‘Criminal Minds’ Season 12 Cast News: Thomas Gibson Return Still Possible To Save CBS Drama?

5:35 AM EDT 3/22/2017 by Marie Bernadette delos Santos, Celebeat Reporter

"Criminal Minds" Season 12 went through one of the biggest changes after the CBS drama fired its lead actor, Thomas Gibson. While the issue has cooled down over the months, many fans are still hoping to see Hotch back in the BAU after it has been announced that Shemar Moore will be guest starring in the finale.

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

"Criminal Minds" Season 12 cast news reveals that there is still a possibility that Thomas Gibson will return to the CBS drama as Hotch despite getting fired early on in the season. Fans began expressing their hopes to see the actor back on the series after the network announced the return of former cast member, Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan.

Moore will be a guest star for "Criminal Minds" Season 12 finale to help the team solve the case on Mr. Scratch, as per EW. The publication notes that Moore left the show in 2016 and his character was written off from the series by having Morgan leave the team for the sake of his family.

This raised fans' hopes of seeing Gibson back as Hotch in "Criminal Minds" Season 12. However, Gibson's return may not happen this season, as showrunner Erica Messer was firm that they do not see him returning to the show in the immediate future, reports Cinema Blend.

It can be recalled that Gibson was fired from "Criminal Minds" Season 12 due to an alleged altercation with a writer. Since his departure, however, ratings for the series began to drop with some fans warning to stop watching the show.

Despite all this, "Criminal Minds" Season 12 went on and recently introduced a Spencer-centric arc. Spoilers from TVLine reveal that Reid's new prison buddy, former FBI agent Calvin Shaw, appears to be hiding a secret from him. "Criminal Minds" Season 12 airs every Wednesday on CBS.

Do you think "Criminal Minds" Season 12 should also bring Thomas Gibson back as Hotch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!