Criminal Minds is an American crime drama series that premiered September 22, 2005 on CBS. The show is produced by The Mark Gordon Company in association with ABC Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television. It follows the adventures of a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) at Quantico, Virginia. Criminal Minds differs from many criminal system procedural dramas by focusing on the criminal rather than the crime itself.

The series' third season, which premiered on September 26, 2007, was interrupted in late 2007 by the industry-wide WGA strike. It aired its last pre-strike episode on January 23, 2008. Following the resolution of the strike, the show returned to air on April 2, 2008. On May 14, 2008, Criminal Minds was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on September 24, 2008.

Background

Originally, the series centered on Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin), one of the BAU's best profilers. On July 17, 2007, Patinkin was released from his role on the show upon his request. He was replaced by Joe Mantegna who plays David Rossi, who joined the cast several episodes after Patinkin left. Stories now center on David Rossi (Mantegna), BAU's Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), and the BAU unit staff. Hotchner struggles to balance his family life and his job. The BAU consists of Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), Jennifer Jareau (A.J. Cook), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster). The team works out of the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia, but travels around the United States pursuing the most dangerous criminals. Many episodes begin and end with a quote relevant to the episode. Gideon recited most quotes until he left the series; since then each BAU member has said the quotes.

Characters

Main: List of characters in Criminal Minds

Current BAU Team

FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent/Unit Chief Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner: Played by Thomas Gibson, Hotch was formerly assigned to the FBI Field Office in Seattle, Washington. Currently, he is the head of the BAU team. He is divorced (ex-wife Haley) and has a son named Jack. Hotch's attempts to balance his family life and his job successfully are an ongoing theme on the show. After a two-week suspension for releasing a serial killer, Hotch requested a transfer from Erin Strauss, who was pressuring him for such a request. This pleased his wife, until Agent Morgan begged Hotch to come help on a case in Milwaukee and while he was packing up his desk, Garcia handed him the case file and lied to him, telling him that his transfer was held up and that JJ wanted him to have the file. Hotch decided to stay with the BAU against his wife's wishes, and when he returned to Virginia, his wife and son were gone. In episode 3x11 ("Birthright") he was served with divorce papers as he was leaving the office; he is seen signing them in a later episode. In episode 3x01 ("Doubt") it was revealed that Hotchner had previously worked as a prosecutor - more specifically, episode 3x19 ("Tabula Rasa") indicated he had been with the District Attorney's office. In 1x08 ("Natural Born Killer"), when he is interrogating Vincent Perotta, Hotchner comments on the fact that it is logical for some abused children to become killers. Perrotta notes Hotch's use of the word "some"; Hotch responds only by saying: "And, some grow up to catch them." This comment seems to imply that Hotchner was also abused as a child. His hearing has been damaged as a result of the car explosion he was caught in at the beginning of Season 4. The doctor tells him that if he isn't careful he will go deaf, but while working a case a gun is fired near his ear which nearly makes him lose his hearing, episode 4x02 ("The Angel Maker"). In episode 4x04 ("Paradise") he started to doubt himself when a suspect he had interviewed turned out to be the Unsub. Hotch has a younger brother named Sean, who makes an appearance in episode 1x16 ("The Tribe").