What season did Hotch leave Criminal Minds? Situation behind Thomas Gibson's exit revealed

Among the long-standing characters in Criminal Minds was Aaron Hotchner, popularly known as Hotch and portrayed by actor Thomas Gibson. The actor engaged fans of the crime drama for almost eleven years, and his unexpected departure startled many.

Before joining the BAU, he worked as a prosecutor and eventually chose to join the FBI to prevent murders instead of prosecuting criminals. Since the first episode of Criminal Minds, Hotch served as the key leader and ensured his team worked efficiently under his mentorship.

Throughout his time in the crime drama, Hotch's storyline revolved around the tension between his demanding job and his family life. His strained relationship with his wife resulted in a divorce and Hotch then began focusing on building his relationship with his son Jack.

It was in season 12 when Hotch was phased out of the show and his absence was initially addressed by the BAU stating he was on a special assignment. However, reports claim that Thomas Gibson was fired from the show due to conflicts with crew members.

Continue reading to know more about Gibson's exit and how the show moved on without Hotch.

Exploring Hotch's departure from Criminal Minds

After serving as one of the key figures in Criminal Minds, Thomas Gibson's Hotch departed in season 12. In episode 6 titled "Elliott’s Pond", it was revealed that Hotch has resigned from the BAU. His decision to leave the FBI is rooted in his concern for his son Jack.

Hotch entered Witness Protection to safeguard his son from the serial killer Peter Lewis, a.k.a. Mr. Scratch as he was previously stalked. He decided to extensively focus on Jack which aligned with his story as Hotch has always been protective of his son.

Additionally, in season 13, it was revealed that Hotch had left Witness Protection after the death of Lewis. However, he didn't consider joining the FBI as he had already stepped into being a full-time father.

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What caused Thomas Gibson to leave Criminal Minds?

Thomas Gibson was reportedly fired from Criminal Minds due to his on-set behavior that caused conflicts. This goes back to 2016 when Gibson got into an altercation with a writer-producer while filming a scene he was directing and acting in.

Reports suggest that Gibson pushed a crew member and after an internal investigation, his character was written off as ABC Studios fired the actor. Notably, this wasn't the only time Thomas Gibson's on-set behavior caused problems. In 2010, Gibson had to attend mandatory anger management classes after he repeatedly pushed an assistant director.

The actor talked about his time on the show in an interview with US Weekly and said:

"I love Criminal Minds and have put my heart and soul into it for the last 12 years. I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won’t be possible now."

The actor spoke highly of the show and expressed his desire to continue but things had changed. In the same interview, Gibson talked about his altercation with screenwriter Virgil William and explained that he didn't mean to hurt him and later apologized.

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How Criminal Minds handled its story without Aaron Hotchner

Following Hotch's departure from Criminal Minds, the creators made significant changes to maintain fan engagement and emotional depth in the narrative. One of the fan-favorite characters Emily Prentiss (played by Paget Brewster) took on the role of the leader of the BAU, and was joined by new characters like Tara Lewis and Luke Alvez.

This change was well-received by fans as they enjoyed Brewster's character and the addition of new female cast members. The BAU continued handling various crimes including drug dealings and terrorism.