Pre-Season 2 Evolution Twist Revives Talk Of Controversial Criminal Minds Arc
Which side are you on?
Summary
- Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 is set to premiere on June 6th.
- While it will bring back most of the characters from Season 1, there is one who is surprisingly missing.
- His absence is sparking heated conversations among viewers and reigniting talk of the long-forgotten arc that divided the fandom years ago.
Fans of Criminal Minds are gearing up for a new batch of crazy serial killer cases as Evolution Season 2 is set to land on Paramount+ on June 6th. The upcoming episodes will revolve around the Gold Star mystery teased in the revival's premiere season and bring back beloved characters old and new.
However, there is one veteran cast member who will surprisingly not be reprising his role in Evolution Season 2. This is Josh Stewart, who has portrayed Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau's husband, William 'Will' LaMontagne, for 13 seasons. Back in January, the actor took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the sad news and thank his fans.
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Speculation Fuel
Will was an integral part of the first season of the revival, so his absence from the upcoming chapter is fueling speculation in the Criminal Minds fandom. Considering his major health scare and gun injury, many fans fear that Will will be killed off behind the camera. And that inevitably sparks talk of the most questionable arc in the original series.
Aside from her marriage to Will, JJ had another romantic storyline with her long-time friend and everyone's favorite, Spencer Reid. Their pairing is often referred to as Jeid, and the idea of its resurrection seems to have captured fan discussion once again.
The actor behind Reid, Matthew Gray Gubler, did not appear in Evolution Season 1, and there is no indication that he will come back in the upcoming chapter. But both Gubler and Evolution showrunner Erica Messer have confirmed that they are working on a reunion, so fans are hoping for a surprise return.
However, the majority seems to think that if Reid does come back, he shouldn't come after JJ.
Love Arc Gone Wrong
A dive into the fan threads reveals mixed opinions about Jeid. While there are still plenty of those who root for the pairing, the prevailing sentiment among viewers seems to be that the ship has sailed long ago.
During the CBS run of the crime drama, Jeid's relationship was nothing short of tumultuous. Reid had a crush on JJ since the pilot episode, and even worked up the nerve to ask her out. However, JJ didn't reciprocate his feelings, putting an end to any budding romance before it could really begin.
Fans rooting for the couple had to accept that the profilers would never be together after JJ happily married Will and gave birth to two sons, and Reid had some personal drama of his own. However, the show's writers decided to throw a shocker in the Season 14 finale and reignite the Jeid flames.
Controversial Resurgence
In a mind-blowing twist, JJ confessed her long-standing love for Spencer at gunpoint, revealing feelings that had apparently been simmering beneath the surface for years. This revelation left many fans scratching their heads.
Why meddle with the seemingly solid foundation of JJ and Will's relationship, which stood out as one of the most mature and healthy dynamics on the show? And more importantly, why jeopardize the incredible friendship between JJ and Reid?
Apparently, JJ's star, A.J. Cook, echoed these fan sentiments.
'Still to this day, it gives me knots in my stomach because that's such a big deal, and I protect JJ so much,' the actress told TV Guide in 2020, adding how nervous she was about the Season 14 finale script.
To the relief of viewers, the cliffhanger did no long-term damage. In Season 15, the profilers had an emotional conversation and remained on friendly terms.
However, it seems that the 'will they, won't they' rumor mill is starting to turn again now that fans think Will is no longer in the picture. Well, what can we say. It would certainly be interesting to see how far the writers would go with Jeid this time around, if it were to make a reappearance.
But first we need Reid back.