Should ‘Criminal Minds’ Bring Thomas Gibson Back As Ratings For CBS Drama Continue To Drop? [SPOILERS]

"Criminal Minds" Season 12 has seen a continuous drop in ratings despite its introduction of a major arc featuring Matthew Gray Gubler's character, Spencer Reid. Some viewers are speculating that the drop in the CBS drama's ratings is due to the firing of Thomas Gibson as Hotch. Should the series bring Hotch back?

This article contains spoilers. Continue reading if you wish to learn more about the story.

"Criminal Minds" Season 12 ratings continue to drop even with the introduction of a serialized arc in the procedural drama. Showrunner Erica Messer recently told TVLine that she is aware of the drop in the show's ratings.

Messer explained that the drop in the ratings of "Criminal Minds" Season 12 may be due to a "combination of factors." This may include the CBS drama's recent firing of Thomas Gibson as Hotch due to an alleged altercation with one of the show's writers on set.

The publication reports that "Criminal Minds" Season 12's average rating is at 1.4 in the demo and its average viewership is at 7.5 million. These figures are lower than last year's average ratings by 22.2 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively.

Messer, however, hopes that the major arc on Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) will be enough to keep "Criminal Minds" Season 12 renewed for another season. As Messer explained to TVGuide.com in a previous interview, Reid's arc will go on through the rest of the season.

Reid has been sent behind bars in "Criminal Minds" Season 12 after being accused of killing a doctor whom he transacted with in hopes of finding a cure for his mother's illness. Messer teased that Reid's predicament will get even worse in the upcoming episodes.

Carter Matt also explores the possibility that other characters will have their own major arcs after Reid's in "Criminal Minds" Season 12. Several fans, however, were not pleased with Reid's arc in the CBS drama while some are hoping to see Gibson back in the show as Hotch.

Should "Criminal Minds" Season 12 bring Thomas Gibson's Hotch back? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!