Criminal Minds: A season 12 that starts on a good basis

Last night, CBS aired the first episode of season 12 of Criminal Minds. Despite the departure of Shemar Moore, the cliffhanger gave hope for a new season rich in action. Let's see! 

We had left the BAU team after the shocking departure of Agent Derek Morgan and the escape from prison of many serial killers, and without any emotion, we plunge straight back into the action! If the introductory scene lets us see classically a victim wandering in the desert, the next scene makes us discover the new agent Luke Alvez, played by Adam Rodriguez (The Experts: Miami), in action.

We learn that thanks to the help of this special agent of the FBI's Fugitive Task Force, our favorite team of profilers has not been idle since it has already put 9 serial killers out of 14 behind bars! In this first episode of Criminal Minds, the BAU hunts down The Crimson King, a criminal who has a past with the new recruit of the team. A not so original way to introduce a new character.

A recipe that still works

A serial killer, its hunt, its psychological analysis, unexpected twists, a close up on the feelings of the agents, all the elements that make the series are there or almost, even if we immediately regret the exchanges between Penelope Garcia aka Baby Girl and Derek Morgan. This lack is supported by the writers who try to create a relationship between Garcia and Alvez. "The queen of nice" as she describes herself is seen as "the queen of ice" by the new character, we clearly feel a discomfort between the 2 with which the writers play. To see what they will do with it… However, there is no doubt, Luke Alvez is there to take the place of Derek at all levels, no question of dropping this principle of duo that gives a lighter side to the series.

Despite the lack of complicit exchanges between these two, which were an integral part of the Criminal Minds universe, this recipe still works as well and maybe this new agent will bring something fresh to the series.

These serial killers that haunt the characters

To each character, his serial killer. If the new agent is introduced thanks to the quest of escaped serial killers, we quickly learn that the criminal hunted in this episode haunts his past. He will be the reason why he ends up accepting Rossi and Hochner's offer to join the BAU. Luke Alvez's interviews with Hotchner about The Crimson King will tell us more about the psychology and history of this new character. A character who seems to have a lot in common with the leader of the team. At the same level that Hotchner is haunted by the man who killed his ex-wife and is back in the wild, Alvez seems haunted by the killer's fate of his former teammate. A need for revenge unites them.

Alvez may thus be an asset in the hunt for this serial killer who, as shown in the last shot, is still obsessed with Hotchner. But nothing is won, especially since as we know Thomas Gibson has been fired from the series so this quest could lead to his loss and make a way out for the character. Finally, in one episode it's going to be hard. This hasty departure may harm Criminal Minds , which had started on a good basis.