'Criminal Minds' Season 10 Spoilers: Aftermath of Shooting Explored, New Member Joins BAU
Last season's ending was a traumatic one for the "Criminal Minds" cast as one member silently walked away and three others were involved in a shooting. This season will explore the aftermath of the shooting and the pain it has caused one person in particular.
During a high-intensity standoff with a shooter, it was the quirky Penelope Garcia who realized her team was in trouble and came to their rescue. Morgan was shot and in danger, and as Penelope arrived, she assessed the situation, grabbed a gun and shot one of the suspects in order to save Reid, who had been shot in the neck. It was completely out of character for Penelope, who usually remains behind the safety of the computer screen and the office.
"It was a traumatic event," showrunner Erica Messer told TVLine. "It was certainly something Garcia's never done and certainly isn't used to."
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The first few episodes will focus on the aftermath of the shooting, which took the entire team by surprise. To make matters worse, Reid and Penelope were in the hospital and quickly realized they were still in jeopardy, leaving Penelope to continue making fast decisions to protect Reid, who is one of her best friends on the team.
At the end of the final episode, one team member visited a recovering Reid at home, then silently walked away and back to her family, leaving the rest of the team behind. However, none of the team members were aware of her decision, so that will be discussed this season as well. Will the team replace Alex Blake, played by Jeanne Tripplehorn? How will they deal with her departure?
Jennifer Love Hewitt is set to join the team this season as "a seasoned undercover agent whose stellar work at the FBI has landed her a coveted position with the Behavioral Analysis Unit." There has been mixed reactions about her joining the veteran cast, but only time will tell.
"Criminal Minds" returns to CBS on October 1.
