Criminal Minds Fans Want Hotch Back After Thomas Gibson Reunited With Producer On The Picket Line

Criminal Minds returned in 2022 by way of a revival subtitled Evolution. With that, a portion of the OG cast returned for the Paramount+ sequel series. Some familiar faces were missing, though. One of those stars -- also who left the CM franchise prior to the end of the original show's run -- is Thomas Gibson, who played the role of Aaron Hotchner. He's arguably one of the show's most beloved characters and, at present, it'd be great to see him on the new show. And that's exactly what fans are hoping for after Gibson and a producer reunited while on a strike picket line.

In the midst of the ongoing WGA writers’ strike and the SAG-AFTRA actors strike, Thomas Gibson took to the picket lines to show his solidarity, and he wasn’t alone. He shared a photo on Instagram, and it showed him picketing alongside veteran producer Andrew Wilder at Disney. Check out the image in which both men are all smiles:

This is a wonderful sight to behold, especially considering the circumstances of his exit from the series. The actor was fired from Criminal Minds in 2016 after having starred on the CBS procedural for its first 12 seasons. Ahead his firing, he was merely suspended, with the show establishing that Hotch was on a temporary assignment. Thomas Gibson spoke out about the firing, saying he and writer Virgil Williams weren’t able to get on the same page when it came to a scene. The star said that disagreement ultimately prompted an altercation, and Gibson later apologized for his actions.

Criminal Minds wrote out Hotch by having him retire from the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) to be a full-time parent to his son, Jack. That development occurred after the two were placed in witness protection due to the latter being stalked by serial killer Mr. Scratch in Season 12 and at the beginning of Season 13. Fans now seem as anxious as ever to have Hotch return to the BAU, thanks to the recent photo. That enthusiasm is incredibly evident within the comments of the Instagram post. Check out what some people are saying about the character possibly appearing on Evolution:

• I miss you on criminal minds. (morning_dawna)

• We need you on Criminal Minds and or a comedy! Your comic timing is impeccable. Bottom line is my household will watch anything with you in it. ???? (lorelai_l)

• Come back to criminal minds please. (hristinamkoleva)

• WE LOVE YOU HOTCH! (greekgoddesskayy)

Despite how much time has passed, it seems Aaron Hotchner is still a favorite amongst many fans. The original show definitely wasn't the same after the departure of Thomas Gibson, who was among the few series alums that didn’t cameo in the Criminal Minds finale. At this point, it definitely can't be said for sure whether Gibson might appear on the new series. But just about anything is possible, I suppose. For that to happen, of course, the streaming series would have to get up and running again, as work has halted due to the strikes.

It would indeed be exciting to see Hotch again so that we can get a clearer idea of what he's been up to. (At this point, I'd even settle for a character simply mentioning his status, to be honest.) Regardless of what happens on the show though, it's simply great that Thomas Gibson and Andrew Wilder were able to meet up.

While waiting for Evolution's return, fans watch all 16 seasons of Criminal Minds using a Paramount+ subscription, and keep an eye on the 2023 TV schedule for upcoming premieres.