hotch resigned from his job and entered Witness Protection with his son. This made sense for his character, as Hotch knew first hard what could happen when a serial killer targeted an FBI agent, and he didn't want to put his son in danger again. It was later stated in Season 13 that Hotch left the Witness Protection Program after Peter Lewis' death, but chose to continue being a full-time father rather than rejoin the BAU.

Why Did Thomas Gibson Leave Criminal Minds?

• Thomas Gibson first gained recognition for portraying Daniel Nyland from 1994 to 1997 in the TV medical drama Chicago Hope.
• Gibson later starred in the sitcom Dharma & Greg as Greg Montgomery alongside Jenna Elfman.
• After leaving Criminal Minds, Thomas Gibson starred in the film Shadow Wolves as Colonel Branson.

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Despite Hotch's importance on the show, Thomas Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds during the 12th season. In 2016, Gibson got into a disagreement with a crew member, reported as a writer-producer. During the filming of a scene that Gibson was both acting in and directing, Gibson allegedly kicked a crew member in the leg. He later described the action as less severe, claiming his "foot came up and tapped him on the leg." However, according to reports, the altercation was the "last straw" following a 2010 incident in which Gibson allegedly shoved an assistant director (for which he was ordered to attend anger-management classes), and a 2013 DUI arrest.

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On Aug. 12, 2016, after an internal investigation by production company ABC Studios, Gibson was formally dismissed from Criminal Minds. He released a statement that cited "creative differences" on set, and expressed his regret at the altercation. Following Gibson's abrupt departure, Hotch was quietly written off the show stating his entry into the witness protection program.

Despite the circumstances of his firing, Gibson maintained his love for the show and its fans. To replace Hotchner, Criminal Minds brought back fan-favorite Emily Prentiss, and added more female team members, leading to some positive changes in the BAU demographics. Ultimately, Criminal Minds weathered the storm and continued on for another three seasons, and spawned a revival, Criminal Minds: Evolution, which launched in 2022 on Paramount+.

All 15 seasons of Criminal Minds are streaming on Hulu and Paramount+. Criminal Minds: Evolution is available exclusively on Paramount+.

Criminal Minds

Like Follow Followed TV-MA Crime Drama Mystery Thriller Release Date September 22, 2005 Network CBS, Paramount+ Showrunner Erica Messer Directors Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Rob Bailey, Matthew Gray Gubler, Joe Mantegna, John Gallagher, Douglas Aarniokoski, Guy Norman Bee, Larry Teng, Nelson McCormick, Alec Smight, Charles S. Carroll, Rob Spera, Charles Haid, Diana Valentine, Rob Hardy, Tawnia McKiernan, Bethany Rooney, Karen Gaviola, Sharat Raju, Thomas Gibson, Aisha Tyler, Anna Foerster, Gloria Muzio, John Terlesky Writers Bruce Zimmerman, Virgil Williams, Edward Allen Bernero, Janine Sherman Barrois, Chris Mundy, Simon Mirren, Debra J. Fisher, Kimberly A. Harrison, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Karen Maser, Oanh Ly, Stephanie Sengupta, Aaron Zelman, Kirsten Vangsness, Erica Meredith, Andi Bushell, Holly Harold, Alicia Kirk, Jeff Davis, Randy Huggins, Edward Napier, Jayne A. Archer, Chikodili Agwuna Franchise(s) Criminal Minds

Cast

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• Kirsten Vangsness Penelope Garcia
• Matthew Gray Gubler Dr. Spencer Reid

A group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) using behavioral analysis and profiling to help investigate crimes and find the suspect known as the unsub.

Main Genre Crime Genres Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller Seasons 18 Powered by

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