Thomas Gibson ‘Erased’ From ‘Criminal Minds’ Amid Plunging Ratings: Is This Fall Out From Casting Changes?
Thomas Gibson, AKA Aaron Hotchner on Criminal Minds, was fired from his position last August, for allegedly kicking a writer. Now, Hotch is being written off the show, and the only real question is will Agent Hotchner be killed off or just go away?
Spoiler rumors now suggest that Hotch will be hunted down and murdered brutally by a serial killer. Now, that seems a bit harsh. Rumors have been flying in all directions, though, so fans will have to wait and see.
Thomas Gibson told CBS, Criminal Minds is wasting no time in removing Hotch from the show.
“It seems like they’re trying to erase me from the show. That hurts. But I’m using this time to be with my kids, and I look forward to what’s next.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG54D6cHs0c&t=6s
Thomas Gibson explained his perspective of the confrontation with the Criminal Minds writer and producer Virgil Williams. Thomas’ story is a bit different than last August’s reports and his quotes shown in the video above, on the incident. Gibson is quoted by CBS, explaining the alleged squabble in detail.
“We were shooting a scene late one night when I went to Virgil and told him there was a line that I thought contradicted an earlier line. He said, ‘Sorry, it’s necessary, and I absolutely have to have it.'”
Thomas Gibson continued, explaining the situation as more of an accident that was misinterpreted as an act of aggression. Were Criminal Minds producers hasty in firing Gibson? Could it have all been a horrible misinterpretation of his intent?
“As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg. If I hadn’t moved, he would have run into me. We had some choice words, for which I apologized the next day, and that was it. It was over. We shot the scene, I went home — and I never got to go back.”
Thomas Gibson is dismayed by the extreme nature of actions taken, regarding his dismissal. He says he never intended for any of this to happen.
“I feel like it took years to make a good reputation and a minute to damage it,”
Thomas Gibson isn’t the only one disappointed by the loss of veteran investigator Aaron Hotchner from the BAU. The loss of Gibson from the cast will not sit well with most fans of the show.
Criminal Minds fans are outraged according to iTech Post. On Twitter, hashtags like #SupportThomas Gibson, #NoHotchNoWatch, and #WeSupportThomasGibson are becoming very popular. This fan frustration could not come at a worse time for the show.
Season 12 of Criminal Minds is suffering from substantially lower rating, perhaps in part due to the loss of Thomas Gibson. Also, there could be substantial resentment from fans for actually firing Gibson as proposed by iTech Post. Could this be a deliberate boycott?
It is also possible that Gibson’s absence coupled with the absence of Shemar Moore and the loss of other original cast members over the years is causing an incremental loss of interest due to the steady drain of original cast members. Fans may not tolerate any more casting changes.
Criminal Minds is already in an awkward stage approaching Season 12. The loss of Shemar Moore was nothing short of devastating for some viewers. Now with Gibson gone, and ratings low, could it mark the beginning of the end for Criminal Minds?
While Thomas Gibson is hardly the first original or long-time cast member to exit the show, he is the first to be fired. At least as far as anyone knows, all the other cast left of their own volition. Many cast members were allowed to return after quitting.
Still, Matthew Gray Gubler and Kirsten Vangness are the only remaining original cast members after 12 years. Casting changes abound, recently. Shemar Moore decided to leave the show last season. Extensive casting changes on a 12-year-old series can be rather risky. Firing a popular actor, who was central to the plot, seems especially risky. iTech ventures a prediction.
“With this massive support drawn by Gibson and his character on Criminal Minds, predictions arise that the season’s ratings share is doomed to drop rock-bottom in the next episodes primarily due to the actor’s absence.”
Will Criminal Minds rethink their strategy and reconsider Thomas Gibson? The writers seem determined to kill Gibson’s character Hotch, which will leave a horrible plot conundrum.
On Criminal Minds, agents at the BAU have so little time as it is to devote to their own families, but Hotch was solely responsible for a young son and his aging father-in-law. What will become of them, if Hotch dies? How can any of the cast help, when they are already so overextended. If no solution is found for Hotch’s dependents, then won’t the cast look totally heartless if they neglect them in the wake of their colleague’s murder?
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Thomas Gibson will soon be looking for anther role. Will his firing make it difficult for the actor to find work? With his vast popularity virtually unscathed by the altercation most viewers see as nothing more than a petty squabble, it is not likely to hurt Gibson that much. He’s apparently still in demand.
Will Thomas Gibson go for a comedy rather than crime drama this time around? Gibson was well received on Dharma and Greg. Unfortunately, right now the future is up in the air for both Gibson and Criminal Minds.
Will Criminal Minds‘ decision to fire Thomas Gibson be reconsidered in light of poor ratings and potential plot holes?
[Featured Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]
